4 weeks agoDetroit Tigers shortstop
Javier Baez (hip) has initiated a running program and is expected to begin light defensive drills later this week. Baez underwent season-ending hip surgery in August, but based on his current progress, he may be ready for Spring Training. Earlier this offseason, team president Scott Harris noted that the former World Series champion will have a role on the 2025 roster. Before the injury, the 32-year-old posted a .184/.221/.294 line with just six home runs and eight stolen bases. He generated a low .264 xwOBA and .345 xSLG. In addition, he posted a low 4.2% walk rate and a high 23.9% K rate. While he may have a role in the starting nine as the everyday shortstop, fantasy managers should keep Baez off their radar, given his lack of stable offensive output.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
4 weeks agoAccording to Chris McCosky, the Tigers are planning to use
Colt Keith and
Justyn-Henry Malloy at first base during Spring Training. While McCosky noted that Keith will still likely operate as the regular second baseman, this move could just add more positional flexibility to the roster. Keith made his major league debut last season and logged 133 of his starts at the keystone and the other 14 as the designated hitter. He held a .260/.309/.380 slash line. Malloy, however, made all of his starts in the outfield, and shifting to first base could provide him more opportunities during the 2025 season. Across a 71-game stint in the majors this past summer, Malloy held an underwhelming .203/.291/.366 line with seven doubles and eight home runs. Given his struggles, moving to first base could get him in the lineup more often, while Keith should be viewed as the No.1 second baseman heading into Spring Training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Chris McCosky
4 weeks agoDetroit Tigers relief pitcher
Alex Lange (lat) has begun playing catch three times a week from 120 feet, according to the team. Lange underwent lat surgery in June which caused him to miss the entire second half of the 2024 season. Before the injury, the 29-year-old posted a 3.34 ERA and 1.77 WHIP across 18 2/3 innings. He tallied two saves and posted an underwhelming 17:21 BB:K ratio. However, he did generate whiffs at an elite 33.3% mark. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status leading up to Spring Training, as he may be able to participate, given his current pace. While
Jason Foley will likely operate as the go-to ninth-inning option in Detroit this coming season, Lange could eventually mix in for opportunities as he tallied 26 saves during the 2023 season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
4 weeks agoDetroit Tigers third base prospect
Jace Jung (wrist) underwent wrist surgery earlier this offseason to address lingering wrist inflammation. However, the team noted that the young infielder is expected to be ready for Spring Training. The Texas Tech product spent the majority of the 2024 season with Triple-A Toledo before earning a late-season promotion to the big leagues. Across 91 games at Triple-A, the former 12th-overall pick held a .257/.377/.454 line with 23 doubles and 14 home runs. In 34 games at the major league level, Jung held a similar .241/.362/.304 line. Under the hood, he generated a weak 34.0% hard-hit rate and a 4.0% barrel rate. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to monitor his progress during Spring Training as he should be in a good position to make the Opening Day Roster.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
4 weeks agoAccording to the Detroit Tigers, starting pitcher
Sawyer Gipson-Long (elbow) is playing catch from 120 feet three times a week. Gipson-Long is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery he underwent in April and also a hip operation he underwent in July and was unable to pitch at all last summer. In 2023, the Mercer product made his major league debut and performed quite well as he posted a 2.70 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 20 innings (four starts.) During this small stint, he struck out 26 batters and served up eight walks. Across 34 2/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, Gipson-Long has posted a 5.45 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Fantasy managers in deeper AL-only formats should continue to monitor his status throughout the first half of the season, as he may find himself back in rotation once he returns to the mound.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
4 weeks agoAccording to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Dispatch, starting pitching prospect
Quinn Mathews will receive a non-roster invite to Spring Training. This is a great sign, as Mathews could have a great opportunity to make the Opening Day roster. The southpaw is considered one of the top pitching prospects in the sport and was named Baseball America's top pitching prospect of the 2024 season. The 24-year-old opened the season with Single-A and eventually progressed all the way up to Triple-A by August. Across all four levels of the St. Louis system, the Stanford product carried a solid 2.76 ERA and a stellar 0.98 WHIP. He struck out an incredible 202 batters across 143 1/3 innings while giving up just 49 free passes. He spent the most time at Double-A, posting a 2.41 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. Given his elite strikeout upside, fantasy managers in deeper formats should pay close attention to Mathews as he may be a popular late-round target in drafts this offseason.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Derrick Goold
4 weeks agoPittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said at the MLB winter meetings on Monday that the expectation is that catching prospect
Endy Rodriguez (elbow) will be "fully healthy" for the start of spring training in mid-February. Rodriguez was forced to miss all of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery to fix the UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow in December of 2023, although he did take part in a minor-league rehab assignment in September for Double-A Altoona. The 24-year-old backstop switch-hitting Dominican made his MLB debut in 2023 and slashed .220/.284/.328 with three homers and 13 RBI in 57 games for the Bucs in 57 games. Given all the time he missed last year while recovering from elbow surgery, it would not be a surprise at all to see Rodriguez start in the minors in 2025 while serving as catching depth for
Joey Bart and
Henry Davis at the big-league level.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh PG - Andrew Destin
4
weeks
agoNew
York
Mets
right-hander
Paul
Blackburn
(back),
who
had
surgery
on
Oct.
11
to
fix
a
spinal
fluid
leak
in
his
back,
is
on
track
to
be
healthy
and
ready
to
roll
for
Opening
Day
in
2025,
according
to
president
of
baseball
operations
read more...
4 weeks agoSan Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin said on Monday at the MLB winter meetings that outfielder
Jung Hoo Lee (shoulder) won't have any restrictions when he reports to spring training in mid-February after his rehab from shoulder surgery has gone smoothly. "Jung Hoo is good to go. Jung Hoo is ready," Melvin said. The 26-year-old Korean had season-ending surgery to fix a torn labrum in his left shoulder in June but should be ready for Opening Day in 2025, barring a setback. The left-handed-hitting outfielder was the club's starting center fielder and leadoff man before his injury, hitting .262/.310/.331 with a .641 OPS, only two homers, eight RBI, two steals and 15 runs in 145 at-bats before his injury. Lee has more power than his surface stats in a limited sample size show, but elite contact ability and on-base skills should continue to carry his value in fantasy heading into next season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
4 weeks agoMilwaukee Brewers outfielder
Christian Yelich (back) hasn't resumed swinging a bat yet, but he's doing other baseball movements and should be ready to go early in spring training. "I think that was a big part of why he had the surgery sooner than later," general manager Matt Arnold said. "He's in a really good spot right now." Yelich's 2024 season ended early when he decided to have a microdiscectomy procedure to fix a herniated disc in his lower back. It's an injury that the 33-year-old veteran has dealt with for years, so the hope is that the surgery will alleviate those concerns moving forward. Although he only played in 73 games in 2024, Yelich made his third All-Star squad by hitting .315/.406/.504 with a .909 OPS, 11 homers, 42 RBI and 21 steals in 315 plate appearances. Yelich could be a league-winner if he can return to his MVP production, but his health is a big question mark.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Todd Rosiak
4
weeks
agoMilwaukee
Brewers
general
manager
Matt
Arnold
left
some
doubt
as
to
whether
right-hander
Brandon
Woodruff
(shoulder)
will
be
ready
to
be
in
the
club's
Opening
Day
starting
rotation
in
2025.
"It's
hard
to
say
at
the
moment
(whether
he
will
be
in
the
read more...
4 weeks agoThe Chicago White Sox agreed to terms on an undisclosed deal with free-agent outfielder
Mike Tauchman on Monday evening, according to a source. Tauchman will head across town in Chicago after spending the last two seasons with the Cubs, where he hit .250/.360/.372 with a .732 OPS, 15 home runs, 77 RBI, 13 stolen bases and 114 runs scored in 217 games. He hit .248/.357/.366 with seven long balls, 29 RBI, six steals and 50 runs in 109 games in 2024, mostly in right field for the Cubbies. The 34-year-old has experience at all three outfield spots, though, and should at least be in position to earn part-time playing time. While Tauchman hits from the left side, he's had similar success against righties and lefties in his career. Most of the veteran's value comes as a fourth outfielder/DH type, but more playing time should be available with the Pale Hose.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
4
weeks
agoHouston
Astros
manager
Joe
Espada
said
he
would
like
to
"cut
back"
on
outfielder
Yordan
Alvarez's
playing
time
in
left
field
next
year.
Espada
also
praised
Zach
Dezenzo's
development
in
left
field
during
winter
ball
in
read more...
4 weeks agoNew York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Monday at the MLB winter meetings that it "makes sense" to move outfielder
Aaron Judge back to right field in 2025 after failing to re-sign superstar outfielder
Juan Soto in free agency. And with Judge likely going back to right field, outfield prospect
Jasson Dominguez is a leading candidate for starting center-field duties. The 32-year-old Judge's outfield positioning likely won't matter to most fantasy managers. A toe injury in 2023 limited the power-hitter to only 37 long balls and 75 RBI in 106 games, but the six-time All-Star bounced back in a big way in 2024 to win his second MVP award by leading the league in homers (58), RBI (144), walks (133), on-base percentage (.458), slugging (.701), OPS (1.159) and total bases (392). RBI opportunities might not be as plentiful with Soto now in Queens, but otherwise Judge is an elite class of power.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
4 weeks agoSan Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt said on Monday at the MLB winter meetings that the club expects to be in the running to sign Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki this offseason. "We fully expect to be right there in the mix and at the end of the day have Sasaki a Padre," Shildt said. No matter what, the Friars skipper expects the club to make a big addition to their starting rotation for the 2025 campaign. The 23-year-old was officially posted on Monday by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, which opens Sasaki's 45-day posting window to sign with an MLB club. He'll be an incredible value for clubs pursuing him. In addition to the Padres and Dodgers, the Giants, Cubs, Rangers and Mets are expected to be involved. Sasaki has the potential to be a front-line starter for years to come, but he's also young and inexperienced and has had durability issues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM
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