Steven Brault, Chad Kuhl Likely To Piggyback Sunday’s Game

Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Steven Brault is in line to start Sunday’s contest against the Cubs, just don’t expect to see him for long. Right-hander Chad Kuhl is also expected to pitch, with the duo having combined to limit the Brewers to 5 ⅔ scoreless innings last week in their first piggyback outing. With this strategy […]

Kenta Maeda Masterful In Win Over Indians

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kenta Maeda was fantastic in his second start of the season. Maeda pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, one walk and striking out six en route to his second win of the season. The 32-year-old threw 52 of 83 pitches for strikes and kept Cleveland hitters off balance all […]

Cardinals And Tigers To Play Four Games In Detroit

The St. Louis Cardinals season is scheduled to continue on Tuesday in Detroit. The two teams were scheduled to play two games in St. Louis and two in Detroit, starting on Monday. Instead, due to COVID-19 concerns, the two teams will play four games in Detroit starting on Tuesday, including a double header on Wednesday. […]

Cardinals-Brewers Double Header Postponed

The scheduled double header set for Sunday between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers has been postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. The two teams were going to play the double header to make up for Friday's game, which was postponed. Now, Saturday's game is also off the schedule, and Sunday's two games won't […]

Kolby Allard Not Slated For More Than 60-70 Pitches Sunday

Texas Rangers left-handed pitcher Kolby Allard is taking injured All-Star Corey Kluber’s spot in the starting rotation for Sunday’s contest against the Giants. Allard hasn’t pitched during the 2020 regular season yet, which will limit him to about 60-70 pitches, per manager Chris Woodward. “I’m looking at three, four innings, tops,” Woodward said, “I don’t […]

Mike Brosseau Continues Dominance Of Orioles With HR

Tampa Bay Rays utilityman Mike Brosseau made his second career start at first base during Saturday’s game against Baltimore, a team that he has become mighty familiar with in his short big league career. Brosseau slugged a home run in the 6th, his sixth career blast against the Orioles -- the catch? It was just […]

Mitch Keller Departs Start Early With Apparent Injury

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller was in the midst of a second consecutive impressive outing Saturday against the Cubs when he was lifted in the third due to an injury that looked to be to his left side. Keller allowed five hits and two runs across 2 ⅔ innings, although he danced around trouble […]

Hanser Alberto (2B, 3B, BAL) - Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: Hanser Alberto has garnered a reputation for being a "leftie-masher" in that he hits left-handed pitching so well. The numbers certainly back that up. In 2019, Alberto had a .398/.414/.534 slash line against lefties and already has a .625/.625/1.250 line against southpaws this […]

Nicky Lopez Exits Game Saturday Due To Injury

Kansas City Royals second baseman Nicky Lopez sustained a shin ailment during Saturday’s contest against the White Sox, forcing him to exit early after going 0-for-2 with six runners left on base. Lopez has scuffled to begin 2020, going 2-for-16 with no extra-base hits in his first eight games. Any extended absence for Lopez would […]

Michael Fulmer Has Start Bumped Back Due To Rain

Detroit Tigers right-handed pitcher Michael Fulmer had been in line to make his second start Saturday against the Reds, but due to the rainout, will now have his next appearance pushed to next week. With the delay not coming until just before first pitch, Fulmer had prepped to start Saturday, which apparently factored into the […]

Using the Baller Ranks and Meta Report

The Baller Ranks depict player value and active developments throughout the season. For most leagues, there are somewhere between 250 and 400 fantasy-relevant players. Most weeks feature more than 80 games, a myriad of roster moves, and enough information that many fantasy managers can miss critical changes. In the best sense, the Baller Ranks offer updated […]

James Karinchak (RP, CLE) - Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% of leagues ANALYSIS: James Karinchak came into the 2020 season as a sleeper for saves and he picked up his first career save against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. Those save opportunities may come thick and fast after Cleveland Indians regular closer Brad Hand has started the […]

Byron Buxton Playing At Less Than 100 Percent

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton revealed prior to Saturday’s contest against Cleveland that his injured foot has not completely healed. Buxton’s appearance in the lineup was just his third of the year, not yet having played in back-to-back days in 2020. Having been thrown out trying to steal a base just eight times in […]

James Hoyt Becomes Latest Reliever Traded To Miami

The Miami Marlins’ bullpen overhaul continued Saturday as they acquired right-handed pitcher James Hoyt from the Cleveland Indians. Hoyt had been designated for assignment earlier in the week after having appeared in eight games last season for Cleveland, allowing two runs and striking out 10 in 8 ⅓ innings. Miami has had to reconstruct its […]

Trevor Story Extends On-Base Streak To 22 Games

Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story wasted little time getting on base during Saturday’s game against the Padres, smacking a single off of left-hander Joey Lucchesi in his first at-bat. The hit by Story marks his 22nd consecutive game having reached base, dating back to Sept. 10 of last season. Through the first six games of […]

Giancarlo Stanton Set To Remain DH For Foreseeable Future

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone had previously spoken about how he hoped to use the designated hitter to get some of his everyday regulars some time off their feet defensively. But with Giancarlo Stanton having opened 2020 on a tear despite some concerns around his right calf, Boone has decided to stick with Stanton […]

JaCoby Jones (OF, DET) - Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of leagues ANALYSIS: JaCoby Jones has a .423/.464/.885 slash line through eight games of the season despite hitting ninth in the Detroit Tigers lineup in all eight games. The Tigers have gotten off to a good start with a 5-3 record and Jones has been a […]

Jonathan Lucroy Clears Waivers, To Remain With Red Sox

Boston Red Sox catcher Jonathan Lucroy will report to the team’s alternate training site after clearing waivers Saturday. Currently, the Red Sox are rolling with the duo of Christian Vazquez and Kevin Plawecki behind the dish. Since having been an All-Star with the Brewers in 2016, Lucroy has appeared for six different organizations, unable to […]

Kris Bryant A Last-Minute Scratch From Saturday’s Lineup

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was removed from Saturday’s lineup against the Pirates at the eleventh hour due to an undisclosed reason. Bryant has scuffled out of the gates in 2020, going 3-for-25 with one double and 10 strikeouts through his first six games. Despite that, his exit velocity has been off the charts, […]

Matt Shoemaker (SP, TOR) - Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays Matt Shoemaker made a triumphant return to the mound on the season's opening weekend, hurling six innings and giving up just one run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts. After tearing an ACL in April 2019, Shoemaker missed […]

Forrest Whitley Dealing With Arm Soreness

Houston Astros right-handed pitcher Forrest Whitley -- the club’s No. 1 prospect -- has been shut down at the team’s alternate training site as he deals with discomfort in his throwing arm. Injuries have changed the landscape for Houston in 2020, as Justin Verlander, Jose Urquidy, and Chris Devenski are just three of the notable […]

Yandy Diaz (1B, 3B, TB) - Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of leagues ANALYSIS: It may seem odd to suggest adding a hitter who has started the season 2 for 21 at the plate but Yandy Diaz has been walked nine times (which leads the Majors) and struck out just five times in his seven games so far. […]

Jose Quintana Tosses Bullpen Session, Progressing In Rehab

Chicago Cubs left-handed pitcher Jose Quintana has not yet stepped onto a big league mound this season due to a left thumb ailment, but he tossed 38 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday, a step in the right direction toward his eventual activation off the injured list. The plan is for Quintana to step on […]

Juan Soto Clobbers Homer During Scrimmage In Return

Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto is yet to make his on-field debut in 2020, but his swing appears to be on track for expected levels of success after he smacked a home run during a scrimmage Saturday. Soto is an elite fantasy option in any format, having put together a terrific 2019 that saw him […]

Eric Hosmer Hits IL After Battling Gastritis

A decision has finally been made on San Diego Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer after having been absent from the lineup for six of the team’s first nine games: he’ll be hitting the injured list. While the team had insisted that he was away due to a non-COVID-19 illness, it appears that gastritis is the […]

Chris Devenski Placed On IL Amid Rough Start To 2020

Houston Astros right-hander Chris Devenski is battling right elbow soreness and has been put on the injured list. Devenski was tagged for three runs in his most recent outing last Sunday. Houston’s pitching staff has been taxed by injuries in the early part of the 2020 year, with yet another valuable piece going by the […]

Zack Littell Placed On 10-Day Injured List

Minnesota Twins reliever Zack Littell (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring. Perhaps this explains why the 24-year-old was off to a slow start, as he owns a 12.00 ERA with three home runs allowed in three innings pitched. Hard-throwing prospect Jorge Alcala has been called up to replace […]

Kevan Smith Placed On Covid-19 Injured List

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Kevan Smith (illness) was placed on the Covid-19 injured list on Saturday. Smith had minor symptoms and tested negative but needs another negative test to be able to play. Fortunately for Smith and the Rays, he hasn't had a positive test yet, so it may not be that long of an […]

Jose Urquidy, Yordan Alvarez About Two Weeks Away

Houston Astros pitcher Jose Urquidy (undisclosed) and designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (undisclosed) are both at least two weeks away from returning to the club. It's an odd situation, as the team hasn't provided much more information on their statuses. The worst part is, neither player was able to do much when they were away from […]

Cubs Don't Commit To Craig Kimbrel As Closer

Chicago Cubs reliever Craig Kimbrel doesn't appear to have the confidence of his manager when it comes to closing games right now. Manager David Ross was non-committal in Saturday's press conference when asked if Kimbrel will get the ball with a one-run lead. The former All-Star had a rough outing on Friday night, giving up […]