Steelers Tweak Cameron Heyward's Contract

The Pittsburgh Steelers did a basic conversion to restructure defensive lineman Cameron Heyward's contract, according to a source, and he'll still make $10.5 million for the 2021 season. A roster bonus and base were converted to a signing bonus, which created around $7 million in salary cap space for the cap-challenged Steelers. Pittsburgh ranks No. […]

Jeremy Jeffress Lands With Nationals

The Washington Nationals agreed to a minor league deal with free-agent relief pitcher Jeremy Jeffress on Monday that includes an invite to spring training, according to a source. Jeffress would earn $1.25 million with another potential $1.25 million in performance bonuses if he makes the team's big-league roster. The 33-year-old right-hander spent the 2020 season […]

Stephen Strasburg Feeling Great

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (hand, thumb) said he's "been feeling great" since he underwent surgery last August to fix carpal-tunnel neuritis after experiencing chronic numbness in his right thumb. Strasburg made just two starts last season before undergoing the surgery, finishing 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA over five innings. The 32-year-old right-hander started […]

Ian Kennedy Signs With Rangers

The Texas Rangers signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Ian Kennedy to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training on Monday. The 36-year-old veteran of 14 years in the major leagues is coming off a 2020 season with the Kansas City Royals in which he allowed 14 earned runs (seven home runs) in just […]

Clayton Kershaw Plans To Pitch Beyond 2021

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who is entering the final season of his three-year, $93 million deal in 2021, made it clear that he plans to pitch again in 2022. "I have no intentions of hanging them up," Kershaw said Sunday. "I'm only 32. I feel like I have a few more years […]

Corbin Burnes' Changeup Standing Out

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Corbin Burnes drew praise from catcher Omar Narvaez in spring camp because of his improved changeup. "I think it's a big weapon for him this year," Narvaez said. The hard-throwing right-hander posted a 2.11 ERA in his breakout in 2020, and it was backed up by a 2.99 xFIP and a […]

Jarred Kelenic To Start The Year In Minors

Seattle Mariners president and CEO Kevin Mather said that outfield prospect Jarred Kelenic will start the 2021 season in the minor leagues after Kelenic and his representation rejected the team's six-year contract extension offer with options. "We would like him to get a few more at-bats in the minor leagues, probably Triple-A Tacoma for a […]

Jake Arrieta Happy To Be Back With Cubs

Former Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta is happy to be back with the Chicago Cubs and said it's "where I wanted to be." The 34-year-old right-hander signed a one-year, $6 million deal to return to the team that he helped win a World Series title with. He pitched for Chicago from 2013-17 and won the […]

J.T. Realmuto Catches Bullpen Over The Weekend

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (thumb) is dealing with a broken right thumb, but manager Joe Girardi said that he was able to catch reliever Brandon Kintzler's bullpen session on Saturday. Realmuto was also able to hit with his left hand and handle pop-ups while backing up the bases. The Phillies are hoping that he'll […]

Anthony Rendon Could Be Late To Camp

Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon said that third baseman Anthony Rendon could be a late arrival to spring training due to the ongoing weather situation in Texas. Rendon is from Houston, but a late arrival to spring training shouldn't affect his fantasy value at all heading into the 2021 season. The 30-year-old hit .289/.418/.497 […]

Jake Lamb Agrees With Braves

The Atlanta Braves agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with free-agent corner infielder Jake Lamb on Sunday. The 30-year-old left-handed slugger had 59 home runs and an .843 OPS for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016 and 2017, but he has battled multiple injuries in the last three seasons. After he hit 30 long balls in […]

Bryan Abreu, Andre Scrubb Earn Early Praise

Houston Astros pitchers Bryan Abreu and Andre Scrubb have earned early praise from pitching coach Brent Strom in spring training. Abreu made the roster for the American League Championship Series in 2019 but showed up out of shape last year and didn't pitch well. Scrubb took advantage of his opportunity in the shortened 2020 season […]

Ryan Pressly The Leading Candidate To Close

It appears that the closer role this year is Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly's to lose after he converted 12 of 16 save chances last year when Roberto Osuna was injured and lost for the season, according to pitching coach Brent Strom. Pressly was an All-Star setup man in 2019 and converted 11 of […]

Don't Give Up On Carter Kieboom

Washington Nationals third baseman Carter Kieboom hasn't responded in his first 165 big-league plate appearances so far, hitting just .181 while losing playing time to Asdrubal Cabrera last summer before being optioned to the team's alternate training site. But Kieboom hit .303/.409/.493 in 109 Triple-A games in 2019 and has a career minor league slash […]

Ryan McMahon Could Return To 2019 Prominence

Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon took a step back in 2020 (.215/.295/.419 in 52 games) after hitting 24 home runs in 141 games in 2019, but he has the tools to return to prominence from a power perspective this season. He has a 46.2 percent hard-hit rate since 2018, including a 43 percent mark in […]

Gavin Lux A Forgotten Man Heading Into 2021

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux was MLB's No. 2 prospect heading into last season, but he wound up playing just 19 games (69 plate appearances) while slashing .175/.246/.349 with three home runs in 2020. While Lux's playing time is still unclear on a loaded Dodgers roster, you shouldn't forget that he hit .392/.478/.719 […]

Austin Riley Made Some Gains Last Season

Atlanta Braves third baseman/outfielder Austin Riley had an OPS+ of exactly 86 in each of his first two seasons in the majors, but he chased less and made more contact during the shortened 2020 season. Riley's walk rate also improved, and his strikeout rate as a rookie (36.4 percent) dropped 12.6 percentage points -- the […]

Jo Adell Can Bounce Back From Rough 2020 Debut

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell had a really bad debut in 2020 (.161/.212/.266 in 132 plate appearances), but he isn't the first young prospect (21 years old) to struggle in their first taste of major league action. Despite his disappointing debut, Adell had a 115.5 mph maximum exit velocity last year, which was one […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]