Building The Perfect Lineup - Top MLB Players At Every Position In 2024
The 2024 MLB season is less than one month away, and that means regular season baseball is almost back. Before the season officially begins with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers on March 20 in Seoul, South Korea, let's take a look at the best players at every position heading into the year. […]
Adbert Alzolay Sharp In Spring Outings
Chicago Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay has made two Cactus League appearances this spring, allowing no runs with two strikeouts in two innings pitched. The 29-year-old emerged as a fantasy asset last season, earning 22 saves with a 2.67 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 26.5% strikeout rate. The Cubs did sign Hector Neris this off-season and he […]
Jose Alvarado Looking Fine In Early Action
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado has a 3.00 ERA with two strikeouts in three innings pitched of Grapefruit League action so far this spring. The 28-year-old flamethrower is currently penciled in for the closer's role, but fantasy managers may be a little apprehensive given how the Phillies treated their bullpen last season. The good […]
Keaton Winn Progressing To Live Batting Practice
San Francisco Giants pitcher Keaton Winn (elbow) has progressed from throwing bullpen sessions to live batting practice, per the Athletic's Andrew Baggarly. The 26-year-old has been dealing with right elbow inflammation but is slowly showing signs of health improvements. It is unclear when he will be cleared to pitch in spring training games, but the […]
Tristan Beck Undergoes Successful Arm Surgery
San Francisco Giants pitcher Tristan Beck (arm) underwent successful vascular surgery to repair an aneurysm in his upper right arm, per the Athletic's Andrew Baggarly. He was placed on the 60-day injured list Sunday but was on track to start the season in the team's rotation. The Giants currently have numerous injuries to their pitching […]
Darren McCaughan Optioned To Triple-A
Miami Marlins reliever Darren McCaughan has been optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville. The right-hander was claimed off waivers by the club from the Seattle Mariners this offseason after he made just three appearances with Seattle in the 2023 season. McCaughan worked to a 5.40 ERA in that time with Seattle while he also scuffled to a […]
Sean Hjelle Suffers Right Elbow Sprain
San Francisco Giants right-hander Sean Hjelle has suffered a right elbow sprain and will be evaluated in two weeks. The 26-year-old was competing for a spot on the club's Opening Day rotation but said he could feel something wasn't right in his throwing arm last week. Hjelle has appeared in each of the last two […]
Yuki Matsui Throwing A Bullpen Tuesday
San Diego Padres left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui (back), who dealt with early spring back spasms, is throwing a bullpen session in camp on Tuesday. Manager Mike Shildt said that if all goes well with the bullpen, there should be plenty of time to get Matsui built up for the start of the 2024 regular season. […]
A.J. Puk A Favorite To Begin Year In The Rotation
With Miami Marlins left-hander Braxton Garrett (shoulder) now likely to open the year on the injured list due to a shoulder issue, it would appear that left-hander A.J. Puk is now the heavy favorite to open the regular season as the team's No. 3 starter. The 28-year-old southpaw has been transitioning from a relief role […]
Caleb Thielbar Throws Another Bullpen Session Monday
Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar (hamstring) threw his second bullpen session of March on Monday at close to full effort. The 37-year-old sustained a left hamstring strain during his conditioning exercises in late February. Thielbar performed well for the Twins last season, going 3-1 with 14 holds and a 3.23 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and […]
Matt Brash To Resume Throwing Tuesday
Seattle Mariners right-hander Matt Brash (elbow), who has been dealing with elbow inflammation in camp, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday. All eyes will be on his throwing session with a trainer. If his throwing session doesn't go well, Brash will almost certainly begin the year on the injured list after appearing in an […]
Tommy Kahnle Might Not Be Ready For Opening Day
New York Yankees right-hander Tommy Kahnle (shoulder) is behind in his buildup this spring as a result of the right-shoulder inflammation that ended his season early last fall, according to manager Aaron Boone. As a result, Kahnle might not be ready for Opening Day on March 28. He's throwing bullpen sessions, but he won't pitch […]
Kyle Crick Out Of Walking Boot
New York Mets reliever Kyle Crick (calf) is out of his walking boot and is making progress toward throwing. Crick suffered a calf strain in camp two weeks before the opening of spring training, but he thinks he should be game-ready in another three to four weeks. His goal remains breaking camp on a roster […]
David Bednar Hopes To Be Back Soon
The Pittsburgh Pirates and closer David Bednar (lat) are playing it safe in spring training and he's currently not throwing, but the good news is he doesn't seem too worried about the severity of his injury. "Hopefully will be back soon," Bednar said. Manager Derek Shelton said on Sunday that Bednar is dealing with right-lat […]
Ryan Helsley Remains A Strong Bullpen Option
St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley has tossed two scoreless outings over his first two Grapefruit League appearances this spring. He has also recorded three strikeouts. Helsley is coming off of another strong season as the Cardinals closer and remains the top option for saves in St. Louis. Entering 2024, the fireballer remains one of […]
Statcast Pitch Tracking: Using Sabermetrics for 2024 Fantasy Baseball
When you're evaluating a pitcher by Pitch Info on FanGraphs, sometimes you see pitches that don't seem to accomplish anything. If Pitch X is seldom a strike, rarely chased outside of the zone, and not generating whiffs or a favorable batted line against, why doesn't the pitcher scrap it entirely? Some pitchers could improve by […]
Dauri Moreta Exits Early On Sunday
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dauri Moreta (elbow) was unable to finish his outing against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. The right-hander saw a significant drop in velocity before a visit from the training staff. The 27-year-old was pulled out of the contest due to right elbow discomfort. Moreta was a key piece to the Pirates […]
David Bednar Dealing With Lat Injury, Shut Down From Throwing
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher David Bednar (lat) is dealing with right lat tightness. Bednar felt tightness in his lat during a throwing program. The Pirates are playing it safe with Bednar, and he is currently shut down from throwing. "Hopefully, he will be back soon," said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. Pittsburgh will continue to monitor the injury […]
Alexis Diaz Strikes Out The Side In Spring Debut
Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Diaz made his spring debut on Thursday in a 5-4 Cactus League win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 2023 All-Star struck out the side on nine pitches, generating six swing-and-misses, and the final to go down swinging was none other than perennial MVP candidate Mookie Betts. It looks like Diaz […]
Top 250 Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Prospects Rankings (February 2024 Update)
We're back, RotoBallers, for the February 2024 update of our MLB team's dynasty fantasy baseball prospects rankings for the 2024 season. We're now into 2024 with an eye on the upcoming year, and moves by MLB teams have begun to shape how we look at prospects. This list adds a half-dozen 2024 international signees who […]
Five Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers: Mid-To-Late Round Value Picks (NL Central)
The NL Central doesn't have the same kind of fantasy baseball stars as other divisions. As a matter of fact, the first player selected from the NL Central isn't until Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is taken in the early fourth round. After that, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger, Freddy Peralta, and Nico Hoerner […]
3 NL-Only Draft Sleepers: Fantasy Baseball Mid-Round Picks (2024)
Welcome back RotoBallers to our NL-Only fantasy baseball draft values article about players to target in the middle rounds of AL-Only league drafts in 2024. You can see our AL-Only draft values article as well. Playing in an Only league can be tricky in fantasy baseball. With half of the players in baseball eliminated from […]
Closers and Saves Bullpen Report for Fantasy Baseball - AL Edition
We are so back. Spring training is underway, people are already overreacting to meaningless games, and somehow several top-tier free agents are still unemployed. It's always a fun time in the baseball world as hope springs eternal for most teams (some try their best to be realistic, but even then you can see the slightest […]
Ian Gibaut Could Miss Opening Day
Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Ian Gibaut (forearm) appears to be in danger of missing Opening Day. Reds' manager David Bell recently mentioned that Gibaut has yet to resume throwing after being shut down last week. The 30-year-old is still recovering from a forearm issue and is considered "close" for Opening Day. The right-hander was a […]
Mason Miller Electric On Friday
Oakland A's pitcher Mason Miller was electric in his lone inning of work in Friday's Cactus League game versus the Kansas City Royals. The 25-year-old struck out the side on 16 pitches, reaching 101 mph on nine of his fastballs and even reached 103 mph on another. Miller showed power stuff in his 10-outing debut […]
David Bednar Still The Closer For Pirates
Despite the offseason addition of left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman and his seven All-Star selections, Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander David Bednar remains the team's primary closer heading into the 2024 season. Bednar, who has been an All-Star each of the last two years himself, received a call from manager Derek Shelton after Chapman's signing, reassuring him of […]
Raisel Iglesias Makes Spring Debut Friday
Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias made his Grapefruit League debut on Friday in a game against the Baltimore Orioles. He entered in the fourth frame and had a scoreless inning of work, with his only blemish being a two-out double to infield prospect Jackson Holliday. In his first full season with the Braves in 2023, […]
Jose Soriano To Be Stretched Out As A Starter
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Jose Soriano will be stretched out as a starter this spring and will start Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He still has a chance to end up in the bullpen but new Angels skipper Ron Washington wanted to give the 25-year-old a crack at the rotation. Soriano made his big-league […]
Gregory Santos Progressing Well In Throwing Program
Seattle Mariners pitcher Gregory Santos (lat) is progressing well early in his throwing program, according to M's general manager Justin Hollander. Santos was cleared to begin a throwing program on Tuesday and the early reports are positive at this time. The 24-year-old was acquired from the Chicago White Sox on Feb. 3 for two minor […]
Yuki Matsui Resumes Playing Catch
San Diego Padres left-hander Yuki Matsui (back) has resumed playing catch in camp on Friday. The 28-year-old reliever was shut down from throwing last weekend due to inflammation in his back, but it wasn't a serious concern and he's already back to throwing. It remains unclear when he'll be able to get into another Cactus […]