MLB Can't Identify Players That Test Positive For COVID-19

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer both said that because of the HIPAA Act, teams are not allowed to divulge the names of any player who tests positive for COVID-19 during the season. "The information I've been given is [the media] will be left to try to […]

Jared Hughes Signs With Mets

The New York Mets signed relief pitcher Jared Hughes to a big league deal worth a prorated $700,000 on Tuesday, according to a source. Assuming MLB plays a full 60-game season, Hughes would make around $260,000. The veteran right-handed reliever will immediately join the team's 60-player pool. Hughes, 35 this Saturday, had a 4.04 ERA, […]

Minor League Season Officially Canceled

Baseball's minor leagues officially canceled their 2020 season on Tuesday after MLB decided not to provide any players to its affiliated teams during the coronavirus pandemic. An agreement between the majors and minors expires after this season, and MLB has proposed reducing the minimum affiliates from 160 to 120. MLB clubs will retain expanded 60-player […]

Cole Wilcox Signs Record Deal With Friars

The San Diego Padres signed 2020 third-round pitcher Cole Wilcox to a landmark deal on Tuesday. The ex-Georgia Bulldog will receive $3.3 million, setting a record for the third round and easily surpassing his slot value of $767,800 at 80th overall. Hyped as a potential first-rounder, the 20-year-old right-hander possesses a lightning fastball and two […]

Tyler Rogers, Tony Watson Are Closing Candidates

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Tuesday that he has two pitchers in mind to close for the 2020 season, Tyler Rogers and Tony Watson. Rogers, a 29-year-old sidearmer, was solid in very limited work last season, going 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 22.9% strikeout rate and an 0-for-2 conversion rate for […]

Dellin Betances Appears Ready To Go

The New York Mets are excited about where relief pitcher Dellin Betances (shoulder, Achilles) is physically. He has thrown live batting practice and sim games over the past two weeks and will be ready to go once summer camp opens. Shoulder and Achilles injuries limited Betances to only one game last season for the Yankees. […]

Cardinals Have One Positive COVID-19 Test

The St. Louis Cardinals have had one positive COVID-19 test so far during entry screening ahead of summer camps that will begin later this week. They are following the procedures of re-testing and self-quarantining the individual that tested positive. The Cardinals haven't had any players opt out of the shortened 2020 season as of now. […]

Brad Wieck Ready To Return

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Brad Wieck (heart) appears ready to go for the Cubs after undergoing a heart procedure in February. Wieck was acquired by the Cubs from the Padres last year and finished with a 5.71 ERA between the two clubs. Wieck pitched better with the Cubs and will compete for a bullpen spot […]

Hunter Strickland Signed By Mets

The New York Mets have signed relief pitcher Hunter Strickland and named him to their 60-man player pool for 2020. In 2019, Strickland appeared in 28 games between the Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals. He posted a 5.55 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 24 1/3 innings pitched and struck out just 18. Strickland was released […]

Padres Have Less Than A Handful Of Positive COVID-19 Tests

San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller said that the team has had "less than a handful" of positive COVID-19 tests in the last three weeks. All of the positive tests are on the minor league side of things, and none of them are in the 60-man player pool. The players/staffers that tested positive are […]

Nick Vincent Signs With Marlins

The Miami Marlins agreed to terms on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with relief pitcher Nick Vincent. Vincent was released by the Giants over the weekend and didn't have to wait long to find a new team. Vincent has been a decent reliever with a few spots of upside in […]

Padres Player Pool Packed With Young Talent

The San Diego Padres player pool announcement Sunday was loaded with hyped youngsters. Of the 52 confirmed players, the Padres selected all 13 of their top prospects along with their first-round pick in the 2020 draft. The usual suspects were top-tier starters MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patiño who both had outside shots to crack the […]

Drew Rasmussen Makes 60-Man List

The Milwaukee Brewers have invited 45 men to join the team's workouts at Miller Park to ramp up for the upcoming 2020 season. Thirty players will make the Opening Day Roster, while the others will join the team's taxi squad'. A few notable players include outfielder/first baseman Ryan Braun, who will likely take advantage of the […]

Edgar Santana Hit With 80-Game Suspension

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Edgar Santana has been given an 80-game suspension by Major League Baseball on Sunday after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance. Santana missed all of last season after having Tommy John surgery. The 28-year-old Dominican right-hander has a 3.31 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 7.9 K/9 for the Pirates in 88 […]

Phillies Release Drew Storen And Matt Szczur

The Philadelphia Phillies released relief pitcher Drew Storen and outfielder Matt Szczur ahead of Sunday's deadline to submit their pool of 60 players eligible to participate in the 2020 season. Both players were non-roster invitees prior to spring training earlier in the year. Storen pitched to a 4.45 ERA in 54 2/3 innings with the […]

Rangers Employees Fear For Health Amid Positive COVID-19 Tests

Texas Rangers employees told ESPN on Friday that they fear for their health and hope the team will allow them to work from home after feeling pressure to come into the office after the revelation that multiple co-workers have tested positive for COVID-19. Multiple employees said that their managers said working from home was not […]

New Draft Strategies for 2020 MLB: RotoBaller Staff Picks

Baseball is coming back and it's about time! The announcement of a 60-game season comes as a blessing and a curse. It's barely over one-third of a normal MLB season and will come with several modifications to the rule book. Then again, at this point we are just happy to have baseball (or any live […]

Matt Strahm Expects To Pitch Despite Expecting Child

San Diego Padres reliever Matt Strahm expects to remain a cog in the Padres bullpen in 2020, despite expecting a child later this year. Given an opportunity for exemption, the 28-year-old will pitch despite the high-risk potential. The lefty struggled last season, flailing to a 4.71 ERA but managed a respectable 19.7 strikeout-minus-walk percentage. While […]

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 […]

Zach Putnam, Matt Skole Among Five Released By White Sox

The Chicago White Sox released relief pitchers Zach Putnam and Caleb Frare, starting pitcher Matt Tomshaw, first baseman Matt Skole and infielder Ramon Torres on Friday. The White Sox are starting to trim their roster to get down to a list of 60 players by Sunday. Putnam missed all of the 2018 and 2019 seasons […]

Giants Release Tyson Ross, Nick Vincent

The San Francisco Giants released starting pitcher Tyson Ross, reliever Nick Vincent and outfielder Jaime Westbrook on Friday ahead of the deadline to submit up to 60 names for their player pool this year. All three were non-roster invites on minor league deals. Ross, 33, struggled to a 6.11 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 6.4 K/9 and […]

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. […]

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 […]

San Francisco Giants: Top 10 Dynasty Prospects

The San Francisco Giants 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 […]

Chad Bettis To Retire

New York Yankees reliever Chad Bettis announced his retirement after a seven-year major league career. Bettis spent his entire MLB playing career with the Rockies before joining the Yankees over the offseason but has missed significant time with injuries and cancer over the past few seasons. Bettis’s retirement shouldn’t have too much on an effect […]

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 […]

Alex Wilson To Be Released

Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Alex Wilson will be released by the team on Friday, among other cuts. Wilson spent 2015-2018 with the Tigers. He posted a 3.36 ERA in 2018 while appearing in 59 games. The left-hander spent 2019 with the Milwaukee Brewers and recorded a disappointing 9.53 ERA before ultimately returning to the Tigers […]

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 […]

Emmanuel Clase Won't Be Eligible For 2020 Season

Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase's suspension will be completed if the MLB finishes the entire 60-game season in 2020, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Clase was originally suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, but the suspension won't carry over to 2021 if […]

Cubs Sign Burl Carraway And Two More Draft Picks

The Chicago Cubs have agreed to terms with rookie relief pitcher Burl Carraway on Thursday. Carraway was picked in the second round by the Cubs and is widely considered to be the best relief pitcher in the draft. Many expect Carraway to climb quickly through the minors and be with the Cubs in the near […]