Alex Lange (RP, DET) - 2023 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 200 CURRENT ADP: ~275 overall ANALYSIS: I am proud to say that I was an Alex Lange owner and fan before 2023. Of course, it was a holds league, but still, I knew this day was coming even if Gregory Soto had remained in Detroit. This brings me to my next […]

J.P. Crawford To Undergo Further Testing

Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (foot) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Saturday. This comes after Crawford was scratched ahead of Friday's game due to foot soreness. It sounds like a minor issue, but the team wants to do additional testing to make sure it's not anything serious. The expectation is that Crawford should […]

David Fletcher Misses Saturday's Game

Los Angeles Angels infielder David Fletcher (abdominal) was scratched ahead of Saturday's Cactus League matchup. This was a precautionary move as the Angels aren't taking any chances in their final game of the spring. It sounds like the 28-year-old is dealing with abdominal tightness. That being said, Fletcher should be fine in a few days, […]

Brandon Belt Scratched On Saturday

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Brandon Belt (illness) has been scratched ahead of Saturday's Grapefruit League contest. It sounds like the veteran slugger is dealing with a stomach bug. That being said, Belt could very well sit the next day or two in order to rest. However, it sounds like Belt should be fine in […]

Kyle Tucker Likely To Return On Sunday

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (ankle) is expected to make his return to the lineup on Sunday. The left-handed slugger is recovering from a minor ankle injury that he suffered during the World Baseball Classic. The expectation was that Tucker would return this weekend, barring any setbacks. Tucker should be fine for Opening Day, which […]

Hunter Brown Scheduled To Throw On Sunday

Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown (back) is scheduled for a bullpen session on Sunday. The right-hander resumed throwing on Friday after being scratched from his start on Wednesday due to a back issue. It sounds like the 24-year-old should be ready in time for Opening Day. The expectation is that Brown is going to […]

Wander Franco Scratched On Saturday

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco (quad) was scratched from the lineup ahead of Saturday's Grapefruit contest. It sounds like this was a precautionary move by the team, so fantasy managers might not need to worry. The team is calling it right quad soreness, so they will likely give Franco a few days off to […]

Hayden Wesneski Wins Rotation Spot

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski has been named the fifth-starter heading into Opening Day. He was competing with Adrian Sampson for the final spot in the rotation. The right-hander has been excellent this spring. He's allowed just six runs (four earned) on 13 hits with a 22/6 K/BB ratio across 12 innings. The 25-year-old […]

5 Outfield Draft Sleepers for Fantasy Baseball

We are on to the outfield in our last-minute fantasy baseball sleepers series. I covered the other positions as well, so be sure to check them out: First Base Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers Second Base Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers Third Base Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers Shortstop Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers Outfield is a tough position […]

Fantasy Baseball Offenses to Target/Avoid: Ep. 119 of The Operating Room

Kev Mahserejian (@RotoSurgeon) is joined by the Gillcast's Sammy Reid (@SammyReidFI) to discuss MLB offenses to target and avoid in fantasy baseball. Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (channel SiriusXM 87) - every weekday morning between 6-7 AM ET and Sundays from 3-5 PM. You can also find new weekly shows on YouTube, Spreaker, Spotify, iTunes, and on the site under RotoBaller […]

Brayan Bello Pitches In Minor-League Game Friday

Boston Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello (forearm) threw three innings for Double-A Portland on a back field on Friday and gave up one run while striking out four. Bello tossed 42 pitches (24 for strikes). He will continue to ramp up his workload in minor-league games before the team activates him from the injured list […]

Garrett Whitlock Throws Four Innings In Minor-League Game

Boston Red Sox right-hander Garrett Whitlock (hip) threw four innings in a minor-league game on Friday, tossing 63 total pitches (40 for strikes) and is expected to pitch Opening Day for Triple-A Worcester on March 31. There's a chance he could pitch for the Red Sox as soon as the second series of the regular […]

Justin Turner Has Big Game Friday

Boston Red Sox third baseman/designated hitter Justin Turner looked to be in midseason form in the team's Grapefruit League game on Friday against the Atlanta Braves, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, a run scored and a strikeout in the 9-8 win. Turner missed some time this spring after being hit in the […]

Masataka Yoshida Hitless In Return To Grapefruit League

Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida went 0-for-2 with a walk in his return to Grapefruit League action in Friday's loss to the Atlanta Braves. Yoshida returned to the team in camp after being away with Team Japan for the World Baseball Classic. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter looked great in the WBC, going 9-for-22 with […]

Jhony Brito Could Be Yankees Fifth Starter

With New York Yankees right-hander Luis Severino (lat) likely to begin the 2023 season on the injured list with a low-grade lat strain, manager Aaron Boone said that Jhony Brito could end up being the team's fifth starter. The 25-year-old Dominican right-hander has yet to pitch in a regular season big-league game. He had a […]

J.P. Crawford Going For X-Rays On His Foot

Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais said that shortstop J.P. Crawford (foot) will have X-rays on his foot on Saturday. Crawford fouled a ball off his foot in the batting cages on Friday but still took part in a full workout afterward. As a precaution, the team scratched him from the Cactus League lineup. We should […]

Michael Harris II Back In Saturday's Lineup

Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (back) has returned to the team's Grapefruit League lineup on Saturday against right-hander Bailey Ober and the Minnesota Twins. Harris is starting in center field and batting fifth in the order. The 22-year-old was scratched from the lineup on Friday with back tightness, but it was nothing serious and […]

Yankees Haven't Made Decision On Anthony Volpe

The New York Yankees haven't made a decision yet on whether shortstop prospect Anthony Volpe will be on the Opening Day roster, according to manager Aaron Boone. A report surfaced on Friday that Volpe, who is hitting .277 (13-for-47) with five doubles, three homers, five RBI and five steals this spring, has support from "high-level […]

Luis Severino Has Low-Grade Lat Strain

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that starting pitcher Luis Severino (lat) has a low-grade lat strain. While nothing is official yet, it basically means that Severino will open the 2023 regular season on the injured list, and he may not make his season debut until late April or even early May. It's another […]

Brandon Hughes Hopes To Pitch Monday

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Brandon Hughes (knee) is hoping to get back into a Cactus League game on Monday after throwing a bullpen session on Friday. Hughes had his left knee drained up to three times this spring and also had a cortisone injection earlier this week. His knee injury was affecting his performances this […]

Jameson Taillon Becoming More Of A Strikeout Artist?

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon has faced 52 batters in four Cactus League starts this spring and hasn't walked a single hitter. It doesn't come as much of a surprise for Taillon, but he also struck out nine hitters on Tuesday while using his new sweeping slider effectively. "It's definitely going to provide a […]

Drew Smyly Fine-Tuning His Mechanics

Chicago Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly is feeling great this spring and changed how he attacked hitters in his last two Cactus League outings to prepare for the regular season, but pitching coach Tommy Hottovy also pointed out that Smyly's arm was dropping in his delivery. He said the difference in his mechanics were minimal. The […]

Cubs Not Concerned With Justin Steele's Velocity

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele looked off in his last Cactus League outing and talked about how he felt like he was pitching "underwater" when he walked five batters and his velocity was down. However, the Cubs aren't worried with Opening Day coming up quickly. "Pushing him too much now to sacrifice something down […]

Dollar-Day Targets: Salary Cap League Strategy For 2023 Fantasy Baseball

The $1 players in salary cap fantasy baseball leagues are those who aren't gathering enough hype. In standard leagues, most of these players will stay undrafted. They'll toil, hoping to escape your league's waiver wires. In standard salary cap leagues, this isn't really a travesty. According to NFBC ADP dollar amounts, 322 players will cost […]

James Paxton To Face Live Hitters Saturday

Boston Red Sox left-hander James Paxton (hamstring) will throw live batting practice on Saturday as he starts from scratch after straining his hamstring in his Grapefruit League debut in camp. Opening Day is less than a week away, so there's no chance Paxton will be ready for that next Thursday, but he'll slowly build himself […]

Jake Woodford To Open Year In Starting Rotation

With St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright (groin) opening the 2023 regular season on the injured list, right-hander Jake Woodford will open the year in the team's starting rotation as the No. 5 starter. The 26-year-old should get at least a couple of starts early on as Wainwright tries to recover from a strained groin. […]

Fantasy Baseball Insider Report: Scouting Insights From A Pitching Coach

Welcome back to our annual Fantasy Baseball Insider series on RotoBaller.com, where we take you inside Major League Baseball clubhouses, press boxes, and front offices for exclusive insights that provide a completely unique edge on the competition. We give you an all-access pass to information and takes, along with comprehensive Fantasy breakdowns. On the condition […]

Kenley Jansen Expects To Pitch Before Camp Ends

Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen is confident that the lightheadedness that he experienced in his Grapefruit League appearance on Friday night was not due to heart issues he's had in the past and suspects it was simply dehydration. He had been working out in the hot sun in the hours before the game. Jansen […]

MLB Pitcher Prospect Graduates - Sophomore Fantasy Baseball Outlooks (NL West)

In the sixth and final installment of a 6-part series focused on pitchers who exhausted rookie eligibility during the 2022 MLB season, I review how the pitching fundamentals of select National League West pitchers have evolved and use that information to forecast their MLB futures. Fundamentals will be quantified using my Fielding- and Ballpark-Independent Outcomes […]