John Gant Picks Up a Save on Monday

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher John Gant picked up his first save of the season on Monday, tossing a scoreless inning while allowing just a walk. Gant won't be the usual closer for the Cardinals, but Andrew Miller and Jordan Hicks had already been used in Monday's extra-inning game, so Gant was the next guy […]

Jordan Hicks Picks Up a Win With Two Scoreless Innings on Monday

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Jordan Hicks picked up his first win of the season on Monday, tossing two scoreless innings. He allowed just one walk and struck out two. Hicks had a rough outing on Sunday, but came out firing on Monday. One of the more interesting fantasy relievers, Hicks will have Andrew Miller […]

Adam Wainwright Allows Four Runs in Four Innings on Monday

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright allowed four runs on four hits and four walks in four innings on Monday. He struck out three but only threw 37 of his 72 pitches for strikes. It was a struggle for Wainwright, but he escaped with a no-decision as the Cardinals ended up winning the game […]

Jack Flaherty Can't Escape the Fifth Inning on Friday

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty only lasted 4 1/3 innings on Friday, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk. He struck out four and needed 89 pitches to get his 13 outs. There are much better starts in store for the sophomore right-hander, but this wasn't the start he and his […]

Paul Goldschmidt Goes Yard Three Times on Friday

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt hit three home runs on Friday, finishing 4-for-5 with a walk, five RBI, and three runs scored. Goldy went yard in the first inning, then again in the sixth, and one more time in the seventh. They were the first three of what will certainly be many home […]

Corey Kluber Takes a Loss on Opening Day

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber took a tough loss on Opening Day as his offense couldn't score any runs in a 2-0 game. Kluber tossed seven strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out five. He only needed 79 pitches to get through his seven innings of work. […]

Harrison Bader Hits an Opening Day Home Run

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader hit a home run on Opening Day, finishing 2-for-3. Bader hit eighth in this one, but he's likely to force his way up in the lineup and carries some legitimate sleeper appeal in mixed leagues. The Harrison Hype Train is gaining steam, jump on before it gets too full.

Kolten Wong Hits Two Home Runs on Opening Day

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong drove in three runs on Opening Day, hitting two home runs and finishing 2-for-3 before being replaced by a pinch hitter. Wong came out of the gates scorching hot, but fantasy players shouldn't look too deep into one game. Wong is a solid fantasy second baseman, but not […]

Miles Mikolas Gets Off to a Rough Start

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas struggled on Opening Day, allowing five runs on five hits and a walk in five innings of work. Mikolas coughed up five home runs and struck out just three batters. There's a legitimate chance this will be Mikolas' worst start of the season, his fantasy owners shouldn't worry […]

Adam Plutko Sent to Triple-A

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Adam Plutko was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. Plutko filled in for a few games as a starter last season, but struggled to a 5.28 ERA. He'll serve as rotation depth at Triple-A, but will likely see at least a few starts if injuries strike the Cleveland starting rotation. He […]

Alex Reyes to Start the Season in the Bullpen

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Alex Reyes will begin the 2019 season as a member of the Cardinals bullpen. Manager Mike Shildt made the announcement on Thursday morning, adding that Reyes was "in a good spot." There was uncertainty heading into spring training as to whether Reyes would work as a starter or as a reliever […]

Corey Kluber Gets Lit Up in the Fourth Inning on Sunday

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber gave up five runs in 3 2/3 innings on Sunday. He made it through the first three innings just fine, but the fourth inning hit him hard. His ERA in the Cactus League is now 9.82, but it's spring training, and no one cares (yet). It could knock him […]

David Marcillo's Bold Predictions for Closers

Fantasy sports can be just as frustrating as they can be fun, and few positions encompass that more than a fantasy baseball relief pitcher. A reliever can go from a fantasy darling to a completely meaningless name in your lineup overnight. And that's without an injury causing the issue. With the recent trend of not […]

Tyler Clippard to Miss Time With a Pectoral Strain

Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Tyler Clippard will miss the next three to four weeks due to a mild pectoral strain. Clippard was removed from a March 9 appearance and felt continued discomfort when attempting to restart his throwing program this week. Clippard is competing for a spot in the Cleveland bullpen, but he will now […]

Francisco Lindor Will Play in a Controlled Game on Wednesday

Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf) will play in a "controlled" game in minor league camp on Wednesday. He is expected to get three at bats and will only jog if he puts the ball in play. He will also play what is being called "controlled" defense. Lindor hurt his calf in February and may […]

Nate Sudfeld Receives a Second-Round Tender

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nate Sudfeld received a second-round tender, essentially guaranteeing that he will remain with the team for 2019. It's a $3.095 million deal for 2019, and with Nick Foles on his way to Jacksonville, Sudfeld is currently second on the depth chart behind starter Carson Wentz.

Nelson Agholor Expected to Stick With the Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor is expected to remain with the Eagles this offseason. Agholor's fifth-year option is worth $9.387 million, and after acquiring DeSean Jackson it was no sure thing that Agholor would remain with the team. Keeping Agholor around will give the Eagles a strong starting wide receiver trio of Alshon Jeffery, […]

Miles Mikolas Allows Five Runs on Tuesday

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas allowed five runs in five innings of work on Tuesday. Mikolas struggled in Grapefruit League play last season before starring in the regular season, so his slow spring isn't much of a concern. He may have a hard time repeating last season's numbers, but he will still be […]

Corey Kluber Coughs Up Three Runs in First Cactus League Action

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber made his Cactus League debut on Monday and allowed three runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings of work. Kluber had been working in simulated games before Monday's almost-real game debut. It's not the usual dominance expected from Kluber, but it's still early and he'll be ready to […]

Carlos Martinez Expected to Start the Season on the Injured List

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (shoulder) is expected to begin the season on the injured list. There isn't much clarity on how the Cardinals will use Martinez this season, but given his injury, he's likely to at least begin in the bullpen before perhaps working his way back into the rotation in the […]

The Winning Way to Draft Relief Pitchers

We've gone through each division, team by team. We've talked about the top setup men you should know about this season. We've looked at handcuffs and which closers you should have a backup for on draft day. It's a lot of information, but how does it apply to your league? Most people play in standard 5x5 […]

Jack Flaherty Making Mouths Water in Grapefruit League Play

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty is turning heads in Grapefruit League play this season. He's tossed eight innings so far, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out 14. Flaherty was masterful in his most recent start and has the upside to take a big jump in his sophomore […]

Leonys Martin Looking Good in the Spring

Cleveland Indians outfielder Leonys Martin has looked excellent at the plate in Cactus League games so far this season. He's hitting .500/.529/.875 with two home runs. After a bacterial infection ended his 2018 season, Martin is back healthy and ready to roll. He figures to have a starting role in the Cleveland outfield and is […]

Greg Allen Lighting Up Cactus League Play

Cleveland Indians outfielder Greg Allen has been a force in Cactus League play. Heading into Thursday's game, Allen was hitting .444/.524/.667. He seems set to receive an at least somewhat regular role in the Cleveland outfield, making him an intriguing option in deeper fantasy formats. He has the speed to make a difference on the […]

2019 Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Outlooks - Closer Handcuffs

We've covered each division and we've looked at the top setup men around the league. So what's next? Something that's too often overlooked in fantasy baseball yet maybe too often hyped up in fantasy football: The Handcuff. Anyone who plays fantasy football knows about handcuffs and usually spends a roster spot or two on a […]

Matt Wieters Signs With the Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals signed catcher Matt Wieters to a minor league contract. Likely due to his injury history resulting in durability issues, Wieters was unable to find a guaranteed major league deal in a tough free agent market. Cardinals entrenched starter Yadier Molina is still recovering from offseason surgery, so Wieters could see some […]

Setup Men You Need to Know - 2019 Bullpen Outlooks

Now that the closers in each division have been covered, it's time to talk about those often-forgotten-but-possibly-even-more-important relievers: the setup men. A lot of times, closers can be pigeonholed into the ninth inning, especially by "old-school" or "traditional" managers, leaving the actual most critical late-game situations to another relief pitcher. In steps the setup man. […]

2019 Bullpen Outlooks - American League West

Last up in our coverage of the bullpens in each division is the American League West. The AL West has some solid bullpens and some huge question marks. Two teams feature closers who are brand new to their team and the other three will have relievers returning to their roles. There are both high-upside and […]

2019 Bullpen Outlooks - American League Central

Moving right along with our pre-season coverage of the bullpens around the league, let's give the American League Central a look. Most "baseball people" are predicting the AL Central to be one of the worst divisions in the league in 2019, but that doesn't mean there won't be plenty of fantasy value coming out of […]

2019 Bullpen Outlooks - American League East

With the National League already taken care of, it's time to jump into the bullpens of the American League and take a look at what we can expect for the 2019 season. After a slow offseason, it seems like relief pitchers are finally coming off the free agent board and signing with the teams they'll […]