RADIO
Ketel Marte Is An Option To Play Center Field
10/22:Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte is an option to move to center field next year if A.J. Pollock departs in free agency, which is expected. In that scenario, Marte moving to the outfield would open up second base duties on a daily basis for Eduardo Escobar, who signed a three-year deal on Monday. Marte could also shift to shortstop if the team decides to trade Nick Ahmed. In his second season in Arizona, Marte hit .260/.332/.437 with career highs in doubles (26), triples (12), home runs (14), RBI (59) and runs scored (68) in 153 games. He also stole six bases. Marte is more of a middle infield option in deep mixed and NL-only leagues, but adding outfield eligibility would surely make him more attractive.Source: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
Seung Hwan Oh Expected To Pitch For Rockies In 2019
10/22:Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Seung Hwan Oh is expected to pitch for the team in 2019, according to general manager Jeff Bridich. Oh told reporters in South Korea last week that he was considering returning to pitch in his home country in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). “From what we have been told, it was much ado about nothing regarding Oh,” Bridich said. “His comments to the Korean media were not specifically about 2019. It was more about ending his career there." The 36-year-old was acquired from the Blue Jays in late July and went 6-3 with three saves and a 2.63 ERA in 73 outings with Toronto and Colorado. The right-hander has a vesting team option for $2.5 million next year with a $250,000 buyout. Oh was a key piece for the Rockies and helped solidify a bullpen that was very shaky in the first half of the season. Unless he's in line for saves, however, Oh doesn't have much fantasy appeal.Source: The Denver Post - Patrick Saunders
Rangers Not Expected To Give Qualifying Offer To Adrian Beltre
10/22:Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre has yet to make a decision on retirement, but general manager Jon Daniels said he doesn't expect to offer the veteran a qualifying offer after the World Series. However, if Beltre decides to come back for another year, the Rangers will work out the right contract. Beltre spent multiple stints on the disabled list with lower-body injuries in 2018, and his power was noticeably down. The 39-year-old hit .273/.328/.434 with 15 home runs and 65 RBI in 119 games. Health will continue to be an issue if he returns, and the Rangers will likely give him plenty of rest. At best, Beltre will be a power option at corner infield in deep mixed leagues.Source: MLB.com - T.R. Sullivan
Diamondbacks Re-Sign Eduardo Escobar To Three-Year Deal
10/22:The Arizona Diamondbacks re-signed infielder Eduardo Escobar to a three-year, $21 million deal on Monday. The 29-year-old was acquired by Arizona in July and helped fill in at third base for the injured Jake Lamb, hitting .268/.327/.444 in 54 games. Lamb is expected to be healthy for spring training, but Escobar also gives the team options around the infield, as he has seen time at third, shortstop and second base and all three outfield positions in his career. General manager Mike Hazen said the team sees Escobar in the lineup every day, which would be bad news for Lamb unless an injury or trade opens up another spot in the infield. Overall, Escobar hit .272/.334/.489 with a career-high 23 home runs, 84 RBI and 75 runs scored in 151 games. His multi-position eligibility is perhaps what makes him most attractive in fantasy.Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Matt Kemp To Serve As DH In Game 1 Of World Series
10/22:Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that outfielder Matt Kemp will serve as the designated hitter in Game 1 of the World Series against Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale on Tuesday. Kemp had a fine season as an All-Star in 2018, but he tailed off significantly in the second half of the season and is just 3-for-14 with an RBI in nine playoff games this year. Kemp did hit .273/.320/.508 with 11 of his 21 homers off left-handers this year, but Sale isn't most left-handers. In any event, Kemp could pan out as a DFS sleeper on Tuesday. He has never faced Sale in his career.Source: Los Angeles Times - Bill Shaikin
Dodgers Set Rotation For World Series
10/22:Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu will start Game 2 of the World Series against the Red Sox on Wednesday, according to manager Dave Roberts. Walker Buehler will start Game 3 in LA on Friday, which sets up Rich Hill for Game 4 on Saturday. Ryu had been nearly unhittable in limited action all year up until Game 6 of the NLCS against the Brewers when he allowed five earned runs in just three innings. Boston ranked just 11th in the American League this year with 37 total home runs off left-handed pitchers, and they came in at eighth in the AL in OPS against southpaws, which would be good news for both Ryu and Hill. Against right-handers, Boston was second in the AL in home runs (171) and first in OPS. Ryu and Hill will both be contrarian DFS plays in the World Series. Clayton Kershaw will start Game 1, as expected.Source: The Athletic - Pedro Moura
Steven Wright Expected To Join World Series Roster
10/22:Boston Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright (knee) is expected to be added to the team's World Series roster on Tuesday morning. He will replace either Heath Hembree or Brandon Workman in the bullpen. Wright had reconstructive knee surgery last year and was still bothered by knee issues in 2018, so he'll need offseason surgery once again. But he got through a simulated game on Sunday and should be fine for the World Series. The knuckleballer was quite effective in his limited innings this year and will be a nice option out of the bullpen against the Dodgers. He won't have any DFS value, however.Source: The Athletic - Jim Bowden
Sandy Leon To Catch In Game 1
10/22:Boston Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon, who served as starter Chris Sale's personal catcher for most of the year, will start behind the plate in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday. Leon is the much weaker bat than Christian Vazquez, as he hit just .177/.232/.279 with five home runs and 22 RBI in 265 at-bats this year. However, if any team can get away with a weak link in the lineup, it'd be the Red Sox. Needless to say, Leon should be avoided in DFS against Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw.Source: Boston Herald - Jason Mastrodonato
David Price Will Go In Game 2 Against Dodgers
10/22:Boston Red Sox starting pitcher David Price will start in Game 2 of the World Series against the Dodgers on Wednesday. Manager Alex Cora will see how Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi are used out of the bullpen before announcing his Games 3 and 4 starters. Price has typically struggled in the playoffs in his career, but he was fantastic to clinch the ALCS against the Astros in Game 5, tossing six shutout innings while fanning nine. The lefty did give up seven earned runs (three homers) in just 6 1/3 innings in his other two starts this postseason, so he'll be a risk/reward DFS pick. The good news is that the Dodgers are more vulnerable against lefties.Source: MLB.com - Ian Browne
Clayton Kershaw To Start Game 1 Of World Series
10/22:Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw will start Game 1 of the World Series against the Red Sox on Tuesday. This was always expected, even after Kershaw came in to close out ninth in Game 7 of the NLCS against the Brewers. The left-hander has had his fair share of postseason struggles in his career, but Kershaw has allowed only five earned runs in 19 innings across three starts this year while walking four and striking out 16. He'll be just fine, although he'll be facing baseball's best lineup on the road.Source: The Athletic - Pedro Moura
Tyler Naquin May Be Starting Right Fielder
10/22:Cleveland Indians outfielder Tyler Naquin might be the best bet to open the 2019 season as the team's starting right fielder. He has recovered nicely from his hip surgery on July 26 and was playing games against prospects when the minor league playoffs ended. He hit .264 (.651 OPS) with three home runs and 23 RBI in 174 at-bats in 2018. Naquin is a lefty hitter that could be a sleeper in deep mixed and AL-only leagues coming off his surgery this year.Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Terry Pluto
Brandon Guyer Unlikely To Re-Sign
10/22:The Cleveland Indians are unlikely to re-sign pending free-agent outfielder Brandon Guyer after he hit .206 (.671 OPS) with seven home runs and 27 RBI in 2018. Outfielders Michael Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Rajai Davis and Melky Cabrera will also be free agents this winter. Guyer is a mostly a bench bat, leaving him little fantasy value.Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Terry Pluto
Yandy Diaz Could Be Everyday Third Baseman
10/22:The Cleveland Indians seem prepared to finally give infielder Yandy Diaz a shot at the starting gig at third base in 2019 with Jason Kipnis going to left field if the team doesn't re-sign outfielder Michael Brantley. Diaz has hit .312 (62-for-201) with a homer, 15 RBI and a .797 OPS since the All-Star break last season and is a career .319 hitter (.848 OPS) at Triple-A. That would allow Jose Ramirez to stay at second base. Josh Donaldson will be a free agent and was injured for most of this year. Diaz makes good contact and can hit for a decent average, but he has little power and little speed, which would make him mostly an AL-only consideration.Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Terry Pluto
Michael Brantley Unlikely To Return To Cleveland
10/22:Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley, who hit .309 (.832 OPS) with 17 homers and 76 RBI this year, is a pending free agent. The Indians must decide if they'll extend an $18 million qualifying offer. There are whispers that he might get a three-year deal in the $45 million range on the open market, so he's unlikely to be re-signed by the Indians for multiple seasons. The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto guesses that the Tribe would move Jason Kipnis to left field if Brantley goes elsewhere. However, the Indians could also try to trade Kipnis, who is due $14.7 million in 2019. He has a $2.5 million buyout in 2020. Brantley finally stayed healthy and contributed across the board for fantasy owners. He doesn't have a ton of power but is a nice fourth outfielder if he doesn't get hurt again. It'll be hard to top the potent lineup in Cleveland, though, if he goes to another team.Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Terry Pluto
Angels Hire Brad Ausmus as Manager
10/21:The Los Angeles Angels have announced Brad Ausmus as their new manager. Ausmus was an 18-year veteran backstop (similar to Mike Scioscia) and previously managed the Detroit Tigers, who went 314-332 under his tutelage. Known for his analytical approach, this should have a fairly substantial impact on the Angels approach at the plate and on the mound. How that impacts their fantasy value remains to be seen.Source: Jeff Fletcher
