Tyler Clippard Nearing Deal With Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks are closing in on completing a one-year deal with free-agent reliever Tyler Clippard, reports Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Clippard is the second reliever with closing experience the Diamondbacks have signed in February after bringing in Joakim Soria earlier this month. Clippard has not been as effective on the mound in […]

Nolan Gorman Taking Reps At Different Positions

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman, the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has been taking repetitions at second base this spring and could see time in the corner outfield spots as well. Gorman was considered the third baseman of the future for St. Louis, but the acquisition of Nolan Arenado left a question […]

Jeff McNeil Expects To Primarily Play Second Base

New York Mets infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil stated on Monday that he imagines a lot of his repetitions will come at second base in 2021. With Jonathan Villar now with the Mets after signing a one-year deal this offseason, Villar should see some time at second base as part of a super-utility role. Though Villar will […]

Overvalued Pitcher Draft Targets: WPC+

Who are the most overvalued pitchers when comparing ADP to 2021 projections? Pierre Camus and Nicklaus Gaut name five pitchers you may want to fade 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 […]

No Extension Talks Between Mets, Francisco Lindor Yet

On Monday, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor stated that he was excited to start spring training with his new ballclub. 2021 will be Lindor's first season with the Mets after a blockbuster trade that sent him and pitcher Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland to New York. This will also be Lindor's last season before he's […]

Clarke Schmidt Has An Elbow Injury

New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (elbow) will be sidelined for the next three to four weeks with an elbow strain, according to manager Aaron Boone. Schmidt reportedly won't require Tommy John surgery, but it's discouraging to see one of the team's top prospects suffer an elbow injury after already undergoing Tommy John surgery […]

Brewers In The Mix For Jackie Bradley Jr.

The Milwaukee Brewers are one of about half a dozen other teams that seem to be considering free-agent outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Bradley is reportedly seeking a contract of more than four years and $50 million. Bradley is now 31 years old and is not going to develop the […]

Alek Manoah's Improved Changeup Could Pay Off

The Blue Jays' first-round selection from the 2019 draft, Alek Manoah, didn't sit around sulking when the 2020 minor league season was canceled. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound hurler spent a lot of time pitching against more advanced hitters and realized he couldn't always blow them away with his power offerings as he could with lower-level pro […]

Teoscar Hernandez Eager to Continue 2020 Approach

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez teased fans with flashes of brilliance prior to 2020, but he could never put together a full season of above-average production. That changed last year when he produced a 143 wRC+ during the pandemic-shortened season. Hernandez credited a new mindset and a better understanding of how pitchers were attacking […]

Twins To Be Mindful Of Michael Pineda's Innings

Minnesota Twins starter Michael Pineda said he's feeling healthy and strong ahead of spring training, though that won't stop the team from being mindful of his innings in 2021. Pineda hasn't pitched a full season since 2016, as Tommy John surgery cost him much of his 2017 and all of his 2018 campaign. It's admittedly […]

Jose Castillo Finally Ready To Contribute Again

San Diego Padres reliever Jose Castillo appears ready to finally contribute again this season. After a stellar 2018 where he posted a 3.29 ERA and electric 12.2 K/9, Castillo has pitched only 2/3 innings in two seasons dealing with myriad arm injuries. Still just 25 years old, the Friars believe he's a "full-go" in spring […]

Nationals Want Trea Turner In Heart Of The Order

Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner has long been the team's leadoff hitter, but manager Davey Martinez would prefer him as a middle-of-the-order bat, Mark Zuckerman wrote Monday. Turner did bat second or third for much of 2020 and certainly has the power to succeed as a lineup anchor, with 31 home runs in 181 games […]

Chris Paddack Embracing Analytics To Improve Fastball

San Diego Padres starter Chris Paddack recognizes the need to improve his fastball effectiveness this season. The 25-year-old followed up a sensational rookie campaign in 2019 with a disappointing 4.73 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 59 frames (12 starts) last year. After diving into the numbers, Paddack realized his spin rates fell dramatically and dedicated […]

Joe Ross Eying Fifth Rotation Spot

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Joe Ross, who opted out of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus, is in a competition with Erick Fedde, Austin Voth and Rogelio Armenteros for the team's fifth starter role. Ross, who has had the most MLB success of the quartet, likely would have had the job last year before […]

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 […]

2021 Shortstop Rankings - 5x5 Mixed Leagues

Once upon a time, shortstop was one of the toughest positions to fill in fantasy baseball, just a small notch above catcher. 10 years ago, we were prioritizing Troy Tulowitzki and Hanley Ramirez near the top of drafts just because they filled that elusive shortstop spot. Sure, they were fantastic hitters – when healthy – […]

Top 250 Dynasty Prospects Rankings (Part 3)

Welcome back RotoBallers to Part 3 of my dynasty prospects list, breaking down the 1-50 ranked prospects. You can also read Part 1 and Part 2 from a few days ago, looking at the 51-150 and 151-250 ranked prospects. RotoBaller's Top 250 Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Prospects list is back and refreshed for the 2021 season. Baseball has […]

Jon Anderson's First Base Tiered Rankings and Projections

One way to improve at drafting a fantasy baseball team is to shift your focus away from straight-ordered rankings and into tiered rankings. This helps you identify spots in the draft where you need to prioritize a certain position and times when you can wait. The difference between the #2 and #3 first baseman is […]

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 […]

RotoBaller Mock Draft Review - Biggest Reaches and Regrets

As we steamroll into fantasy baseball draft season, the team here at RotoBaller continues to practice what we preach by partaking in mock drafts. It's the best way to test out plans, gather information to have a better idea of what to expect for the real thing and try out new ideas you've been working […]

Michael King Adding A Third Pitch To His Arsenal

New York Yankees pitcher Michael King has reportedly spent the offseason working to add a third pitch to his arsenal. King struggled in 26.2 innings last season with a 7.76 ERA and 5.14 FIP, but he'll compete for a job in the starting rotation during spring training. It's not exactly clear what King considers to […]

2021 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers - Chris Martin

Eric Samulski of RotoBaller analyzes Chris Martin as a 2021 fantasy baseball sleeper and undervalued draft pick. He breaks Martin's pitches, improvements from 2020, and other factors that could make him a sneaky late-round relief pitcher breakout candidate. Fantasy players should consider drafting Martin for their drafts this MLB Season. Be sure to also tune […]