First Base Draft Values for Fantasy Baseball - EDV Finds Undervalued, Overvalued Picks

Baseball is coming, so it is time for another year of the FSWA-award-nominated Expected Draft Values (EDV) series, where we look at historical data to identify both overvalued and undervalued players of all types. Whether you're targeting power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, we've got you covered. We'll start at first base and […]

Gavin Lux Has More Bat Speed

Los Angeles Dodgers middle infielder Gavin Lux has shown more bat speed after working on his swing mechanics at Driveline during the offseason. Lux hit fewer fly balls in 2022 and finished terribly due to neck and back issues, but overall it was a solid season, as he finished with a .276/.346/.399 slash line, career-high […]

Miguel Vargas To Play Some Defense Thursday

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Vargas (finger) will play defense in camp on Thursday, but he's not cleared yet to hit. Vargas is still recovering after suffering a hairline fracture to his right pinkie last week while fielding ground balls. When healthy, the 23-year-old should see most of his playing time for the Dodgers at […]

Pitchers With Fastball Velocity in The Tank - Potential Fantasy Baseball Risers

One of the ways a pitcher can have a breakout season is by gaining velocity. We see this quite often. A pitcher will find a way to add velocity to their pitches (mainly their fastball), which makes that primary pitch a bit more effective and enhances their offspeed pitches as well by separating the two […]

Starting Pitcher Rankings and Tiers for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

Hello, welcome fantasy baseball friends to an early look at the 2023 starting pitcher rankings. Spring training is right around the corner and leagues are going to start ramping up, so now is a great time to dive into what to expect out of the starting pitcher landscape.   I’ve ranked 75 of the top starters […]

Relief Pitchers for Holds and SV+HLD Leagues - 2023 Fantasy Baseball Draft Targets

So you've found yourself in a fantasy baseball league that values holds? Diving into the world of unheralded middle relievers can be intimidating, but you've come to the right place. There's no need to fear the middle reliever and it's pointless to delve into the depth charts of all 30 teams. These days, most MLB […]

Miguel Vargas Has Hairline Fracture In Right Pinky

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Vargas (finger) reportedly has a hairline fracture in his right pinky finger, according to a tweet from The Orange County Register's Bill Plunkett on Monday. Per Plunkett's tweet, the infielder "took a ground ball off the pinkie on his right hand." Plunkett also noted in his tweet that "Activity will […]

David Peralta Had Offseason Surgery

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder David Peralta (back) needed offseason back surgery to address a herniated disc over the winter, with the pain coming "out of nowhere." It could help explain why his numbers dropped last year with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays. The 35-year-old left-hander hit .251/.316/.415 with a .731 OPS, 12 home […]

J.D. Martinez To Serve As Full-Time DH

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter J.D. Martinez is expected to serve as the team's full-time DH in his first year with the team. In the first season of the universal DH in 2022, four Dodgers players appeared at the position at least 20 times -- Justin Turner, Max Muncy, Will Smith and Edwin Rios. With […]

First Basemen to Target or Avoid at ADP - Fantasy Baseball Draft Analysis

When I was growing up and really getting into baseball in the 1990s and 2000s, the first base position was chalked full of big-time sluggers that would be counted on to produce gaudy offensive numbers season after season -- especially in the HR and RBI departments. Let's look at 2006 for example. Why? Well, it […]

Five Relief Pitchers To Avoid In 2023 Fantasy Baseball Drafts

The relief pitchers are the trickiest part of constructing your fantasy baseball roster. Having a superstar reliever on your fantasy baseball team can be the key to a winning season. The problem is superstar relievers don’t just grow on trees. Among the select group of elite relief pitchers, it’s hard to find the one that’ll […]

Jason Heyward Makes Significant Mechanical Adjustments

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward underwent a "significant" adjustment to his swing mechanics this winter, according to manager Dave Roberts. "I think he might have unlocked something," said first baseman Freddie Freeman, who is very happy to be reunited with his former Atlanta teammate. Heyward has been in decline now for a while and […]

Noteworthy Hitting Leaders (xSLG) - Statcast Review for Fantasy Baseball

After diving into the xBA leaderboard last week, I'm continuing my look at Statcast metrics by turning our eye to the xSLG leaderboard. We'll go through some of the leaders in the hopes of not just giving you Statcast numbers but explaining how I believe those numbers impact the projections I have for the given […]

Walker Buehler On Track For Throwing Program

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler (elbow) is on track to begin his throwing program later this month. The 28-year-old has already been placed on the 60-day injured list. He continues to recover from his second career Tommy John surgery. It's a good sign to see Buehler getting back to throwing roughly six months […]

Daniel Hudson Throws On Friday

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Daniel Hudson (knee, ankle) was able to throw off the mound for the first time on Friday. The 35-year-old is working his way back from a left ACL tear and ankle tendinitis. The right-hander is hopeful to be ready for the beginning of the season. Hudson was excellent for the […]

Noah Syndergaard Showing Uptick In Velocity

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Noah Syndergaard has already shown an uptick in velocity in bullpen sessions compared to the sessions he threw a year ago. "There's going to be a marked increase in velocity (this year), in our opinion," Roberts said. The 30-year-old worked on his mechanics in the offseason, […]

Clayton Kershaw Won't Pitch In World Baseball Classic

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw announced on Friday that he will not be participating for Team USA in this year's World Baseball Classic. Kershaw declined to give a specific reason, but he said it is "super disappointing." The most likely reason is a complication with insurance for Kershaw after he missed time due to […]

Dustin May Will Face Restrictions In 2023

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said right-hander Dustin May will be under some limitations in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery this year, but the Dodgers haven't exactly decided what that entails. "But I'm excited for him to start the season healthy and not being in that rehab mode," Roberts added. […]

Analyzing the MLB Rookies - 2023 Fantasy Baseball Prospects

One great way to win your fantasy league is to get your hands on the MLB rookie of the year. Julio Rodriguez and Michael Harris II were two of the biggest keys to success last year, as they went on to return first-round value after being very cheap to acquire on your fantasy team. There […]

Hitter Busts at Every Position - Comparing ATC Projections vs. ADP for Fantasy Baseball

With the big football game officially behind us, the official "official" start of fantasy baseball season has nearly dawned. It's easy to start obsessing over finding this year's biggest hidden jewels, dreaming at night that your fantasy groundhog will see its shadow and bring you six more weeks of sleepers. But don't forget about their […]

Indefensible: Bad MLB Defenders Who Could Lose Playing Time And Fantasy Baseball Value In 2023

The Super Bowl is over and it's time for everybody to turn their attention over to the joys of fantasy baseball. At this point in the preseason, fantasy baseball managers should be working through their projections, whether it's making their own or going through the projections given by their favorite system, like the ATC projections […]

Clayton Kershaw May Not Pitch In World Baseball Classic

Team USA general manager Tony Reagins said that "there are some challenges in getting Clayton Kershaw cleared" for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The exact reason for Kershaw's uncertain status is not known. The most common hold-up for players to play in the WBC is the need to secure insurance coverage, particularly those with a […]

Mookie Betts Gains Eight Pounds

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts gained eight pounds in the offseason to add some strength. It came at the recommendation of Driveline, where he went this winter "because my employer told me to." Betts made his sixth All-Star team in 2022 and also clubbed a career-high 35 home runs while slashing .269/.340/.533 with an […]

Dodgers Put Walker Buehler On 60-Day Injured List

The Los Angeles Dodgers moved right-handers Walker Buehler (elbow), J.P. Feyereisen (shoulder) and Blake Treinen (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list on Thursday to make room on the 40-man roster for recently signed right-handers Alex Reyes and Jimmy Nelson and outfielder David Peralta. Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last August and […]

Pitchers To Downgrade? Analyzing the Shift, Ground Ball Data and Rule Changes

One of the biggest things people are talking about and studying for the 2023 MLB season is what effect the changes to the rules about shifting will have on the game. I myself talked about that on the hitting side earlier this offseason, you can read that analysis here. Today, I want to get into […]

Jimmy Nelson Gets Big-League Deal From Dodgers

Free-agent pitcher Jimmy Nelson is reportedly rejoining the Los Angeles Dodgers on a major-league deal, per a tweet from The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. Per Ardaya's tweet, Nelson will earn $1.2 million "with a chance to make $4 million with bonuses." Nelson spent the 2022 season on the injured list with the Dodgers after undergoing Tommy […]

Top 25 First-Year Player Rankings (FYPD) - Dynasty Prospects for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

When fantasy baseball players begin their first-year player drafts this year, they will have 2022 MLB draftees, foreign imports from Asia, and January 15 signees to sift through. There can be a lot of static in those stats, especially when you are dealing with minor-league players and some fantasy baseball prospects who haven't even played […]

David Peralta and Michael Fulmer: Buying and Selling the Latest Offseason News for Fantasy Baseball

Even though the Winter Meetings are now behind us, there’s still plenty of offseason left when it comes to baseball news and rumors – especially with a number of the offseason’s top free agents still without a team. And that’s all without mentioning potential trades as there hasn’t been an overabundance of deals made so […]

Alex Reyes and Andrew Chafin: Buying and Selling the Latest Offseason News for Fantasy Baseball

Even though the Winter Meetings are now behind us, there’s still plenty of offseason left when it comes to baseball news and rumors – especially with a number of the offseason’s top free agents still without a team. And that’s all without mentioning potential trades as there hasn’t been an overabundance of deals made so […]

Alex Reyes Joins Dodgers

Free-agent relief pitcher Alex Reyes has signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The All-Star closer signs a one-year deal worth $1.1 million, which includes a $3 million club option for the 2024 season. This contract is loaded with incentives that could make the deal up to $10 million. The 28-year-old missed all […]