David Robertson On The Comeback Trail

Free-agent relief pitcher David Robertson (elbow) threw his first bullpen session on Thursday and is planning a showcase for interested teams in early February after having Tommy John surgery in August of 2019. The veteran right-hander has a 2.90 career ERA and 137 saves in 661 relief outings over 12 big-league seasons. But Robertson made […]

Angels Emerge As Suitors For Brad Hand

The Los Angeles Angels have emerged as suitors for free-agent relief pitcher Brad Hand, according to sources. The New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays are among the other teams involved. To a lesser degree, the Astros and Dodgers have some interest. Cleveland cut Hand in a cost-cutting move after the 2020 season in which […]

Wade Davis Lands Minors Deal With Royals

The Kansas City Royals signed right-handed reliever Wade Davis to a minor league deal on Wednesday. A three-time All-Star, the 35-year-old Davis pitched with the Rockies for the last three years and made just five appearances in the shortened 2020 season. He led the National League in saves (43) and games finished (63) in 2018, […]

Blue Jays Add Kirby Yates On One-Year Deal

The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal with right-hander Kirby Yates on Tuesday, according to a source. The deal includes $4.5 million in performance bonuses for appearances and awards. The Blue Jays also added right-hander Tyler Chatwood on a one-year deal on Monday, and he's expected to work out of the […]

Blue Jays Targeting Kirby Yates

The Toronto Blue Jays are targeting free-agent relief pitcher Kirby Yates, according to a source. Yates is in Florida on Tuesday to meet with the team, and it comes a day after Toronto added right-hander Tyler Chatwood to their bullpen on a one-year deal. Yates had an excellent 1.19 ERA with 41 saves while striking […]

Jeremy Jeffress Generating A Lot Of Interest

Free-agent relief pitcher Jeremy Jeffress is generating a ton of interest despite a reliever market that remains crowded, according to sources. At least 10 teams have some level of interest in the right-hander, including the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Cubs, Astros, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies and Nationals. Jeffress has a sub-2.00 ERA and a sub-1.00 WHIP […]

Astros, Blue Jays Interested In Alex Colome

Free-agent relief pitcher Alex Colome is drawing interest from the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays, among other teams, according to sources. The 32-year-old right-hander had a nice 2.27 ERA -- the third-lowest in baseball among relievers who saved 30-plus games in the last two seasons -- after signing in 2019 as the White Sox's […]

Blue Jays Reach Agreement With Tyler Chatwood

The Toronto Blue Jays reached an agreement with right-hander Tyler Chatwood on a one-year, $3 million contract on Monday, according to a source. Chatwood will have the opportunity to earn another $2.5 million in incentives, according to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi. The 31-year-old is entering his 10th big league season and has played with the Angels, […]

Top 680: Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings (January)

Welcome back RotoBallers, and Happy New Year! Below you will find our staff's early 2021 fantasy baseball tiered rankings (top 680) for 5x5 mixed leagues. In case you missed it, you can also see our tiered positional rankings as well. Three our lead fantasy baseball analysts - Nick Mariano, Pierre Camus and JB Branson - have analyzed the MLB offseason moves and are ready to […]

You Paid What?! Overvalued Players in Auctions

Assuming the 2021 MLB season starts on time, we are on the precipice of fantasy baseball draft season. Spring Training will get underway next month, at which point, drafts roll out in full force. We aren't there quite yet, which makes sense. Many of the biggest free agents remain unsigned; the league is unsure of […]

Mets In Talks With Brad Hand

The New York Mets are in talks with free-agent relief pitcher Brad Hand, but the two sides are "not close" to completing a deal, according to a source. The three-time All-Star has a very nice 2.70 ERA in the last five seasons with the Padres and Cleveland. The left-handed reliever had a sparkling 2.05 ERA […]

Padres Out Of The Mix For Kirby Yates?

The San Diego Padres were one of a dozen teams interested in free-agent relief pitcher Kirby Yates, but he's now in the final stages of considering offers from five teams, and a source says that the Padres are not one of them. San Diego would have to substantially increase their offer for him to reconsider, […]

Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Julio Urias Avoid Arbitration

Los Angeles Dodgers star outfielder Cody Bellinger ($16.1 million), shortstop Corey Seager ($13.75 million) and left-handed pitcher Julio Urias ($3.6 million) all reached one-year deals to avoid salary arbitration on Friday. Bellinger was the 2019 National League MVP and 2017 NL Rookie of the Year but hit a career-low .239 with 12 home runs and […]

Josh Hader, Brandon Woodruff Avoid Arbitration

Milwaukee Brewers relief ace Josh Hader and right-hander Brandon Woodruff avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to one-year deals. Hader will earn $6.675 million in 2020, while Woodruff's salary wasn't immediately known. Hader set an all-time record with 12 consecutive hitless innings to begin the 2020 season and ended with 31 strikeouts and 10 […]

Mets The Favorites For Brad Hand?

The New York Mets want to add a left-handed reliever and have been heavily involved with free-agent lefty Brad Hand. MLB Network's Jon Heyman said, "At this point, I think it's probably fair to say they are at least a favorite, if not the favorite [for Hand]." The Blue Jays are another team that has […]

Dodgers, Corey Knebel Avoid Arbitration

The Los Angeles Dodgers and relief pitcher Corey Knebel avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $5.25 million deal. Pitcher Dylan Floro did the same by agreeing to a $975,000 contract. The 29-year-old Knebel was acquired from the Brewers on Dec. 2. The hard-throwing right-hander was an All-Star in 2017 but missed […]

Archie Bradley Joins Phillies Bullpen

The Philadelphia Phillies signed relief pitcher Archie Bradley to a one-year, $6 million deal on Thursday, according to sources. Bradley didn't get re-signed by the Reds after he was acquired from the Diamondbacks in a midseason deal in 2020. The right-hander allowed just one run in his 7 2/3 innings with Cincinnati in six regular […]

Rockies Avoid Arbitration With Mychal Givens

The Colorado Rockies signed right-handed reliever Mychal Givens to a one-year, $4.05 million deal on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration. The Rockies traded for Givens in a deal with the Orioles on Aug. 3, and he allowed at least one run in five of his 10 outings for Colorado. He allowed two runs in 13 […]

Alex Wood Signs With Giants

The San Francisco Giants signed left-hander Alex Wood to a one-year, $3 million deal on Friday. The 30-year-old can make an extra $3 million in performance bonuses for the number of games in which he gets 10 or more outs. Wood was an All-Star in 2017 and went 0-1 with a 6.39 ERA in two […]

Corey Kluber Could Find A Team By This Weekend

The bidding for free-agent starting pitcher Corey Kluber is moving quickly and will likely reach a conclusion by this weekend. The two-time Cy Young winner impressed scouts from 25 different teams on Wednesday during a throwing session, causing interested teams to move more quickly on the right-hander. Kluber is returning from a torn right teres […]

A's Acquire Reliever Nik Turley

The Oakland Athletics acquired left-hander Nik Turley from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday in exchange for $60,000. Turley was 0-3 with a 4.98 ERA and one save in 25 relief appearances -- the most of any major league rookie in 2020 -- for the Pirates in 21 2/3 innings in the shortened season. The 31-year-old […]

Phillies Have Shown Interest In Alex Colome

The Philadelphia Phillies have expressed interest in free-agent relief pitcher Alex Colome, but the Phillies would likely need his price to drop in order to have a shot. It didn't help when Liam Hendriks agreed to a $54 million multi-year deal with the White Sox on Monday. Colome will not return to Chicago after the […]

Pedro Baez Reaches Deal With Astros

Right-handed reliever Pedro Baez agreed to a two-year deal with the Houston Astros on Wednesday, according to a source. The 32-year-old finished last season as the third-longest-tenured member of the Dodgers, behind just Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen. He has a 3.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 3.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 355 career relief appearances since […]

Mark Shapiro Receives Five-Year Extension

Toronto Blue Jays president and chief executive officer Mark Shapiro was given a five-year contract extension on Wednesday. Shapiro worked for the Cleveland Indians before joining the Blue Jays as their president on Oct. 31, 2015. His leadership and commitment over the last five years have been critical to Toronto's growth and development. The Blue […]

Liam Hendriks to White Sox - Fantasy Impact

After making a big splash last offseason the White Sox with the signing of Yasmani Grandal to a four-year deal, Chicago has done it again as they signed closer Liam Hendriks to a three-year deal. The top closer on the free agent market, Hendriks will head to the South Side after establishing himself as one […]

Alex Colome Won't Return To White Sox

Free-agent relief pitcher Alex Colome won't be returning to the Chicago White Sox after they signed reliever Liam Hendriks to a three-year deal on Monday night. The San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins appear to be those in the mix to add Colome, who is coming off two excellent seasons […]

Liam Hendriks Agrees To Deal With White Sox

Free-agent closer Liam Hendriks agreed to a three-year deal worth $54 million with the Chicago White Sox on Monday night, according to sources. The deal includes a fourth-year option. The 31-year-old will make $39 million in the first three years, and the buyout and fourth-year option are $15 million. Hendriks has been one of the […]

Yankees Sign Jhoulys Chacin, Tyler Lyons, Socrates Brito

The New York Yankees signed right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, left-hander Tyler Lyons and outfielder Socrates Brito to minor league deals on Sunday. Chacin has 12 major league seasons under his belt and has thrown 1,324 innings, including 226 starts. The 33-year-old has a 6.06 ERA (75 ERA+) in 108 1/3 innings with the Brewers, Red Sox […]

Seth Lugo Likely To Work Out Of The Bullpen In 2021

The New York Mets are reportedly planning to use pitcher Seth Lugo out of the bullpen in 2021. Lugo served as both a starter and reliever in 2021, making nine appearances out of the bullpen before moving to the starting rotation. Consistent with his pitching history, Lugo was much more effective out of the bullpen […]

Phillies Acquire Sam Coonrod From Giants

The Philadelphia Phillies acquired right-hander Sam Coonrod from the San Francisco Giants on Saturday in exchange for right-hander Carson Ragsdale, according to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. The 28-year-old Coonrod has made 51 career appearances for the Giants after being a fifth-round pick in 2014 out of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Coonrod had a […]