RADIO
Scooter Gennett Avoids Arbitration
1/11:Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $9.775 million deal. Gennett proved his 2017 breakout was no fluke by slashing .310/.357/.490 with 23 home runs, 92 RBI, 86 runs scored and four stolen bases in 2018. He may never reach the 30-homer mark, but Gennett is a safer top-10 fantasy second baseman as long as he remains in the hitter-friendly confines of Great American Ballpark.Source: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
Ken Giles Gets $6.3 Million From Toronto
1/11:Toronto Blue Jays closer Ken Giles avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $6.3 million deal. Giles had a rough 2018 season. He posted a 4.65 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with Houston before being traded to the Blue Jays midseason. He was slightly better in Toronto and saved 26 games total between the two teams. Giles posted a career-low 9.5 K/9 in his 50 1/3 innings but should remain the top ninth-inning guy for the Jays entering the 2019 season. His volatility makes him a risk/reward fantasy stopper in a hitter-friendly environment and in the toughest division in baseball.Source: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
Angels Settle With Tyler Skaggs
1/11:The Los Angeles Angels avoided salary arbitration with starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs by signing him to a one-year, $3.7 million deal. Skaggs went 8-10 in 2018 with a 4.02 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 9.3 K/9 over 24 starts (125 1/3 innings). His innings total was his highest in his six-league career, and the left-hander remains an injury risk with some strikeout upside. Target him in the late rounds as a flier in deep mixed leagues.Source: Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
Aaron Hicks Avoids Salary Arbitration
1/11:New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $6 million deal. Hicks has a nice combination of power and speed -- he hit 27 dingers and stole 11 bases in 2018 -- but injuries are a concern for the 29-year-old and the fact that New York has a crowded outfield picture. Still, the switch-hitter should be a regular in one of the more potent offenses in baseball.Source: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
Diamondbacks Settle With Robbie Ray
1/11:The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration with starting pitcher Robbie Ray on Friday by signing him to a one-year, $6.05 million deal. Rumored to be on the trade block this offseason, the D-backs ultimately would like to hang onto the talented southpaw. Ray went 6-2 in 2018 with a 3.93 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 165 strikeouts in 123 2/3 frames over 24 starts. He had back-to-back 200-plus K seasons in 2016 and 2017 and is a top-35 fantasy starter going into 2019.Source: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
Dan Winkler Gets A Raise
1/11:Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Dan Winkler avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $1.61 million deal, according to a source. Winkler was a huge high-leverage asset for Atlanta last year, posting a 3.43 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 69 K's in 60 1/3 innings with two saves. While he won't be drafted in shallow mixed leagues, he's worth considering as a handcuff for those that snag Arodys Vizcaino late in drafts in deeper leagues.Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Dan Straily Avoids Arbitration
1/11:Miami Marlins starting pitcher Dan Straily avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $5.0 million deal. Straily missed some time in 2018 with an injury and made just 23 starts (122 1/3 innings), posting a 4.12 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 99 strikeouts (7.3 K/9). There's not much upside left in the 30-year-old right-hander's arm, making him strictly a matchup-based streamer in deep mixed and NL-only affairs.Source: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
Jose Urena Settles With Marlins
1/11:Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Urena avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $3.2 million deal, according to a source. Urena had a 3.98 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 6.7 K/9 across 31 starts (174 innings) for the Fish in 2018. His career 6.1 K/9 in four seasons in Miami leaves a lot to be desired for fantasy owners, making him mostly a streaming candidate in deep mixed and NL-only leagues.Source: The Athletic - Robert Murray
Cubs Avoid Arbitration With Kyle Schwarber
1/11:The Chicago Cubs avoided salary arbitration with outfielder Kyle Schwarber on Friday by signing him to a one-year, $3.39 million deal. Schwarber played in a career-high 137 games last season and hit .238/.356/.467 with an .823 OPS, 26 home runs, 61 RBI and 64 runs scored. Injury concerns and a high strikeout rate keep Schwarber more on the cusp as a top-50 fantasy outfielder, though, as his power is his only real calling card for fantasy owners.Source: Chicago Sun-Times - Gordon Wittenmyer
Yankees Closing In On DJ LeMahieu
1/11:The New York Yankees are closing in on a two-year deal with free-agent second baseman DJ LeMahieu. This could signal the end of the Yankees pursuit of free-agent shortstop Manny Machado, as Gleyber Torres would presumably move to the 6 until Didi Gregorius is recovered from Tommy John surgery. LeMahieu, 31 in July, hit .276/.321/.428 with 15 home runs, 62 RBI, 90 runs scored and six stolen bases in 2018 for Colorado. His 15 homers were a career high and his splits away from hitter-friendly Coors Field haven't been great, but Yankee Stadium would be a fine landing spot. However, there might be legitimate questions about his playing time once Gregorius returns in the second half of the season.Source: YES Network - Jack Curry
Mookie Betts Avoids Arbitration
1/11:Boston Red Sox outfielder and 2018 American League Most Valuable Player Mookie Betts avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $20 million deal, according to sources. It's a new high mark for a second-year arbitration-eligible player. Betts is in consideration for the top overall fantasy pick in 2019 after leading all of baseball in runs (129), average (.346) and slugging percentage (.640).Source: MLB.com - Matt Kelly
Adam Duvall Settles With Braves
1/11:Atlanta Braves outfielder Adam Duvall avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.875 million deal, according to a source. Duvall hit an ugly .195/.274/.365 with 15 home runs and 61 RBI in 138 games with the Reds and Braves last season. However, he could see consistent playing time in left field in Atlanta in 2019, at least to begin the season. Duvall had back-to-back 30-plus homer seasons with Cincy in 2016 and 2017, so his power shouldn't be overlooked if he's playing regularly as depth in deep mixed leagues.Source: The Athletic - Robert Murray
Jose Peraza Avoids Arbitration
1/11:Cincinnati Reds shortstop Jose Peraza avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.775 million deal, according to a source. Peraza put himself on the fantasy map in 2018 by hitting .288/.326/.416 with 14 home runs, 58 RBI, 85 runs scored and 23 stolen bases in 157 games as the team's everyday shortstop. His 15-homer, 20-steal upside makes him a top-15 fantasy shortstop.Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Bobby Nightengale
Alex Bregman Undergoes Elbow Surgery
1/11:Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow on Friday to remove loose bodies, according to the team. He will be limited in spring training but is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. It's not a serious surgery, but it's something to keep an eye on, especially if Bregman gets off to a slow start to begin the year. This news is unlikely to deter fantasy owners from taking the 24-year-old early in fantasy drafts after he slashed .286/.394/.532 with 31 homers, 103 RBI, 105 runs and 10 stolen bases in 2018. He's RotoBaller's No. 4 third baseman behind Jose Ramirez, Nolan Arenado and Manny Machado.Source: Houston Chronicle - Chandler Rome
Corey Knebel Avoids Arbitration
1/11:Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Corey Knebel avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $5.125 million deal, according to sources. Knebel's 2018 season wasn't as fruitful as 2017, as he dealt with an injury and even spent time in the minors. But he bounced back late in the year and looked like his dominant self again in the postseason. Knebel finished the year with a 3.58 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 14.3 K/9 in 55 1/3 innings with 16 saves. While he could lose some save chances to lefty Josh Hader, Knebel remains one of the best strikeouts artists in the game and should at least be a midrange closing target.Source: The Athletic - Robert Murray
