Week 1 Starts & Sits - All Starting Pitcher Matchups
Opening Day is almost here, and we couldn't be more excited! Welcome back everyone to our starting pitcher starts/sits column for Week 1. We are thrilled to be publishing this article, finally! RotoBaller is back again this year with our weekly starting pitcher matchups and recommendations. In case you missed it, this is our eighth year […]
Sauceda's Slants: Finding POWA in the Infield
We recently introduced our new hitter metric, POWA (which stands for Prediction of wOBA Attempt), to more appropriately align and weight new Statcast metrics to better predict future performance. You can read the introductory piece for the full details and a 2019 POWA leaderboard, but the gist of it is: POWA is nearly 10% more […]
Ryan O'Hearn Cleared For Baseball Activities
Kansas City Royals first baseman Ryan O'Hearn has been cleared for baseball activities, his first step towards returning to the Royals after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the summer. It's likely that O'Hearn will miss at least the first week of the regular season, and maybe more, while he starts to get back into gear. […]
Brett Phillips And Bubba Starling Make Royals Roster
Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny announced that outfielders Brett Phillips and Bubba Starling would be part of the team's roster going into opening day. Both players have limited big league experience and figure to see a few starts per week each as the season begins. The Royals just moved fellow outfielder Hunter Dozier (COVID-19) […]
Brady Singer To Make MLB Debut On Saturday
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Brady Singer will make his major league debut against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday. The 23-year-old Singer is one of the team's top pitching prospects. Over 26 starts in High-A and Double-A in 2019, Singer went 12-5 with a 2.85 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 8.4 K/9. It's hard to say […]
Hunter Dozier Tests Positive For COVID-19
Kansas City Royals outfielder/third baseman Hunter Dozier has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be placed on the injured list as he heads into self-isolation. This will be a sizeable loss to the Royals lineup going into the season, as Dozier slashed .279/.348/.522 with 26 home runs and 84 RBI over 139 games last year. The […]
Ryan McBroom Will Open Season As Royals Starting First Baseman
Kansas City Royals first baseman Ryan McBroom will be the team's primary first baseman to start the 2020 season. The team is currently without Ryan O'Hearn, who has been in self-isolation after a positive COVID-19 test. The 28-year-old McBroom had his first stint in the majors last year and went on to slash .293/.361/.360 with […]
Closer Conundrum: What Does Managing Like It's The Playoffs Mean?
"In a 60-game season, managers will approach every game like it's the playoffs." We've heard that refrain over and over again as we prepare for the 2020 fantasy baseball season. In fact, I think I've written that sentence, or something similar, close to ten times already. But that statement brings up a natural follow-up question: How […]
Bobby Witt Jr. Reaches Base Four Times On Tuesday
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. had a remarkable game on Tuesday against the Astros, going 2-for-3 with two walks, one RBI and two runs. He hit seventh in the lineup and played third base in the game. Witt, who was selected second overall by the team in the 2019 MLB draft, appears unlikely […]
SP Waiver Wire Pickups for Deeper Leagues
It still doesn’t feel real, but starting on July 23rd the MLB will embark on a 60 -game sprint to the Playoffs. Then in the blink of an eye, October baseball will be here, culminating in one team lifting the most strangely won pennant in history. With the baseball season taking shape in such an […]
Jakob Junis Placed On 10-Day Injured List
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Jakob Junis will miss at least his first start this season. He was placed on the 10-Day injured list as he continues to make his way back to form following a positive COVID-19 test earlier in the summer. Fellow Royals starter Brad Keller is in a similar position, leaving the Royals with […]
Brad Keller Won't Be Ready For Opening Day
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Brad Keller will not be part of the Royals roster for Opening Day and will remain on the injured list as the season begins. Keller resumed baseball activities late last week after being sidelined from testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the summer. Fellow starter Jakob Junis is also going to begin […]
Updated Third Base Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Mixed Leagues (July)
Opening Day is quickly approaching, and we’ve got some updated fantasy baseball rankings here at Rotoballer. The 2020 season will be unusually uncertain, with even minor injuries potentially forcing players to miss significant portions of the season and a short season creating small samples of key stats. Certainty should be a little easier to find […]
Fantasy Life Vests: Safe Hitters In A Season Of Chaos
Chaos is the name of the game when it comes to the 2020 Major League Baseball season. We've got a short season, a limited schedule, expanded rosters, universal DH, and the continuously looming threat of a global pandemic. In other words, we have a plethora of factors we've never had to deal with before as […]
Updated Outfielder Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Mixed Leagues (July)
With Opening Day of the 2020 MLB season just a few days away, we have a new batch of updated fantasy baseball rankings for you here at RotoBaller. The unpredictable effects of COVID-19 and the implementation of the 60-game season will make the upcoming fantasy campaign the most unique we have ever seen. Not only […]
Trent Grisham (OF, SDP) - Week 1 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues OWNED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: Last year, Trent Grisham spent most of his time in the Minor Leagues, making him a somewhat unknown commodity. Throughout stops between Double-A and Triple-A for the Brewers' organization, he accumulated 26 HRs, 71 runs, and 71 RBI, while also stealing 12 bases in only […]
Wil Myers (OF, SD) - Week 1 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: Wil Myers is coming off a very disappointing 2019 season where his strikeout rate rose to a career-high 34.3% while his batting average fell to a career-low .239. While those were both disappointing stats, Myers was still able to power his way to 18 […]
Second Base and Shortstop Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 1
The season has nearly begun. It is vital that fantasy managers target the categories they need. To start the season the primary focus for second base and shortstop additions will be to maximize at-bats. Some names might cause a little twitch of your eye when you read their name. Don't be afraid. Just remember, in […]
1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 1
We are entering a year unlike any we have ever encountered. Some of you are playing out teams you've drafted in February while others are about to draft before Opening Day. What continues to throw a wrench into the whole thing is the ever-changing news. It feels as though just about every hour we have […]
Updated Relief Pitcher Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Mixed Leagues (July)
With Opening Day of the 2020 MLB season just a few weeks away, we have a new batch of updated fantasy baseball rankings for you here at RotoBaller. The unpredictable effects of COVID-19 and the implementation of the 60-game season will make the upcoming fantasy campaign the most unique we have ever seen. Not only […]
10 Hitters Who Benefit from a Short Season
Baseball is finally back! After months of waiting, it’s time to get back to fantasy baseball. This year will look much different due to the short season as a 60-game sample size is going to make for some wacky stats. While fantasy baseball will never be more unpredictable, we can gain an advantage over our […]
Updated Second Base Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Mixed Leagues (July)
With Opening Day of the 2020 MLB season just a few weeks away, we have a new batch of updated fantasy baseball rankings for you here at RotoBaller. The unpredictable effects of COVID-19 and the implementation of the 60-game season will make the upcoming fantasy campaign the most unique we have ever seen. Not only […]
Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 1
The first week of waiver wire pickups for the 2020 season is here and Opening Day is approaching quickly. Some teams have endured a lengthy period between draft day and the start of the season, making Week 1 waiver pickups unusually important this season. In the same vein, many of the players worth picking up […]
Nick Mariano's Waiver Picks - Get 'Em While They're Hot (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Baseball's Opening Day is finally on the menu, set for July 23 after a wild 2020 has seen us all battered around. I truly hope you and yours are all doing well, I hope baseball works out, that your fantasy baseball leagues have adjusted […]
Updated Catcher Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Mixed Leagues (July)
With Opening Day of the 2020 MLB season just a few weeks away, we have a new batch of updated fantasy baseball rankings for you here at RotoBaller. The unpredictable effects of COVID-19 and the implementation of the 60-game season will make the upcoming fantasy campaign the most unique we have ever seen. Not only […]
Closers and Saves Report: Summer Camp Edition 2 - Handcuffs
It's a whole new ball game. Literally. Baseball is going to be weird this season, folks. Only 60 games. (Almost?) all in the same time zone. Tons of games against the same teams. The DH everywhere. Empty stadiums. Cardboard cutouts. Artificial crowd noise. 30-man rosters for a while. Then 28-man rosters for another while. It's […]
Top 700: Updated Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings (July)
Welcome back RotoBallers, we are quickly approaching the start of this crazy 2020 MLB season! The rankings team here at HQ has been adjusting their ranks all off-season, and now we our last major updates in place. Below you will find our staff's updated 2020 fantasy baseball tiered rankings (top 700) for mixed leagues, taking into a […]
Updated Pitcher Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Mixed Leagues (July)
As if preseason rankings and projections weren't fickle enough already... Now, we are presented with a delayed, shortened season that has already seen several players opt out while others are uncertain to return after testing positive for COVID-19. For that reason, you won't see David Price or Felix Hernandez in these rankings and others are […]
Mariano's Saves+Holds Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitchers
To any reader who thinks they don't have a voice here at RotoBaller, let it be known that this article came from a simple Reddit comment about how those seeking Saves+Holds reliever ranks were often overlooked. Poof, and here we are. Allow me, Nick Mariano, 2018's most accurate draft expert and sharer of names with […]
One Last Mock! ADP Values and Reaches
As the sun prepares to rise on the 2020 MLB season (I'm all about hopeful metaphors these days), it also marks the end of draft season for fantasy baseball. This weekend will see a flurry of activity from fantasy league owners trying to figure out how to properly value players amid a global pandemic. Good […]