White Sox Interested In Nicky Lopez

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday that the Chicago White Sox have expressed interest in trading for Kansas City Royals second baseman/shortstop Nicky Lopez. However, the Royals are not eager to move Lopez, as they view him as an important depth player. The team's plan is to start Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop, Michael Massey […]

Devin Smeltzer Agrees To Deal With Marlins

Free-agent left-hander Devin Smeltzer agreed to a one-year split deal with the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. He will make $1 million if he's in the majors and will receive an invitation to major-league spring training, according to sources. The 27-year-old southpaw reliever had a 3.71 ERA (5.23 FIP), 1.22 WHIP and career-low 13.9 percent strikeout […]

Dodgers Sign Wander Suero To Minor-League Deal

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed free-agent right-hander Wander Suero to a minor-league deal on Tuesday. Suero didn't pitch at all in the majors in 2022 and spent the entire year pitching for Triple-A Salt Lake in the Los Angeles Angels organization, where he posted a 6.08 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, two saves, nine walks and 15 […]

Yolmer Sanchez Latches On With Braves

Free-agent infielder Yolmer Sanchez signed a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. Sanchez, a 30-year-old switch-hitting infielder, played in just 17 major-league games in 2022 with the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets and hit a combined .108/.214/.108 with a .322 OPS, no home runs, two RBI and one run scored in […]

Phillies Bring Back Mark Appel

The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed right-hander Mark Appel to a minor-league deal on Tuesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. The 31-year-old made his MLB debut with the Phils in 2022 after being drafted first overall in 2013 by the Houston Astros out of Stanford. He didn't stick around long, though, and landed on […]

Marlins Not Certain To Sign Yuli Gurriel

Free-agent first baseman Yuli Gurriel isn't viewed as a certainty to sign with the Miami Marlins now after it was reported over the weekend that the two sides were progressing towards a deal, according to sources. Talks between the two sides have cooled in recent days, although that could change again. The Marlins have been […]

Mike Clevinger Under Investigation For Domestic Violence

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mike Clevinger is under investigation by MLB after allegations of domestic violence and child abuse. Olivia Finestead, the mother of Clevinger's 10-month-old daughter, detailed to investigators incidents of physical, verbal and emotional abuse, including an incident last June in which she said Clevinger choked her. There was another incident two […]

A's Agree To Contract With Jesus Aguilar

The Oakland Athletics have reportedly agreed to a deal with first baseman Jesus Aguilar, per a tweet from FanSided's Robert Murray on Tuesday. Murray tweeted the following: "Free-agent first baseman Jesus Aguilar and the Oakland A's are in agreement on a contract, pending physical, according to a source familiar with the deal. First to report […]

Red Sox Acquire Adalberto Mondesi From Royals

The Boston Red Sox acquired infielder Adalberto Mondesi and a player to be named later from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday in exchange for pitcher Josh Taylor, according to a source. Mondesi could open the 2023 season as Boston's primary shortstop now, which would allow utility man Enrique Hernandez to shift over to second. […]

Batted Ball Distribution: Using Sabermetrics for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

Fly balls can turn into home runs. Ground balls never do. It would seem as though fantasy baseball owners want their batters to hit nothing but flies, yet this is not always the case. Why would this be? The answer, of course, comes down to batted ball distribution and how batters make contact. The league […]

Eloy Jimenez Wants Larger Outfield Role In 2023

Chicago White Sox outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jimenez said on a Monday Zoom call that he does not want to serve as the team's primary DH in 2023. Jimenez did serve that role in 2022, as he was recovering from surgery to repair a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee. The good news is that […]

Yankees Will Likely Start Aaron Hicks In Left Field

MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reported Monday that New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks will likely be the team's starting left fielder for the 2023 season. General manager Brian Cashman said of Hicks, "I suspect he will be the guy that emerges, because he's still really talented and everything's there." The 33-year-old has spent much of his […]

Twins Acquire Michael Taylor From Royals

The Minnesota Twins acquired center fielder Michael Taylor from the Kansas City Royals on Monday, according to sources. It's unknown what the Royals received in return for Taylor. The 31-year-old veteran spent the last two years with the Royals, slashing .249/.304/.357 with a .661 OPS, 21 home runs, 97 RBI, 107 runs scored and 18 […]

Reds Re-Sign Derek Law

The Cincinnati Reds re-signed right-hander Derek Law to a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Law spent the 2022 season with both the Reds and Detroit Tigers, combining for a 4.12 ERA (4.89 FIP), 1.58 WHIP, 17 strikeouts and eight walks in only 19 2/3 relief innings over 17 […]

Ryan Sherriff Joins Red Sox

Free-agent left-hander Ryan Sherriff announced on his Twitter account over the weekend that he signed a minor-league deal with the Boston Red Sox. Sherriff spent all of 2022 in the minor leagues for the Philadelphia Phillies and had a nice 2.51 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 18 strikeouts and seven walks in just 14 1/3 relief innings […]

Oscar Colas Will Be Given Shot In Right Field

Chicago White Sox outfield prospect Oscar Colas will have every opportunity to win the starting right field job in 2023 in spring training, according to manager Pedro Grifol. The 24-year-old is the second-ranked prospect in the team's farm system, and he hit .314 with 23 home runs, 79 RBI and an .895 OPS in 117 […]

Yuli Gurriel Close To Signing With Marlins?

It was reported over the weekend that free-agent first baseman Yuli Gurriel was moving toward a deal with the Miami Marlins, according to sources. The soon-to-be 39-year-old suffered a sprained right MCL in Game 5 of the World Series, although he should be ready to go for Opening Day in 2023. Gurriel's numbers dropped in […]

Triston Casas An Obvious Extension Candidate

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas is viewed by the organization as a big piece of what Boston hopes is their next evolution, as he's currently Baseball America's No. 29-ranked prospect in the sport. Casas hit just .197 in his first 27 major-league games in 2022, but it's clear that the Red Sox want […]

Mike Clevinger's Knee Injury "Not A Factor"

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (knee) had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right knee before he signed with the team, but pitching coach Ethan Katz said it's currently "not a factor" in Clevinger's preparation for 2023. In his first season back from Tommy John surgery in 2022 with the San Diego Padres, […]

Ozzie Albies Hasn't Faced Restrictions In Offseason

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (finger) said he would have been ready for the National League Championship Series had the team advanced, and he hasn't had any restrictions during the offseason. Albies suffered a fractured pinkie in mid-September and was unable to play in the first round of the postseason. It was a frustrating […]

Jon Singleton Designated For Assignment

The Milwaukee Brewers have reportedly designated first baseman Jon Singleton for assignment on Monday, per a tweet from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg. Per Hogg's tweet, Singleton was designated for assignment to open up a 40-man roster space for new signing Brian Anderson. Singleton appeared in 134 games for Milwaukee's Triple-A club this past […]

Dodgers, Tyler Cyr In Agreement On Minor-League Deal

Pitcher Tyler Cyr and the Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly in agreement on a minor-league deal, per a tweet from The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya on Saturday. The deal includes an invite to major-league spring training. Cyr made 12 appearances in the majors last season, splitting time with the Oakland Athletics and Philadelphia Phillies. He logged […]

HR/FB: Using Sabermetrics for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

Using BABIP to predict a player's batting average is great. Batting average is a category in many league formats, and every hit is an opportunity to steal a base or score a run. Most fantasy managers find the long ball sexier, though. Every HR comes with a guaranteed run scored and at least one RBI. […]

Hitter BABIP: Using Sabermetrics for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

The most accessible of the fantasy-relevant advanced stats is BABIP, or Batting Average on Balls In Play. It simply measures a player's batting average on balls in play, with outcomes such as strikeouts and home runs removed from consideration. In general, the league average hovers around .300, a nice round number to remember. However, it […]

Astros Unsure If Michael Brantley Will Be Ready

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said that he isn't sure if outfielder Michael Brantley (shoulder) is hitting yet or if he'll be ready for Opening Day. Baker said he plans on treating Brantley like NBA star Kawhi Leonard, welcoming him back when he is ready so he can "carry" the team. Brantley missed the final […]

Alex Bregman Has Been Swinging A Bat

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (finger), who broke his left index finger in Game 6 of the World Series, said he's been swinging a bat since Jan. 1 and that it has healed well. It's good news for Bregman and anyone that plans on drafting him this spring, although his spring training performance will […]

Rogers Centre Moving The Fences In

The Toronto Blue Jays are making their already hitter-friendly stadium (Rogers Centre) even more hitter-friendly going forward. Per sources, the right center field alley is moving in from 375 feet to 357 feet. The left center alley will move in from 375 feet to 366 feet, while center field will move in from 400 feet […]

Royals Sign Johan Camargo To Minor-League Deal

The Kansas City Royals signed free-agent infielder Johan Camargo to a minor-league deal on Saturday. Camargo will provide the rebuilding Royals with some veteran infield depth for 2023. The 29-year-old hit .237/.297/.316 with a .613 OPS, three home runs, 15 RBI and eight runs scored in just 52 games in his first year with the […]

Trevor Story Expects To Play In 2023

Boston Red Sox middle infielder Trevor Story (elbow) said he should be able to play at some point in 2023. "Yeah. Oh yeah. In my mind, yeah," Story said when asked whether he'll play this season. The 30-year-old had an internal bracing procedure on the UCL in his right elbow last week and will not […]

Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck On Track

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that right-handers Garrett Whitlock (hip) and Tanner Houck (back) have been throwing this offseason and are on track for the start of the 2023 season. Whitlock is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right hip, while Houck had a lumbar discectomy. If healthy, Whitlock should begin the year […]