Jorge Mateo A "Long Shot" For Opening Day

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jorge Mateo (elbow) is progressing well in his recovery but is still a "long shot" to be ready for Opening Day. Mateo has begun hitting in the batting cage but still has several steps to progress through before being cleared for action. The 29-year-old underwent UCL reconstruction surgery on his left elbow […]

Jackson Holliday To Get Some Reps At Shortstop

With Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) up in the air to be ready for Opening Day in late March, manager Brandon Hyde said that second baseman Jackson Holliday will be getting some repetitions at shortstop in camp. Jordan Westburg could also get some looks at the 6 as the O's start to think about […]

Fantasy Baseball All-Value Team: Favorite Value Picks at Every Position

The fantasy baseball draft is the most anticipated event on the fantasy baseball calendar. At this time of year, an offseason of speculation, research, and rankings come to a head as managers finally get to assemble a team and see how their best-laid plans play out. Experienced fantasy managers come to drafts with a plan. […]

Nick Loftin Returns To Starting Lineup

Kansas City Royals infielder Nick Loftin (wrist) is returning to the starting lineup on Thursday evening to face the Chicago Cubs. Loftin will cover the hot corner and bat cleanup. The 26-year-old was scratched before Sunday's contest due to wrist soreness. However, seeing Loftin return to the starting nine relatively quickly suggests the injury is […]

Nick Loftin Exits On Thursday With Illness

Kansas City Royals infielder Nick Loftin (illness) exited Thursday's contest early due to an illness. Loftin returned to the starting nine in this game after missing most of the week due to a wrist injury. However, it appears Loftin may need to miss additional time. Before exiting, Loftin went 0-for-2 at the plate. Through seven […]

Curtis Mead On A Tear In Spring Training

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Curtis Mead, who showed up to spring training in excellent shape, recorded eight hits in his first nine Grapefruit League at-bats and also went 4-for-4 with a walk in Thursday's spring contest against the Philadelphia Phillies to raise his current average to a ridiculous .778. The 24-year-old former top prospect in […]

Jordan Westburg Returns To Spring Lineup

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg (back) is back in the Grapefruit League lineup on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates and is starting at second base and batting fifth, according to The Baltimore Sun's Matt Weyrich. This will be Westburg's first game in spring training since dealing with lower-back soreness last Wednesday. It was a […]

Matt McLain Generating Buzz In Camp

One MLB evaluator said this week that by the end of the 2024 season, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain and shortstop Elly De La Cruz will be the best second base/shortstop tandem in baseball. McLain, a former 17th overall pick in 2021 out of UCLA, actually had a better rookie season in 2023 than […]

10 Fantasy Baseball Bold Predictions - Rick Lucks' 2025 Picks

Welcome back RotoBallers to another edition from our yearly Bold Predictions series from the MLB team. It's one of the most exciting times of the fantasy baseball calendar: bold prediction season! As a reminder, bold predictions aren't supposed to be likely outcomes but long shots with a purpose. These predictions, in particular, all do one […]

Ceddanne Rafaela Could Return This Weekend

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (hamstring) is doing better and will do some running in camp on Thursday. If that goes well, Rafaela will be cleared to return to Grapefruit League action this weekend. Rafaela has been held out of spring training games this week after experiencing hamstring tightness […]

Ballpark Factors: Sabermetrics Glossary for Fantasy Baseball (2025)

Welcome RotoBallers to our overview of ballpark factors. This article is a deeper dive into ballpark factors and is part of our ongoing series "Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball." In this article, we'll explore how unique MLB parks influence a player's performance for fantasy purposes. Most people associate ballpark factors with home runs, but we'll […]

Adam Frazier Battling Back Soreness

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier (back) is battling a sore back. Frazier has not been in a spring training contest since February 26. Manager Derek Shelton noted that the plan is for Frazier to appear in games "later in the week." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his stats but seeing the team express […]

Jordan Westburg Expected To Return Thursday Or Friday

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg (back) said his back spasms are better and that he should return to Grapefruit League action on Thursday or Friday. Back spasms caused Westburg to be pulled from the team's spring training opener, and he's been held out ever since. The 26-year-old hasn't had any setbacks while ramping up his […]

Luis Garcia Jr. Back In Spring Lineup On Wednesday

Washington Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (illness) is back at second base and is batting cleanup for the team's Grapefruit League game on Wednesday versus the division-rival Miami Marlins. Garcia is back in action after missing a few days in camp while being under the weather. The 24-year-old second baseman has so far gone […]

Jose Iglesias, Padres Agree To A Deal

Free-agent veteran infielder Jose Iglesias and the San Diego Padres agreed to an undisclosed deal on Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the deal. The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports it's a minor-league deal with an invitation to camp. The 35-year-old will make $3 million if he's in the big leagues and will have […]

Second Base (2B) Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers: Later-Round Values (2025)

In this article below you'll find some of our 2025 staff picks for second base fantasy baseball draft sleepers and later-round value picks for 2025 fantasy baseball drafts. At RotoBaller, we are always looking to identify fantasy baseball draft sleepers to help fantasy managers crush their upcoming drafts. We continue our late-round series by reviewing […]

Taylor Ward, Luis Rengifo Expect To Return Soon

The Athletic's Sam Blum reports that both Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward (knee) and infielder Luis Rengifo (hamstring) said they are fine and expect to return to the Cactus League lineup in a day or so. Ward and Rengifo were both recently scratched from spring training action due to minor injuries -- Ward is […]

Kristian Campbell Seeing Time In Left Field

Boston Red Sox second base prospect Kristian Campbell has seen opportunities in left field during spring training. The Red Sox are providing their budding star several opportunities to find a spot on the Opening Day roster. Even though the team brought in Alex Bregman through in free agency, the team still views Campbell as an […]

Caleb Durbin Hits Second Home Run, Nabs First Steal Of Spring

Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Caleb Durbin smacked a leadoff home run, his second home run of the spring, in Monday's 5-4 Cactus League loss to the Reds. The 25-year-old also swiped his first bag of the spring after stealing 29 in just 82 games at Triple-A last season and running wild for 29 steals in […]

Luis Rengifo Scratched With Hamstring Tightness

Los Angeles Angels infielder Luis Rengifo (hamstring) was scratched from Monday's Cactus League lineup against the Colorado Rockies due to hamstring tightness, according to the Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher. Infielder Tim Anderson will take over for Rengifo at second base and will bat in the leadoff spot. The Angels likely pulled Rengifo out of […]

Jose Altuve To Spend Most Of His Time In Left Field

The plan is for Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve to spend most of his time this year in left field, according to manager Joe Espada. "Right now the plan is for him to play the majority of his games in left field, and the days that he plays second base opens the door for […]

Jorge Polanco Making Cactus League Debut On Monday

Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco (knee) is making his Cactus League debut on Monday against the Cleveland Guardians, serving as the designated hitter and batting third. Polanco was held back early in spring training this year after having surgery to six the patellar tendon in his left knee last October. As long as he […]

Jordan Westburg Expected To Return To Spring Action On Wednesday Or Thursday

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg (back) is doing full baseball activities in camp on Monday, and manager Brandon Hyde expects Westburg to return to a Grapefruit League game on either Wednesday or Thursday. Westburg experienced lower-back soreness after the team's first game in spring training, causing the Orioles to shut him down as a precaution. […]

Nick Loftin Scratched With Wrist Injury

Kansas City Royals infielder Nick Loftin (wrist) was scratched from Sunday's starting lineup due to right wrist soreness. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his status throughout the week in case he remains sidelined. Last season, Loftin logged a career-high 57 games at the MLB level. He held a .189/.282/.236 slash line with four doubles and […]

How Important Is Batting Order? Sabermetrics Glossary for Fantasy Baseball (2025)

Welcome RotoBallers to our overview of batting order. This article is a deeper dive into batting order, and is part of our ongoing series "Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball." In this article, we'll quantify the differences between lineup spots for fantasy purposes. Along the way, we'll clearly and concisely answer questions like "How many plate […]

Maikel Garcia Will See Time In Center Field

Kansas City Royals infielder Maikel Garcia will see time in center field during spring training. In the offseason, the Royals acquired Jonathan India from the Cincinnati Reds, which added another bat to their infield. General manager J.J. Picollo noted that the way the team is currently set up, Garcia's "next best spot" is to shift […]

Luis Garcia Jr. Scratched On Saturday

Washington Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (undisclosed) was scratched from Saturday's lineup. As a result, Darren Baker got the starting nod at the keystone. Fantasy managers should monitor his status as the team did not provide much context about his injury. Last season, Garcia logged a career-high 140 games in his fifth-MLB campaign. Across […]

Nacho Alvarez Jr. Expected To Return Soon

Atlanta Braves infield prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr. (wrist) is expected to return soon. Alvarez suffered this minor wrist injury during Thursday's spring training contest. However, seeing that he is already nearing a return, suggest the injury was not very serious. Last season, the 21-year-old made his MLB debut. Across his first eight contests in Atlanta, […]

Luisangel Acuna Exits Early On Saturday

New York Mets infield prospect Luisangel Acuna (arm) exited Saturday's contest after being hit by a pitch on his left arm. He was hit by Tampa Bay Rays left-handed pitcher Shane McClanahan in the second frame. The young infielder was able to swipe second base before being pulled from the contest. Fantasy managers should monitor […]

Hyeseong Kim Adjusting His Swing

Los Angeles Dodgers Korean rookie infielder Hyeseong Kim's slick-fielding defensive skills have transitioned well in his first big-league spring training, but it's his bat that needs to catch up as he looks to win a spot on the Opening Day roster. In 12 Cactus League at-bats entering this Thursday, Kim had just one hit on […]