Updated Outfield Rankings - 2018 Fantasy Baseball

Welcome back RotoBallers. With the MLB season a little more than a week away, it's time to update our rankings and analysis to account for injuries, free agent signings, spring training risers/fallers and more. We continue our updated March rankings today with the outfield position. Bill Dubiel breaks down each tier and provides analysis for which players might be […]

Ryan Merritt Will Start the Season on the Disabled List

Cleveland Indians left handed pitcher Ryan Merritt will start the 2018 season on the disabled list with a tired shoulder. Manager Terry Francona said the issue came from an earlier knee injury that Merritt suffered in the offseason. Merritt is out of options, so he would have had to pass through waivers if he wasn't […]

Mike Napoli to Decide on a Minor League Deal on Friday

The Cleveland Indians released first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli on Thursday, and he will decide to day if he will accept a minor league contract to return to the organization. He was told by the club upon his official release that he would be welcomed back on a minor league contract if he was willing […]

Updated Starting Pitcher Rankings - 2018 Fantasy Baseball

We are just days away from the regular season, so the crack staff at RotoBaller has updated their rankings one last time. We continue our review of the March update with a look at the starting pitcher ranks. Aces are drawing early attention, while numerous values still remain toward the end of fantasy drafts. Whether you […]

Yonder Alonso (1B, CLE) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~240 CURRENT ADP: 296 ANALYSIS: Yonder Alonso raked in Oakland, which only has a 0.88 HR park factor for left-handed batters per Swish Analytics, and he now gets to play in Cleveland, which holds a 1.24 HR park factor for LHB. Regression is a logical reason that his stock is so low, but […]

Danny Salazar Scheduled to Throw Off a Mound on Thursday

Cleveland Indians pitcher Danny Salazar (shoulder) is scheduled to throw off a mound for the first time this spring on Thursday. He's set to throw approximately 20 pitches in a side session. Salazar is dealing with inflammation in his rotator cuff and hasn't been able to do much in Spring Training. He'll start the season […]

Ben Taylor Optioned to Triple-A

Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Ben Taylor was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. Taylor is a live arm that came over from the Boston Red Sox as a waiver claim in February. He'll likely make some appearances in the Cleveland bullpen this season once injuries and ineffectiveness strike.

Terry Francona Confirms That Carlos Carrasco is "Fine"

Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona confirmed an earlier report that starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco is "fine." Carrasco gave his team and his fantasy owners a scare when he was forced to leave Wednesday's Cactus League game after taking a line drive off his leg. He ended up with a left foot contusion, but Francona said […]

Mike Napoli Will Be Released, but Can Re-Sign With Cleveland Tomorrow

Cleveland Indians first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli will be released by the team today, but can re-sign with the club tomorrow. It seems like a procedural move, but it's unclear if Napoli will make the Opening Day roster, or if part of the release/re-sign process will ultimately have Napoli spending time in the minor leagues. […]

Greg Allen Optioned to Triple-A

Cleveland Indians outfielder Greg Allen was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. Allen had a chance to make the team out of spring training, but he struggled a bit and the last reserve outfield spot went to veteran Rajai Davis instead. Allen has plus speed, but needs some more work on his hit tool, which […]

Giovanny Urshela Likely to Start on the Disabled List; Erik Gonzalez to Take His Spot

Cleveland Indians infielder Giovanny Urshela (hamstring) is likely to start the season on the disabled list. Urshela suffered a hamstring strain earlier this week and was given a 10-14 day recovery period. He had been having an excellent spring and was very much on track to make the Opening Day roster, but his injury will […]

Rajai Davis Makes the Team

Cleveland Indians outfielder Rajai Davis has made the Opening Day roster. Davis is a familiar face in Cleveland, and his positional versatility likely helped him make it past final cuts. He's a 37-year-old backup outfielder who slashed just .235/.293/.348 in 117 games last season, but he did swipe 29 bags. He could end up with […]

Carlos Carrasco Walking Without a Limp

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (foot) was seen walking around the clubhouse without a limp on Thursday morning. He said he felt fine, and there seemed to be no concern about his availability going forward. Carrasco was forced to leave Wednesday's Cactus League game after he was drilled by a line drive, but he […]

Carlos Carrasco Diagnosed With a Left Foot Contusion

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco has been diagnosed with a left foot contusion. Carrasco was forced to leave Wednesday's Cactus League appearance after being hit by a line drive, but it seems he will be fine by the time his first turn in the regular season rotation comes up. He was struggling mightily before […]

Relief Pitcher H2H Points Rankings - March Update

With the regular season, also known as the fantasy season, just a few weeks away, it's time for the RotoBaller staff to update our points rankings one last time. We end our review of the March update with a look at the bullpen for the relief pitcher position. While there is a lot of talent […]

Outfield H2H Points Rankings - March Update

Welcome back RotoBallers. With the MLB season just a few days away, it's time to update our rankings and analysis to account for injuries, free agent signings, spring training risers/fallers and more. We continue our updated March rankings today with the outfield position. I, Nick Mariano, will break down each tier and provides analysis for which […]

Nick Mariano's 10 Bold Predictions for 2018

As we steamroll toward Opening Day, our experienced writers will be offering their most bold predictions for the 2018 fantasy baseball season. These are always a fun exercise that allows us to really trumpet our more outlandish stances heading into 2017. I promise it comes from an educated place, but these are far from "probable" […]

Starting Pitcher H2H Points Rankings - March Update

We are getting closer and closer to the first pitch of the 2018 MLB season. Spring training is in full swing which means we are right in the thick of draft season. Below you will find our updated head-to-head points league rankings for starting pitchers. In this article, I will be discussing the updates to […]

Carlos Carrasco Forced to Leave After Taking a Line Drive to the Leg

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco was forced to leave his Cactus League appearance on Wednesday after taking a line drive off the leg. He was getting lit up before exiting, allowing six runs on nine hits without a strikeout. He was able to walk off the field on his own, but no further information […]

Bradley Zimmer Will Play Thursday

Cleveland Indians outfielder Bradley Zimmer (groin) is "fine" and could have played in Cleveland's Cactus League game Wednesday, but he will play Thursday instead. With Opening Day around the corner, manager Terry Francona is managing at-bats for his players. Zimmer is expected to be fine for Opening Day and makes for an intriguing mid- to late-round […]

Giovanny Urshela to Miss 10-14 Days Due to a Hamstring Strain

Cleveland Indians infielder Giovanny Urshela (hamstring) will be forced to miss 10 to 14 days due to a lower-grade hamstring strain. It has not yet been decided, but it is possible that Urshela will require a stint on the disabled list to start the season. He had an excellent spring and was on track to make […]

Michael Brantley Will Make His Cactus League Debut on Wednesday Night

Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley (ankle) is scheduled to make his 2018 Cactus League debut on Wednesday night when Cleveland takes on the Kansas City Royals. Brantley is coming back from major ankle surgery in the offseason, and while he's been working out and practicing with the team, he's yet to get into an actual […]

Approaching Rookies and Prospects in Redraft Leagues for Success

Everyone wants to be the guy to say they hopped on the bandwagon of the next up-and-comer before he comes up and breaks out. This often causes younger players to be overvalued, particularly in single-season leagues where some youngsters may not even see meaningful playing time. Identifying the rookies that will actually get playing time, […]

2018 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values - AL Outfielders

Everyone knows that in fantasy baseball, values are king. Any of the different terms you might see bandied about - bargain, sleeper, flier, lotto ticket - are all driving at that same basic idea. Obviously, finding the players who can provide a huge return on a modest investment goes a long way toward winning your league. […]

Giovanny Urshela Dealing With a Tight Hamstring

Cleveland Indians infielder Giovanny Urshela is listed as day-to-day with a tight hamstring. He was forced to leave Monday's Cactus League game after running out a ninth-inning double, but it seems he's avoided any serious injury. He'll get a day or two off, but should be right back on the field after that. Urshela is […]

Dollar Day Auction Targets for Fantasy Baseball Drafts

The latter part of an auction draft is arguably the most fun part. All of the obvious players to own are long gone, and now owners must go searching through the coal to find the one diamond that will make the difference for their team. Owners were patting themselves on the back after finding $1 […]

Second-Year Hitters Set To Breakout In 2018

We were blessed with two huge fantasy baseball stars emerging from the rookie class in 2017. Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger burst onto the scene and owned the AL and NL, respectively, Rookie of the Year honors. Now, it’s time to examine the 2017 rookies and determine who will learn from their inaugural campaign and […]

Bradley Zimmer Scratched from Monday's Lineup

Cleveland Indians outfielder Bradley Zimmer was scratched from Monday's Cactus League lineup due to a mild left groin strain. He'll be replaced by Tyler Naquin. There doesn't seem to be much concern around Zimmer, and he should be back in the lineup in the next few days.

Ryan Hanigan Released

The Cleveland Indians released catcher Ryan Hanigan on Monday. Hanigan was a non-roster invitee in Cleveland's camp, and hit just .154 in Cactus League play. He's a veteran with experience and will try to latch on with a new team before Opening Day, although he's unlikely to crack a big league roster to start the […]

Melvin Upton Released

The Cleveland Indians released outfielder Melvin Upton on Monday. The veteran only managed a .189/.250/.297 batting line in 40 Cactus League plate appearances, making the decision easy for Cleveland. He'll try to work his way onto a new team before Opening Day, but it's looking like he'll have a hard time making it onto a […]