Mike Tauchman Had A Shoulder Injury Last Season

New York Yankees outfielder Mike Tauchman dealt with shoulder issues for much of last season. Tauchman struggled in 2020 with a paltry .648 OPS over 43 games, and diminished power (23.4% hard-hit rate, .334 xwOBAcon) was a significant driver of his poor overall performance. It's certainly possible that Tauchman's shoulder issues were the root cause […]

Jose Abreu Returns To Spring Camp

Chicago White Sox first baseman and 2020 American League MVP Jose Abreu has returned to spring camp on Saturday. Abreu had been out as a result of his having tested positive for COVID-19. Despite the positive test, Abreu had been reportedly asymptomatic. In 2020, Abreu hit .317 with 19 home runs and led the major […]

Manny Machado Had Laser Eye Surgery In Offseason

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado underwent laser eye surgery in the offseason because he said his vision felt slightly off during night games in recent seasons. In the shortened 2020 season, Machado hit .304/.370/.580 with 16 home runs to finish third in National League MVP voting. The right-handed slugger was on pace to […]

Carlos Estevez Affected By Hand Injury Last Year

Colorado Rockies reliever Carlos Estevez told reporters on Friday that the comebacker he took off his hand in mid-August really impacted the command of his pitches, especially his slider. The loss of command led to Estevez's poor finish down the stretch in 2020. The right-hander registered a 3.37 ERA and allowed just one home run […]

Joc Pederson Looks Forward To Everyday Job

Chicago Cubs outfielder Joc Pederson is looking forward to having an everyday role with his new club this upcoming season. Pederson spoke on Friday and mentioned how he turned down multi-year offers from other organizations, but settled with the Cubs due to their vacant spot in left field with Kyle Schwarber being non-tendered and eventually […]

Javier Baez Looks To Prove Himself

Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez struggled this past season and is looking to prove himself in 2021. The talented shortstop mentioned how last season was tough without fans in the stands and his inability to watch his at-bats with in-game video. Baez also felt rushed during the season and had issues with making adjustments throughout […]

Cal Raleigh Could Contribute This Year

The Seattle Mariners catching position is expected to be a 55/45 split between Tom Murphy and Luis Torrens in 2021, but should either hit the injured list at any point this year, Cal Raleigh will be the player called up to fill in. The switch-hitting Raleigh has flashed impressive power potential, and expectations are that […]

Miguel Cabrera In Range Of 3,000 Hits, 500 Home Runs

Detroit Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera has a few monumental milestones within reach this year. He will the 2021 MLB season with 487 career home runs and 2,866 career hits. If he stays healthy, it's very likely he'll reach both 500 home runs and 3,000 hits this season. Cabrera, who turns 38 in mid-April has […]

Chris Davis Will Need To Earn Playing Time In 2021

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis said Friday that he has spoken with manager Brandon Hyde, who indicated that he would need to prove that he deserves to play in 2021. Davis, who is entering the sixth year of a seven-year, $161 million contract, was once a major power threat at the plate. However, he […]

Sean Manaea Focusing On Health, Confidence In 2021

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Sean Manaea is entering his sixth MLB season and believes he took the steps necessary this offseason to stay healthy and lead the starting rotation. Manaea is two years removed from surgery that caused him to miss most of 2019 and said he changed his offseason routine to focus on his […]

Justin Dunn Looks Good Early In Camp

Seattle Mariners right-hander Justin Dunn looks to have a spot in the starting rotation lined up for 2021, and so far he has impressed in camp. His fastball has been clocked as high as 96 mph, well above his average velocity of 91 mph in 2020. Any improvements in velocity could be huge for the […]

White Sox Sign Norge Vera, Others

The Chicago White Sox agreed to terms with Cuban right-hander Norge Vera on a deal that includes a $1.5 million signing bonus on Friday. The 20-year-old is No. 15 on MLB Pipeline's list of the top-30 international prospects. The White Sox also agreed with outfielder/first baseman Dario Borrero, right-handers Adrian Gil and Carlos Hinestroza, catcher […]

Alex Bregman Hits For Second Straight Day

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (hamstring) hit on the field for the second consecutive day on Friday. Bregman has been slowed at the start of camp by a sore hamstring, and his status to play in the team's first spring training game on Sunday is up in the air. Bregman was one of a host […]

Yordan Alvarez "Unlikely" To Play Outfield In 2021

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker told reporters that it's "very unlikely" designated hitter Yordan Alvarez will play in the outfield this season. After a phenomenal rookie season in 2019, Alvarez' season last year was ravaged by knee ailments. He would undergo surgery on his right knee to repair a slight patellar tendon and also had […]

Mark Canha, Ramon Laureano Candidates To Lead Off For A's

Oakland Athletics outfielders Mark Canha and Ramon Laureano were mentioned by manager Bob Melvin as candidates to lead off this season, according to MLB.com's Martin Gallegos. Marcus Semien has been entrenched as Oakland's leadoff hitter for three straight years and scored 240 runs in that span, tied for 11th in baseball. Semien's replacement, Elvis Andrus […]

Brad Hand Likely The Nationals Closer

Washington Nationals relief pitcher Brad Hand will be the Nationals closer "in a perfect world," according to manager Dave Martinez. Hand previously held the closing gig in San Diego and Cleveland from 2017-20, so this news should be no surprise. Although his xFIP has increased in all three most recent seasons, it has remained solid, […]

Stephen Strasburg Should Bounce Back With Better Health

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg was trying to pitch with a numb hand last year before he underwent surgery to fix carpal tunnel. You can throw out his lost season in 2020 in which he threw just five innings over two games. Strasburg was one of the best pitchers in baseball the last time […]

Charlie Morton May Not Be Done

Atlanta Braves right-hander Charlie Morton finished third in the American League Cy Young voting in 2019, but he had a 4.74 ERA in his age-36 season in his final year with the Rays in 2020. Morton allowed six earned runs in his first start of the year but posted a 3.71 ERA in his final […]

Angels Add Jesse Chavez To Bullpen Mix

The Los Angeles Angels signed free-agent relief pitcher Jesse Chavez to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training on Friday. The 37-year-old veteran posted a 5.35 ERA for the Angels back in 2017 and has spent the last two seasons with the Texas Rangers, recording a 6.88 ERA in 17 innings in […]

Dylan Moore Poised To Build On 2020 Improvements

Seattle Mariners utility man Dylan Moore made a change in his approach at the plate before the 2020 season in order to be more direct to the ball, and it yielded huge results. Moore's line-drive percent jumped almost nine percentage points over his rookie season to a solid 24.7%, and his 13.8% barrel rate placed […]

Don't Write Off Zack Greinke

Houston Astros starting pitcher Zack Greinke had a 1.84 ERA in his first five starts of 2020, but he finished with a 4.03 ERA, his second-highest mark in any season over the last decade. Greinke allowed at least three earned runs in each of his last seven starts, his longest streak since 2005, his first […]

Four-Seamer Could Be Key For Frankie Montas

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Frankie Montas posted a pristine 2.63 ERA with a 20.3 K-BB percentage and a 96th-percentile barrel rate (3.8 percent) in 2019, but he was also hit with an 80-game suspension for violating the league's drug program. The right-hander started strong last year but finished with a 5.60 ERA, a 15.6 K-BB […]

John Means Had Terrible Home Run Luck In 2020

Baltimore Orioles left-handed pitcher John Means, an 11th-round pick in 2014, was an All-Star and American League Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2019 with a 3.60 ERA over 155 innings. But the 27-year-old posted a 4.53 ERA (5.60 FIP) and allowed a whopping 12 home runs in only 43 2/3 frames last year. But […]

James Paxton Primed To Bounce Back In 2021?

Seattle Mariners left-handed pitcher James Paxton (elbow) has had a tough time staying on the field in his career. He returned from back surgery last year but was limited to five starts and a 6.64 ERA due to left elbow issues. Despite the lofty ERA, he maintained similar strikeout and walk rates from his healthy […]

Ryan Tepera Returns To Cubs

The Chicago Cubs re-signed relief pitcher Ryan Tepera to an undisclosed major league deal on Friday. According to NBC Sports Chicago's Gordon Wittenmyer, Tepera is guaranteed $800,000 and can make an extra $800,000 in performance incentives and $150,000 via active-roster bonuses. The 33-year-old right-hander posted a 3.92 ERA (3.51 SIERA, 3.34 FIP) with a career-high […]

Brian Snitker Signs Extension Through 2023 Season

The Atlanta Braves signed manager Brian Snitker to a contract extension on Friday that will take him through the 2023 season. The deal includes a club option for the 2024 season. It's well-deserved, as Snitker has managed the team to three straight National League East division titles after they won just on division crown from […]

Breakout Pitchers and Late-Round Draft Targets: WPC+

Pierre Camus and Nicklaus Gaut identify pitchers who could break out in 2021. Target these pitchers late in fantasy baseball drafts! Like and subscribe to the RotoBaller channel on Youtube to get all our latest podcasts and catch us on iTunes and BlogTalkRadio as well! Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (channel Sirius […]

Josh Bell Ready To Be "The Guy" In D.C.

Washington Nationals first baseman Josh Bell is looking forward to a middle-of-the-order spot in the lineup, writes Mark Zuckerman. Manager Davey Martinez indicated "a very strong possibility" that Bell would hit behind star outfielder Juan Soto, citing Bell's experience batting cleanup and his being a switch hitter. Bell is coming off a difficult 2020 and […]

Emmanuel Clase (RP, CLE) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 400 CURRENT ADP: ~447 overall ANALYSIS: A suspension wiped out his 2020 season but it only serves to make him an even better value in 2021. With Brad Hand gone, there's a good chance Clase gets at least a handful of saves even if he doesn't win the job outright. The question is […]

Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball: Plate Discipline

No matter how high a particular player's BABIP may be, his average will be mediocre at best if he strikes out too much. This is why fantasy managers have known for years that players like Chris Davis are potential drains on a fantasy team's batting average. Furthermore, players that whiff a lot tend to continue […]