4 days agoDetroit Tigers second baseman/outfielder
Wenceel Perez is set to see increased opportunities in the outfield with
Matt Vierling (shoulder) and
Parker Meadows (biceps) sidelined. Vierling is dealing with a right shoulder injury and is to undergo further evaluation. Meadows is dealing with inflammation but did not suffer any structural damage. The 25-year-old is likely to be cleared for baseball activities in the coming days. However, for the time being, Perez could have an increased role in camp. Last season, Perez logged 105 of his starts in the outfield. However, he spent most of his time at the keystone in the minor leagues. Across his first 112 games in the majors, Perez posted a .242/.300/.383 line. He hit 12 doubles, nine home runs, and swiped nine bags. Fantasy managers should expect Perez to operate as a depth option during the regular season and only have value in deeper formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jason Beck
4 days agoLos Angeles Angels first baseman
Nolan Schanuel worked to improve his bat speed during the offseason. Last season, the former 11th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft placed in the second percentile in bat speed (65.2 mph). He generated a weak 25.4 percent hard-hit rate and a 3.5 percent barrel rate which placed him in the fourth and ninth percentiles respectively. Across a career-high 147 contests last season, Schanuel held a .250/.343/.362 line with 13 home runs and 10 stolen bases. However, despite the modest power outputs, the Florida Atlantic showed a strong eye at the plate as he drew walks at an 11.2 percent rate and only struck out at a 17.0 percent rate. Fantasy managers should expect Schanuel to operate as the starting first baseman in Los Angeles and could be worth a look in deeper formats if he shows power improvement during spring training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Fletcher
4 days agoSan Diego Padres right-handed pitcher
Bryan Hoeing (shoulder) began playing catch earlier this week. Hoeing has been delayed during the start of camp due to shoulder soreness. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he could still be cleared by Opening Day if he continues to progress at a steady rate. Last season, the 28-year-old was deployed primarily as a reliever but did make two starts across his 34 games. He split time with the Marlins and Padres and logged 53 2/3 innings with a 2.18 ERA and a stellar 1.06 WHIP. However, with San Diego, the Louisville product was quite effective as he tossed 23 2/3 innings of relief with a 1.52 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP. He held a 5:18 BB:K ratio. When healthy, fantasy managers should expect Hoeing to have a middle-relief role in the San Diego bullpen.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSan Diego Padres right-handed pitching prospect
Juan Nunez (shoulder) threw his first bullpen session on Tuesday. The 24-year-old has been dealing with a shoulder injury and is slowly building up. Seeing him throw his first session relatively early in camp leaves the door open for him to be cleared for action by Opening Day. Nunez was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the Padres in December and must spend the 2025 season on the MLB roster or he would have to offered back to Baltimore. Last season, the right-hander spent the season in the Orioles organization. Across 29 1/3 innings at the High-A level, Nunez held a 2.45 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP. However, the team could opt to have him open the season on the injured list to keep him on the roster. For now, fantasy managers should expect Nunez not to carry any value in standard formats in the foreseeable future.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoVegas Golden Knights left wing Ivan Barbashev tallied four points during their 7-5 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday evening. Barbashev tallied his first point in the opening frame on a secondary assist on Nicholas Hague's goal. Later in this frame, Barbashev found the back of the net on the power-play. In the second, Barbashev tallied the primary helper on Keegan Kolesar's strike. Then in the final frame, Barbashev found the back of the net, this time on a tip-in during 5-on-5 play. Entering this contest, Barbashev tallied two points (one goal) over his last four contests. Over his last 12 games, Barbashev has tallied nine points and held a strong +9 rating. He remains a solid option in deeper formats during his recent surge. He will look to continue this offensive production on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoPittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin tallied four points during their overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday evening. In the second period, Malkin tallied two helpers, the primary assist on Philip Tomasino's strike and the secondary assist on Erik Karlsson's goal. In the third period, Malkin found the back of the net on a snap shot to tie the game and force overtime. Then in overtime, Malkin scored his second goal of the evening to seal the victory. Since returning from a lower-body injury on February 22, Malkin has found the back of net three times and added four helpers. During this stretch, the 38-year-old has tallied six shots on goal and held a +2 rating. Even though Malkin has not been as consistent this season, he continues to see top six minutes in the Pittsburgh offense. He will look to stay hot on Saturday afternoon against the Boston Bruins.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoSt. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg found the back of the net twice during their victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday evening. Broberg found the back of the net twice in the opening, during even strength play. He also held a +2 rating in this contest but did not tally a hit or a block. This performance also extended his point streak to two games. Over his last five contests, Broberg has tallied five points (three goals) with four hits, seven blocked shots, 11 shots on goal, and a +4 rating. Before this recent offensive surge, the 23-year-old only tallied one point (a helper) over his last eight contests and held a -3 rating. Across 47 games, Broberg has tallied 20 points. He will look to extend this scoring streak on Saturday against the Kings and remains a solid option in deeper formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoTampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped all 27 shots on Thursday night against the Calgary Flames. The Flames had the slight advantage in the shot total but Vasilevskiy was able to lead the way. The Flames made a strong push in the third period as they logged 11 shots but Vasilevskiy shut the door. This performance extended his winning streak to seven games. During this stretch, the 30-year-old has posted a .944 save percentage with a 1.72 GAA. Since January 7, Vasilevskiy has only lost three contests in regulation and held an impressive .936 save percentage with a 1.94 GAA. Vasilevskiy remains a must-start goaltender in all formats as he will look to extend this winning streak to eight games on Saturday in Washington.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoMontreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki tallied three points for the second-straight contest on Thursday evening during their overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks. Suzuki found the back of the net twice in the opening frame, both during 5-on-5 play. Then in overtime, Suzuki would tally the primary assist on Cole Caufield's game-winner. Suzuki has now tallied at least two points in each of his last three games and three points in each of his last two. During this impressive three-game stretch, the 25-year-old has found the back of the net three times and added five helpers. Before this slump, Suzuki tallied just one helper over his last six contests. Fantasy managers should continue to view Suzuki as a must-start option in all formats playing top minutes in the Montreal offense. He will look to stay hot on Saturday evening against the Buffalo Sabres.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoNew York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 38 of the 39 shots he faced en route to defeating the Boston Bruins on Thursday evening. The Islanders were heavily outshot in this contest but Sorokin was able to lead the way. His lone mistake came in the final frame when David Pastrnak found the back of the net on a wrist shot. However, Sorokin was able to shut the door for the remainder of the period to lead the Islanders to the victory. This was a much-needed bounce-back outing for Sorokin as he carried a four-game losing streak into Thursday's contest. During this streak, the 29-year-old held a .818 save percentage with a 5.02 GAA. However, before his slump, he carried an impressive seven-game winning streak where he posted a 1.16 GAA. He will look to start another streak on Saturday afternoon against the Nashville Predators.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoThe NFL and NFL Players Association on Thursday agreed to a 2025 salary cap of $279.2 million per team, sources told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. It's another record high. The league projected the cap to land between $277.5 million and $281.5 million just last week. The new figure of $279.2 million in 2025 is a $23.8 million jump from last year's cap of $255.4 million. The newest jump in the salary cap is more than $100 million more than what it was in 2018 ($177 million) and almost $200 million more than it was in 2005 ($85.5 million). NFL vice president of communications Brian McCarthy said that the total projected player costs are slotted at $362.48 million for all 32 teams. Back in 1994, the first year of the salary cap, the NFL's cap per team was a mere $34.608 million.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
4 days agoUniversity of Michigan cornerback Will Johnson (toe) will not work out at the NFL Combine this week in Indianapolis, sources told ESPN's Jordan Reid. Instead, Johnson will fully participate in Michigan's Pro Day on March 21. The 21-year-old defensive back suffered a turf-toe injury in his final collegiate season and was forced to miss the final six games in 2024. Despite his injury, he's projected to be one of the top cornerback prospects in the 2025 draft class after recording 68 total tackles, nine interceptions and three touchdowns in his three years with the Wolverines. Johnson's foot injury shouldn't be an issue for the start of his rookie season in the NFL this fall. He was an All-American in 2023 and was mentioned as a potential option for the first overall selection in the 2025 draft before the 2024 season. Johnson was named the defensive MVP in the national championship victory over Washington in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jordan Reid
4 days agoUniversity of Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant (hamstring) was found to have a hamstring strain during medical evaluations at the NFL Combine, which prevented him from taking part in on-field drills in Indianapolis on Thursday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Grant was pushing to work out anyway, but he will instead be a full-go at Michigan's Pro Day on March 21. The 21-year-old's hamstring injury obviously isn't anything serious, and the injury should be behind him for the start of the 2025 season this fall, but it could hurt his draft stock in April if he disappoints at his Pro Day in late March. As a junior with the Wolverines in 2024, Grant finished with 32 total tackles and three sacks. Grant is projected to be taken in the first round in April and was hoping to run a 40-yard dash in the 4.8-second range while putting up 30-plus repetitions on the bench press at the Combine.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 days agoNFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that University of Michigan stud defensive tackle Mason Graham, who is expected to be a top-five pick in this year's NFL draft in April, will only do the bench press at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week, according to his agent Ryan Matha. Graham will do everything else at his school's Pro Day workout. The 21-year-old is just following the trend of the top NFL prospects skipping Combine workouts all together in favor of the more controlled environments at their Pro Day. In his final season with the Wolverines in 2024, Graham was a dominant defensive lineman by racking up 45 tackles (seven for loss) and 3.5 sacks to earn first-team All-American honors. Graham should be an immediate starter in 2025 in his first year in the NFL with whatever team calls his name in the early first round on Day 1.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 days agoDoctors told Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter (foot, shoulder) he won't need surgery after additional scans on his right foot, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Carter, who is in play for the first overall pick in this year's NFL draft, isn't working out at the Combine this week in Indianapolis, but he will work out at Penn State's Pro Day on March 28. "I couldn't be more confident that this will be a non-factor where he's drafted," Carter's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said on Thursday. "He will put on a show at his pro day." The 21-year-old dealt with a stress reaction in his right foot late last season, but it shouldn't affect his draft stock as one of the best overall players available. Carter is also dealing with a shoulder injury, but the 2024 Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year should be ready to go for Week 1 of his rookie year in the NFL this fall. Whoever drafts Carter could have a generational talent on their hands.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
4 days agoThe Detroit Lions plan to release veteran linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin when the new league year begins in March, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Reeves-Maybin, who is the NFL Players Association president, made his first career Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro in 2023. The 30-year-old has been a long-time contributor and special teams standout for the Lions, but he'll be on the open market this spring. He was drafted in the fourth round (124th overall) by Detroit in the 2017 NFL draft out of the University of Tennessee and has spent all eight of his seasons with the Lions. A neck injury limited him to just 10 regular-season games (no starts), and he finished with just 14 tackles (10 solo) and a forced fumble. Reeves-Maybin is mostly useful for his prowess on special teams and should eventually latch on with another organization for the 2025 campaign.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
4
days
agoNew
York
Mets
outfield/first
base
prospect
Ryan
Clifford
collected
his
first
hit
of
the
spring
season
on
Thursday,
which
was
a
two-run
shot
in
the
sixth
inning
of
the
team's
5-0
Grapefruit
League
win
over
the
Astros.
The
21-year-old
is
now
1-for-6
during
read more...
4 days agoNewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill reports that the New Orleans Saints met with University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward at the NFL Combine on Thursday. Ward is a candidate to be taken No. 1 overall in this year's NFL draft as one of the top QBs in this year's class. It's not all that notable that the Saints actually met with Ward, as the Saints don't pick until ninth overall in this year's draft, and Ward is widely expected to go within the top three picks. Additionally, there's a good chance the Saints stick with veteran
Derek Carr as their starter under center in new head coach Kellen Moore's first season with the team in 2025. However, with Carr carrying a $51.458 million salary cap hit this year, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Saints move on and then trade into the top portion of the draft to select Ward as their future signal-caller.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NewOrleans.Football - Nick Underhill
4 days agoMinnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) is reportedly doing well in his recovery this offseason from a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee. Darrisaw had surgery on his knee in early November but is trending in the right direction after injuring his knee in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said that the 25-year-old offensive lineman is "absolutely killing it every step of the way." Still, Darrisaw has a ways to go in his recovery from a pretty serious knee surgery and won't be a lock to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season this fall. We should have a better idea of his progress and status for the start of 2025 when training camp rolls around in late July. When Darrisaw is ready to go, he could be protecting former first-rounder
J.J. McCarthy's (knee) blind side after he missed all of his rookie season in 2024 due to a knee injury of his own.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Paul Pioneer Press - Dane Mizutani
4 days agoThe Seattle Seahawks have given safety Rayshawn Jenkins permission to seek a trade, sources told FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. After signing a two-year, $12 million deal with Seattle last offseason, Jenkins played in a career-low 13 games (nine starts) and finished with 53 tackles (34 solo), two sacks, and a fumble recovery returned 102 yards for a touchdown. The 31-year-old spent time on Injured Reserve after having surgery on his hand, but when he returned in November, he lost his starting job to Coby Bryant. Jenkins has a $7.780 million salary cap hit in 2025. If the Seahawks were to cut him, they'd save $5.280 million while taking on $2.5 million in dead money. It means that if Seattle cannot find a trade partner, Jenkins will likely be cut after just one year with the team. The former fourth-rounder by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017 out of the University of Miami could be battling for a part-time role if he's available on the open market.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
4 days agoDallas Cowboys impending free-agent defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence's (foot) agent, David Canter, said that his client is "100 percent" healthy this offseason. Canter also said that Lawrence hasn't considered retirement at all and plans to continue playing in the NFL. The 32-year-old veteran only played in four games in 2024 due to a foot injury that he suffered in Week 4. Canter said Lawrence was healthy late last year, but it didn't make sense for him to return with the Cowboys' season already over. When he was on the field, Lawrence was still a force, recording three sack and 14 tackles. It sounds like Lawrence would prefer to stay in Dallas and re-sign with the team, but he could attract plenty of interest around the league as more of a situational pass-rusher as he enters his 12th year in the league. The four-time Pro Bowler had 14.5 sacks in 2017, but he has only 13 sacks in his last 38 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 105.3 The Fan
4 days agoTampa Bay Rays infielder
Curtis Mead has been raking this spring, now 8-for-9 through four games, including a double and a home run with a stolen base to boot. The Australian native is fighting for a roster spot this spring, and it appears he's putting his best foot forward. The right-handed hitter has had some opportunity with the big league club over the last two years but owns just a career .244/.300/.312 slash line in 224 career plate appearances. He showed well at Triple-A last season, putting together a .288-13-41-60-11 line over 91 games (364 AB), so perhaps he's riding some of that momentum into the 2025 campaign. As it stands, he's off the redraft radar, but were he to work his way into a sizeable role during the season, the 24-year-old has some power and speed potential that could make him an intriguing fantasy option.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoNFL Network's Ian Rapoport said that all sides expect a resolution to Los Angeles Rams quarterback
Matthew Stafford's saga by the end of this week's NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Stafford is looking to be compensated as a top-10 QB in the league, which would mean at least $40 million over the next couple of seasons, but the Rams are playing hardball, which is why they've allowed him to reach out to other teams to gauge his value this offseason. The New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders appear interested in trading for the 37-year-old veteran signal-caller and signing him to a new deal that will pay him more, but Rapoport says not to rule out a return to the Rams. Although he might have to take a bit less money to stay in L.A., the Rams likely give Stafford the best shot at winning another Super Bowl ring at the tail end of his career. Stay tuned for more developments by the end of this weekend.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 days agoCleveland Guardians pitching prospect
Franco Aleman (hernia) underwent surgery to repair a hernia in his left hip/groin area, which has a 4-6 week recovery timeline. Had the righty made the team out of camp, he'd probably miss Opening Day, but at this point, it's more likely that he'll begin at Triple-A whenever he returns, which is where he finished last season. The 24-year-old owns a 4.25 MiLB career ERA and a 1.30 WHIP but can strike out batters at a strong rate, recording a 32.9 percent K% with a 7.8 percent BB%. The former 10th-round draft pick could be an effective reliever for Cleveland whenever he gets the call, but he's not on the 2025 fantasy draft radar.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: GuardsInsider
4 days agoBoston Red Sox shortstop prospect
Marcelo Mayer went 3-for-3 with three RBI in Thursday's 6-5 Grapefruit League win over the Tigers, which included a single, a triple, and his first home run of the spring season. The 22-year-old is now 5-for-11 (.455) in the spring, and although he's a long shot to make the team out of camp, the Red Sox have to be thrilled to see him out there fully healthy after finishing last season on the IL with a lumbar strain. The 6-foot-3 left-handed hitter is the third-ranked Red Sox prospect and No. 12 overall in MLB. The former first-round draft pick spent all of 2024 at Double-A, slashing .307/.370/.480 with eight home runs and 13 steals in 335 PA. He's expected to begin the season at Triple-A, but with oft-injured
Trevor Story manning short for the BoSox, Mayer is a nice insurance policy who should make his major league debut in 2025, however, he shouldn't be drafted in most standard-sized fantasy leagues.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4
days
agoBaltimore
Orioles
catching
prospect
Samuel
Basallo
hit
his
first
home
run
of
the
spring
on
Thursday
in
an
11-8
Grapefruit
League
win
over
the
Blue
Jays.
The
solo
blast
was
a
crushed,
clearing
the
scoreboard
in
center
field.
He's
now
2-for-4
in
three
read more...
4 days agoThe Miami Marlins have claimed right-handed pitcher
Brett de Geus off waivers. In a corresponding move, the team designated right-handed pitcher
Seth Martinez for assignment, who they claimed off waivers last week. De Geus was traded to Pittsburgh earlier this offseason but will return to the Marlins, with whom he spent time earlier in his career. Last season, the 27-year-old spent time with three MLB clubs, including Miami, and logged a cumulative 11 1/3 innings of relief across 13 games. He allowed nine earned runs and held a 4:7 BB:K ratio. Last summer, De Geus logged 39 innings at the Triple-A level to the tune of a 5.31 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He tallied just 27 punchouts and served up 14 free passes. Fantasy managers should expect De Geus to compete for a low-leverage relief role during spring training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Miami Marlins
4 days agoThe Miami Marlins have designated right-handed pitcher
Seth Martinez for assignment. In a corresponding move, the team claimed right-handed pitcher
Brett de Geus off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Marlins claimed Martinez off waivers earlier this week. Martinez has spent his entire MLB career with the Houston Astros. Last season, the 30-year-old posted a 3.59 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP across 52 2/3 innings of relief. He tallied just 36 punchouts but was able to limit hard contact as he generated a strong 6.7 percent barrel rate. However, he also generated a 4.08 xERA, which suggests that he may face some regression when he returns to the bump. Fantasy managers should expect Martinez to draw interest on waivers as a low-leverage relief option.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Miami Marlins
4
days
agoAthletics
first
baseman
Tyler
Soderstrom
could
still
be
in
the
mix
to
serve
as
the
team's
backup
catcher.
Soderstrom
was
drafted
as
a
catcher
with
the
26th
pick
in
the
2020
MLB
Draft.
However,
the
23-year-old
has
begun
to
transition
to
first
base.
read more...
4 days agoThe X-rays came back negative on Tampa Bay Rays infielder
Jose Caballero (foot). Caballero was lifted from Thursday's Grapefruit League contest after fouling a ball off his left foot. However, the infielder was able to avoid a serious injury and should be viewed as day-to-day. Fantasy managers should expect the team to exercise caution with him and may opt to rest him for a few days. Last summer, the 28-year-old logged a career-high 138 games at the MLB level. Caballero held a .227/.283/.347 line with just nine home runs. However, he provided his fantasy value with his speed as he stole 44 bags, which was the most in the American League. Fantasy managers should expect Caballero to operate in a depth role this season as the Rays signed
Ha-Seong Kim (elbow) to be the primary shortstop. However, given his speed and strong defensive play, he should still find himself in the starting lineup quite often.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
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