Universal DH Beneficiaries - RBI

With the advent of the designated hitter in the National League for 2020, NL lineup production will go up; it's inevitable. Pitchers will have a harder time of things in the NL, and hitters will produce more. It's what happens when a near-zero at the plate is replaced by a Major League hitter. Where that […]

Top 700: Updated Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings (July)

Welcome back RotoBallers, we are quickly approaching the start of this crazy 2020 MLB season! The rankings team here at HQ has been adjusting their ranks all off-season, and now we our last major updates in place. Below you will find our staff's updated 2020 fantasy baseball tiered rankings (top 700) for mixed leagues, taking into a […]

Phillies Release Logan Forsythe

The Philadelphia Phillies have released infielder Logan Forsythe, according to Ken Rosenthal. Forsythe has struggled in recent years, as he hasn't hit above .232 since 2016 with Tampa Bay. He really struggled last season, putting up just a .678 OPS with a career-high 27.2 strikeout rate. Forsythe had his years of usefulness in fantasy, but […]

Schedule Factors - Hitters on the Decline

Earlier this week, we took a look at which hitters have been helped the most by the recently announced 60-game schedule. Now it's time to take a look at the hitters who might be hurt the most by it. Remember that in order to fully break down the way in which a schedule may impact […]

The COVID Conundrum - To Drop or Not to Drop?

So….real, actual baseball games are almost upon us. Opening Day is July 23rd. And yet, we are still in the midst of a pandemic. At the time of my writing this, by my calculations, at least 90 players have had COVID-19 or have gone through the COVID Protocol due to players being traced back to […]

Attacking Offensive Categories with Z-Scores

The way to win at fantasy baseball is to generate the most aggregate value on your roster. One cannot win with just an average fantasy team; one must be better than the mean. To accomplish this, owners must spend their fantasy capital efficiently in acquiring talent. Finding and drafting undervalued players is the key. Of […]

One Last Mock! ADP Values and Reaches

As the sun prepares to rise on the 2020 MLB season (I'm all about hopeful metaphors these days), it also marks the end of draft season for fantasy baseball. This weekend will see a flurry of activity from fantasy league owners trying to figure out how to properly value players amid a global pandemic. Good […]

Underpriced Hitters According to ATC Projections

While nothing is guaranteed, we can at least see the light at the end of the tunnel. Baseball is back, baby! Summer camp (I refuse to call it Spring Training 2.0) has now begun and Opening Day is set for July 23/24. Coming with the return are seismic changes; a universal DH, limited opponents, a […]

Top 250 MLB Dynasty Prospects - Final Preseason Update

The 2020 MLB season is going to look very different. But as long as the virus doesn’t rear its ugly head in an apocalyptic fashion, it’s still going to be fun. And to help fantasy managers prepare for this season and for those to come, we’ve updated our Top 250 dynasty fantasy baseball prospects list. […]

Introducing the MLB Baller Ranks

It’s my extraordinary pleasure to introduce The Baller Ranks, an up-to-date rankings sheet for player values. We wanted to roll this out back in March, but 2020 has had other ideas... Ideally, The Baller Ranks are not a set of pre-season rankings or draft recommendations. They are designed to be an in-season set of data-based […]

Schedule Factors - Hitters on the Rise

Now that MLB schedules are finally official, it's time we take a look at which hitters are going to be impacted the most. In order to fully breakdown the way in which a schedule may impact a hitter, we need to keep three things in mind: player talent, strength of schedule, and directional park factors. […]

Overpriced Hitters According to ATC Projections

RotoBaller is fortunate to have 2019's most accurate ranker, Ariel Cohen, to give us his updated ATC projections. I have taken those projections and turned them into fantasy dollars, ranking them accordingly. By comparing these rankings to the latest NFBC ADP data, we can see which players ATC likes at their draft price, and who should […]

Historically Slow Starters to Avoid on Draft Day?

There is no telling how this 60-game jumble of a 2020 season will affect each MLB player individually. Some may relish the opportunity to have an outsized impact on the season. Others may feel uncomfortable playing at all, let alone be at full game speed in time for Opening Day. Regardless of the unknowns, however, […]

Toronto Blue Jays: Top 10 Dynasty Prospects

The Toronto Blue Jays will be our final stop on the farm to evaluate the best prospects on each MLB team. Once the 2020 MLB season begins, it may turn out that Minor League systems will be more important than usual. Franchises are losing money during the pandemic layoff, so many teams will be looking […]

Aledmys Diaz Should Play Saturday

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said that infielder Aledmys Diaz (neck) should play in the team's intrasquad game on Saturday and will travel to Kansas City. Baker wants to give Diaz as many at-bats as he can before the start of the regular season. As long as Diaz doesn't suffer any sort of setback, he […]

Atlanta Braves: Top 10 Dynasty Prospects

The Atlanta Braves will be our next stop on the farm to evaluate the best prospects on each MLB team. Once the 2020 MLB season begins, it may turn out that Minor League systems will be more important than usual. Franchises are losing money during the pandemic layoff, so many teams will be looking for […]

Rethinking DFS Strategies for a 60-Game MLB Season

The 2020 MLB season is going to be weird. In a 60-game season, previous in-season game performance holds limited value, making game-to-game projections unusually difficult across the entire season. Consider what some player production looked like 60 games into last season: David Dahl had a .457 BABIP Jose Ramirez had a .202/.303/.307 slash line Jake […]

Brandon Belt, Evan Longoria Could Be Ready For Opener

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler said that first baseman Brandon Belt (heel) and third baseman Evan Longoria (oblique) both have a shot to be ready by Opening Day on Thursday, July 23, against the Dodgers. Belt is slated to serve as the designated hitter in Saturday night's simulated game. Fantasy owners shouldn't get their […]

Anthony Rendon Scratched From Intrasquad Game

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon (oblique) was scratched from the team's intrasquad game on Friday night with oblique tightness and is day-to-day. It doesn't sound as though the Angels think this is a serious injury, but oblique injuries have a tendency to linger, so this one is worth watching for an elite player […]

Derek Dietrich Needs More Time

Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that early reports on outfielder Derek Dietrich are very good, but "it'll take him a little longer than everyone else, but not too much." Dietrich was recently added to the team's 60-man player pool for the upcoming season, but the 30-year-old left-handed hitter batted just .187 despite hitting a […]

Isaac Paredes Cleared To Rejoin Team

Detroit Tigers infield prospect Isaac Paredes has been cleared to rejoin the team's 60-player pool and will take part in the workout on Friday night at Comerica Park. Paredes is listed as the team's No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 21-year-old is an advanced hitter at his age and had 57 walks and 61 […]

Nationals Add Yasel Antuna To Player Pool

The Washington Nationals added infield prospect Yasel Antuna to their 60-man player pool on Friday. Antuna comes in at No. 12 on the team's prospect list heading into the 2020 season, according to MLB Pipeline. The 20-year-old switch-hitter is highly unlikely to play in the majors this season, though, as he hasn't played above High-A […]

Kelvin Gutierrez Placed On Extended Injured List

The Kansas City Royals placed third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez (elbow) on the extended injured list on Friday with a right ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his elbow. Gutierrez will sit out of the shortened 60-game season in 2020 as a result. The 25-year-old Dominican third baseman played in his first 20 big league games in […]

Evan Longoria Has "Moderate" Oblique Strain

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler said that third baseman Evan Longoria (oblique) is dealing with a "moderate" oblique strain. The ailment has kept Longoria out of the team's last two intrasquad games and it could keep the veteran third baseman out of the lineup for the start of the regular season. The 34-year-old can […]

Yoan Moncada Reports To Camp

Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada (undisclosed) has returned to White Sox camp. There was no initial reason as to why Moncada’s arrival was delayed, but Moncada said he had tested positive for COVID-19. Moncada is coming off of his breakout season and he will look to build off of that success this year. […]

Jonathan Villar Dealing With Back Spasms

Miami Marlins infielder/outfielder Jonathan Villar (back) was scratched from the lineup of Thursday's scrimmage due to minor back spasms. The team clarified that Villar started feeling better closer to practice time, but they felt it would be best not to risk anything. It seems like if there had been a regular game, Villar may have been […]

Nick Solak In Line For At-Bats In Left Field

With Texas Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun (hip) expected to begin the season on the sidelines, manager Chris Woodward acknowledged that infielder Nick Solak "falls in line to take those at-bats." "His at-bats have been consistent in quality. I've been dying to find a way to get him regular at-bats. I'd lean towards that." Solak is […]

Travis Shaw Questionable For Opening Day

Toronto Blue Jays corner infielder Travis Shaw (groin) is questionable to begin the season as a fielder since he’s still nursing a sore groin that he suffered earlier this week. Shaw could still be able to serve as the team’s designated hitter if he can’t play the hot corner, so it’s a situation to monitor […]

Brian Anderson Wants To Be A Marlin Long Term

Miami Marlins third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson stated that he wants to be a Marlin long term. Anderson said he, "loves the direction and message led by CEO Derek Jeter." The 27-year-old is under team control until 2023 and will reach arbitration for the first time after this season. He hit .261/.342/.468 last season while playing […]

Isiah Kiner-Falefa Has Edge At Hot Corner

Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward said that infielder/catcher Isiah Kiner-Falefa has the "edge" to be a starting corner infielder, which would mean Todd Frazier would shift from third base to first base. Woodward said that Kiner-Falefa "has been out best guy" in summer camp. This is bad news for Greg Bird and Ronald Guzman, who […]