16 mins agoIn 2025, Washington Nationals relief pitcher
Derek Law has his sights set on breaking the team's innings pitched record for a reliever. As such, the 34-year-old is just starting to ramp up, throwing to live batters for the first time this spring despite being fully healthy. The intent is to not put any unnecessary stress on his arm before the season begins, especially after throwing 90 innings in 2024, the second-most for a relief pitcher in all of baseball last season. To beat the record, the righty will have to surpass 93 innings pitched to pass the current record-holder, Saul Rivera. The veteran posted a good 2.60 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP on the way to setting a career high in holds with 17, but isn't known for having strikeout stuff like many relievers of today, logging a 7.6 K/9 and a 14.2 percent K-BB%. With that being the case, Law is really only worthy of a roster spot in leagues that reward holds or NL-only formats.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Mark Zuckerman - MASN
4 hours agoNew York Mets outfielder
Brandon Nimmo (knee) resumed baseball activities on Monday, according to manager
Carlos Mendoza. The manager noted that Nimmo could return to action "pretty soon." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but it appears Nimmo is nearing a return to the Grapefruit League. The 31-year-old has dealt with soreness in his knee which has kept him sidelined for the time being. Nimmo has also had a lingering plantar fasciitis issue in his left foot. Last season, Nimmo held a .224/.327/.399 slash line with 23 home runs and 15 stolen bases. He generated a strong .335 xwOBA and drew walks at a high 11.6 percent rate. When he is cleared to return, fantasy managers should expect Nimmo to bat behind
Juan Soto and
Francisco Lindor, which should provide him with elite RBI opportunities.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Danny Abriano
4 hours agoAthletics third baseman
CJ Alexander (undisclosed) exited Monday's contest early with an injury. Alexander was able to walk off the field but needed assistance. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the team should provide an update on his injury. The 28-year-old made his MLB debut last summer with the Kansas City Royals. Across four contests, Alexander tallied just one hit and struck out three times. He spent most of his season at the Triple-A level where he held a strong .302/.361/.559 slash line with the Omaha Storm Chasers and the Las Vegas Aviators. He tallied 27 doubles and added 19 long balls. When he returns to action, he could compete to earn a depth role in the majors given his success at the Triple-A level.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jessica Kleinschmidt
4 hours agoBaltimore Orioles infielder
Jorge Mateo (elbow) has been progressing through his recovery plan but is still a "ways away" from returning to game action. Mateo went through a full workout on Monday. He took groundballs and was swinging a bat in the cage. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he could be approaching a return to the lineup if he does not face any setbacks. Mateo is recovering from UCL reconstruction surgery on his left elbow. Last season, the 29-year-old appeared in just 68 contests for Baltimore and held a .229/.267/.401 slash line. He tallied 14 doubles, five home runs, and swiped 13 bags. During the 2023 season, Mateo swiped 32 bags and held a .217/.267/.340 line. When healthy, he will likely be deployed as a depth option in the Baltimore infield.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Roch Kubatko
4 hours agoThe New York Yankees have assigned shortstop prospect
George Lombard Jr. to minor-league camp. Lombard has enjoyed a productive spring training with the major-league roster as he went deep twice across 22 at-bats. The 19-year-old has only seen time in the lower levels of the minor leagues but could push for an early-season Double-A debut given his success during camp. Last summer, the former 26th overall selection spent most of his time at Single-A where he held a .232/.344/.348 slash line with 17 doubles, five home runs, and 30 stolen bases. He then earned a 29-game taste of High-A where he posted a .226/.321/.296 slash line. He tallied just eight doubles with nine stolen bases with High-A, but did not hit a home run. If he were to carry this power production into the start of the regular season, he could see a significant look at Double-A later in the 2025 campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: New York Yankees
4 hours agoBaltimore Orioles shortstop
Gunnar Henderson (side) is "progressing well" but remains without a definite timetable. Manager Brandon Hyde noted that he is still unsure when he will return to game action. Henderson sustained this injury last Thursday and could be in danger of missing Opening Day. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the team will likely be cautious as he increases his activity. Last season, the former top prospect enjoyed the best season of his career as he went deep 37 times and held a strong .281/.364/.529 slash line. He added 21 swiped bags and drew walks at a strong 10.8 percent rate. He generated an elite .374 xwOBA and a 53.9 percent hard-hit rate, placing him in the 94th and 97th percentile, respectively. If Henderson were to miss time early in the season,
Jackson Holliday would shift to shortstop, which would open the keystone for
Ramon Urias.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Andy Kostka
4
hours
agoNew
York
Yankees
starting
pitcher
Gerrit
Cole
(elbow)
is
set
to
undergo
Tommy
John
surgery
on
Tuesday
to
repair
a
torn
right
ulnar
collateral
ligament.
He
will
miss
the
entire
2025
season.
The
34-year-old
underwent
testing
on
his
right
elbow
over
the
weekend.
read more...
5 hours agoJacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports that starting pitcher
Trevor Rogers (knee) is still limited to flat-ground work but hopes to be throwing off a mound by the end of camp. The former first-round pick suffered a knee subluxation back in January but has fortunately continued throwing despite the injury. Meyer notes that the lefty's ramp-up could be quicker since he's been playing catch all spring, and his arm is in a good spot. Still, he'll have to get his knee right before he can toe the rubber again. Rogers pitched poorly last season as a member of the Miami Marlins and was even worse once being shipped to Baltimore in July -- registering a 7.11 ERA and an 0-2 record in 19 innings pitched with the club. Cumulatively, he was 2-11 with a 1.58 WHIP and 4.92 ERA in 25 starts.
--Alex CiullaSource: Jacob Calvin Meyer
5 hours agoPer the team, the Kansas City Royals have assigned LHP
Noah Cameron, RHP
Eric Cerantola, and outfielder
Tyler Gentry to minor league camp and optioned to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. The Royals have also assigned RHP
Anthony Simonelli, RHP
Junior Fernandez, and catcher
Kyle Hayes to minor league camp. Kansas City is trimming down the roster, and at 52 players in Major League camp, there are still some cuts to make before opening day. Cameron, 25, pitched to a 3.60 ERA across ten innings of work in spring training. He has done well on the bump throughout his minor league career -- registering a sub-3.00 ERA (2.32) as recently as last season with Omaha. While he won't be on the opening-day roster, Cameron has a good chance of making his way to the big leagues at some point in 2025.
--Alex CiullaSource: Kansas City Royals
6 hours agoThe San Francisco Giants have optioned shortstop
Osleivis Basabe (shoulder) to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. The 24-year-old was looking for his first stint in the big leagues since his brief time with the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2023, but he'll begin the 2025 season in the minors. Basabe was given a spot on the 40-man roster in February but sustained a shoulder strain late in the month, limiting him to just ten spring training at-bats. The former Tampa Bay Ray floundered in Triple-A last season with a .248 average and hit .251 during international play. However, if he fully recovers, he has a good shot at an everyday role with Sacramento.
--Alex CiullaSource: San Francisco Giants
6 hours agoSan Francisco Giants catcher
Tom Murphy (back) will receive a second epidural injection for his ailing back this week, and is strictly relegated to rehabilitation over the next few weeks. Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News reports. Murphy, 33, has yet to appear in any Cactus League action due to a mid-back disk herniation he suffered during the first week of pitcher and catcher workouts. Sadly, it does not appear to have improved, and he seems all but ruled out for opening day at this time. If so, teammate
Sam Huff could begin the season as the team's backup backstop. Huff has hit .286 in 14 Cactus League at-bats.
--Alex CiullaSource: Justice delos Santos
6 hours agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder
Wade Meckler (neck, concussion) has been diagnosed with a mild neck strain and a concussion, per the team. The news comes after he was re-evaluated by team doctors earlier on Monday. The 25-year-old picked up the injuries over the weekend, exiting San Francisco's Cactus League contest with the Chicago Cubs in the first inning. Meckler will sit out for the next seven days. It's unfortunate news for him, as he was vying for a reserve spot in the Giants' outfield. In 19 spring training at-bats, the lefty has five hits (.263) -- all singles -- and notched one theft, one RBI, and one run scored.
--Alex CiullaSource: Justice delos Santos
7
hours
agoThe
Athletics
reassigned
right-hander
Dylan
Floro
to
minor-league
camp
on
Monday.
In
other
moves,
the
A's
also
optioned
right-handers
Ryan
Cusick
and
Gunnar
Hogland
and
outfielder
Denzel
Clarke
to
Triple-A
Las
Vegas.
Right-handers
read more...
7 hours agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts agreed on a new four-year contract extension at a record rate on Monday, which means it's slightly over $8 million per year, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman. An official announcement of the deal is expected to be made in a day or two. The deal surpasses the five-year, $40 million deal the Chicago Cubs gave manager Craig Counsell. The 52-year-old is well-deserving of the new contract after winning two World Series championships with the Dodgers in the last five seasons. Roberts, who is heading into his 10th season in L.A., was heading into the final year of the three-year extension he signed before the 2022 season. The Dodgers are the overwhelming favorite to win back-to-back World Series titles after a huge offseason that saw them add pitchers
Roki Sasaki,
Blake Snell,
Tanner Scott and
Kirby Yates to an already stacked roster.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
7 hours agoLos Angeles Angels infielder
Luis Rengifo (hamstring) participated in on-field drills at camp on Monday and still has a chance to be ready for Opening Day later this month despite being scratched for a second time in a week on Sunday due to a tight hamstring. Manager Ron Washington said the team hasn't made a decision on who will start at shortstop or second base yet to begin the 2025 regular season. On Sunday, Washington said the Angels would back off Rengifo so that he can get past his hamstring issue, which puts his availability for Opening Day in question. Starting shortstop
Zach Neto (shoulder) will start the year on the injured list, so the Angels' infield options are thinning quickly. Veteran
Kevin Newman is the favorite to start at the 6, while infield prospect
Christian Moore is looking increasingly likely to make the Opening Day roster, especially if Rengifo isn't ready.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
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