X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Didi Gregorius and Ben Heller Fantasy Baseball Updates - Ben Rosener’s MLB Beat

Major League Baseball’s regular season is here, and with it comes the daily influx of baseball news that fantasy managers missed in the winter months. Lineup news, actual games happening, constant waiver wire moves, pitching assignments, and bullpen usage.

This column aims to cover any and all fantasy baseball news, big or small, and how it pertains to your fantasy team. Spring training or the regular season, it's covered here.

Has a player who's usually been hitting in the middle of a lineup suddenly batting eighth or ninth for an extended period? The fantasy implications will be covered here. The same goes for injuries and injured placements and whether or not you should consider picking up a player who was recently called up. Basically, any kernel of fantasy news and its relevance to fantasy managers could be covered here. Today, the news of the day is the fantasy impact of Didi Gregorius reportedly signing a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners and right-handed reliever Ben Heller being acquired in a trade by the Atlanta Braves.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and weekly lineup resources:

 

Fantasy Baseball Impact Of Didi Gregorius Reportedly Signing A Minor-League Deal With The Seattle Mariners

Veteran shortstop Didi Gregorius is reportedly signing a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners, according to a tweet from Russell Dorsey of Bally Sports and Stadium on Thursday afternoon:

Gregorius last appeared in the Majors during the 2022 season for the Philadelphia Phillies, hitting .210 with a .263 on-base percentage, a home run, and a stolen base in 232 plate appearances. The 33-year-old has mostly played shortstop in his career, and he’ll give the Mariners some additional depth at the position moving forward.

The Mariners are set at shortstop, where Gregorius has played the bulk of his career innings.

J.P. Crawford has seen the lion’s share of the starts and innings at shortstop for the American League West club this season, batting .240 with a .345 on-base percentage, three home runs, and a stolen base.

However, it’ll be interesting to see if the Mariners utilize Gregorius at different infield positions in the minors. If that’s the case, Gregorius will certainly be someone to keep an eye on as a potential deep-league option if he can produce at the Triple-A level.

Mariners second baseman have combined for the fifth-lowest fWAR (0.20) and third-lowest wRC+ (71) in the league. Seattle’s third base options currently have the eighth-lowest collective fWAR (0.6) and wRC+ (88).

For his Major League career, Gregorius has made 11 appearances at second base and two at third base, though both of those instances came during the 2014 season when he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

 

Fantasy Baseball Impact Of Ben Heller Being Acquired By Atlanta

The Atlanta Braves acquired right-handed reliever Ben Heller on Tuesday, per a tweet from the club’s official Twitter account.

Also per the tweet, Atlanta gave up international bonus pool money to acquire the right-hander and optioned him to Triple-A.

Heller owns a career 2.59 ERA and a 5.57 FIP in 31.1 lifetime Major League innings, adding 30 strikeouts compared to 15 walks. All 31.1 of those innings came with the New York Yankees from the 2016 season through the 2020 campaign.

So far in 27.1 innings for Tampa Bay’s Triple-A affiliate this season, the 31-year-old has posted a 3.95 ERA, a 3.87 FIP, while striking out 34 batters and allowing eight walks.

And while Heller will start his time with the National League East club in the minors, he could be worth a look later in the season as a fantasy option in saves+holds leagues with 14 or more teams given how Atlanta’s bullpen has performed so far. The club entered play Thursday with the sixth-most holds (39) in the league and has seen some quality performances from a number of their late-inning arms. However, there have also been a few relievers who’ve struggled this season.

Nick Anderson, Jesse Chavez, and Dylan Lee have all been anywhere from good to very good so far as setup options to closer Raisel Iglesias this season. Iglesias himself has pitched well, too. There’s also veteran reliever A.J. Minter whose 2.93 FIP is a lot more indicative of his effectiveness than his 6.04 ERA in 28.1 innings this season.

Atlanta’s Late-Inning Bullpen Options This Season

  • Raisel Iglesias: 12.2 innings pitched, 2.84 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 23.1 K%, 11.5 BB%
  • Nick Anderson: 25.1 innings pitched, 3.20 ERA, 2.46 FIP, 29.8 K%, 3.2 BB%
  • Jesse Chavez: 26 innings pitched, 1.73 ERA, 2.56 FIP, 39.8 K%, 6.7 BB%
  • Dylan Lee: 20.1 innings pitched, 3.10 ERA, 3.34 FIP, 27.1 K%, 8.2 BB%
  • A.J. Minter: 28.1 innings pitched, 6.04 ERA, 2.93 FIP, 30.4 K%, 6.1 BB%

Still, Kirby Yates and Joe Jimenez have both struggled so far. Yates owns a 3.54 ERA but is also sporting a 5.30 FIP in 20.1 innings of work. He’s also walked 17 batters in those 20.1 innings to go along with 26 strikeouts. Jimenez, meanwhile, has turned in a 4.42 ERA, a 4.65 FIP, 24 strikeouts, and six walks in 18.1 innings in his first season with the team after being acquired in an offseason trade from the Detroit Tigers.

And that’s all without mentioning Collin McHugh. Like Yates, his ERA (3.00) looks good on paper. However, his 4.16 FIP tells a slightly different story. Overall, the veteran logged just 14 strikeouts compared to 10 walks in 24 innings this season.

Unsurprisingly, Anderson, Chavez, and Lee lead Atlanta in holds, but McHugh, Yates, Jimenez, and Michael Tonkin have accounted for nearly a quarter (10) of the club’s holds so far. If the latter group continues to struggle, Heller could – speculatively speaking – be a candidate to see some late-inning work and a few holds opportunities in the process.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Anthony Richardson1 hour ago

A Game-Time Decision For Week 5
Brent Rooker13 hours ago

Undergoes Right-Forearm Surgery
Anthony Rizzo13 hours ago

Won't Be On ALDS Roster
Tarik Skubal14 hours ago

Set To Start Game 2 Of ALDS
Tyler Glasnow14 hours ago

Still Unsure About Recovery Plan, Not Throwing Yet
Freddie Freeman14 hours ago

Says He Will Play In Game 1 Of NLDS
Rhamondre Stevenson15 hours ago

Won't Start In Week 5
Kodai Senga15 hours ago

To Start Game 1 Of NLDS Against Phillies
Joe Musgrove15 hours ago

To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
San Francisco 49ers16 hours ago

Fred Warner Questionable For Week 5
Boone Jenner16 hours ago

Suffers Upper-Body Injury During Friday's Practice
Raheem Mostert16 hours ago

Returning In Week 5
Cody Martin16 hours ago

Considered As Day-To-Day
William Karlsson16 hours ago

Remains Questionable For Season Opener
Josh Giddey17 hours ago

Practices On Friday
Matthew Poitras17 hours ago

Remains Day-To-Day, Could Miss Start Of Season
Lonzo Ball17 hours ago

Active During Friday's Practice
Robert Williams III17 hours ago

To Miss Two Weeks
Brian Robinson Jr.17 hours ago

Listed As Questionable
Bryan Rust17 hours ago

Deemed Day-To-Day
Dante Exum17 hours ago

Could Require Surgery
Las Vegas Raiders17 hours ago

Maxx Crosby Questionable For Raiders Defense
Johnathan Kovacevic17 hours ago

Tallies Two Points On Friday
Zamir White17 hours ago

Downgraded To Out
Jacob Markstrom17 hours ago

Shines In New Jersey Debut
Davante Adams17 hours ago

Officially Out In Week 5
Brandin Cooks18 hours ago

Expected To Miss Some Games
George Kittle18 hours ago

Questionable For Week 5
Evan Engram18 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Sunday
Dallas Cowboys18 hours ago

Micah Parsons Out For Week 5
Kareem Hunt19 hours ago

Clyde Edwards-Helaire Practice In Limited Fashion On Friday
Tank Dell19 hours ago

Cleared To Play In Week 5
Romeo Doubs19 hours ago

Christian Watson Listed As Doubtful For Week 5
Anthony Richardson19 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Trendon Watford20 hours ago

Battling Injury Ahead Of Preseason
Alex Pereira20 hours ago

Set For Third Light-Heavyweight Title Defense
Day'Ron Sharpe20 hours ago

Evaluated For Hamstring Injury
Khalil Rountree Jr.20 hours ago

Looks To Become UFC Middleweight Champion
Nicolas Claxton20 hours ago

To Miss Preseason Opener With Hamstring Issue
Joe Mixon20 hours ago

Ruled Out, Dameon Pierce Questionable To Play
Isaiah Stewart20 hours ago

To Move To Center
Devin Singletary20 hours ago

Listed As Doubtful For Week 5
Ketlen Vieira20 hours ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Jaylin Williams20 hours ago

To Miss Preseason
Zamir White20 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Week 5
Trey Murphy III21 hours ago

Likely To Miss Start Of Season
Roman Dolidze21 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC 307
Aaron Rodgers21 hours ago

Removed From Injury Report
David Njoku21 hours ago

Tagged As Questionable For Week 5
Kevin Holland22 hours ago

Set For Middleweight Matchup
Marcell Ozuna23 hours ago

Braves Planning To Pick Up Marcell Ozuna's Option
Chris Sale23 hours ago

Feels Great After Throwing Side Session
Spencer Strider23 hours ago

Not A Lock For Opening Day 2025
Ronald Acuña Jr.23 hours ago

Ronald Acuna Jr. Not Guaranteed To Be Ready For Opening Day 2025
MLB23 hours ago

Tomoyuki Sugano Will Sign With MLB Team This Winter
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Labled As Day-To-Day
Robin Lehner1 day ago

Will Not Count Against Golden Knights' Salary Cap In 2024-25
Conor Geekie1 day ago

Suspended For Friday's Preseason Game
Tyson Barrie1 day ago

Inks One-Year Contract With Flames
Calle Jarnkrok1 day ago

Returns To Action
Dmitri Voronkov1 day ago

Injured On First Shift
Pete Alonso1 day ago

Leads Mets To NLDS
Devin Williams1 day ago

Melts Down In Rubber Match
Tylor Megill1 day ago

Likely To Start Game 1
Kodai Senga1 day ago

Mets Discussing Possibility Of Adding Kodai Senga To Playoff Roster
Cincinnati Reds2 days ago

Reds Hire Terry Francona As Manager
Freddie Freeman2 days ago

Doesn't Play Defense In Simulated Game
Keldon Johnson2 days ago

Healthy Heading Into 2024 Season
2 days ago

Joshua Primo Joining Bulls
Chris Boucher2 days ago

Has Improved Mindset
Kayla Harrison2 days ago

A Massive Favorite At UFC 307
Mario Bautista2 days ago

Faces A Legend At UFC 307
Christian Braun2 days ago

Seen Working With Starters
José Aldo2 days ago

Jose Aldo An Underdog At UFC 307
Julianna Peña2 days ago

Julianna Pena Tries To Reclaim Bantamweight Title At UFC 307
Raquel Pennington2 days ago

Looks To Defend Title For First Time At UFC 307
Josh Richardson2 days ago

Making Solid Progress
Anthony Rizzo2 days ago

Considered A Long Shot For ALDS
Jorge Mateo2 days ago

Grayson Rodriguez, Felix Bautista, Jorge Mateo Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training
Justin Verlander2 days ago

Plans To Pitch In 2025
Jeremy Sochan2 days ago

Working On Improving His Shooting
James Wiseman2 days ago

Nursing Groin Issue
Jordan Poole2 days ago

Set To Start At Point Guard For Wizards
Luka Doncic2 days ago

Expected To Be Available For Season Opener
Naz Reid2 days ago

Will Continue To Come Off The Bench This Season
2 days ago

Filip Kral Ready To Return Thursday
Justin Danforth2 days ago

Remains Sidelined Thursday
Erik Gudbranson2 days ago

To Sit Out Thursday's Preseason Game
Luke Hughes2 days ago

Remains 5-7 Weeks Away From Returning
Jared McCann2 days ago

Misses Preseason Game With A Lower-Body Injury
Artturi Lehkonen2 days ago

Skates In Non-Contact Jersey
Alex Nedeljkovic3 days ago

Out Week-To-Week
Blake Lizotte3 days ago

Diagnosed With A Concussion
Pius Suter3 days ago

Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Eric Cole3 days ago

Hopes To Rediscover Form At Sanderson Farms Championship
Mackenzie Hughes3 days ago

Looks To Rebound From Tough Presidents Cup
Henrik Norlander3 days ago

A Course Horse At Country Club Of Jackson
Ryan Fox3 days ago

Debuts At Sanderson Farms Championship
Charley Hoffman3 days ago

Consistently Playing Well
PGA3 days ago

Matthew McCarty Debuts At Sanderson Farms Championship
Ben Griffin3 days ago

Returns To Action At Sanderson Farms Championship
Beau Hossler3 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Jackson Country Club
Keith Mitchell3 days ago

Continues Playing Well
Chandler Phillips4 days ago

A Wild Card At Sanderson Farms Championship
Rickie Fowler4 days ago

A Player To Avoid In Mississippi
Matt Kuchar4 days ago

Looking To Stay Hot In Mississippi
Patrick Rodgers4 days ago

Tough To Trust At Sandserson Farms Championship
J.J. Spaun4 days ago

In Excellent Form Ahead Of Sanderson Farms Championship
Rico Hoey4 days ago

Worth The Gamble At Sanderson Farms Championship
Cameron Champ5 days ago

Can Cameron Champ Turn Back The Clock In Mississippi?
Lucas Glover5 days ago

Seeking First Top-10 Finish Of 2024
Justin Lower5 days ago

Strives For Better Form At Sanderson Farms
Harris English5 days ago

Trying To Put Positive Spin On 2024
Chan Kim5 days ago

Looking To Stay On PGA Tour For 2025
Nick Dunlap5 days ago

Looks To Improve At Sanderson Farms Championship
Brendan Allen5 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Nassourdine Imavov5 days ago

Extends Win Streak To Three
Joanderson Brito5 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Paris
William Gomis5 days ago

Wins Decision At UFC Paris
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Suffers A Major Playoff Setback Due To An Underwhelming Kansas Finish
Gabriel Miranda5 days ago

Knocked Out At UFC Paris
Chase Elliott5 days ago

Salvages A Top-10 Finish At Kansas After Starting From The Rear
William Byron5 days ago

Sets A New Career-Best Finish At Kansas Despite Missing The Victory
Morgan Charrière5 days ago

Morgan Charriere Gets Back In The Win Column
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

Earns His First Career Top-Five Finish At Kansas With Team Penske
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Mistakes Turn A Potentially Winning Day Into A Solid Day For Christopher Bell At Kansas
Ross Chastain5 days ago

"Disrupts" At Kansas And Goes To Victory Lane
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

On The Outside Looking In After Kansas Dud
Martin Truex Jr5 days ago

: "Just Ran Out of Time" At Kansas
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Scores Top-Five Finish At Kansas
Alex Bowman5 days ago

Wins Stage, Has Big Points Day At Kansas
Daniel Suarez5 days ago

Comes Back From Lap Down To Finish 13th At Kansas
Joey Logano5 days ago

Loose Wheel Spoils Joey Logano's Potential Top-Five Run At Kansas
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Recovers From Three Botched Pit Stops To Finish Eighth At Kansas
Austin Cindric5 days ago

Likely Out Of Playoff Contention After Kansas Crash
Chase Briscoe5 days ago

Unlikely To Advance To Round Of 8 After Mediocre Kansas Run
Matt Frevola6 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Paris
Farés Ziam6 days ago

Fares Ziam Gets Higlight-Reel Knockout Win At UFC Paris
Kevin Jousset6 days ago

Gets TKO'd At UFC Paris
Bryan Battle6 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC Paris
MMA6 days ago

Benoit Saint-Denis Gets Dominated At UFC Paris

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP