J.D. Martinez's Contract Has Opt-Outs And Protection

Outfielder J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox have officially signed the agreed-upon contract of five years and $110 million. According to Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston, the contract was delayed by a medical issue in 2017 -- a sprained Lisfranc ligament in right foot -- and he has three opt-outs as well as […]

Yoenis Cespedes Rankings Debate - Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

Today's article is one in a series of debates regarding the overall ranking of some of the most fantasy-relevant players of the 2018 baseball season. RotoBaller's expert writers have come up with our consensus rankings for mixed leagues, but that doesn't mean we agreed on everything. In this space, we'll hear from rankers with the […]

ADP Sleepers and Busts - AL Relief Pitchers

The early days of draft season typically result in volatile ADP data, as values adjust rapidly to a growing sample size. Eventually, players fall much closer to their intrinsic worth as fantasy owners become inundated with news, analysis and pundit commentary. So, I'm here today to serve as another voice to the copious reams of […]

2018 Shortstops - Dynasty Tiered Rankings

We continue our fantasy baseball dynasty rankings analysis with the first base position. RotoBaller writers Kyle Richardson, Chris Zolli, Pierre Camus, and I have come up with our preseason rankings to give you a sense of player values as early as possible. In a dynasty league, it can be tough to decide between a proven veteran or […]

J.D. Martinez Press Conference Still On Hold

Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal has reported that there is still no news on the physical nor impending press conference of Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez. "I'm not concerned. My concern is with the guys here," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Until we hear more about the exact holdup, we will just […]

Marco Hernandez Experiencing More Pain

According to Jen McCaffrey, Boston Red Sox infielder Marco Hernandez (shoulder) had to return to Boston due to discomfort in his left shoulder. Doctors determined Hernandez needed to have the pins removed that were inserted into his shoulder last May. "He was doing everything fine and he felt weak or he was sore and it […]

Blake Swihart Not Named As Starter Or Backup Catcher

According to Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora has stated that Sandy Leon and Christian Vazquez are his catchers. This news means that Blake Swihart has lost another opportunity to win a starting position. Through process of positional elimination, Swihart will be relegated to a utility role. Thus far […]

Eduardo Rodriguez Begins Throwing

According to Jen McCaffrey of masslive.com, Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (knee) will be throwing his first side session on Monday. Rodriguez is recovering from knee surgery in October. He has had various knee issues every year. Hopefully, this surgery will resolve it for good and keep Rodriguez on the mound. When healthy, Rodriguez has […]

Steven Wright's Investigation Moves Toward A Conclusion

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Steven Wright met with MLB and the investigation into his arrest for domestic assault may soon be concluded, according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. Wright was arrested in December 2017 for an argument with his wife. The Tennessee court retired it for one year, meaning it will be […]

2018 Second Basemen - Dynasty Tiered Rankings

We continue our fantasy baseball dynasty rankings analysis with the second base position. Second base is a very intriguing position for dynasty leagues, as there is a changing of the guard that could come as soon as a year or two. Out will be the mainstay names of Robinson Cano, Brian Dozier, and Daniel Murphy, […]

Blake Swihart Might Need A New Venue

Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart is following a plan that manager Alex Cora and the staff has prepared to make him more versatile and improve the chances of Swihart getting more playing time. However, now might be the perfect opportunity for the Red Sox to trade Swihart, according to Evan Drellich of NBC Sports […]

J.D. Martinez Deal Waiting On Physical

According to Christopher Smith of masslive.com, there will not be a press conference Thursday to officially announce the signing of outfielder J.D. Martinez by the Boston Red Sox. The reason is the physical has yet to be completed. There is no additional word regarding any specifics that the physical is causing the holdup. Smith also reported that […]

Blake Swihart's Plan For Playing Time

Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart continues to be the focus of attention and efforts to get more playing time. Manager Alex Cora said that Swihart will focus on catching, outfield and designated hitter for the near future. There is no time yet for Swihart to get repetitions in the infield. "Versatile enough that you […]

Alex Cora Not Concerned About Lineups

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is not concerned with the particulars of lineup construction based on splits, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. Cora is not concerned with splitting up righties and lefties and doesn’t plan to get carried away with batter/pitcher matchups if it’s a small sample. With this news, there […]

Andrew Benintendi Success Stems From Summer Break

Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi has already accomplished in his rookie year what many players fail to reach in their entire career; he joined the 20 homers and 20 steals club. Benintendi attributes his sudden rise to stardom to an offseason before his sophomore season at the University of Arkansas. "I didn't play summer […]

Fantasy Implications - J.D. Martinez to the Red Sox

The national nightmare is finally over. After weeks upon months of fantasy owners developing carpal tunnel syndrome from hitting F5 repeatedly, desperately searching for any new updates, J.D. Martinez has signed a five-year, $110 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. After accumulating a .251 average and .687 on-base plus slugging percentage with 24 home […]

Jose Abreu Rankings Debate: Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

We on the RotoBaller staff have come up with our consensus rankings for mixed leagues, but there's plenty of debate over individual players' proper place in the pecking order. In this space, we'll hear from rankers with the biggest differences of opinion on a well-known player and have them defend their position against each other. […]

Joe Kelly Fine After Being Hit In BP

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Joe Kelly (shin) went for precautionary X-rays after being hit in the shin by a batted ball in batting practice Wednesday, but he is fine. Coming off a terrible 2016 season, Kelly bounced back by posting a 2.79 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 52 strikeouts in 58 innings for the Red […]

Blake Swihart Gets Work At Other Positions

Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart will get work at positions other than catcher, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. The Red Sox continue to try to find ways to get Swihart's bat into the lineup. This will prove tough since the lineup is stacked with offensive contributors. The current plan is for […]

2018 Catchers - Dynasty Tiered Rankings

As we move closer to the 2018 baseball season, we at RotoBaller have released our Dynasty Rankings. We have been dissecting the tiers of each position, showing fantasy owners where to find value in their draft. At the catcher position, we have a total of 41 players ranked across eight tiers. When looking at dynasty leagues, […]

Jackie Bradley Jr. (OF, BOS) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~210 CURRENT ADP: 278 ANALYSIS: Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is a defensive specialist. He has not demonstrated consistent offensive capability to be relevant in fantasy. His slash line since he has been in the big leagues is .239/.318/.407; all of these stats are below league averages in 2017. Bradley’s performance in […]

Rafael Devers Gets MVP Instruction

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers has been getting expert instruction from Mike Lowell, a former World Series MVP, according to Jen McCaffrey of masslive.com. There is no question about Devers' bat. In 222 at-bats, Devers hit 20 home runs and had a slash line of .283/.338/.482. The point of this expert assistance was […]

Hanley Ramirez To Be No. 3 Hitter

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said first baseman Hanley Ramirez is currently in line to be the No. 3 hitter. Han-Ram had a disappointing season all around in 2017, but shoulder issues might've been the biggest reason for his decline across the board at the plate. Despite hitting .241, Ramirez still slugged 23 home […]

Dustin Pedroia Doing Baseball Activities

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (knee) started taking grounders from his knees Tuesday. Pedroia had offseason knee surgery, and demonstrating an ability to actually conduct activities from his knees is a good sign. He is currently expected to return in May. Pedroia spent much of the 2017 season dealing with injuries but still had […]

Jackie Bradley Unlikely To Be Traded

Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley is unlikely to be traded after the team signed free-agent outfielder J.D. Martinez on Monday, according to sources. Boston's outfield is likely to consist of Andrew Benintendi in left field, Bradley in center and Mookie Betts in right, with Martinez the primary designated hitter. Bradley is still an elite […]

Blake Swihart Working With Catchers

Boston Red Sox catcher/outfielder Blake Swihart is working with the catchers Monday, which is the first day of full-squad workouts, according to Jen McCaffrey of Masslive.com. Swihart was groomed as a catcher, but concerns with his defensive ability led him to change positions to left field. However, an injury forced an end to that experiment in 2016. […]

Eduardo Nunez Goes Beyond Normal Signing Procedures

Infielder Eduardo Nunez has officially signed with the Boston Red Sox. He went beyond the normal physical to demonstrate not only his health, but how much he enjoyed playing for the team. According to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, the Red Sox had to be more diligent in ensuring Nunez's health due to knee injuries […]

Angels Sign Outfielder Chris Young To One-Year Deal

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have signed free-agent outfielder Chris Young to a one-year, $2 million contract with incentives. Young, 34, hit .235 with seven home runs and three stolen bases in 90 games for the Red Sox last season. He will have a hard time finding playing time in LA's crowded outfield. Expect […]

Nick Mariano's 2018 Early-Round Overvalued List (Premium Content)

All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Fantasy baseball drafts (and their articles) are almost all about finding the next superstar and unearthing talent late, but we can't forget that surrendering value by over-drafting can be just as crucial. In order to evaluate overvalued players here, we're going to utilize Average […]

Dustin Pedroia Feels Great

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (knee) said he's been feeling great after his knee surgery. "I feel great. I don’t hurt. I’m ready...It’s been pretty enjoyable to not be in pain," Pedroia said. It's good news to see that the veteran is feeling good, but Boston will surely play it safe and slow […]