Christian Villanueva Homers In Third Straight Game

San Diego Padres third baseman Christian Villanueva went yard for a third consecutive game on Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Villanueva socked a two-run homer off of Hyun-jin Ryu in the second inning and finished 3-for-4. An unknown before 2018, Villanueva has firmly usurped scuffling third baseman Chase Headley at the hot corner and […]

Manuel Margot Close To Returning

San Diego Padres outfielder Manuel Margot (ribs) saw a doctor Monday afternoon and expects to be cleared for baseball activity. Margot was placed on the disabled list last week after getting drilled in the ribs. He's eligible to return this Saturday but will likely play a handful of rehab games first. Margot has struggled out […]

Joey Lucchesi Keeps Cruising

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi continued impressing with an easy 10-1 victory Sunday over the San Francisco Giants. Lucchesi required 88 pitches in six innings of work, fanning nine Giants while allowing an earned run, five hits and no walks. En route to his second win, Lucchesi brought his ERA down to 1.66 […]

Dinelson Lamet Opts for Tommy John Surger,y, Out For Season

An MRI for San Diego Padres right handed pitcher Dinelson Lamet (elbow) revealed ligament damage in his elbow and he will undergo Tommy John Surgery. Lamet will miss the 2018 season and the beginning of 2019 also. This is a tough blow for the Padres and Lamet, who was widely expected to progress as one […]

Predicting Pitching Performance With Statcast - Barrel % (Week 2)

This year, RotoBaller is embarking on a new series using Statcast to extrapolate, dig into, and commiserate over box scores to examine pitching performance. I'm honored to take the reins on this new endeavor. The structure of the series will be dynamic as we fine-tune our findings weekly and I gradually make myself smarter about […]

Jose Pirela Wraps Up Strong Series At Coors Field

San Diego Padres outfielder Jose Pirela went 2-for-4 with a run scored in Wednesday's game against the Colorado Rockies. For the series, Pirela hit .571 (8-for-14) with two doubles, three runs and two RBI. He lifted his average to .316 and OPS to .760 in the process. Most hitters enjoy Coors Field, but Pirela's strong […]

Eric Hosmer Cranks First Round-Tripper

San Diego Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer went 2-for-4 Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies with a home run and two runs scored. Make that 10 hits in his last 24 at-bats (.417) for Hosmer, who doubled and scored in the sixth inning before taking Jake McGee deep in the eighth. The 439-foot homer was his […]

Luis Perdomo Ejected After Sparking Brawl

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Luis Perdomo was ejected after completing just two innings Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies. After outfielder Manuel Margot (ribs) was hit Tuesday night, the Rockies beaned outfielder Hunter Renfroe in the wrist during the second inning. These instigations were enough for Perdomo to throw behind third baseman Nolan Arenado in […]

Manuel Margot On Disabled List, Franchy Cordero Activated

After being plunked in the ribs during Tuesday's game against the Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres outfielder Manuel Margot (ribs) is going on the disabled list. Margot fell to the ground and appeared in considerable pain after being hit and needed Matt Szczur to enter as a pinch runner. X-rays revealed no fractures, but a […]

Eric Hosmer Stays Hot With Two More Hits

San Diego Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer went 2-for-3 with two singles, two walks and scored a run in Tuesday's victory against the Colorado Rockies. With eight hits in his last 20 at-bats, Hosmer has lifted his average from .259 to .319. Hosmer has had a ho-hum start to the year with no homers and […]

Brad Hand Picks Up Save In Second Straight Game

San Diego Padres closer Brad Hand collected his second save in as many nights on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies. Hand relinquished a hit but his outing appeared effortless. He induced a Nolan Arenado double play after allowing a leadoff single then retired Trevor Story on a weak liner to end the game. Hand threw […]

Joey Lucchesi Notches First Career Win At Coors Field

San Diego Padres rookie starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi shined in his third career start Tuesday visiting the Colorado Rockies, picking up a victory after completing six-plus innings while allowing two runs (zero earned), four hits, a walk and eight strikeouts. Aside from a Trevor Story homer in the first inning after his own error, Lucchesi […]

Hunter Renfroe Smacks Game-Clinching Homer

San Diego Padres outfielder Hunter Renfroe went 1-for-4 and hit a go-ahead three-run home run Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies. Renfroe's long ball in the seventh inning proved to be the game-winning run as the Padres won 5-2. More encouraging, it was off right-handed pitcher Bryan Shaw. Tuesday was a typical boom-or-bust Renfroe game. He […]

Manuel Margot Back Hitting Leadoff

San Diego Padres outfielder Manuel Margot is back hitting leadoff Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies. Apparently three games hitting eighth and ninth was enough time for Margot in the dog house. The struggling Margot went 1-for-3 Monday night with a steal and RBI. He's still hitting just .150 on the season but does have two […]

Wil Myers Will Not Return This Week

San Diego Padres manager Andy Green doesn't believe outfielder Wil Myers (arm) will return to game action this week or next. Myers has been on the shelf with nerve irritation in his right arm and previous reports suggested he'd be ready once eligible to come off the disabled list this Friday. Myers tracked pitches in […]

Jose Pirela Records Three-Hit Night

San Diego Padres outfielder Jose Pirela went 3-for-5 with a double, run scored and RBI in Monday's win against the Colorado Rockies. Pirela got the scoring started in the second, coming home on a Manuel Margot single. He then recorded an RBI, driving a two-bagger to right field in the fifth to extend the lead. […]

Brad Hand Strikes Out Side In Save

San Diego Padres closer Brad Hand struck out the side to earn his third save Monday against the Colorado Rockies. Hand required 15 pitches to retire Gerardo Parra, Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu in order. After a couple early hiccups, Hand has settled down with two consecutive problem-free outings, lowering his ERA to 3.00 and […]

Clayton Richard Collects Win, Homers Against Rockies

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Clayton Richard allowed four earned runs in five innings in a win Monday against the Colorado Rockies. Richard also hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning, helping his own cause en route to his first win in 2018. On the mound, Richard yielded five hits, walked three and struck […]

Struggling Manuel Margot Batting Eighth Against Rockies

San Diego Padres outfielder Manuel Margot is batting eighth against the Colorado Rockies on Monday. Pushed from the leadoff spot over the weekend against the Houston Astros, Margot will likely continue slotting at the bottom of the order until he finds his groove. Margot is off to a rough start with a .135 average, .416 […]

Padres Place Kirby Yates on DL

The San Diego Padres placed relief pitcher Kirby Yates on the disabled list with right ankle tendinitis. Yates was pulled on Saturday after throwing just one pitch. The 31-year-old righty had started the season hot as the Padres primary setup man with five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings without allowing a run. The ankle issue […]

Dinelson Lamet Making Progress

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dinelson Lamet (elbow) threw from 90 feet Saturday and Sunday. Padres manager Andy Green indicated Lamet felt "very good." Lamet threw from 45 feet earlier in the week, so this is another step in the right direction. The righty's return is still undetermined, but early May seems like a best-case […]

Dellin Betances (RP, NYY) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~230 CURRENT ADP: 278 ANALYSIS: At his current ADP, Dellin Betances is going undrafted in many standard leagues. While not currently a closer, Betances contributes meaningfully in strikeouts, ERA and WHIP. Since 2014, he ranks fourth with a 14.44 K/9 amongst all pitchers. He's been flat-out dominant out of the bullpen with […]

ADP Rankings Debate - Robbie Ray vs. Yu Darvish

RotoBallers Andrew Le and Matt Wilkes recently faced off to discuss two strikeout-savvy pitchers, Robbie Ray and Yu Darvish. ADPs for both pitchers are eerily close and we hope the following battle helps fantasy managers make a (slightly) more educated decision. In the red and black jersey playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks, standing 6'2" and […]

Deeper Third Base Sleepers - Undervalued ADPs

Hooray! Another sleeper article! The RotoBaller team recently updated our third base rankings and commented on the depth of third base this year. Today, we'll go deeper, and deeper into the well. Waaaayy, way down. No argument, there's plenty to like about the upper crop of third basemen. If you're in standard-sized leagues, you should […]

Travis Shaw - The Mayor of Ding Dong City Deserves Your Vote

After beating out the esteemed Pablo Sandoval in Boston for starting third baseman in 2016, Travis Shaw had a decent season for the BoSox (.242/.306/.421, 16 HRs, 63 runs, 71 RBI) but was quickly forgotten by the fantasy community. As he quietly departed for Milwaukee before 2017, Shaw was barely a rumor on draft boards […]

Dinelson Lamet Destined For Starting Rotation

On Tuesday, San Diego Padres manager Andy Green confirmed pitcher Dinelson Lamet is "moving closer" to securing a rotation spot. This puts Lamet in pole position as the Padres' third starter behind pitchers Clayton Richard and Bryan Mitchell. The endorsement by Green is unsurprising. Lamet debuted in 2017 with 21 starts, a 4.57 ERA, 4.20 […]

Jordan Lyles Pounded By Cubs, Headed To Bullpen

San Diego Padres pitcher Jordan Lyles was rocked in a second consecutive outing on Tuesday, giving up four earned runs, five hits and two walks in three innings. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com believes he is destined for the bullpen. Lyles has struggled this Spring to a 12.38 ERA and 2.50 WHIP in eight innings pitched. […]

Prospects Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Urias Sent To Minors

Two top San Diego Padres prospects were reassigned to minor league camp on Tuesday. Baseball's No. 2 ranked shortstop, Fernando Tatis Jr. (No. 8 overall), and No. 2 rated second baseman Luis Urias (36th overall) will continue their development away from the majors. Both youngsters were holding their own in spring training, but the moves were […]

Tyson Ross With Another Strong Outing

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Tyson Ross turned in another strong outing on Monday against the Kansas City Royals. In four relief innings, Ross struck out one, allowing a hit and walk apiece. Through 11 innings this spring, Ross has a 3.27 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and eight strikeouts. Ross, a massive disappointment in 2017 with […]

No Timetable For Colin Rea's Return

San Diego Padres manager Andy Green indicates there is no timetable for starting pitcher Colin Rea (shoulder, elbow) to resume throwing. The 27-year-old righty has been shut down since early March with a strained lat in his throwing shoulder. This likely rules out Rea, who missed all of 2017 recovering from Tommy John surgery, as […]