1
week
agoLos
Angeles
Dodgers
general
manager
Brandon
Gomes
said
on
Wednesday
that
reports
of
a
forearm
injury
for
right-handed
reliever
Michael
Kopech
(forearm)
have
been
overblown.
Like
many
of
the
team's
other
pitchers
during
their
World
Series
run
last
October,
Kopech
was
"grinding"
through
read more...
1 week agoLos Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said on Wednesday that the team's plan is to have Japanese rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki to be in the team's starting rotation on Opening Day as opposed to delaying him in his first MLB season to curb his workload. The 23-year-old international superstar has pitched a maximum of 129 1/3 innings in Nippon Professional Baseball, which means he'll almost certainly be on a strict pitch count from a start-to start basis. It also means that there's a good chance L.A. could shut him down at some point in the second half of the year. To protect Sasaki early on, it's very possible the Dodgers roll with a six-man starting rotation. While Sasaki surely will have lots of fantasy upside with the Dodgers in 2025, there's also plenty of risk after he battled arm and oblique injuries the last two years. Don't overpay for the name in fantasy drafts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
1 week agoThe Cleveland Guardians announced on Wednesday that they signed free-agent right-hander
Riley Pint to a minor-league deal. Pint is a former first-round pick (fourth overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2016 but has only appeared in five major-league games in relief since making his MLB debut in 2023. In 3 2/3 innings pitched for the Rockies, he allowed nine earned runs on six hits (two homers) while walking eight and striking out seven. Control has been the biggest issue for the 27-year-old, but the Guardians will be hoping they can figure something out with Pint as he comes to spring training this year in minor-league camp. In eight seasons in the minors, Pint has posted a 5.30 ERA and 1.70 WHIP with a save, 376 strikeouts and 262 walks in 311 innings over 193 appearances (40 starts). He will most likely start the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Columbus.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: GuardsInsider
1
week
agoAccording
to
Sahadev
Sharma
and
Patrick
Mooney
of
The
Athletic,
the
Chicago
Cubs
are
targeting
several
options
to
improve
their
bullpen.
According
to
Sharma
and
Mooney,
the
Cubs
were
eyeing
Tanner
Scott
and
Kirby
Yates
before
the
Dodgers
signed
both.
read more...
1 week agoAccording to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Los Angeles Dodgers are shopping right-handed pitcher
Ryan Brasier. Nightengale noted that the Dodgers need to clear space off their 40-man roster for several new additions. On Tuesday, Nightengale reported that the Dodgers had reached a tentative agreement with right-handed pitcher
Kirby Yates. Last season, Brasier was deployed typically out of the bullpen but did make four starts. Across 28 innings, the 37-year-old held a 3.54 ERA and a strong 0.96 WHIP. He showed elite command with a 4.5% walk rate but struggled to generate strikeouts as he posted a modest 22.7% K rate. During the playoffs, he allowed five earned across nine innings of work. If the Dodgers find a trade partner for Brasier, he would likely operate as a middle-relief option with his new club.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Bob Nightengale
1 week agoAccording to the team, the Cleveland Guardians have designated right-handed pitcher
Pedro Avila for assignment. This transaction opened a roster spot for
Paul Sewald, who the team signed to a one-year $6 million contract earlier on Wednesday. Last season, Avila was deployed out of the Cleveland bullpen. Across 82 2/3 innings of work, the 28-year-old posted a 3.81 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. He struck out 82 batters but carried a high 10.2% walk rate. He also generated a 4.62 xERA and .261 xBA, which suggests that he could see some regression during the 2025 campaign. However, he did limit hard contact well with a strong 5.2% barrel rate. The 28-year-old will likely find a suitor and compete for a spot in a bullpen during spring training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Cleveland Guardians
1 week agoAccording to Aram Leighton of Just BB Media, the Chicago Cubs have signed catcher
Reese McGuire to a minor-league deal. McGuire has spent the past two seasons with the Boston Red Sox. Last summer, the 29-year-old made 53 appearances in the majors and held a .209/.280/.295 line. He hit three home runs and swiped three bags with a 13:39 BB:K ratio. However, in 2023, McGuire held a .267/.310/.358 slash line. Across 184 games at the Triple-A level, the backstop has posted a .229/.307/.334 line. Fantasy managers should monitor his status during spring training, but he will likely open the 2025 season with Triple-A Iowa, given that the Cubs already have
Miguel Amaya and
Carson Kelly on the major league roster.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Aram Leighton
1 week agoAccording to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network, left-handed pitcher
Tyler Matzek (elbow) will throw for scouts on Thursday in Irvine, California. Matzek logged only ten innings of work last season before suffering a season-ending elbow injury. While the southpaw has struggled over the past few seasons, he was a dominant part of the Atlanta bullpen during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. During these two years, Matzek held a 2.64 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP across 92 innings. During Atlanta's 2021 World Series run, Matzek was a key part of the "nightshift" bullpen during the playoffs. Across 15 2/3 innings, Matzek posted a stellar 1.72 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a 4:24 BB:K ratio during the postseason. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status before spring training, as he may earn a contract if he is past this elbow injury.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Morosi
1
week
agoThe
Cleveland
Guardians
announced
on
Wednesday
that
they
signed
free-agent
right-handed
reliever
Paul
Sewald
to
an
undisclosed
major-league
contract
for
the
2025
season.
The
deal
includes
a
mutual
option
for
2026.
It
was
a
rough
2024
season
for
Sewald
in
his
final
year
with
read more...
1 week agoThe Toronto Blue Jays signed free-agent catcher
Christian Bethancourt and left-hander
Richard Lovelady to minor-league deals with invites to major-league spring training on Wednesday. Bethancourt will compete with
Tyler Heineman in camp for the right to serve as
Alejandro Kirk's primary backup in 2025. Meanwhile, Lovelady has had success against lefty hitters in his career and will give the Blue Jays more left-handed depth for their bullpen. Bethancourt, 33, broke into the big leagues back in 2013 with the Atlanta Braves and will be on his seventh MLB team. In 62 games with the Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs last year, he hit .209 with five home runs and 22 RBI in 147 plate appearances. Lovelady, 29, has held lefties to a .232/.312/.342 line in his five years in the majors. He had a 4.46 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with two saves in 34 1/3 frames with the Cubs and Rays in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
1 week agoFree-agent right-handed reliever
Lou Trivino (elbow, shoulder) threw a bullpen session in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday in front of scouts and got his sinker up to 94 mph. Trivino is already drawing interest from several teams, and the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Guardians, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals were among the teams in attendance and came away impressed, according to a source. The 33-year-old veteran was working to return from Tommy John surgery in 2024 before his rehab was shut down in September due to a shoulder injury. Trivino has not pitched in the big leagues since the 2022 campaign but could be a useful high-leverage setup man somewhere in 2025 if he proves he's past his arm issues. In five big-league seasons, he has a 3.86 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with 37 saves in 284 2/3 innings pitched.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SI.com - Pat Ragazzo
1 week agoMinnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said that right-hander
Pablo Lopez will get the nod for the team on Opening Day in 2025 on March 27 at the St. Louis Cardinals. Lopez, who was a first-time All-Star in his first year in Minnesota in 2023, went 15-10 for the Twins last year with a 4.08 ERA (3.65 FIP) and a 1.19 WHIP with 198 strikeouts and 41 walks in 32 starts. On the surface, he took a step back in 2024 and struggled with allowing home runs, but he pitched better down the stretch and posted a career-high 15 wins. The 28-year-old Venezuelan hurler has been durable in his career and has a pretty decent 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings over 889 1/3 career innings over seven major-league seasons. Lopez is by no means a fantasy ace, but he should have a pretty safe floor as an SP2 for fantasy managers to target in upcoming drafts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Minnesota Star Tribune - Bobby Nightengale
1 week agoThe Tampa Bay Rays and infielder
Taylor Walls avoided salary arbitration on Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year, $1.35 million deal. The contract includes a $2.45 million option for the 2026 season with a $50,000 buyout. The 28-year-old middle infield will return to Tampa this year to provide infield insurance for the Rays. His glove is the most attractive thing about him, leaving very little fantasy upside for those in deep AL-only leagues in 2025. The former third-round selection in 2017 out of Florida State hit just .183/.282/.248 with a career-worst .529 OPS, one home run, 14 RBI, 16 stolen bases and 27 runs scored in 84 games in his fourth major-league season in 2024. In his four big-league campaigns, Walls has slashed a mere .188/.288/.293 with 18 home runs, 98 RBI and 52 stolen bases in 379 career games. If he's forced into regular playing time, the Rays will be in trouble.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
1 week agoFormer All-Star shortstop
Tim Anderson signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. Anderson will look to return to the big leagues alongside manager and infield guru Ron Washington in Anaheim in 2025. The 31-year-old made the All-Star team in back-to-back seasons with the Chicago White So in 2021 and 2022 and also won an American League batting title back in 2019, but he's tanked the last two years offensively and ended up being released by the Miami Marlins in 2024 after hitting just .214/.237/.226 with no homers in 65 games. Anderson will have a better shot at making the Angels' Opening Day roster out of spring training since starting shortstop
Zach Neto (shoulder) may not be ready to go, but until further notice, Anderson won't be anywhere near the fantasy radar for those in mixed leagues in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
1 week agoAccording to Ian Browne of MLB.com, Boston Red Sox prospect
Kristian Campbell will be in the mix to compete for the starting second base job at spring training. Browne noted that
Vaughn Grissom will likely be the other option. Grissom was given the starting job last summer but battled numerous injuries and logged only 31 games all season. He posted a disappointing .190/.246/.219 line. Campbell was recently tabbed as MLB Pipeline's top second base prospect entering the 2025 season. Last summer, Campbell spent most of his time at Double-A, where he held an impressive .362/.463/.582 line with eight home runs and 17 stole bases across 56 games. He was given a brief look at Triple-A and continued to perform as he posted a .286/.412/.486 line through 19 games. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor their progress during spring training, but Campbell is worth a look as a late flier in early drafts, as he could run away with the starting job, given his development last summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Ian Browne
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