Niko Goodrum Batting Fifth On Opening Day

Detroit Tigers infielder/outfielder Niko Goodrum is the designated hitter on Thursday and will bat fifth against Marcus Stroman and the Toronto Blue Jays. Josh Harrison takes Goodrum's usual second base spot. Goodrum, who started games at six different positions in a 16-homer, 12-steal season last year, also hit .321/.373/.509 this spring. Goodrum's positional eligibility, especially […]

Chad Pinder Playing Second Base, Batting Sixth Thursday

Oakland Athletics infielder/outfielder Chad Pinder is playing second base on Thursday and bats sixth. Pinder started in left field twice during the Japan series, but now moves to second base as Jurickson Profar (batting fifth) takes the injured Matt Olson's place at first. Pinder posted strong Statcast numbers last year and could provide solid power […]

Frank Schwindel To Make MLB Debut Batting Fifth

Kansas City Royals first baseman Frank Schwindel will bat fifth and play first base in his first career MLB game on Opening Day. This means that Ryan O'Hearn is not in the starting lineup against the left-handed White Sox starter, Carlos Rodon. Schwindel, whose time with the team may be temporary, plays some catcher but […]

Max Kepler Leading Off Opening Day

Minnesota Twins right fielder Max Kepler gets the leadoff spot for Opening Day at home against Corey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians. Kepler is a popular sleeper pick and if he regularly bats ahead of Jorge Polanco, Nelson Cruz, and Eddie Rosario, that should help his runs scored count. Kluber may not be the best […]

Ketel Marte Batting Sixth, Playing Center Field

Arizona Diamondbacks infielder/outfielder Ketel Marte is playing center field and batting sixth against the Los Angeles Dodgers and pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu on Opening Day. Marte, who ought to have a consistent starting role in light of Steven Souza Jr.'s devastating knee injury, is also eligible at second base and shortstop and could have a breakout […]

Franmil Reyes Batting Cleanup, Hunter Renfroe Not In Lineup

San Diego Padres right fielder Franmil Reyes is playing right field and batting fourth, while Hunter Renfroe is not in the starting lineup for Opening Day. Reyes and Renfroe were competing for the right field spot in spring training. How much playing time each gets will have a big effect on their fantasy value and […]

Teoscar Hernandez in Three Hole to Start Season

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez got the coveted third spot in their batting order for Opening Day against Jordan Zimmermann and the Detroit Tigers. Hernandez was a bit of a sleeper during draft season on account of his strong Statcast numbers but uncertain playing time. If he hits third with regularity he could turn […]

Anthony Rendon Homers in Exhibition Game at Nationals Park

Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon hit 2019's first home run at Nationals Park, albeit in an exhibition game against the New York Yankees on Monday. It was Rendon's fifth home run this March as the 28-year-old prepares to bat cleanup in the Nationals lineup. You can expect four strong categories from RotoBaller's seventh-ranked third […]

Patrick Corbin Goes Six Innings In Last Spring Start

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin threw six innings in his final start of spring training in a split-squad game against the Houston Astros on Sunday, allowing three runs on 10 hits while striking out seven with one walk. Corbin only posted a 4.88 ERA in 24 innings this spring, with three walks and 19 […]

Adam Eaton Healthy And Ready To Deliver

Jamal Collier writes that Washington Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton "appears fully healthy, not hampered by the lingering effects of the torn ACL in his left knee from April 2017 or the ankle injury from the same day that required arthroscopic surgery last May." Eaton has hit a blistering .343/.489/.743 in 15 games this spring training. […]

Pitchers Who Changed Scenes - Preseason Risers and Fallers

Several impact hitters switched teams for 2019, but other than Patrick Corbin, not so many pitchers, especially as we await the fates of Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel. And, if Milwaukee signs Kimbrel in light of Corey Knebel's elbow, it shouldn't be that different an experience for his shareholders than Boston was last season given […]

Victor Robles to Bat Ninth

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez shared his plans for the team's lineup Saturday. It will feature Adam Eaton leading off, Trea Turner batting second and Victor Robles batting ninth. This is not great news for Robles' fantasy shareholders, but he is at least set for something like full playing time as long as Michael A. […]

Stephen Strasburg Strikes Out Nine in Last Spring Game

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg went 5 2/3 innings in his final game of spring training, striking out nine without a walk. He did allow four runs, including a home run to fellow pitcher Miles Mikolas. Overall, Strasburg walked seven and struck out 28 in 21 1/3 innings this spring. He is always a […]

Hitters Who Changed Scenes - Preseason Risers and Fallers

The constant and inevitable churn of players and teams continued this offseason, as it does being "constant" and all. A change of scenery having an effect in and of itself is a bit cliche and probably inaccurate, but changing parks and changing teammates will certainly have its effect on a player's stat line. One player […]

Nate Green's 10 Bold Predictions for 2019

Here at RotoBaller, we offer only the best, most factually-grounded fantasy analysis. Then, once a year, along comes everyone's favorite exercise: the Bold Predictions. Ah yes, wherein those of us who write analysis about a sabermetric-driven sport are encouraged to make the wildest guesses about the coming season in fantasy baseball. Some statistical basis ought […]

Sean Doolittle Gets Wakeup Call

Washington Nationals closer Sean Doolittle had a rough day Saturday, allowing four hits, five earned runs, a walk and a home run to the Cardinals. Doolittle, who considered the performance to be a "wakeup call," only has a 9.64 ERA this spring. Despite that, Doolittle is a top ten closer and should be drafted as […]

Late-Round SP Fliers Who Could Rack Up Wins

Pitcher wins, as you may know, are now widely considered to be essentially meaningless outside of a fantasy context. For the same reason, they also make for a weird fantasy stat. For example, Rick Porcello only managed a 4.28 ERA in 2018, which ranked 45th out of 58 qualified pitchers. That ERA was also backed […]

Anthony Rendon, Yan Gomes Homer Twice Each

Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon and catcher Yan Gomes each hit two of the team's seven total home runs in their 11-3 spring training win over the Mets on Friday. The others were hit by Adam Eaton, Ryan Zimmerman, and Matt Adams. Rendon makes for a strong if understated asset at third base (somewhere […]

Michael A. Taylor To Miss Significant Amount of Time

The injury that Washington Nationals outfielder Michael A. Taylor sustained on Thursday was announced as a knee and hip sprain on Friday and is serious enough to cost him "significant" playing time. It's bad news for the Nationals outfield depth but good news for prospect Victor Robles, who should now get everyday AB's. Taylor was […]

Victor Robles Goes 2-For-4, Homers

Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles hit his second home run of the spring on Thursday and is now batting .375 with a 1.069 OPS this month. His main competition for playing time this season, Michael A. Taylor, also suffered a knee injury which, if serious, would mean extra at-bats for Robles. Robles makes for a […]

Michael A. Taylor Injures Left Knee

Washington Nationals outfielder Michael A. Taylor injured his left knee robbing Byron Buxton of a hit in the second inning on Thursday. He left the game at the end of the inning and will be evaluated further on Friday. Based on reports, the injury may not be serious, but a significant injury would pretty much […]

Trea Turner Hits First Home Run of Spring

Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner was one of four Nationals to hit a home run in their 8-4 win over the Braves on Wednesday. Turner hit 19 home runs in 2018 to go with his 43 stolen bases, a combination that along with his position has made him an extremely tantalizing fantasy asset this draft […]

Patrick Corbin Fans Four Hitters

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin, their key free-agent signing this past offseason, allowed three runs on six hits with four strikeouts in four innings versus the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. Corbin had entered the game with only three strikeouts in nine innings this spring training, but today helps demonstrate that those missing K's were […]

Max Scherzer To Start On Opening Day

Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer has been named the club's Opening Day starter against the New York Mets. It will be his fourth Opening Day start with the Nationals, and he will face the man who beat him for last year's NL Cy Young Award, Jacob deGrom. Scherzer remains one of fantasy baseball's top one […]

Juan Soto Working on Defense

Jamal Collier of MLB.com wrote about Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, saying "even if the advanced metrics did not grade Soto's defense favorably, the Nationals were happy with the strides he made last season." Third-base coach Bob Henley said that Soto "doesn’t want to be a one-dimensional guy, he wants to be a great baseball […]

Carter Kieboom "Gym Rat" According To Manager

Nationals infield prospect Carter Kieboom was praised by manager Dave Martinez recently: "He's like a sponge. He wants to absorb everything. He listens, and he's hanging out with some of our veteran guys and talking and stuff." Kieboom is hitting .300/.400/.600 through 25 PA this spring training, but as article author Christina De Nicola writes: […]

One Dollar Bids - Auction Draft Targets

Auction drafts are an interesting animal. This especially comes through at the end of drafts. In a snake draft, that sleeper you really wanted may get picked just before your turn, but if he does get to your spot, he's yours. In an auction draft, someone you had tabbed as a $1 sleeper can be […]

Adam Eaton Sees Self in Dustin Pedroia

Washington Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton compared his playing style to Dustin Pedroia on Friday. "In ’07 and ’08 when I was still in high school and college and he was really getting in it, watching him, that’s exactly what I wanted to be," Eaton said. He elaborated further in the source article. Eaton, who has […]

Stephen Strasburg Throws Four Scoreless Innings

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg held the Mets to one hit and one walk with five strikeouts in his second spring appearance on Wednesday. Since 2015, Strasburg has only started between 22 and 28 games every season, and in the 22-start season last year, he posted career worsts of a 3.74 ERA and 3.62 […]

Max Scherzer Allows Five Runs

Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer had a rough fourth inning on Tuesday in which he allowed five runs to the Boston Red Sox. Scherzer was more himself in the first three innings, where he retired all nine batters faced with three strikeouts. That perfect start is much closer to what you should expect in 2019 […]