Jon Gray Developing His Changeup

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray has been happy with all three of his secondary pitches through live batting practice and instrasquad action, including his developing changeup. Manager Bud Black and pitching coach Steve Foster think Gray's changeup can take him to a higher level. Gray's 2019 season ended early because of a foot fracture, […]

Scott Oberg On Pace To Be Ready

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Scott Oberg hasn't appeared in an intrasquad game yet in summer camp, but he's expected to do so soon. Oberg was one of the better relievers in baseball last year, going 6-1 with a 2.25 ERA with five saves and 58 strikeouts in 56 innings before undergoing surgery for blood clots […]

Rockies Hoping Charlie Blackmon Will Be Ready

The Colorado Rockies are hoping that outfielder Charlie Blackmon, who was sidelined early in camp because of a positive COVID-19 test, will be ready in time for Opening Day next Friday against the Rangers. Blackmon was put on the injured lists, but it was strictly a procedural move and won't prevent him from being active […]

David Dahl Dealing With Core Soreness

Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl has missed the last two intrasquad games with what manager Bud Black is calling "core soreness," but Dahl is expected to play on Friday night. The Rockies are playing it safe with the team's projected leadoff hitter. The left-handed hitter has had a problem staying on the field in his […]

Trevor Richards In Line For Rotation Spot?

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that starting pitchers Trevor Richards, Ryan Yarbrough and Charlie Morton are among the pitchers that should be able to go five-plus innings their first time out to begin the regular season. That would suggest that Richards could be in line to take Yonny Chirinos' place in the rotation, […]

Pirates To Mix And Match With Keone Kela Out

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said that the team will mix and match to fill the closer's role with Keone Kela (undisclosed) out to begin the 2020 season. Shelton doesn't anticipate using one guy to do the job, and it'll likely be matchup-based. It'll be a committee approach, but Kyle Crick is widely considered to […]

Gregory Polanco Tests Positive For COVID-19

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton announced on Friday that outfielder Gregory Polanco tested positive for COVID-19 and gave the team permission to share the information. It explains why Polanco has been absent from the team's summer camp of late. He'll have to test negative twice before he's allowed to rejoin the team, making it unlikely […]

Nationals Add Yasel Antuna To Player Pool

The Washington Nationals added infield prospect Yasel Antuna to their 60-man player pool on Friday. Antuna comes in at No. 12 on the team's prospect list heading into the 2020 season, according to MLB Pipeline. The 20-year-old switch-hitter is highly unlikely to play in the majors this season, though, as he hasn't played above High-A […]

Ryan Pressly Dealing With Blister

Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly (finger) couldn't pitch in the team's intrasquad game this week because of a blister on his right index finger. It's unclear when Pressly will be good to go, but he's running out of time to be ready for Opening Day next Friday. With closer Roberto Osuna behind in summer […]

Roberto Osuna Yet To Throw Off Mound

Houston Astros closer Roberto Osuna is still ramping up and hasn't thrown off a mound at the team's summer camp. The right-handed reliever is throwing long toss from 200-plus feet, but manager Dusty Baker isn't sure when Osuna will get on a mound. However, pitching coach Brent Strom still thinks that Osuna will be ready […]

Kelvin Gutierrez Placed On Extended Injured List

The Kansas City Royals placed third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez (elbow) on the extended injured list on Friday with a right ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his elbow. Gutierrez will sit out of the shortened 60-game season in 2020 as a result. The 25-year-old Dominican third baseman played in his first 20 big league games in […]

Evan Longoria Has "Moderate" Oblique Strain

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler said that third baseman Evan Longoria (oblique) is dealing with a "moderate" oblique strain. The ailment has kept Longoria out of the team's last two intrasquad games and it could keep the veteran third baseman out of the lineup for the start of the regular season. The 34-year-old can […]

Billy Hamilton Back In Giants Camp

San Francisco Giants outfielder Billy Hamilton passed his physical and is back in the team's summer camp on Friday. Pitcher Luis Madero, who was confirmed to test positive for COVID-19, has also been cleared to take part in workouts. The Giants will not rush Hamilton back just for Opening Day next Friday, so we could […]

Juan Soto, Howie Kendrick Back In Camp

Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto and infielder Howie Kendrick returned to the team's summer camp on Thursday and played in an intrasquad game. The Nationals never announced why both players were absent from camp, so they may have come in contact with an individual(s) that tested positive for COVID-19. Both players received six at-bats on […]

Jesus Luzardo Cleared To Practice

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (illness) has been cleared to return to summer camp after being on the COVID-19 injured list. Luzardo tested positive for COVID-19 and has not been working out with the team. Returning to A's camp means Luzardo had to test negative twice at least 24 hours apart, but it remains […]

Shohei Ohtani Likely To Pitch On Sundays

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani will work in an intrasquad game this Sunday, which likely means that he'll pitch on Sundays during the regular season. The team has three off days on Mondays, which would give him a day of rest without missing a game as a designated hitter. The two-way star won't […]

JaCoby Jones Day-To-Day

Detroit Tigers outfielder JaCoby Jones (oblique) is day-to-day, and his injury isn't considered serious. Jones was scratched from the team's intrasquad game on Wednesday, but it was just a precaution and he should be good to go for Opening Day next Friday. Although he is expected to be Detroit's starting center fielder, the 28-year-old doesn't […]

Michael Wacha Impresses In Intrasquad Game

New York Mets starting pitcher Michael Wacha was impressive in his intrasquad game start on Thursday. He threw 65 pitches and faced 19 batters, allowing only one baserunner on an error. Wacha showed improved velocity during the truncated Grapefruit League season so Thursday's outing builds on expectations of a bounceback for him. With the season-ending […]

Leury Garcia Dealing With Mid-Back Soreness

Chicago White Sox shortstop/outfielder Leury Garcia (back) is dealing with some mid-back soreness in summer camp, but the team isn't very worried about it. He was replaced in the intrasquad game on Thursday by Nicky Delmonico. It sounds as though Garcia should be back soon, and barring any setbacks, should be ready to go by […]

Hunter Pence Not Playing The Field Yet

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence (foot) did some running on Wednesday but still isn't playing the field and served as the designated hitter in an intrasquad game on Thursday. The veteran outfielder is dealing with some inflammation in his foot and might not be ready to play the field by Opening Day, but the […]

Drew Smith Throwing Mid-90s And Higher In Camp

New York Mets reliever Drew Smith (elbow), who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, has been throwing mid-90s and above in Mets summer camp, according to Mets manager Luis Rojas. The 26-year-old last pitched in 2018 for the Mets when he posted a 3.54 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 28 innings pitched. Assuming he is […]

Cole Hamels Likely To Be Unavailable For Start Of Season

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said that starting pitcher Cole Hamels (triceps) will likely be unavailable for the start of the regular season. Hamels will almost certainly be placed on the injured list for the start of the year after being shut down in summer camp with left triceps tendinitis. Kyle Wright or Josh Tomlin […]

Robinson Cano Missed Camp For Personal Reasons

New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano says he missed six days of Mets summer camp due to personal issues. Fortunately, it does not appear Cano missed camp due to issues related to health concerns, including the quadriceps and hamstring issues that limited him to just 107 games in 2019. The Mets will likely give […]

Keone Kela Placed On Injured List

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed closer Keone Kela on the injured list on Thursday, but no specific injury was listed, leading us to believe it's related to COVID-19. Kela has also not been active in summer camp and the Pirates haven't provided an explanation for his absence. He was sliding down draft boards as the Pittsburgh […]

Jacob deGrom Throws Bullpen Session Friday

New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (back) threw a bullpen session on Friday. This keeps him in line to pitch Sunday against the Yankees in an exhibition game and, more importantly, in line to start on Opening Day. Assuming deGrom has no setbacks and gets the green light to pitch Opening Day, DFS players […]

Austin Meadows Tests Positive For COVID-19

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Austin Meadows has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been placed on the injured list. It's why the 25-year-old was absent from summer camp over the last week. We're not sure if Meadows had any symptoms, but there's now a good chance that he might not be ready for Opening Day […]

Tyler Rogers (RP, SF) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~ 310 CURRENT ADP: ~368 overall ANALYSIS: Rogers, the brother of Twins closer Taylor Rogers, will get his time in 2020 to save games for the Giants. Rogers has shown the ability to close out games throughout the Giants' farm system, so the ability to finish games has already been established. He […]

David Peralta (OF, ARI) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~ 235 CURRENT ADP: ~250 overall ANALYSIS: David Peralta played in just 99 games last season due to a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery. Peralta was already expected to be in the Diamondbacks’ opening day lineup, but his surgically repaired shoulder should benefit from the extra healing time gained due […]

Shogo Akiyama (OF, CIN) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~ 230 CURRENT ADP: ~267 overall ANALYSIS: Once the 2020 season gets underway it will officially be “Sho Time” in Cincinnati! The Reds, who scouted him for three years, made signing Shogo Akiyama a priority this offseason. They felt Akiyama’s ability to make contact and his above-average on-base skills fit in […]

Daniel Norris Close To Returning

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Daniel Norris is reportedly expected to join Detroit's summer camp before the end of next week. Norris has not attended camp yet and was recently placed on the 10-day injured list after testing positive for COVID-19. Upon his return, Norris is expected to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation. […]