Baltimore Orioles Claim Hector Velazquez Sunday

The Baltimore Orioles claimed pitcher Hector Velazquez off of waivers on Sunday, per MASNSports.com's Roch Kubatko. The 31-year-old was designated for assignment on Thursday after posting a 5.63 ERA in 56 1/3 innings pitched for the Red Sox in 2019. Per Kubatko, the O's view Velazquez more of a long reliever than as a starter. […]

Dellin Betances Unimpressive In Mets Debut

New York Mets relief pitcher Dellin Betances (shoulder, Achilles) made his Grapefruit League and Mets debut on Saturday with unimpressive results. In 1/3 inning pitched, Betances threw 24 pitches, struck out one batter, walked two, and gave up a two-run single. Most worrisome, however, was the fact that Betances' fastball topped out at 90 mph. […]

Aroldis Chapman Makes Spring Debut

New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman made his spring debut on Friday, tossing a scoreless inning with a strikeout. Chapman had been scheduled to pitch on Wednesday but unexpectedly had his debut pushed back with little explanation from the Yankees. Fortunately, the adjustment does not appear to have been related to Chapman’s health, as the […]

2020 Fantasy Baseball Busts - RotoBaller Staff Picks

As you prepare for fantasy baseball drafts in 2020, it's crucial that you avoid the dreaded bust who could sink your team. As we did with sleepers, our staff came together to share their thoughts on preseason ADP values, this time on their least favorite picks. While you've likely heard some of these names already […]

MLB Spring Training Notebook - Injuries, Risers, Position Battles (3/6/20)

Welcome to the first edition of our Spring Training Notebook, where we'll dive into a few of the bigger stories around Major League Baseball's Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. As we head through the thick of Spring Training 2020, players are starting to separate themselves in the eyes of their organizations with hopes of making the […]

Outfield and Catcher ADP Debates: Fantasy Baseball 2020 ADP Analysis

Host Anthony Aniano of RotoBaller Radio discuss the 2020 fantasy baseball season and keeps you updated with all the latest news and analysis. Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (channel Sirius 210, XM 87) - every weekday morning between 6-7 AM ET, every weekday afternoon from 1-2 PM ET and Saturday nights from 9-11 PM […]

WPC+ Videocast: TGFBI Expert League Analysis

Pierre Camus and Nicklaus Gaut review their draft boards and ADP for The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational (TGFBI) expert league. They share their strategies, discuss which picks were most surprising, and explain how this information can help you in your home league draft! Like and subscribe to the RotoBaller channel on Youtube to get all […]

2020 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers - RotoBaller Staff Picks

As the 2020 MLB season approaches, it's time for the RotoBaller staff to reveal their favorite preseason sleepers. We recently asked some of our fantasy baseball writers to get their take on which hitters and pitchers they are targeting the most in the later rounds of fantasy drafts. While you've likely heard some of these […]

Closer Committees: When Sharing Isn't Caring

The concept of a closer-by-committee is, according to some theories, the best way to run a bullpen for most "real life" baseball teams. The concept of a closer-by-committee is, according to all fantasy baseball players, a real life hassle. A well-defined closer is ideal for fantasy teams in standard leagues because it guarantees that one […]

Jimmy Nelson To Throw Bullpen Friday

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jimmy Nelson (lower body) will throw a bullpen session on Friday. Initially a candidate for the final rotation spot, Nelson's injury has set him back, and the best-case scenario now is that he opens the 2020 season in the bullpen for the Dodgers. The 30-year-old had a really solid year in […]

Ben Bowden Likely Out Another Month

Colorado Rockies pitching prospect Ben Bowden (back) hasn't made much progress from lower back soreness and is likely to be out for another month, according to manager Bud Black. Ranked as the team's No. 8 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, at the end of last season, the 25-year-old southpaw has a chance to be a true […]

Ryan Borucki Progressing Slowly

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Ryan Borucki (elbow) threw from 120 feet on Thursday as he's slowly working his way back from missing nearly the entire 2019 campaign. The left-hander was limited to just under 25 innings pitched last year after undergoing elbow surgery in August. He still has time to crack the Opening Day roster […]

Seth Lugo Throws Simulated Game

New York Mets relief pitcher Seth Lugo (toe) threw 29 pitches in a simulated game on Thursday. Lugo is working his way back from a fractured left pinkie toe. Following the sim game on Thursday, Lugo indicated that he felt good. It is likely Lugo will next pitch in Grapefruit League games. Based on Lugo's […]

Dellin Betances To Make Debut Saturday

New York Mets relief pitcher Dellin Betances (shoulder, Achilles) is scheduled for his Grapefruit League debut on Saturday. Betances appeared in only one game last season for the Yankees due to a shoulder injury and subsequent Achilles tear. If Betances experiences no setbacks as he ramps up activity, he should be ready by Opening Day. […]

Shortstop & Third Base ADP Debates: Fantasy Baseball 2020 ADP Analysis

Host Anthony Aniano of RotoBaller Radio discuss the 2020 fantasy baseball season and keeps you updated with all the latest news and analysis. Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (channel Sirius 210, XM 87) - every weekday morning between 6-7 AM ET, every weekday afternoon from 1-2 PM ET and Saturday nights from 9-11 PM […]

Breakouts Relievers Due for Regression in 2020

The closer role is one of the most volatile positions in fantasy baseball. They can lose their fantasy value with a couple of blow-up performances. Teams are also electing to utilize a committee approach, often using their best reliever in high-leverage situations rather than cementing them to the ninth inning.  This makes it imperative to […]

The 10 Commandments of Auction Drafts

As I've said before, there is no one right way to play fantasy baseball, but auction drafts are the closest you can get. As opposed to the more popular but less fun snake draft, in an auction you can acquire the rights to literally any player you want in the game. You don't have to […]

Brad Peacock Throws Off Mound Wednesday

Houston Astros pitcher Brad Peacock (neck) was scheduled to throw off a mound for the first time this spring on Wednesday. Peacock has been struggling with nerve issues in his neck, effectively ending his chances of opening the regular season in the starting rotation. The 32-year-old right-hander has proven highly effective in a relief role […]

Ty Buttrey Throws Successful Bullpen

Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Ty Buttrey (intercostal) said his bullpen session on Wednesday went "phenomenally." Buttrey will have time to build back up and be ready for Opening Day as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks. The 26-year-old (27 later this month) should open the season as the primary eighth-inning setup man in […]

Raisel Iglesias Allows Two Runs Wednesday

Cincinnati Reds closer Raisel Iglesias allowed two runs in one inning in a 6-6 tie with the Chicago Cubs in Cactus League action on Wednesday. Iglesias allowed two hits and struck out one in the frame. The rough outing raises Iglesias' ERA to 10.80 this spring. Iglesias struggled at times in 2019, posting a 3-12 […]

Felix Pena Doubtful To Be Ready By Opening Day

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Felix Pena (knee) is doubtful to be ready by Opening Day. Manager Joe Maddon intimated as much as Pena continues his rehab after tearing his ACL last season. It is unclear, when healthy, what role Pena will have this season but served as an opener on multiple occasions last season. Pena's […]

Aroldis Chapman Expected To Make Spring Debut Friday

New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman had been scheduled to make his spring debut on Wednesday, but the 32-year-old has had his debut pushed back to Friday. The Yankees opted to have Chapman throw a bullpen session on Wednesday instead of entering the game against the Phillies, and the team insists that Chapman is fully […]

Eric Skoglund Dealing With Arm Tenderness

Kansas City Royals pitcher Eric Skoglund (arm) hasn't seen any action since Feb. 21, and manager Mike Matheny told reporters that Skoglund is still dealing with some arm tenderness. There is no timeline at this point, but obviously pitchers with arm issues are not something fantasy owners should be chasing. Skoglund was limited to just […]

Auction Draft Dollar Day Targets

There are multiple strategies available to drafters in auctions. It is one of the reasons auctions are so much more interesting and fun than snake drafts. They award owners the ability to maneuver their roster the way they see fit. One of the most popular strategies is a stars-and-scrubs alignment, meaning owners pay up for […]

Kyle Bishop's 10 Bold Predictions for 2020

This will be my sixth season with RotoBaller, and consequently, my sixth time participating in this bold predictions series. Over that time, I've amassed a fairly strong record with bold predictions, generally clocking in with a success rate of 30 percent. I correctly predicted Bryce Harper's MVP campaign in 2015 and Kirby Yates leading the […]

Tommy Milone Dealing With Tender Trap Muscle

The Baltimore Orioles kept pitcher Tommy Milone (trapezius) back in camp to throw a simulated game on Tuesday because he's dealing with a "tender trap," according to manager Brandon Hyde. The Orioles are just playing this one cautiously, and they didn't want Milone to make his injury worse while taking a long bus ride. The […]

Brandon Kintzler Spins a Perfect Inning on Tuesday

Miami Marlins relief pitcher Brandon Kintzler tossed a perfect 1-2-3 inning in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the New York Mets. Kintzler came in for the fifth inning and made quick work of his inning, retiring the side in order. It was an encouraging sign from Kintzler after an uncharacteristically wild, four-walk outing his last […]

Alex Reyes Strikes Out Four in Two Innings on Tuesday

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Alex Reyes pitched two innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Houston Astros. He struck out four while allowing a run on three hits and a walk. It was mostly a positive sign from Reyes, who lowered his spring ERA to 10.80 after a rough few outings. Reyes was originally […]

Dellin Betances Not Throwing With Velocity He Wants

New York Mets relief pitcher Dellin Betances (shoulder, Achilles) said on Tuesday that he is not yet throwing with the velocity he wants. Betances appeared in only one game last season for the Yankees due to a shoulder injury and subsequent Achilles tear. Given the fact that Betances is coming off of a shoulder injury […]

Andrew Miller Having Trouble in the Spring

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Andrew Miller is reportedly "having trouble getting a feel for the ball" but insists that nothing "physically hurts." He will undergo a battery of tests, especially to check if there is a nerve explanation. Miller has pitched just one Grapefruit League inning so far and has dealt with several injuries […]