2019 First Basemen - Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings

We continue our fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis with the first base position. Even though it is only January, RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, Pierre Camus, Chris Zolli, and I have come up with our initial pre-draft rankings to give you a sense of player values as early as possible. As the offseason progresses, these rankings […]

2019 Shortstops - Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings

It’s never too early to start looking toward the fantasy baseball season, so I’m here to kick off RotoBaller’s position-by-position rankings analysis series with the ever-so-glamorous shortstop position. Shortstop is rich at the top and while it boasts intriguing depth, this is not a position to wait on, especially if you also have a middle-infield […]

Top 660: Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings (January)

Welcome back RotoBallers, and Happy New Year! Below you will find our staff's early 2019 fantasy baseball tiered rankings (top 660) for mixed leagues. In case you missed it, you can also see our tiered positional rankings as well. Four of our lead fantasy baseball analysts - Nick Mariano, Pierre Camus, JB Branson and Chris Zolli - have analyzed the MLB offseason moves and […]

Statcast Review - Noteworthy Hitting Leaders (xSLG)

xSLG isn’t a stat you’ll find on the back of a baseball card or one you’d find on a baseball reference page. However, as far as advanced stats go, xSLG is pretty straightforward. It is the expected slugging percentage of a hitter based on hit probability his batted balls in play, regardless of outcome. So if […]

Trevor Story Rankings Debate - Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

For the RotoBaller baseball crew, it's our favorite time of the entire year. It's time to revive our signature series of articles debating the overall ranking of some of the most fantasy-relevant players of the 2019 baseball season. That's right, it's Ranker vs Ranker time! RotoBaller's expert writers have come up with our consensus rankings […]

Teoscar Hernandez - Promising or Pretender?

Every new beginning signifies an end elsewhere. This was the case for Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez last season. The hard-hitting righty broke through in more ways than one in his first full year in the big leagues, finishing with a .239/.302/.468 line, and most importantly 22 home runs. The path to the plate […]

Using Sabermetrics For Fantasy Baseball Part 1 - BABIP for Hitters

Hello fellow RotoBallers! Sabermetrics have become an integral tool for fantasy baseball draft prep, but a concise resource for understanding the basics can be difficult to find. This series attempts to define and explain all of the metrics fantasy owners may find useful, citing examples of how to use them in the process. Twenty degrees […]

Top 10 Dynasty First Basemen - Fantasy Baseball Prospects

It might seem like I drew the short straw among the prospect analysts here at RotoBaller, but I actually picked this assignment! You won’t see many of these names on top 100 lists. Despite being one of the positions from which teams expect to get the most offensive production, first base gets the least amount […]

Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood Become Reds

Starting pitcher Alex Wood, catcher Kyle Farmer, and outfielders Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig are trading Dodger blue for the bright kit of the Cincinnati Reds. The trio was traded for Homer Bailey and prospects in what was essentially a salary dump for Los Angeles as they attempt to sign or trade for more superstars. […]

Padres Agree With Ian Kinsler

The San Diego Padres agreed on a two-year, $8 million deal with free-agent second baseman Ian Kinsler on Friday, according to sources. The deal comes with a club option for a third year. Kinsler will turn 37 next June and is coming off a season with the Angels and Red Sox in which he hit […]

2018 Baseball Winter Meetings - Wednesday/Thursday Recap

MLB Winter Meetings are ending in Las Vegas, Nevada and the headline-grabbing moves have come from relatively unknown places. Players like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, J.T. Realmuto, and Noah Syndergaard were rumored to be traded or signed, yet none of those moves materialized. What did occur over the last two days, though, were some solid […]

Joe Kelly Agrees To Contract With Dodgers

Multiple outlets have reported that relief pitcher Joe Kelly has agreed to a three-year, $25 million deal, pending a physical. Kelly had a 4.39 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings for the World Series champions last year. Kelly will be a late-inning arm for the Dodgers and a strong candidate for holds in […]

Diamondbacks Not Targeting Jackie Bradley Jr.

Sources with knowledge of the situation say that the Arizona Diamondbacks are not targeting Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. as a replacement for free-agent center fielder A.J. Pollock. Bradley is a similar player to Pollock defensively, but he doesn't have the upside with the bat that Pollock does. Either way, the Red Sox […]

Teams Showing Interest In Ian Kinsler

The Tigers, Brewers, Athletics and Nationals are among the teams interested in free-agent second baseman Ian Kinsler. However, the destinations of free-agent second basemen DJ LeMahieu and Jed Lowrie may ultimately decide where Kinsler lands. Kinsler isn't the player he once was and isn't a great fit at the top of a lineup anymore, but […]

2018 Baseball Winter Meetings Recap (Monday/Tuesday)

MLB Winter Meetings have started in Las Vegas, Nevada and the headlines thus far have been more about what has been rumored to happen rather than what has happened. There have been some relatively minor moves thus far (including the signing of a former stolen base leader), but most of the stories have revolved around […]

Andrew Benintendi To Hit Leadoff Next Year

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that outfielder Andrew Benintendi will hit leadoff next year, with MVP Mookie Betts moving to the second spot. Both players will still have extremely high fantasy ceilings, but Betts will now have more chances to drive in runs dropping down one spot in the order. After winning the […]

Red Sox Listening On Rick Porcello

The Boston Red Sox are openly listening to trade offers for starting pitcher Rick Porcello as they try to clear salary space for bullpen help. Rivals also insist that Boston is willing to talk about shortstop Xander Bogaerts and outfielder Jackie Bradley. Porcello isn't the sexiest fantasy starter, but he put up 17 wins in […]

Chris Sale Feeling Fine

Boston Red Sox general manager Dave Dombrowski said starting pitcher Chris Sale (shoulder) is "feeling fine" so far in the offseason and that the team is "comfortable where he is." Sale throwing hard in his first start off the disabled list late in the season was probably too much and contributed to his weak shoulder […]

Red Sox Not Expected To Re-Sign Craig Kimbrel

Boston Red Sox general manager Dave Dombrowski doesn't expect the team to re-sign closer Craig Kimbrel, as they aren't expected to spend big on a ninth-inning man for 2019. Kimbrel is one of the most dominant closers in the game after posting a 2.74 ERA, 13.9 K/9 and 42 saves in 2018 with the BoSox, […]

Nathan Eovaldi Returns To Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox agreed to re-sign starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi to a four-year, $68 million deal on Thursday, according to sources. Boston didn't want to let him get away after he was thoroughly impressive after coming over from the Rays, especially in the postseason run to a World Series title. Eovaldi has a triple-digit […]

Red Sox Intensifying Negotiations With Nathan Eovaldi

The Boston Red Sox are intensifying their negotiations to re-sign starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, according to sources. The hard-throwing right-hander had a 3.33 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 8.0 K/9 in 12 outings (11 starts) for Boston after they traded for him and he was nearly unhittable in the postseason on his way to helping the […]

Yankees Shifting Focus To Nathan Eovaldi, J.A. Happ

After losing out on Patrick Corbin, the New York Yankees are shifting their focus to free-agent starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and J.A. Happ, according to sources. Both Eovaldi and Happ excelled with their new clubs after midseason trades in 2018. Eovaldi is younger, throws harder and has more upside, but Happ already has recent success […]

2018 Pitching Leaders - ERA

It was an impressive year for ERA in 2018, as MLB's combined 4.14 ERA was the lowest since league pitching recorded a 3.95 ERA in 2015. Just to give you an idea of how much pitching improved this year, all four of the pitchers that will be mentioned in this list finished in the top-10 […]

Buy Low(er) - Dynasty Baseball Players Due For A Rebound

Dynasty teams are great to own and develop; they are my favorite teams to manage actually. In real life and fantasy, there are managers who find happiness by having a finished organization that can run itself with very little decision-making on their part. There are other people who find pleasure building an organization up and […]

Padres Interested In Nathan Eovaldi

The San Diego Padres remain interested in free-agent starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, according to sources. Eovaldi has undergone Tommy John surgery twice but has returned better than ever and still can regularly hit 100 mph with his heater. The right-hander was a godsend to the Red Sox in the second half and into the playoffs […]

Red Sox Likely To Have Interest In Kelvin Herrera

The Boston Red Sox may be in need of a closer next year if free-agent Craig Kimbrel doesn't return, and they could look to free-agent reliever Kelvin Herrera (foot). General manager Dave Dombrowski tried to trade for Herrera at the trade deadline last summer. Herrera tore the Lisfranc ligament in his left foot on Aug. […]

Nathan Eovaldi's Market Heating Up

Free-agent starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi's market is heating up, with the Red Sox and Astros viewed as the leading contenders, according to a source. Eovaldi has no shortage of suitors after he was lights-out in the second half for the Red Sox and into the playoffs. The hard-throwing right-hander was 6-7 with a 3.81 ERA, […]

Craig Kimbrel Looking For Six-Year Deal

Free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel is said to be looking for a six-year deal in free agency. Kimbrel is one of the most dominant closers in baseball, but even for him that is a high ask. The flamethrowing right-hander was 5-1 with a 2.74 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 42 saves and 96 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings […]

What To Do With Bryce Harper in Dynasty?

At some point in the last year, Bryce Harper went from perennial first-rounder to being described as an “overvalued” and “losing player.” He was recently voted as “the most overrated player in the game.” The perception is a predictable outcome for a player who was hailed as baseball’s new phenom when he was still in […]

Astros Interested In Nathan Eovaldi

The Houston Astros are showing interest in free-agent starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, according to sources. Eovaldi is a native of Texas and had a fine season in 2018 with the Rays and Red Sox, going 6-7 with a 3.81 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and career-high 8.2 K/9 over 22 outings (21 starts). He was even more […]