3 hours agoNew York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (ankle, knee) tested his sprained ankle/knee on Tuesday at camp. Team officials liked what they saw from him and said that Nimmo is progressing, although it's unclear what that means for his availability on Opening Day on March 30. The 29-year-old is dealing with low-grade sprains in both his right ankle and right knee, so there's a good chance he won't be ready for the start of the 2023 regular season. But if Nimmo does open up on the injured, he may not be there for long. When healthy, he's an excellent on-base machine for the Mets and fantasy managers alike, and he's also a great source of runs atop a stacked New York lineup.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Mike Puma

3 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard (hand) said he wasn't able to really get much footing in the rain on Tuesday during his Cactus League start against the San Francisco Giants, which explains some of his inconsistent velocity. Syndergaard has been dealing with a blister off and on for the last few months, and it was bothering him a bit on Tuesday. The 30-year-old right-hander ended up allowing six earned runs on six hits while walking one in 4 1/3 innings. It's unlikely that Thor won't be ready for the start of the 2023 regular season, but his blister issue is something to watch early on. If he's able to regain some of his pre-Tommy John velocity in his first year in Hollywood, Syndergaard could be a nice value starting pitcher in fantasy.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya

3 hours agoSan Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin said there has been a "mild setback" for relief pitcher Drew Pomeranz (elbow). He has been throwing on flat ground but likely will not appear in a Cactus League game and will not be ready for Opening Day. The 34-year-old southpaw is dealing with more pain and inflammation in his left elbow, and it remains to be seen when the oft-injured reliever will be able to make his 2023 season debut. He missed all of 2022 after having surgery on his flexor tendon. Pomeranz should have some fantasy value in holds leagues when he returns, and he's expected to serve as a late-inning setup man in front of closer Josh Hader when he's fully healthy.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee

3 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias is likely to make the start on Opening Day on March 30 at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Urias was the Dodgers best starter in 2022 and went 17-7 with a league-best 2.16 ERA (3.71 FIP), 0.96 WHIP and 24.1 percent strikeout rate in 175 innings and 31 starts. The 26-year-old southpaw is lined up to start on Opening Day and will make his return to Cactus League action this Friday after pitching in the World Baseball Classic for Team Mexico. Because he doesn't strike out a ton of hitters like the elite fantasy starters, he's ideally a No. 2 fantasy starter target in upcoming drafts.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Times - Jorge Castillo

3 hours agoThe St. Louis Cardinals optioned left-hander Matthew Liberatore and right-hander Dakota Hudson to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday. The Cardinals will roll with Adam Wainwright, Miles Mikolas, Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty and Steven Matz in their five-man starting rotation to begin the 2023 regular season, so Liberatore and Hudson will begin in the minors. Liberatore is the team's No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but the 23-year-old southpaw will need to show better life on his fastball if he's going to have continued success once he gets another shot in St. Louis' rotation. Hudson, 28, will work on building up his velocity at Memphis before the Cardinals consider him a rotation option at the big-league level.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cardinals Twitter

3 hours agoThe Colorado Rockies announced on Tuesday that they reassigned outfielder Zac Veen and catcher Drew Romo to minor-league camp. The Rockies have 44 players remaining in major-league spring training, including 10 non-roster players and one player on the 60-day injured list. The 21-year-old Veen, the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was never expected to make the Rockies' Opening Day lineup. The ninth overall pick in 2020 was hitting 13-for-48 (.271) with two doubles, a home run, eight RBI, seven runs scored and eight stolen bases in 20 Cactus League games, so he certainly held his own. Veen has a bright future at the next level in a hitter-friendly ballpark, but fantasy managers in redraft leagues can ignore him for now.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rockies Club Information

3 hours agoSan Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto (oblique) is getting an MRI exam on Tuesday, according to manager Bob Melvin. "We're thinking it's fairly mild, which hopefully is the case." Soto suffered a strained left oblique while playing in a minor-league game on Sunday, but the team is still hoping that he'll be ready to go on Opening Day on March 30. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger also dealt with a minor calf injury in camp this year. If Soto has to begin the 2023 regular season on the injured list, it likely wouldn't be for long. He remains an early round target for fantasy managers heading into his first full season with the Padres as one of the best all-around hitters in baseball.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Jeff Sanders

6 hours agoToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman has yet to allow a run this spring. Through four games and 13 2/3 innings, Gausman has been nearly perfect. He has 18 strikeouts and a 0.80 WHIP. Gausman obviously can't keep up this pace, but it's nice to see a top pitching option showing he's ready for the season. He'll have his ups and downs, but with his 28.3% strikeout rate last season and 2.38 FIP, he's a great pick at his current ADP of 55. Rotoballer has him as their 47th-best player overall, so draft him for a great option in your rotation.--Justin Raffone - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

6 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber has been hit or miss in the World Baseball Classic thus far. Schwarber is 2-for-11 but has four walks. One of his hits was a home run and he has three RBI and three runs in the tournament. He has played in four games heading into Tuesday's finals matchup against Team Japan. The lefty has a .308 average and .438 on-base percentage in 13 spring training at-bats. Batting average will never be Schwarber's forte, as he hit just .218 last season, but he did hit 46 home runs and drive in 94. He also stole 10 bases in 2022 and plays in a stacked lineup that should help pad his counting stats again this season. Look to draft him in the top 45 while racking up the homers.--Justin Raffone - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

6 hours agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena had a great World Baseball Classic for Team Mexico. Arozarena had nine hits, seven of which went for extra bases, six doubles and a home run. He had a .450/.607/.900 slash line in six games for Mexico. Before heading out for the WBC, he hit two home runs for the Rays in spring training and he looks ready to make an impact again this season. After stealing 32 bases and hitting 20 home runs, expect another similar season for the outfielder. His RotoBaller rank of 39 and ADP of 51 are a little separated, but both are high prices for his services.--Justin Raffone - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

7 hours agoCleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has pitched to a 4.50 ERA during six spring games. He has a 1.33 WHIP and four strikeouts over six innings pitched. It's not a great start for Clase, but it's nothing to worry about here. As with most spring stats, don't look too much into them. The 2022 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year should be fine for the start of the season and is just getting in the work required to be ready for another dominant year. Clase is one of the top closers in the game and should be one of the first couple taken in fantasy drafts. His 1.36 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and league-leading 42 saves from a year ago put him in the upper tier again this year.--Justin Raffone - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

7 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is 5-for-8 with a double and two RBI during the World Baseball Classic. Realmuto has also walked once without a strikeout in his three games behind the dish. Realmuto was hitting .500 in eight spring at-bats before heading to the WBC, so he's been in midseason form all spring. He had another elite season in 2022 and heads into 2023 as the No. 1 catcher in baseball. He has a RotoBaller rank of 37 and an ADP of 43.3. He'll have one more game on Tuesday in the WBC final against Japan to show why he's the game's best. Draft him as the top catcher and reap the rewards that come with it.--Justin Raffone - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

7 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly (forearm) has a fractured right forearm, according to manager Torey Lovullo. Kelly will obviously miss time, but the Diamondbacks haven't given a timetable for his return in 2023. He fractured his arm when he was hit by a pitch in a Cactus League game on Monday against the Chicago White Sox. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if the 28-year-old backstop misses multiple months to open the 2023 regular season. With Kelly now sidelined for the foreseeable future, it makes Gabriel Moreno that much more attractive in two-catcher fantasy leagues after he was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays in an offseason trade. Jose Herrera is likely to back Moreno up behind the plate.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro

8 hours agoSan Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (knee) will return to the Cactus League lineup this week. Meanwhile, outfielder Mitch Haniger (oblique) has started throwing and hitting in camp. Outfielder Austin Slater (hamstring) isn't doing any baseball activities with nine days until Opening Day. Crawford received a cortisone injection in his left knee last week and still has a shot to be ready to kick off the 2023 season, although at this point in his career he's not much of a mixed-league asset in fantasy. Haniger is making progress from a Grade 1 oblique strain, but he's unlikely to be ready for Opening Day at this point. Slater is expected to miss three to four weeks after straining his left hamstring in a spring contest last Thursday.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic

8 hours agoChicago White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez (calf) is fine and did some running on Tuesday. He's scheduled to play in one of the team's split-squad Cactus League games on Wednesday. Jimenez was pulled from Monday's game due to a right calf injury, but it just cramping and nothing serious. The 26-year-old Dominican outfielder hit a strong .295/.358/.500 with an .858 OPS, 16 home runs, 54 RBI and 40 runs scored in 327 plate appearances and 84 games in his fourth year in the big leagues in 2022. Durability is an issue, as he hasn't played in over 100 games since his rookie year in 2019. Still, RotoBaller has Jimenez ranked as the No. 19 fantasy outfielder. If he can stay healthy for a full season, he has the skills to be a No. 1 fantasy outfielder.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin