X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Puig Unscathed, McCullers Sidelined, Nicasio Fans 10, Peralta Returns Wearing Cast

Fantasy Baseball Spring Training News and Notes from 3/17/16

Yasiel Puig and the Los Angeles Dodgers Can Now Breath Easy

As reported last week, Yasiel Puig was the next target of MLB's Domestic Violence Policy. However, Puig will not be suspended, as the league has decided to take no action against the Dodgers outfielder.

"The Office of the Commissioner's investigation did not uncover any witness who supported the assault allegation; both Puig and his sister denied that an assault occurred; and the available video evidence did not support the allegation. Thus, barring the receipt of any new information or evidence, no discipline will be imposed on Puig in connection with the alleged incident," a statement written by the MLB, according to MLB.com.

Puig was informed of the good news right after hitting his first home run this spring. With the potential suspension now in his rearview, Puig can return to focusing solely on baseball. Despite being prone to injury, there should be no hesitation in drafting Puig around the sixth to seventh round of mixed league drafts. Puig tiptoes around the top 20 of RotoBaller's outfielder rankings.

 

Lance McCullers to Start Season on DL  

An MRI revealed no serious damage to McCullers' sore right shoulder, but the pain was enough for the Houston Astros to shelve their young pitcher come Opening Day. McCullers will start the season on the DL, although is not expected to miss an extended amount of time, according to ESPN.com.

At 22 years old, the Astros are wise to be cautious with their future star. As a rookie last season, McCullers posted a 3.22 ERA, six wins, and 129 strikeouts over 22 starts. Now that he will miss his first couple of starts, the fantasy value of those around him see a slight boost.

The acquisition of Doug Fister in the offseason now proves to be even more valuable, while the race for Houston's final rotation spot has been settled. Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh, Scott Feldman, and Mike Fiers will round out the pitching staff, all of whom are solid fantasy options.

McCullers still holds plenty of fantasy worth, but will likely drop to later rounds of drafts.

 

Juan Nicasio Strikes Out 10 

In his most recent start this past Wednesday, Nicasio fanned 10 of the 14 Baltimore Orioles he faced over four innings of work. This extends the 29-year-old's spring scoreless run to 10 straight frames. The Pittsburgh Pirates were already impressed with Nicasio prior to him hitting the decade-mark on Wednesday, dropping 3 million on the hard-throwing righty in the offseason.

Formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies before that, Nicasio desperately needed to bounce from Coors Field. Once that happened, his relocation to Los Angeles translated to success. Out of the bullpen, he picked up 14 holds, 65 strikes out and posted a 3.86 ERA in 56 appearances; his first ERA below 5.00-plus in over three seasons.

Nicasio is ranked outside of RotoBaller's top 100 starting pitchers, but will likely serve fantasy lineups better as a reliever. The Pirates don't seem to have a rotation spot for him, but could utilize him better in a bullpen role. Keep an eye on Nicasio earlier in the season before picking him up. He shouldn't be drafted but could very well provide a solid amount of holds to deeper mixed leagues.

 

Johnny Peralta Returns From Thumb Surgery Rocking a Cast

First, Yadier Molina had surgery on his thumb. St. Louis Cardinals starting shortstop Jhonny Peralta was next. Although, there was one small, yet giant, difference between both of their returns to the ball club. Peralta carried some extra hardware with him, a cast wrapped around his thumb while his arm was held up by a sling. Molina's thumb was cast-free.

Peralta is coming off a very productive, 17 home runs and 71 RBI, campaign with the Red Birds, and is ranked inside RotoBaller's top 20 of fantasy shortstops. Peralta played two spring training games, picking up two hits in four at-bats, before being sidelined with the injury. Now, the veteran shortstop will have to wait 10 to 12 weeks before returning to the field. His return date is estimated to be around the end of May, early June.

The Cardinals are now observing Jedd Gyorko, Aledmys Diaz, and Greg Garcia at shortstop. Gyorko is the most fantasy-relevant of the three, and will see a boost in value if he inherits the starting gig. The Cardinals have also expressed interest in Reuben Tejada, according to ESPN.com, who was recently released by the New York Mets.

Peralta can now be avoided in all drafts.

 

MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat Room




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Al Horford10 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White10 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl11 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon11 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Michael Porter11 hours ago

Jr. Good To Go Wednesday
Nikola Jokic11 hours ago

Playing Against Phoenix
Jackson Chourio11 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Jrue Holiday11 hours ago

Might Return On Thursday
Khris Middleton11 hours ago

Expected To Play On Thursday Night
Joel Embiid12 hours ago

To Return Soon?
Jamal Murray12 hours ago

Out Again On Wednesday
Rudy Gobert12 hours ago

Ready To Rock Against Pistons
LeBron James12 hours ago

Officially Active Against Memphis
Eduardo Rodriguez12 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Anthony Davis12 hours ago

Won't Play Against Grizzlies
Victor Wembanyama13 hours ago

Playing On Wednesday
Anthony Edwards13 hours ago

Will Play Against Detroit
Garrett Mitchell13 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Aaron Nesmith13 hours ago

Back For Pacers Wednesday
Alec Burks13 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Chad Green13 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Mitchell Robinson13 hours ago

Returns For Knicks Wednesday
Erik Swanson13 hours ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman13 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Dejounte Murray13 hours ago

Upgraded To Available
John Konchar13 hours ago

Downgraded To Out
Vince Williams14 hours ago

Jr. Misses Another Game On Wednesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo14 hours ago

Expected To Face The Pelicans
Gleyber Torres15 hours ago

Will Bat Leadoff On Opening Day
Mark Hubbard15 hours ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson15 hours ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Max Scherzer15 hours ago

Making Solid Progress
Akshay Bhatia15 hours ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen15 hours ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers15 hours ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers16 hours ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers16 hours ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Jordan Lawlar16 hours ago

To Have Thumb Surgery, Out A Couple Months
Wyndham Clark17 hours ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers17 hours ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
MLB18 hours ago

Braves And Phillies Rained Out On Thursday
Jayden Daniels18 hours ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
MLB18 hours ago

Mets And Brewers To Be Postponed Thursday
Tank Bigsby18 hours ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Will Smith18 hours ago

Inks 10-Year Extension With Dodgers
Josh Reynolds18 hours ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Jon Berti19 hours ago

Yankees Acquire Jon Berti From Marlins
Kodai Senga19 hours ago

Throws Wednesday
Matt McLain19 hours ago

Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Doug Ghim20 hours ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA20 hours ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry20 hours ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox20 hours ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak20 hours ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan21 hours ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg21 hours ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn21 hours ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby22 hours ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin22 hours ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord22 hours ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala22 hours ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark23 hours ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler23 hours ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Colton Cowser23 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Sam Ryder23 hours ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen23 hours ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama24 hours ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin24 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Yariel Rodriguez1 day ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Taylor Moore1 day ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson1 day ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Jordan Montgomery1 day ago

Diamondbacks Agree On One-Year Deal
Amon-Ra St. Brown1 day ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff1 day ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins1 day ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
Jon Gray2 days ago

Dealing With Stiff Neck
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
Justin Verlander2 days ago

Throws Successful Live BP Session
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Shea Theodore2 days ago

Maintains Good Scoring Form With An Assist
Brock Boeser2 days ago

Hits Goal No. 37
Cam Talbot2 days ago

Collects Fourth Consecutive Win
Anze Kopitar2 days ago

Records Fourth Straight Multi-Point Game
Oskar Sundqvist2 days ago

Suffers Knee Injury
Elias Lindholm2 days ago

Sits Out Monday
Jonathan Marchessault2 days ago

Bags Overtime Winner Monday
Pittsburgh Steelers2 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson2 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Jarrett Stidham2 days ago

To Compete For Starting Job
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley3 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr3 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR3 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen3 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott3 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
Rose Namajunas6 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Amanda Ribas6 days ago

Set For Main-Event Matchup
Edmen Shahbazyan6 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
AJ Dobson6 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla6 days ago

Seeking Victory In Third UFC Appearance
Luis Pajuelo6 days ago

Makes His UFC Debut
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF