Nick Tropeano Throws In Game Tuesday

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Nick Tropeano (shoulder) threw three innings and 45 pitches in an extended spring training game on Tuesday in Arizona and will continue to build up his pitch count. When he's healthy, he's likely to be sent to Triple-A Salt Lake to give the Angels starting pitching depth. The right-hander had […]

Shohei Ohtani Will Not Need Minor League Rehab

Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Tuesday that designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (ebow) will not require a minor league rehab assignment before he makes his return to the majors. The reigning American League Rookie of the Year has been out following Tommy John surgery. On Monday it was announced that doctors had cleared him to […]

Justin Bour Not In Lineup Again

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Justin Bour will once again be on the bench when the team takes on the Rangers on Tuesday night. Bour will sit for the second straight game with Rangers left-hander Mike Minor expected to start. Adding to the mix is Mike Trout serving as designated hitter while he nurses a […]

Brian Goodwin's Fantasy Arrow Pointing Up

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Brian Goodwin continues to earn a long-term spot in the lineup after hitting a two-run home run in the Angels 12-7 loss to the Rangers on Monday night. With teammate Justin Upton on the shelf with a knee injury for the foreseeable future, Goodwin is taking this opportunity and running with […]

Mike Trout Draws Three Walks In Return

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (groin) went 0-for-2 in his return to the lineup but drew three walks and scored two runs against the Rangers on Monday. Trout has missed the last three games but appears to have made a speedy recovery. It is unclear when he will be able to play the field, and […]

Strikeout Rate Risers and Fallers - Buy or Sell for Week 3

Welcome back to the pitching strikeout rate risers and fallers article series! Each week, we will take a look at two K% risers and two fallers among pitchers, analyze what is behind those changes, and then decide if they are actionable. This exercise is particularly useful for fantasy players because K% holds direct fantasy value […]

Statcast Hitter Studs and Duds - xwOBA (Week 3)

Welcome back to our weekly Statcast Hitter Analysis series. Each week, I will select a different metric to evaluate surprising names at the top and bottom of the Statcast Leaderboards. Many fantasy baseball owners are starting to see the value of MLB's Statcast advanced stats in order to help identify potential risers and sleepers. Just as […]

2B and SS Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 3

The 2019 MLB campaign has reached Week 3, and as typically comes with the first month of the season, we find ourselves both befuddled by the surprising starts of some players and desperately awaiting the acceleration of others. With still a limited sample size of AB under each player's belt, it could cause any human […]

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 3

As tempting as it may be if your squad is off to a slow start, resist the urge to make an overabundance of drastic roster decisions. Remember - the fantasy baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. That doesn't mean you can't tinker on the edges, which is precisely what this column is designed […]

Jaime Barria To Start Tuesday

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jaime Barria will start against the Rangers on Tuesday, pushing Matt Harvey back to Wednesday. The right-hander will take the rotation spot of Tyler Skaggs (ankle) for the time being, but he could secure a rotation spot if he pitches well. The 22-year-old was decent in his 26 starts a […]

Shohei Ohtani Cleared For Live Pitching

Doctors have cleared Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (elbow) to face live pitching. He can reportedly commence this process in about a week, a major step forward in his comeback process. The reigning American League Rookie of the Year has been out following Tommy John surgery. Manager Brad Ausmus has stated he would either go […]

Tyler Skaggs Lands On Injured List

Los Angeles Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs landed on the injured list Monday as he deals with a left ankle sprain. Skaggs told reporters he injured his ankle fielding a bunt over the weekend as the Angels took on the Chicago Cubs. The 27-year-old also stated he expected this to be a brief stint and expects […]

Albert Pujols Gets Rare Start At First Base

Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols will start at first base and bat fourth Monday night against the Rangers. The team will welcome back outfielder Mike Trout (groin) to the lineup but he will serve as the team's designated hitter. That will move the 39-year-old Pujols into the field to play first base. Pujols […]

Mike Trout Returns To Lineup

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (groin) will return to the lineup Monday as a designated hitter against the Rangers. Trout has not played since April 9 but will try and give the team an offensive boost. The Angels offense has struggled mightily all season, but Trout has continued to put up other-worldly numbers. The 27-year-old […]

The Cut List (Week 3) - Time to Let Go?

We're now midway through April, and your trigger finger may be getting a bit itchy. The baseball season is only a couple weeks old, however, and with more than 90% of the season to go it is still really early. Most teams had played about eight games through last weekend, and now that number is […]

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (4/15/19): MLB DFS Lineups

For Monday's slate of Major League Baseball games, I'll focus on the evening contests (first pitch of 7:05 PM EST and later). Be sure to double-check the weather and the lineups before finalizing your roster. The good news is that precipitation will not be an issue at any of the MLB park on Monday night. […]

Mike Trout Continues To Improve

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (groin) saw Dr. Steve Yoon in Los Angeles on Sunday, and ultrasound images showed further improvement to his groin. He will join the team in Texas on Monday and will continue to be evaluated. There's no guarantee that Trout will return to the lineup on Monday, but he looks […]

Week 3 Starts & Sits - All Starting Pitcher Matchups

Mid-April means trends are rounding into form and you can start to believe in stats, aren't you excited? Welcome back everyone to our starts/sits column for Week 3. We here at RotoBaller set out to ease your decision-making with our weekly starting pitcher matchups and recommendations. In case you missed it, this is our sixth year now […]

Shake It Off - Bad Starts to Ignore

We are two weeks into the season, and panic has already ensued. The ebbs and flows of a 162-game season get overlooked as the day-to-day struggles of your fantasy team begin to mount. There are certainly some players whose struggles might carry on into the rest of the season, but I am here to pull […]

Week 3 Waiver Wire Watch List

As important as it is to be active on the waiver wire, snagging that next hot bat or pitcher on a roll before anyone else can, let's be honest--there are only so many roster spots. That's why your watch list is just as important as your waiver wire activity, and perhaps even more so. Throughout […]

Mike Trout Won't Play This Weekend

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout's (groin) appointment with doctors on Friday showed a "reduced amount of swelling," but he'll remain in Anaheim and won't play at least until Monday. He will be re-evaluated on Sunday. While it will hurt whenever you can't use the superstar in your fantasy lineups, the good news is that […]

Shohei Ohtani Hits Off Pitching Machine

Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (elbow) hit off a pitching machine on Friday. The team is still targeting a May return, and Ohtani must first hit live batting practice before he's cleared to make his season debut. The two-way Japanese star believes he's ready to return now, but the Angels have other ideas. […]

Mike Trout Remains Out Friday

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (groin) remains out of the starting lineup on Friday. Peter Bourjos is starting in center field and is hitting eighth against Cubs starting pitcher Cole Hamels. Bourjos has only one hit in 21 at-bats this year with two runs scored, so he's one to avoid for DFS lineups on […]

Closers and Saves Report - Week 2 Waiver Wire

If the first two weeks are any indication, this should be a good baseball season. There are fans of some teams that may dispute that claim, and as a Marlins fan myself...well, bullpens have been crazy haven't they? Smart baseball minds have been saying for years that a team's best relief pitcher shouldn't be pigeonholed […]

Head-to-Head Hitter Streamers and Starts - Week 3

Welcome to the hitting streamers column for the week of 4/15 - 4/21. Whether you're looking to maximize the number of games played, exploit favorable matchups, or fill in for injured players, streaming hitters can be a fruitful strategy for those willing to put in a little work every week. Keep in mind that this […]

Top 30 Impact Prospects for 2019 Redraft Leagues (Week 2)

Can you believe the baseball season is already flying by?! Some teams already have a dozen games in hand at the MLB level, while the minor league season has been underway since last Thursday. With minor league games now underway, it’s time for another update of the ‘Impact Prospects for 2019.’ Since last we visited […]

MLB DFS Prop Picks for 4/12/19 - Monkey Knife Fight

It’s a funny thing about early in the baseball season. Some trends might just carry on all year, and they are easy to accept, but what do you do when a star stumbles out of the gate? It may be one thing when it’s older guys like Albert Pujols and Robinson Cano because age catches […]

Week 2 Start/Sit Matchups - Starting Pitchers

Baseball is in full swing, didn't you miss it? Welcome back everyone to our starts/sits column for Week 2. We here at RotoBaller set out to ease your decision-making with our weekly starting pitcher matchups and recommendations. Below are the projected starting pitching matchups for Week 2, which will be updated as rotations are announced and […]

Tommy La Stella Has Three Homers In Last Three Games

Los Angeles Angels second baseman Tommy La Stella is in the midst of a power surge, hitting three home runs over his last three games. The former Chicago Cub took advantage of his familiarity with Milwaukee Brewers pitching by taking them deep three times in a three-game series. La Stella now has seven runs batted in […]

Zack Cozart Failing To Make Impact

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Zack Cozart has only one hit through his first 30 at-bats (.033) heading into the weekend's action. The 33-year-old has been a huge disappointment since signing with the Angels before the 2018 season and has failed to make an impact in the first month of this season. It's becoming increasingly more […]