Rays Acquire Luke Raley From Dodgers

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired outfielder Luke Raley from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday in exchange for Double-A relief pitcher Tanner Dodson, according to sources. Raley made his major league debut with the Dodgers last year and hit .182/.250/.288 with two home runs and four RBI in 72 plate appearances over 33 games. The […]

Tyler Anderson Agrees With Dodgers

Free-agent pitcher Tyler Anderson agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, according to a source familiar with the situation. FanSided's Robert Murray later reported that the deal was for one year and $8 million. The 32-year-old left-hander spent the 2021 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners, posting a 4.53 […]

Justin Verlander Looks Good In Spring Debut

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (elbow) made his first appearance in a game on Friday in spring training since the season-opener of the shortened 2020 season. The veteran right-hander looked sharp while throwing two hitless innings against the Cardinals. Verlander tossed 31 pitches and averaged 94.8 mph with his fastball. "It felt good to […]

Alex Reyes Diagnosed With Frayed Labrum

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Alex Reyes (shoulder) was diagnosed with a frayed labrum in his right shoulder and received a stem-cell injection from Dr. James Andrews. Reyes will not be allowed to throw for "at least" two weeks, so the Cardinals are expecting him to return in late May or early June. It's extremely […]

Michael Pineda Agrees With Tigers

Free-agent starting pitcher Michael Pineda agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Detroit Tigers on Friday. Pineda can make another $2.5 million in incentives. The 33-year-old right-hander spent the last three seasons pitching for the Minnesota Twins, and he went 9-8 with a solid 3.62 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 88 strikeouts in 109 […]

Jack Flaherty Won't Be Ready For Opening Day

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (shoulder) won't be ready to go by Opening Day, according to Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak. Flaherty received a platelet-rich plasma injection to "address" a small tear in his right shoulder. He will be shut down from throwing for two weeks, then the team will set […]

Matt Carpenter Agrees With Rangers

Free-agent infielder Matt Carpenter agreed to a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers on Friday, according to a source. Carpenter had offers for a major league deal from at least one other team, but he decided to bet on himself for a chance to play at home. Carpenter lives in Fort Worth, Texas, and […]

Alcides Escobar To See Bulk Of Time At Shortstop

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said that shortstop Alcides Escobar will see the bulk of the time at shortstop this year, at least as things stand right now. The Nationals could always sign another player before the start of the season, but until/if that happens, Escobar will be the guy. The Nats picked the 35-year-old […]

Nolan Jones, Tyler Freeman Not Cleared For Games

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Nolan Jones (ankle, back) and shortstop Tyler Freeman (shoulder) have yet to be cleared to play in spring games. Jones had ankle surgery in the offseason and is now dealing with back pain, although he's starting to run, hit and throw in camp. Freeman, meanwhile, had soreness in his left shoulder […]

Derek Holland Joining The Red Sox

Free-agent left-hander Derek Holland announced on Twitter that he will be joining the Boston Red Sox this year. Holland made 39 appearances (one start) for the Detroit Tigers in 2021 and had a 5.07 ERA and 1.57 WHIP while striking out 51 and walking 20 in 49 2/3 innings. He's made just 14 starts over […]

Adam Engel Had Surgery For Torn Labrum

Chicago White Sox outfielder Adam Engel (shoulder) said that he had offseason surgery on his left shoulder to fix a torn labrum, which required five suture anchors to be used. The recovery from surgery allowed him to rest his legs after he dealt with hamstring issues last year as well, and he felt that his […]

Phillies Have Discussed Austin Meadows

The Philadelphia Phillies have talked to the Tampa Bay Rays about left fielder Austin Meadows, according to a major league source. It was reported earlier that the Phillies are also making a push to sign free-agent outfielder Nick Castellanos. Any additional move for an outfielder in Philadelphia figures to push the recently signed Kyle Schwarber […]

Trevor Story Choosing Between Four Teams

Superstar free-agent shortstop Trevor Story is choosing one of four teams soon. The San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and two other teams remain in the mix for his services, and Story has prioritized winning. He's also considering a short-term positional move, too, if necessary. If Story were to sign with either the Giants or […]

Mike Soroka Agrees With Braves

The Atlanta Braves re-signed right-hander Mike Soroka to a one-year, $2.8 million deal on Friday to avoid salary arbitration. The 24-year-old missed all of the 2021 season due to an Achilles injury, and he won't be ready to rejoin the Braves starting rotation until the second half in 2022. The good news is that Soroka […]

Padres Trade For Luke Voit

The San Diego Padres are acquiring first baseman Luke Voit from the New York Yankees on Friday in exchange for minor league pitcher Justin Lang. Voit could settle into the regular designated hitter role for the Padres this year, and he should help replace some power that will be lost with superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis […]

Braves, Padres In Talks With Jorge Soler

The Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres are in talks with free-agent outfielder Jorge Soler, according to a trusted source. The Braves already re-signed postseason hero Eddie Rosario, and Soler could be next to help replace some of the power that was lost when first baseman Freddie Freeman signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Soler, […]

Dominic Smith Played With Torn Labrum Last Year

New York Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith (shoulder) played with a partially torn labrum in his right shoulder last season. Smith also dealt with a right wrist strain and a groin issue in 2021, but through it all, he still managed to play in 145 games. After his shoulder injury, he wasn't the same hitter […]

Starling Marte Expects To Hit Soon

New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte (oblique) isn't in the team's starting lineup for an intrasquad game on Friday, but he said he expects to start hitting in the next few days. Marte said he should be ready for Opening Day. The 33-year-old hasn't done much early in camp due to a sore oblique. The […]

Garrett Richards Joins Rangers

Free-agent right-hander Garrett Richards signed an undisclosed one-year deal with the Texas Rangers on Thursday. The deal includes an option for the 2023 season. Richards was with the Boston Red Sox last season, posting a 4.87 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, three saves, 115 strikeouts and 60 walks in 40 appearances (22 starts) over 136 2/3 innings […]

Eduardo Rodriguez Named Opening Day Starter

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez will be the team's Opening Day starter in 2022. Rodriguez will take the bump for the first time in a Tigers uniform on April 8 against the Chicago White Sox. The 28-year-old left-hander is also starting the team's first spring training game on Friday. E-Rod signed a five-year, $77 […]

Phillies In Serious Pursuit Of Nick Castellanos

The Philadelphia Phillies are in serious pursuit of free-agent outfielder Nick Castellanos, according to sources. Castellanos would put the Phillies well over the luxury tax threshold, but they appear to view him as a big enough difference-maker to justify that. A Castellanos signing would push the recently signed Kyle Schwarber to designated hitter. The cost-cutting […]

Best Fantasy Baseball Fits For Baltimore’s Trade Chips

Just how much trading the Baltimore Orioles do before the regular season begins, and to an extent before the trade deadline, remains to be seen. Of course, that’s entirely speculative, but the argument can certainly be made that the Orioles should hang on to some of their younger players given where they are in their […]

Updated Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Rankings (Part 2) - 5x5 Mixed Roto Leagues

Earlier, we broke down the first few tiers of starting pitcher rankings for 2022 fantasy baseball drafts. It's time to look at the rest of the starting pitchers that may be fantasy-relevant and worthy of a draft pick. RotoBaller's rankers, JB Branson, Pierre Camus, Ariel Cohen, Nicklaus Gaut, and Nick Mariano, have updated our 2022 […]

Kris Bryant Signs With Colorado Rockies - Fantasy Baseball Impact

Kris Bryant was one of the biggest names on the free-agent market in the 2021-2022 offseason, and the lockout caused a major delay in his signing. Things finally got figured out on Wednesday, when the Rockies inked Bryant to a huge seven-year deal that included a no-trade clause. This was a bit of a surprise […]

Ronald Acuna Jr.'s Timetable Becomes More Clear

According to Jim Bowden, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) could see action as early as April 21. General manager Alex Anthopoulos stated that the plan is to have Acuna begin serving as the designated hitter as early as April 21 and then transition to the outfield, beginning May 21. This is great news […]

Danny Duffy Agrees To Deal With Dodgers

Starting Pitcher Danny Duffy and the Los Angeles Dodgers have come to terms on a one-year deal, pending a physical, according to Fabian Ardaya. Duffy was acquired by the Dodgers from the Royals last season, but Duffy was never able to suit up for them due to an elbow injury. Duffy posted a 2.51 ERA […]

Late-Round Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Targets - NFBC Draft and Hold Leagues

Even as the Major League Baseball lockout drags on, fantasy baseball managers have begun diving into draft season. In these early months before Spring Training begins, the most common draft formats are draft and hold leagues in which managers will draft large teams (usually 50 players) and then make no waiver claims during the year. […]

Freddie Freeman to Dodgers - Fantasy Baseball Impact

The Los Angeles Dodgers did not need to add a free agent hitter to go into the 2022 MLB season as the league's premier offense. They did not let that fact stop them from signing the cream of the free-agent crop Freddie Freeman to a huge six-year contract. Let's talk briefly about the fantasy impact […]

Daily MLB Injury Roundup for March 18th, 2022

RotoBaller has assembled a list of daily MLB injury updates to help you prepare both your seasonal and daily fantasy baseball (DFS) lineups, every day of the MLB season. Below is our updated list of injured MLB players for March 18th, 2022. Only players on teams that are scheduled to play today will appear below […]

2022 Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove with Ray Murphy - Benched with Bubba EP 451

Bubba (@bdentrek) is joined by Ray Murphy (@RayHQ) of Baseball HQ. In this episode, Bubba and Ray will go over all of the MLB Hot Stove action from Tuesday thru Thursday and give all of their fantasy baseball thoughts. Be sure to subscribe to the Benched With Bubba Podcast, part of RotoBaller Radio's Podcast Network. Like and […]