Players Agree To Report By July 1

The Major League Baseball Players Association has agreed to report to training camps by July 1 and play a 60-game season, according to sources. However, a deal is not yet finalized, as there is one last health-and-safety hurdle to get over amid the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports that there aren't any major […]

Cardinals Agree To Terms With Jordan Walker

The St. Louis Cardinals signed first-round pick Jordan Walker for $2.9 million, a bit under the slot value of $3,132,300. Walker is a high school third baseman from Georgia that was a Duke recruit, but will now join the Cardinals organization instead. Walker has huge power potential as an athletic 6-foot-5 18-year-old. He may end […]

Off-The-Radar MLB Prospects and Dynasty Assets

Dynasty leagues are always a lot of foresight and mental math. Are you competing this year or in the future? Are you trying to stockpile pitching assets to balance against their heightened risk or take a lot of hitters because of their relative safety? What skills project the best for you? All of these questions […]

Pablo Sandoval Cleared To Play Infield

San Francisco Giants first/third baseman Pablo Sandoval (elbow) will be cleared to play first base and third base this season, per TheAthletic.com's Andrew Baggarly. Sandoval underwent Tommy John surgery this offseason but should be ready to field as well as hit. The veteran compiled a .268/.313/.507 slash line with 14 home runs and 41 RBI […]

Players Expected To Vote Yes On Proposals

There is a strong expectation that the Major League Baseball Players Association will vote yes on Tuesday on the league's proposed July 1 report date for spring training and codify the health-and-safety protocol to lock in a 60-game season that will start around July 24, according to sources. However, the health-and-safety issues could cause a […]

Owners Vote To Proceed With 2020 Season

MLB owners unanimously voted on Monday night to proceed with the 2020 season under the terms of their March 26 agreement with the Players Association after the union's executive board voted down the league's latest offer of a 60-game season with expanded playoffs. Commissioner Rob Manfred has the power to implement a schedule of his […]

MLB Commissioner To Implement 60-Game Season

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is scheduled to implement a 60-game season that will start on July 29, although no official announcement has been made. This comes as the Players Association rejected MLB's latest proposal of a 60-game schedule with expanded playoffs. By rejecting the league's latest offer, the players union retains the right […]

Players Reject MLB's Latest Offer Of 60 Games

The Major League Baseball Players Association voted (33-5 against) on Monday to reject the league's 60-game proposal with expanded playoffs, putting commissioner Rob Manfred in position to implement a schedule of his choosing -- likely between 50 and 60 games. "While we had hoped to reach a revised back-to-work agreement with the league, the players […]

Four Yankees Employees Test Positive For Coronavirus

Four New York Yankees employees have reportedly tested positive for coronavirus. None of the positive tests appear to be players, but additional MLB-related coronavirus cases put the season even more at risk than it already was. The Yankees are moving their spring training back to New York with rising cases in Florida, but even the […]

Two Angels Players Test Positive For COVID-19

The Los Angeles Angels learned that two players in their organization have tested positive for COVID-19, according to general manager Billy Eppler. Eppler would not specify if the players were major leaguers or minor leaguers, but they hadn't been working out either in Anaheim or at the team's spring training complex in Tempe, Arizona. The […]

WPC+ Videocast: Hitter Values for a Shortened Season

Pierre Camus and Nicklaus Gaut review stats from the first 50 games of the 2019 MLB season to find notable differences from final season totals for top fantasy players. How much will a small sample size of a shortened season affect fantasy value? Like and subscribe to the RotoBaller channel on Youtube to get all […]

MLB Closing All Spring Training Sites

Major League Baseball will close all of their spring training sites in Arizona and Florida for deep cleaning and will not allow players or staff members back in until they pass a COVID-19 test. This comes after the Phillies, Blue Jays, Giants and Rangers shut down their spring training facilities earlier in the day due […]

MLB Won't Counter Players' Latest Proposal

Major League Baseball won't counter the Players Association's latest proposal to play 70 games this year, instead sticking with their most recent offer of 60 games at full prorated salaries. The players can either accept the 60-game offer with expanded playoffs and promise not to file a grievance, or reject it and force commissioner Rob […]

Giants Shut Down Scottsdale Stadium Facility

The San Francisco Giants closed their Scottsdale Stadium facility on Friday "after one person who had been in the facility and one family member exhibited mild symptoms and were tested," per president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. The organization is awaiting test results. The Giants recommended that others who had been at the facility should […]

Blue Jays Close Facilities After COVID-19 Scare

The Toronto Blue Jays shut down their spring training facilities in Dunedin, Florida, on Thursday after a player showed coronavirus symptoms, according to sources. The Phillies, located in Clearwater, Florida, are also closing their facility after five players and a staff member tested positive. The Blue Jays player is a pitcher on the 40-man roster […]

MLB Owners Upset With Players' Latest Proposal

Major League Baseball owners are so upset about the Players Association's latest proposal -- which is for around $300 million more -- that no response is expected to be immediate this week. The league proposed a 60-game season earlier this week, while the players countered with a 70-game schedule, $50 million in playoff bonuses and […]

Miguel Sano Accused In Kidnapping Case

Minnesota Twins third baseman/first baseman Miguel Sano told a Dominican Republic newspaper that he's being blackmailed, having been accused of kidnapping and assault. “We will continue to monitor the situation and hope to have more as it becomes available,” Twins spokesman Dustin Morse said. Odalis Ramos, a lawyer, has accused Sano and three of his […]

Players Union Proposing Schedule Of Around 70 Games

Updating an ongoing story, the Major League Baseball Players Association has finalized a proposal to the league for a season in the neighborhood of 70 games, according to sources. The season would run from July 19 to Sept. 30 and would include full pro-rated salaries and $50 million in playoff bonuses. It would also include […]

Players Want More Than 60-Game Season

Following a four-hour negotiation in Arizona between MLB commissioner and union executive director Tony Clark on Wednesday, the league believed the framework of a deal had been agreed upon, according to sources. But the union disagreed and players said they view the 60-game schedule proposal as too short. Absent a deal, the league has the […]

Spring Training 2.0 Could Start By June 29

If Major League Baseball and the Players Association can complete their negotiations by this Friday, the plan is for players to report to spring training 2.0 by June 29, with three full weeks of spring training before the 2020 season would begin. Most teams would train in their own home cities before starting the regular […]

MLB Sends New Proposal To Players

Major League Baseball has sent a new proposal to the Players Association on Wednesday, sources told ESPN.com's Jeff Passan. No deal is done yet, but commissioner Rob Manfred and union chief Tony Clark have met and made significant progress in negotiations for a 2020 season. The league knows players must get full pro rata, and […]

Mariners Agree With Four Undrafted Free Agents

The Seattle Mariners agreed to terms with four undrafted free agents following the conclusion of the 2020 MLB draft last week. Due to the shortened draft this year, all 30 teams may sign an unlimited number of high school and college players who went undrafted for a maximum of $20,000 each. The players added include […]

Oakland Athletics: Top 10 Dynasty Prospects

The Oakland Athletics 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 […]

Rob Manfred Not As Confident Baseball Will Happen In 2020

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said on Monday that he's "not confident" that there will be a 2020 baseball season and that "as long as there's no dialogue" with the Players Association, "that real risk is going to continue." Manfred said "unequivocally we are going to play Major League Baseball this year" and estimated the likelihood […]

Judge Rules MLB's Letter To Yankees Should Be Unsealed

A New York judge ruled on Friday that a letter from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to the New York Yankees addressing a 2017 investigation of the team should be unsealed. The Yankees have made an emergency appeal before the letter is to be unsealed on June 19. The Yankees and MLB have the chance to […]

Players Reject MLB's Latest Offer

The Major League Baseball Players Association asked the league to set a schedule for the 2020 season rather than submit another counterproposal. "Further dialogue with the league would be futile. It's time to get back to work. Tell us when and where," MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said in a statement. The league has suggested […]

MLB, Players Remain At Impasse

MLB's latest return-to-play proposal has left the Players Association frustrated and increased the likelihood of commissioner Rob Manfred instituting a shortened season without input from the union, according to sources familiar with the situation. Dan Halem, the deputy commissioner, accused the players' union of causing "enormous damage to the sport" with its negotiating posture. The […]

D-Backs Take A.J. Vukovich Among Their Final Day 2 Picks

The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Green Hope High School left-handed pitcher Liam Norris with the 90th overall pick in the third round in the 2020 MLB draft on Thursday. The Snakes then selected East Troy High School third baseman A.J. Vukovich in the fourth round and Bellarmine University pitcher Brandon Pfaadt in the fifth round. Norris […]

Blaze Jordan Highlights BoSox's Final Picks In 2020

The Boston Red Sox selected DeSoto Central High School third baseman Blaze Jordan with the 89th overall pick in the third round in the 2020 MLB draft on Thursday. Boston proceeded to select Hawaii left-handed pitcher Jeremy Wu-Yelland in the fourth round and Florida State lefty pitcher Shane Drohan in the fifth and final round. […]

Power-Hitting Tyler Keenan Among M's Final Picks

The Seattle Mariners selected Oklahoma State second baseman Kaden Polcovich with the 78th overall pick in the third round in the 2020 MLB draft on Thursday. They followed that up with Ole Miss third baseman Tyler Keenan in the fourth round and Cal Poly pitcher Taylor Dollard in the fifth round to wrap things up. […]