4 mins agoSan Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto (oblique) is taking dry swings at camp on Friday, which is seen as a big development in terms of his possible progression toward being ready for Opening Day next Thursday. It's good news for the Padres outfield as well after Adam Engel suffered a hamstring injury in a spring game on Thursday. The 24-year-old Soto strained his left oblique in a minor-league game last weekend and has been shut down since. If he can avoid setbacks from here on out, he has a chance to be in SD's Opening Day lineup against the Colorado Rockies on March 30. Even though the talented left-handed slugger didn't look that great in half a season in 2022 for the Padres, he's fully expected to bounce back in 2023.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee

4 mins agoNew York Yankees shortstop prospect Anthony Volpe continued to make a case for an Opening Day roster spot on Friday versus the Minnesota Twins. Leading off, the 21-year-old went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run off Pablo Lopez.read more...

9 mins agoCleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber will get the ball on Opening Day next Thursday, March 30, at home against the Seattle Mariners and right-hander Luis Castillo. It's a tough first opponent, but Bieber could easily be up for the task in front of the home faithful. The 27-year-old ace is making his fourth straight Opening Day start for the team, so he also has experience. In 2022, he had a sparkling 2.88 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 198 strikeouts in 200 innings over 31 starts. His behind-the-scenes numbers don't scream fantasy ace, but when all the numbers compute to a grand total, Bieber has been every bit of a fantasy ace when he's been healthy in recent seasons. He also pitches in one of the easiest divisions in baseball.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLive - Evan Woodbery

19 mins agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin (ankle) is throwing a bullpen session off of a mound in camp on Friday, which is a good sign for his recovery from a sprained ankle. The 28-year-old right-hander is throwing off a mound for the first time since he sprained his left ankle in a Cactus League game on March 6. Even though the injury doesn't appear to be that serious, the Dodgers aren't going to push one of their most valuable starters from a season ago. On Thursday, manager Dave Roberts said Gonsolin's time on the injured list will linger "a few weeks" into the regular season, so fantasy managers must take that into account if they are drafting this weekend. Either Ryan Pepiot or Michael Grove are expected to fill in for Gonsolin in LA's rotation until the team feels he's ready to make his 2023 season debut, likely in late April.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Time - Jack Harris

27 mins agoNew York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (forearm) threw a bullpen session on Thursday, and pitching coach Matt Blake said Rodon showed great rhythm and consistency with his command. After two or three more bullpen sessions, Rodon will throw live batting practice. And once he gets to that point, he should be around a month from making his Yankees debut in the regular season. With all that said, fantasy managers should not be expecting the 30-year-old southpaw to rejoin New York's starting rotation until after the first month of the season. Rodon has the potential to be a fantasy ace in his first year in the Bronx once he's healthy, but it also wouldn't be the first time in his career where injuries wrecked a lot of his season.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: YES Network - Jack Curry

32 mins agoOakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said that outfielder Esteury Ruiz has been told he will make the Opening Day roster. Oakland's No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will now get a very good chance to be an everyday player for the rebuilding A's. He was dealt from the Milwaukee Brewers to the A's in the offseason after hitting .171 (6-for-35) with a double, triple, no homers and two RBI in just 17 games between the Brewers and San Diego Padres in his first MLB action. The 24-year-old stole a whopping 243 bases in his six seasons in the minors, so he's absolutely a prime stolen base target in fantasy drafts, especially if he starts seeing more playing time in center field over Cristian Pache.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos

2 hours agoSan Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler said the team doesn't think outfielder Mitch Haniger (oblique) will be ready for Opening Day next Thursday. If Haniger opens the year on the injured list, he would be eligible to return for the sixth game of the season, so he may not miss much time at all for fantasy managers. The 32-year-old was able to resume throwing and hitting earlier this week, so he's improving and should be able to make his Giants regular season debut before long after suffering a Grade 1 oblique strain in spring training. He's been pretty fragile in his career, and this injury just before the season reminds us all too well. But when healthy, Haniger will be a middle-of-the-order hitter for San Fran after they signed him to a three-year, $43.5 million deal in free agency.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic

2 hours agoSan Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (wrist) is wearing a splint on his left wrist after receiving a cortisone shot and is expected to be held out the next two days in the Cactus League. He will then play the final two spring games and be good for the start of the 2023 regular season next Thursday. It's being described as an issue that Bogaerts usually experiences in spring training. It sounds more than minor, but as long as the 30-year-old is able to return to Cactus League action, it should ease fantasy managers' concerns. The move to Petco Park in 2023 is certainly a downgrade for Bogaerts' fantasy profile, but he'll also be receiving an upgrade in the lineup around him. He remains one of the better shortstop targets out there in fantasy.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee

2 hours agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani will start on Opening Day next Thursday against the Oakland Athletics. He'll be opposed by Kyle Muller of the A's. Ohtani recently helped Japan win the World Baseball Classic for a record third time, but he won't make another Cactus League appearance on the mound before making his 2023 regular season debut for the Angels. It's slightly concerning, but any of those concerns for fantasy managers should be eased by the fact that the 28-year-old two-way superstar will be facing one of the weakest lineups in baseball next week. Ohtani is RotoBaller's top-ranked fantasy starter and will be a must-start anytime he toes the rubber in 2023.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLive - Evan Woodbery

2 hours agoToronto Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi has made the team's Opening Day starting rotation, according to manager John Schneider. The 31-year-old Japanese hurler did it by allowing only two earned runs on nine hits while walking 10 and striking out 25 over 18 innings and six Grapefruit League starts this spring. He sealed the deal by fanning nine in five scoreless innings against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. It's great news for Kikuchi, but the walks are also concerning, and he wasn't very good last year in his first year in Toronto with a 5.19 ERA (5.62 FIP), 1.50 WHIP and 27.3 percent strikeout rate in 100 2/3 innings over 32 appearances (20 starts). The southpaw will have to pitch well to keep the rotation spot throughout the year.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet.ca - Ben Nicholson-Smith

2 hours agoThe Washington Nationals announced on Friday that left-hander Patrick Corbin will take the hill on Opening Day on Thursday, March 30, to face the division-rival Atlanta Braves. Corbin will get the nod despite going 6-19 with a career-worst 6.31 ERA (4.83 FIP), 1.69 WHIP and career-low 18 percent strikeout rate in 152 2/3 innings pitched and 31 starts for the Nationals in 2022. The 33-year-old has pitched better in Grapefruit League action this spring, but there shouldn't be too many fantasy managers in deeper leagues that should feel bold enough to roll the dice on Corbin in their starting lineups on Opening Day against the National League East defending-champion Braves next week.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Nationals Twitter

2 hours agoThe Philadelphia Phillies named right-hander Aaron Nola as their Opening Day starter for next Thursday against the Texas Rangers. It will be Nola's sixth straight Opening Day nod. It speaks to how good the 29-year-old has been as the team's ace. He'll be facing off against ex-division-rival ace Jacob deGrom as well. Nola finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting in 2022 after going 11-13 in the regular season with a 3.25 ERA (2.58 FIP), 0.96 WHIP and 29.1 percent strikeout rate in 32 starts covering 205 innings. He's a fantasy ace for those drafting this weekend, and RotoBaller has him ranked No. 7 among starting pitchers.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia Inquirer - Alex Coffey

2 hours agoTexas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom will be the team's scheduled starter for Opening Day next Thursday, March 30, against the Philadelphia Phillies. deGrom was behind early in spring training due to left side tightness, but it wasn't too serious and he'll be able to make the Opening Day start after all in his first season with the team. However, the 34-year-old two-time Cy Young winner is going to be on a pitch count early in the season, making him much tougher to trust in DFS against a tough opponent in the Phillies. He should be avoided in those formats. When healthy, deGrom should once again be a fantasy ace, but given his injury history in recent seasons, banking on some time missed due to injury might be wise in 2023.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rangers PR

3 hours agoThe St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year, $40 million contract extension with starting pitcher Miles Mikolas on Friday, according to sources. In addition to the new extension, Mikolas has been named the team's Opening Day starter for next Thursday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays with Adam Wainwright (groin) set to open the season on the injured list. It will be Mikolas' second career Opening Day start, but it will be against one of the best offenses in baseball. The two-time All-Star had a 3.29 ERA (3.87 FIP), 1.03 WHIP and career-high 19 percent strikeout rate in 202 1/3 innings over 33 outings (32 starts) last year. The 34-year-old doesn't strike out a ton and should be viewed as a streamer more than anything in fantasy.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers

4 hours agoTexas Rangers outfielder Leody Taveras (oblique) could avoid starting the 2023 regular season on the injured list, even if he's not ready to play by Opening Day next Thursday, March 30. Taveras is recovering from a left oblique strain and while he's been able to swing from the left side of the plate, the 24-year-old switch-hitter isn't quite ready from the right side. Manager Bruce Bochy said "there's a good chance you will see him at the back end of that first series (of the regular season against the Phillies)." The team should know more on Taveras' availability for the first series of the season early next week. If he misses any time, Bubba Thompson is likely to benefit with some starts in the outfield for Texas.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant