
Articles

Change Of Scenery Could Be Great For Nate Lowe
Texas Rangers first baseman Nate Lowe slashed .282/.401/.497 with 20 home runs in 121 games for Triple-A Durham in the Rays organization from 2018-19, but he had just 245 plate appearances in 71 games at the major league level in 2019 and 2020 for Tampa. But the left-handed slugger with an 11.9 percent career barrel […]
Keith Hernandez
Franchy Cordero Has Impressive Raw Power
Boston Red Sox outfielder Franchy Cordero has missed time with multiple injuries in his four-year big league career and has just 315 plate appearances in that time, but he has shown impressive raw power nonetheless. Nine of his 12 career home runs have gone 420 feet or more, including a 489-foot dinger in 2018 that […]
Keith Hernandez
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Has Yet To Unlock His Potential
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman/third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be just 22 years old on Opening Day, and his 12 batted balls with at least a 115 mph exit velocity since he debuted in 2019 are five more than any other player has since the start of that season. Last year, Guerrero had a […]
Keith Hernandez
Luis Robert Capable Of Breaking Out In 2021
Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert struck out in roughly one-third of his plate appearances last September, but he's extremely talented and had nine batted balls with an exit velocity of 110-plus mph in 2020. That metric put him in company with superstars like Marcell Ozuna, Corey Seager, Giancarlo Stanton and Ronald Acuna Jr. last […]
Keith Hernandez
Zack Greinke Hasn't Arrived At Spring Training
Houston Astros starting pitcher Zack Greinke will have a delayed arrival to spring training for the second straight season, but manager Dusty Baker said that the right-hander will "be here on time." "He's always on time, he's just not early," Baker said. The league's mandatory arrival date is Feb. 27 this year, so Greinke should […]
Keith Hernandez
Hunter Henry Open To Anything In Free Agency
Los Angeles Chargers impending free-agent tight end Hunter Henry said that he's "open to whatever" when he hits free agency next month after playing the 2020 season on the franchise tag. Henry caught 60 passes for 613 yards and four touchdowns last year, but his yards-per-catch mark was the lowest of his career. He'll likely […]
Keith Hernandez
Panthers Free Up Notable Salary Cap Space
The Carolina Panthers released Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kawann Short on Wednesday and defensive end Stephen Weatherly, safety Tre Boston and punter Michael Palardy on Friday, clearing $19.9 million in salary cap space this week. The moves improved the team's cap space to $28.473 million heading into the start of free agency next month. Carolina's […]
Keith Hernandez
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. In Much Better Shape
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman/first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. spent the offseason working on his fitness, something that he has improved significantly heading into the 2021 season. While Guerrero is trying to earn back some playing time at third base, the Blue Jays expect his improved fitness to upgrade his production at the plate. His […]
Keith Hernandez
Ranger Suarez Behind Schedule
Philadelphia Phillies left-handed pitcher Ranger Suarez is one of five players not in camp due to visa issues, with the others being Neftali Feliz, Mauricio Llovera, Francisco Morales and Christian Bethancourt. Because of Suarez's delayed arrival, he will not be built up as a starter when he arrives to spring training. The 25-year-old Venezuelan southpaw […]
Keith Hernandez
Zach Eflin Refined His Changeup And Slider
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin has the potential to be an ace right alongside teammates Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler. The right-hander went 4-2 with a 3.97 ERA and a 3.39 FIP in 11 outings (10 starts) last year and leaned more on his sinker while using a more effective curveball to post a […]
Keith Hernandez
Bryce Harper Expected To Be Healthy This Spring
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper (back) should be healthy and ready to roll for the team's first full-squad workout on Monday at spring training after he finished last season with a balky back. But manager Joe Girardi also said "we'll pace ourselves a little bit with Bryce to make sure he clears every hurdle." Harper […]
Keith Hernandez
Zac Gallen Commands The Edges Of The Zone
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen, who was compared to Greg Maddux last year by Orel Hershiser for his ability to control the edges of the strike zone, is a dark-horse candidate for the National League Cy Young Award after posting a 2.78 ERA in his first two big-league seasons. The right-hander doesn't have overpowering […]
Keith Hernandez
Todd Frazier Has Deal With Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed free-agent third baseman/first baseman Todd Frazier to a minor league deal on Friday, according to a source. Frazier will make $1.5 million if he makes the club out of spring training. The 35-year-old veteran can still hit the ball over the fence occasionally, but he strikes out too much and won't […]
Keith Hernandez
Pirates Talking To Todd Frazier
The Pittsburgh Pirates are talking to free-agent third baseman Todd Frazier about a minor league deal, but nothing is finalized yet. Frazier hit .236/.302/.382 with four home runs and 12 RBI in 45 games with the Rangers and Mets during the shortened 2020 season. In his last full season in 2019 with the Mets, the […]
Keith Hernandez
DeSean Jackson Will Be Released
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson announced that he will be released on his Instagram on Friday. Jackson was due $9 million in non-guaranteed salary for the 2021 season. The speedy yet oft-injured deep threat said that he still wants to play at the age of 34. Jackson's second stint with the Eagles was forgettable, […]
Keith Hernandez
Cardinals Might Take A Swing On J.J. Watt
Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim acknowledged that the team might "take a swing" on adding free-agent sack master J.J. Watt this offseason. The former three-time Defensive Player of the Year turns 32 years old next month and may have lost a step, but he'll be highly coveted on the open market after the Houston […]
Keith Hernandez
Cardinals Won't Cut Chandler Jones
Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said that the team has no intentions of releasing edge rusher Chandler Jones (biceps) in a cost-cutting move with the 2021 salary cap expected to drop. The 31-year-old has a $20.8 million salary cap hit this year in the final year of his deal. If anything, the Cardinals seem […]
Keith Hernandez
Don't Sleep On Adrian Morejon
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Adrian Morejon may not even have a roster spot right away in 2021 given the team's starting rotation and bullpen depth, but the 21-year-old left-hander has overpowering stuff. Morejon has an average fastball velocity of 96.6 mph and posted a 57 percent whiff rate on his knuckle-change in 2020. He […]
Keith Hernandez
A Breakout Coming For Kyle Wright?
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kyle Wright is one of the team's most heralded pitching prospects, which is saying something considering the team also has Max Fried and Mike Soroka in their starting rotation. The fifth overall pick in 2017 had a 1.80 ERA over his final three regular season starts and Game 3 of the […]
Keith Hernandez
Zach Eflin Overshadowed In Phillies Rotation
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin has been overshadowed by Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler in the team's rotation, and he hasn't been that great with a 4.63 ERA and 7.3 K/9 in his five-year career. But the right-hander struck out 70 in 59 innings (28.6 percent strikeout rate) while posting a 6.1 percent walk […]
Keith Hernandez
Spencer Howard Has A Devastating Slider
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Spencer Howard didn't live up to expectations as the team's top prospect last year, but he showed flashes of his potential. The 24-year-old right-hander sat at 94 mph with his fastball and touched 97 mph and displayed a devastating slider that held opponents to a .217 average while generating whiffs on […]
Keith Hernandez
Trevor Rogers Could Become Fantasy Relevant In 2021
Miami Marlins left-handed starting pitcher Trevor Rogers made his MLB debut in 2020 and had an ugly 6.11 ERA, but he touched 96 mph in his debut with an easy delivery. His slider and changeup missed plenty of bats as well, helping him to a 30 percent strikeout rate. When you combine that kind of […]
Keith Hernandez
Nate Pearson's Secondary Pitches Make Him Intriguing
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Nate Pearson debuted last July to much fanfare, but he had a sky-high 16 percent walk rate and was among the worst starters in baseball at locating his pitches in 2020. The right-hander can hit triple digits on the radar gun and has a slider with good depth, a big […]
Keith Hernandez
Griffin Canning's Curveball Could Take Him To Next Level
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning had a slow start last season but posted a 3.14 ERA in his last five starts of 2020, capped by a career-high 10-strikeout performance against a potent Padres lineup while holding them to one run and two hits over six innings. The 24-year-old had a 47 percent whiff […]
Keith Hernandez
Tarik Skubal Has Electric Stuff
Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal skyrocketed up prospect lists in 2019 after racking up 179 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings (13.1 K/9) in the minors, and he showed some of his electric stuff (94.4 average mph, 2,422 rpm average spin rate on his heater) in 2020. But the 24-year-old finished with a 5.63 ERA […]
Keith Hernandez
Jesus Luzardo Poised For A Breakout?
Oakland Athletics left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo made his first nine career starts in 2020 and had a 4.12 ERA (101 ERA+), but he had a 45 percent whiff rate on curveballs and changeups. The 23-year-old would've also had a 2.93 ERA on the year if two of his poor starts, in which he allowed four […]
Keith Hernandez
Eduardo Rodriguez Healthy Heading Into 2021 Season
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (heart), who missed all of the 2020 season after being diagnosed with myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) related to COVID-19, is feeling normal and is ready to take his spot in the team's starting rotation. The 27-year-old left-hander had a career-best season in 2019 with a 3.81 ERA, […]
Keith Hernandez
Marvin Jones Jr. Chasing A Super Bowl In Free Agency
Detroit Lions impending free-agent wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. said that "nothing's off the table" as far as where he plays in 2021, but a chance to win a Super Bowl is high on his list of priorities. That makes a return to the rebuilding Lions unlikely. Jones had his only 1,000-yard receiving season in […]
Keith Hernandez
Cardinals Owner Bullish On Kliff Kingsbury, Steve Keim
Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill was disappointed with the team's finish last season when they missed out on the playoffs, but he liked the progress that the team showed under head coach Kliff Kingsbury in his second season while looking at things from a big-picture perspective. Bidwill thinks the team is in position to take […]
Keith Hernandez
Panthers Release Tre Boston Friday
The Carolina Panthers informed starting safety Tre Boston of his release on Friday, according to a source. With the move, the Panthers will clear around $3.5 million against the salary cap. The 28-year-old was third on the team with 95 tackles during the 2020 season, and he also recorded an interception, a sack and two […]
Keith Hernandez