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Carlos Estevez, Lucas Erceg Could Share Closer Role
According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, the Kansas City Royals will not have "defined" bullpen roles at the start of the season. Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro noted that both Carlos Estevez and Lucas Erceg will have opportunities to close at the start of the season. Earlier this week, the Royals signed Estevez to a […]
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2025 Fantasy Baseball Closers and Saves: Bullpen Draft Strategies and Later-Round Targets
You will hear lots of discussion in the offseason on draft strategy for fantasy baseball. It seems it changes annually; for example, people will say things like "shortstop is deep this year" while suggesting "get your corner infielders early." The one position we struggle to define strategy for, year after year, is drafting closers and […]
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MLB Power Rankings: Top Tampa Bay Rays Prospects
The Tampa Bay Rays' top prospect list is loaded. It might be the best list in baseball. The Rays, as an organization, scout and develop better than any organization in baseball, primarily because they have to, given their market. Today, we will cover the Tampa Bay Rays top 10 prospects heading into the 2025 season […]
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Mets Showing Interest In Ryan Brasier
According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, the New York Mets have shown interest in Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Ryan Brasier. Earlier this week, Brasier was designated for assignment to open a spot on the roster for Kirby Yates. However, Brasier was very effective last season. Across 28 innings, the 37-year-old posted a 3.54 […]
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Yariel Rodriguez Could Move To Bullpen
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Yariel Rodriguez could be bumped from the starting rotation in Toronto in 2025 to the bullpen after the team signed future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer on Thursday. However, even if Rodriguez opens the year as a reliever, there's a good bet he'll be starting games at some point with Scherzer […]
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Felix Bautista Expected To Be Ready For Opening Day
MASN's Roch Kubatko reports that Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Felix Bautista (elbow) will be eased into spring training as part of a ramp-up period. He will not be a full-go this spring, but he's still expected to be ready for Opening Day in 2025. The 29-year-old will be 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery […]
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Brandon Hughes Returning To Cubs On Minor-League Deal
The Chicago Cubs are finalizing a minor-league deal on Friday to re-sign left-hander Brandon Hughes, according to a league source briefed on the contract. Hughes could work his way into a key role in relief for the Cubs again in 2025 after he became the team's closer in the second half of the 2022 season. […]
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Pedro Avila Becomes Free Agent
Cleveland Guardians right-hander Pedro Avila rejected his outright assignment to the minor leagues on Thursday and elected to become a free agent. Avila was designated for assignment by the Guardians on Jan. 22 but passed through waivers unclaimed. The 28-year-old is now free to sign with any team and should land on his feet somewhere […]
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ESPN H2H Points League Primer - Strategy, Bargains and Busts for Fantasy Baseball Drafts
With February right around the corner, we're getting into the full swing of the fantasy baseball draft season. ESPN has recently opened up its 2025 draft rooms, and the worldwide leader in platform size also leads the league in leaning into their points format being the default option. Playing on ESPN successfully means properly accounting […]
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Danny Coulombe Has Potential Suitors
According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, left-handed relief pitcher Danny Coulombe is drawing interest on the market. Murray noted that multiple teams were interested in left-hander Taylor Rogers before he was traded to Cincinnati. As a result, Coulombe could be viewed as one of the top southpaws on the market. Last season with Baltimore, Coulombe […]
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Kendall Graveman Drawing Interest On Open Market
According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, relief pitcher Kendall Graveman is drawing interest on the free-agent market. Graveman missed the entire 2024 campaign, recovering from shoulder surgery to repair a torn right labrum. Graveman began throwing in August and is expected to be healthy during spring training. During the 2023 campaign, Graveman spent time with […]
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Reds Designate Casey Legumina For Assignment
According to the team, the Cincinnati Reds have designated right-handed pitcher Casey Legumina for assignment. This transaction opened a roster spot for outfielder Austin Hays, who the team officially signed on Thursday. Legumina has logged 22 innings in the major leagues over the past two seasons. During this small stint, the right-hander held a 6.95 […]
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Dodgers Designate Ryan Brasier For Assignment
The Los Angeles Dodgers designated right-handed reliever Ryan Brasier for assignment on Thursday, according to sources. The move was made to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for recently-signed reliever Kirby Yates. The Dodgers now will have a few days to try to find a trade partner before he's subject to waivers. There […]
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Mets Designate Dylan Covey For Assignment
According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the New York Mets are designating right-handed pitcher Dylan Covey for assignment. This transaction opened a roster spot for right-handed pitcher Ryne Stanek, who the team officially signed on Thursday. Covey spent most of the 2024 season recovering from a shoulder injury but did finish the season at […]
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Anthony Maldonado Designated For Assignment
According to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com, the Athletics have designated right-handed pitcher Anthony Maldonado for assignment. This transaction opened the roster spot for right-handed pitcher Elvis Alvarado, who the team claimed off waivers earlier on Thursday. Prior to the designation, Maldonado was ranked as the No. 21 prospect in the Athletics system on MLB.com. The […]
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Elvis Alvarado Claimed By Athletics
According to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Athletics have claimed right-handed pitcher Elvis Alvarado. Alvarado was designated for assignment earlier this week by the Pittsburgh Pirates to open a spot on the roster for infielder Adam Frazier. The 25-year-old pitcher has yet to reach the major leagues. Last season, the right-hander made his […]
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Lance Lynn Drawing Interest As Potential Closer
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that free-agent right-hander and long-time starter Lance Lynn is getting looks on the open market this offseason as a potential ninth-inning arm, according to his agent Kevin Lustig. The 37-year-old has not pitched out the bullpen since 2018. Lynn said he's "intrigued" about being a closer. Several teams, including the […]
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Underdog Best Ball Fantasy Baseball Rankings and Tiers (2025)
Welcome back to our MLB team's 2025 Underdog Best Ball Fantasy Baseball Rankings for 2025 Best Ball leagues on the Underdog Fantasy platform. For those of you who are not familiar -- Underdog Fantasy is a platform where you can play all sorts of leagues and contests, and MLB Best Ball leagues are one of […]
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Fantasy Baseball Top 50 Prospects for 2025 First-Year Player Drafts (FYPD)
While the weather outside might be frightfully cold in the northern part of the country, spring is inching closer, and we're getting into the heart of offseason drafts for dynasty leagues. This is always an exciting time of year in dynasty leagues as we get to add new players to our teams and try to […]
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Pedro Avila Sent Outright To Triple-A
According to MLB.com, the Cleveland Guardians have sent right-handed pitcher Pedro Avila outright to Triple-A Columbus. Avila was designated for assignment last week to open a roster spot for Paul Sewald but cleared waivers. As a result, Avila will open the 2025 season at the Triple-A level. Last season, the 28-year-old logged a career-high 82 […]
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Cubs Sign Brad Keller To Minor-League Contract
According to Jacob Zanolla of Cubs Insider, the Chicago Cubs have signed right-handed pitcher Brad Keller to a minor-league contract that includes an invite to spring training. Keller spent the 2024 season with the White and Red Sox. Across 41 1/3 innings of work, the 29-year-old posted a 5.44 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP. He […]
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Ian Gibaut Signs Minor-League Deal With Reds
According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, right-handed pitcher Ian Gibaut agreed to a minor-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds that contains an invite to spring training. Gibaut was non-tendered by the Reds earlier this offseason but will given an opportunity to crack the Opening Day roster. The 31-year-old logged just two innings of work in […]
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Reds Designate Owen White For Assignment
According to the team, the Cincinnati Reds have designated right-handed pitcher Owen White for assignment. This corresponding move opened a roster spot for left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers, who the team acquired earlier on Wednesday from the San Francisco Giants. White has logged just seven innings in the major leagues over the past two seasons with […]
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Tigers Designate Alex Faedo For Assignment
According to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, the Detroit Tigers have designated right-handed pitcher Alex Faedo for assignment. This transaction opened the roster spot for right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle, who the team signed earlier on Wednesday. Last season, Faedo spent most of his time operating out of the bullpen, as he made just six starts. […]
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Carlos Estevez Signing With Kansas City
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Kansas City Royals are signing free-agent relief pitcher Carlos Estevez. Estevez has been one of the top relief pitchers on the open market during the offseason and had several suitors. However, the Royals were able to get a deal done. Last season, Estevez opened the 2024 campaign with […]
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Elvis Alvarado Designated For Assignment
The Pittsburgh Pirates designated right-hander Elvis Alvarado for assignment on Wednesday to make room for newly-signed infielder/outfielder Adam Frazier on the 40-man roster. If Alvarado clears waivers, he could return to the Pirates organization. The 25-year-old Dominican hurler has never appeared in a major-league game and will probably be fighting an uphill battle to get […]
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Dodgers, Alex Vesia Avoid Arbitration
The Los Angeles Dodgers and left-handed reliever Alex Vesia avoided salary arbitration on Wednesday by settling on a one-year, $2.25 million guarantee deal that includes a club option for the 2026 season, according to a source. Vesia filed at $2.35 million, and the Dodgers countered at $2.05 million earlier this month. He'll be paid $2.25 […]
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Reds Acquiring Taylor Rogers From Giants
ESPN's Jeff Passan reports that the Cincinnati Reds are finalizing a trade on Wednesday to acquire left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers from the San Francisco Giants, according to sources. The 34-year-old southpaw is owed $12 million in 2025. He will lade a late-inning left-handed arm to the Reds' bullpen for the upcoming season. It's unclear what […]
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Nationals Release Joe La Sorsa
The Washington Nationals requested unconditional release waivers on left-hander Joe La Sorsa on Wednesday. The 26-year-old southpaw was recently designated for assignment by the Nationals to make room on the 40-man roster for Japanese pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara last week. La Sorsa cleared waivers and will now be free to sign with any MLB team ahead […]
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Ryan Pressly To Compete For Ninth-Inning Role In Chicago
The Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro reports that veteran right-hander reliever Ryan Pressly was told he will close some games his new team, the Chicago Cubs, in 2025. Pressly also added that he will head into spring training in February competing for the ninth-inning role after Porter Hodge filled in admirably in the closer role in […]