The King's Insider Guide To the 60-Game MLB Season

Since the spring, I have been conducting interviews with many notable and well-informed MLB sources on the 2020 season. On the condition of anonymity, current and former players, scouts, executives, media members and others have shared their unfiltered insights, and I have supplied my in-depth fantasy baseball takes on the information they have shared. As […]

Indians Have Handful Of Positive COVID-19 Cases

The Cleveland Indians have had a handful of positive COVID-19 cases from players at home, in the Dominican Republic and in Arizona. "All of those cases have been isolated. There has not been any spread within our environment," according to president Chris Antonetti. The affected players are either recovered or are showing only mild symptoms. […]

Ryan Zimmerman May Not Play In 2020

Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is still debating whether to play this season. Among several other issues, he cited the risk the novel coronavirus would pose to his mother, who has multiple sclerosis, and a three-week-old child. From a fantasy perspective, Zimmerman was already a fringe player due to his age, an 89 wRC+ […]

Small Number Of Brewers Test Positive For COVID-19

Milwaukee Brewers general manager David Stearns said "we have had a small number of individuals'' in the organization test positive for COVID-19. "They are asymptomatic and are doing well.'' Stearns did not differentiate players from staff, Tom Haudricourt reports. Multiple teams have now reported similar scenarios within their organizations, and it certainly raises concerns about […]

Tommy Pham Could Benefit From DH Rule

San Diego Padres outfielder Tommy Pham (elbow) could benefit from the universal designated hitter in 2020. Supposedly recovered from a partially torn UCL, the 32-year-old wasn’t playing much in the outfield prior to spring training being shut down. Fangraphs currently has Pham penciled in as the Friars DH, which would also lift playing time for […]

Kike Hernandez The Primary Option At DH For Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder/outfielder Kike Hernandez is the primary projected designated hitter for the team during the shortened 2020 season, but Matt Beaty, Gavin Lux, Joc Pederson, A.J. Pollock, Edwin Rios, Chris Taylor and Will Smith could also be options. The Dodgers have an extremely deep roster with plenty of options to rotate at DH […]

Dodgers Have Positive COVID-19 Tests

Los Angeles Dodgers president Andrew Friedman said that members of the organization have tested positive for COVID-19, but Friedman didn't say how many and whether they were players or coaches. None of those that tested positive had "problematic" symptoms. The Dodgers are not alone, as a handful of other teams around the league have reported […]

Several D-Backs Players Test Positive For COVID-19

One player on the Arizona Diamondbacks 40-man roster, "several" minor leaguers and one minor league coach have tested positive for COVID-19 over the last week, according to a team official. No identities have been released, but a source says that more than 70 of the 80-plus tests came back negative. All of the positive tests […]

Several Twins Players Test Positive For COVID-19

The Minnesota Twins were notified Thursday morning of several positive COVID-19 tests among their players. The players who tested positive were not working out at Target Field or Fort Meyers, the Twins' spring training site. This news comes just days after the MLB and the Player's Association announced plans for a 60-game season. It certainly […]

Marcell Ozuna, Austin Riley DH Options For Braves

Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna's range has declined in recent years, and his arm strength hasn't really returned since he had right shoulder surgery after the 2018 season. The presence of the designated hitter for National League teams this year will allow the Braves to put Ozuna's power bat in the middle of the lineup […]

Howie Kendrick One Of Many Options For DH Role

The Washington Nationals used second baseman Howie Kendrick as their designated hitter last year in the World Series against the Astros. Kendrick is back for his 15th season, and while he's expected to be a backup infielder, he's now the top candidate to serve as their DH with National League adopting the rule for the […]

Red Sox Player Tests Positive For COVID-19

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said that "one player who was exposed in his hometown, got tested, was positive but he's been asymptomatic and that's resolving. We've been fortunate that's the only other positive test we've had." The identity of the player hasn't been revealed, but Bloom said he is on the […]

Diamondbacks Player Tests Positive For COVID-19

The Arizona Diamondbacks had a player test positive for COVID-19 in the last month in Arizona, according to general manager Mike Hazen. However, the player that tested positive wasn't using the team's spring training facilities, so it sounds as though no other players or staff members that were using the team's spring training facilities were […]

Multiple Mariners Test Positive For COVID-19

Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said that "more than one" player on the team has tested positive for COVID-19. Dipto also said that a "few" of them, not all, are showing symptoms of the virus. With spring training 2.0 set to begin next week in Seattle for the Mariners, all of their players will […]

Yoenis Cespedes Likely To Serve As Mets DH

The delayed start to the 2020 season makes it likely that New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes (heel, ankle) will make the Mets' Opening Day roster and primarily serve as the team's designated hitter. Before spring training was suspended, Cespedes had progressed to running to first base at full speed and hitting regularly in simulated […]

Angels Hopeful Shohei Ohtani, Griffin Canning Will Be Ready

Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon said he's "very" hopeful that starting pitchers Shohei Ohtani (elbow), Griffin Canning (elbow) and Felix Pena (knee) will be ready for Opening Day in late July. None of the three were likely to be able to pitch on the original Opening Day, but the coronavirus pandemic has bought them […]

Multiple Blue Jays Players And Staff Test Positive For COVID-19

According to a source, multiple players and staff of the Toronto Blue Jays have tested positive for COVID-19. The team shut down their spring complex in Dunedin, Florida, late last week after a player showed symptoms of the virus, but it appears that it has spread to other personnel as well. The Jays are scheduled […]

Garrett Cooper, Matt Joyce Candidates For DH Role

With the designated hitter being used in both leagues this season, Miami Marlins first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper and outfielder Matt Joyce are two candidates to be used in the role a lot. Cooper is the much more attractive fantasy commodity in deeper leagues for his ability to hit for average and modest power for the […]

Baseball Officially Back; 60-Game Season To Start July 23 Or 24

The Major League Baseball Players Association and the league ironed out the final details on Tuesday, allowing players to report to camps by July 1 and play a 60-game season starting on either July 23 or 24. An agreement on healthy and safety protocols, which was the final hurdle, was ironed out on Tuesday night. […]

MLB Teams To Open With 30-Man Rosters

Major League Baseball teams can have 30-man rosters for Opening Day in late July. Rosters will be reduced to 28 on Day 15 of the season and reduced to 26 for the rest of the year on Day 29 of the season. Teams must submit a list of up to 60 players -- entire 40-man […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]