Ben Gamel Begins Taking Swings Off Tee

Seattle Mariners outfielder Ben Gamel (oblique) took 20 swings off a tee and will progress to 40 swings in the coming days, per MLB.com. Gamel is rehabbing an oblique injury suffered almost three weeks ago and will be cautious in his rehab. Gamel is highly unlikely to break camp with the team and the hope is […]

Ian Happ To Handle Majority Of Leadoff Duties

Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports that outfielder Ian Happ will handle the bulk of the leadoff duties for the Chicago Cubs in 2018, with outfielder Albert Almora also being in the mix. Happ has been on fire this spring and is hitting .342 with five home runs so far. Coming off a strong […]

Wil Myers Feels Comfortable Taking a Step Back From Leadership Role

According to a story from the San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Padres outfielder Wil Myers is "happy to have ceded the mantle and the burden of Padres leadership to Eric Hosmer." With Hosmer becoming the leader in the clubhouse, Myers should be able to step back and focus more on his performance on the […]

Adam Engel Scratched With Back Stiffness

Chicago White Sox outfielder Adam Engel (neck) has been scratched from Wednesday’s lineup with neck stiffness. Engel has been battling with outfielders Leury Garcia and Ryan Cordell for everyday at-bats in center field. Engel is having a monster spring, as he has hit .346 with four home runs. He is worth a dart throw in […]

Corey Ray Looking To Bounce Back In 2018

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Corey Ray is looking to bounce back in 2018 after dealing with a knee injury that he suffered in 2016. The former fifth overall draft choice in 2016 had a rough rookie season in the Carolina League with a .238 batting average and a league-leading 156 strikeouts. Ray is going into this year […]

Michael Brantley Will Make His Cactus League Debut on Wednesday Night

Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley (ankle) is scheduled to make his 2018 Cactus League debut on Wednesday night when Cleveland takes on the Kansas City Royals. Brantley is coming back from major ankle surgery in the offseason, and while he's been working out and practicing with the team, he's yet to get into an actual […]

Michael Conforto Hopes To Return Before May 1

The New York Mets have been sticking to a May 1 return date for outfielder Michael Conforto (shoulder), but Conforto apparently has other plans. Conforto recently returned to simulated game action, hitting two home runs on Wednesday, and is scheduled to play the field during a minor league game on Thursday. All projections did not have […]

Andrew Benintendi Is Dialed In This Spring

Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi went 2-for-4 against the Pirates on Tuesday. He also provided two runs and two RBI. Benintendi has already found his rhythm. He has a .405 average with three home runs, 10 RBI and 11 runs scored. Just as impressive is that he has four walks and just six strikeouts. […]

Randal Grichuk, Devon Travis to Play On Wednesday

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk (rib cage) and second baseman Devon Travis (knee) have been working their way back from injuries and both are in the lineup on Wednesday. Grichuk will serve as the designated hitter and hopes to see three at-bats after missing about a week with a sore rib cage. Travis, meanwhile, will be […]

Pierre Camus' 10 Bold Predictions for 2018

As we steamroll toward Opening Day, our experienced writers will be offering their most bold predictions for the 2018 fantasy baseball season. Although I will never be able to replicate last year's successes in calling Giancarlo Stanton's mammoth season, I will do my best. Feel free to ignore the majority of those other predictions from 2017. […]

2018 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values - AL Outfielders

Everyone knows that in fantasy baseball, values are king. Any of the different terms you might see bandied about - bargain, sleeper, flier, lotto ticket - are all driving at that same basic idea. Obviously, finding the players who can provide a huge return on a modest investment goes a long way toward winning your league. […]

Mallex Smith Looks Good After First Minor League Start Tuesday

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Mallex Smith (hamstring) played his first minor league game on Tuesday in his comeback from a hamstring issue that had kept him from game action since March 8. He would bat five times and even steal a base. He was relieved when there was no hesitation or second thought on any […]

Alex Verdugo Optioned To Minor League Camp

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder and top hitting prospect Alex Verdugo was optioned to the team's minor league camp on Tuesday. The move isn't surprising given how many outfielders the team has. With a surprisingly resurgent Matt Kemp and a healthy Andrew Toles competing for time in left field, it would have taken a miracle for […]

Pirates to Release Daniel Nava

The Pittsburgh Pirates released outfielder Daniel Nava on Tuesday. The 35-year-old was signed to a minor league deal in January and was expected to compete for the team's left field job. However, the Pirates traded for Corey Dickerson and Nava suffered a back injury in spring training that ultimately required surgery on Feb. 27. With […]

Mike Tauchman Expected To Start In Minors

Colorado Rockies outfielder Mike Tauchman is the least talked about prospect of the team's young core that is twiddling their thumbs in the minors, but he could still have value if he were to get a shot in the bigs. Unfortunately, it appears he's going to get to smack minor league pitching a while longer. […]

David Dahl Likely To Start In Triple-A

Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl has gotten hot late in spring training, but he's still expected to start the season in Triple-A, according to The Denver Post's Patrick Saunders. Dahl started the spring session rusty, but he's come on as of late. The issue for him is the same issue that is plaguing prospects Raimel […]

Alex Dickerson To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

San Diego Padres outfielder Alex Dickerson (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery later this month and miss his second straight season, according to The Athletic's Dennis Lin. Dickerson had not appeared in a game this spring, so this injury does not affect the competition in the outfield to crack the Padres Opening Day lineup. What this […]

Yasmany Tomas Hitting Well

D'Backs outfielder Yasmany Tomas is having a solid spring, having gone 11-for-33 over 13 Cactus League games. Despite the encouraging spring, Tomas will open the season as Arizona's fifth outfielder due to the additions of Steven Souza and Jarrod Dyson. The Diamondbacks have been shopping Tomas to American League teams looking for a designated hitter. […]

Steven Souza Looking To Decrease Strikeouts

Recently-acquired Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza is looking to cut back on his strikeouts for the upcoming season. Prior to last season's breakout, Souza had a career strikeout rate of 33.7 percent, which he cut by five percent in 2017. Souza believes an improved approach with two strikes will help him make further strides at […]

Victor Robles Optioned To Triple-A

Washington Nationals top prospect and outfielder Victor Robles was optioned to the club's Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse on Tuesday. The move isn't surprising given general manager Mike Rizzo's statement that Robles would get everyday playing time as opposed to being on the bench. The Nationals currently have an outfield consisting of Bryce Harper, Michael Taylor […]

Marlins Send Sandy Alcantara, Braxton Lee To Minors

The Miami Marlins sent top pitching prospect Sandy Alcantara and outfielder Braxton Lee to minor league camp on Tuesday. Alcantara, who came over from the Cardinals in the trade involving Marcell Ozuna, will report to Triple-A. Alcantara impressed in camp and could join the Marlins rotation sooner than later, according to manager Don Mattingly. The […]

Blake Swihart's Strong Spring Could Sway BoSox To Retain Him

Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart has had a strong spring at the plate while gaining experience in the field as well. His performance and positional flexibility might influence the team to trade other assets, according to Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston. Swihart has a .283 average with two home runs and seven RBI […]

Champ or Chump - Domingo Santana and Byron Buxton

You can't win your league during the draft, but you can lose it. Therefore, your primary goal should be to walk out of the draft with a realistic shot to win the league. You'll need a few unexpected things to go right for you, but the late rounds and waiver wire are the places to […]

Dollar Day Auction Targets for Fantasy Baseball Drafts

The latter part of an auction draft is arguably the most fun part. All of the obvious players to own are long gone, and now owners must go searching through the coal to find the one diamond that will make the difference for their team. Owners were patting themselves on the back after finding $1 […]

Mallex Smith To Make Minor League Start Tuesday

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Mallex Smith (hamstring) will make a minor league start on Tuesday. It will be his first game action since March 8. He is still expected to be ready for Opening Day. Smith is all about speed, and he's stolen exactly 16 bases each of the last two seasons. He played in […]

Marlins Experimenting With Lewis Brinson In Leadoff Spot

Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly is experimenting with hitting outfielder Lewis Brinson in the leadoff spot this spring, and the outfielder is scheduled to hit first for the second time in camp on Tuesday. After trading Dee Gordon to Seattle over the winter, the Fish have no true leadoff hitter on the current roster. Mattingly […]

Rey Fuentes Leaves Game After Being Hit By Pitch

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Rey Fuentes (undisclosed) left Monday's game after being hit by a pitch. There has been no word on his condition thus far. The former first-round pick is unlikely to get much playing time in the crowded Arizona outfield this season. He would need three injuries and/or trades to get regular playing time in […]

Lewis Brinson Projected To Make Opening Day Roster

Miami Marlins No. 1 prospect Lewis Brinson is projected to make the Opening Day roster, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Brinson was dealt to the Marlins from Milwaukee in the Christian Yelich trade, and all he's done this Spring is impress. The speedy Florida native is batting .366 in 41 Spring Training at-bats, and Frisaro […]

Bradley Zimmer Scratched from Monday's Lineup

Cleveland Indians outfielder Bradley Zimmer was scratched from Monday's Cactus League lineup due to a mild left groin strain. He'll be replaced by Tyler Naquin. There doesn't seem to be much concern around Zimmer, and he should be back in the lineup in the next few days.

Melvin Upton Released

The Cleveland Indians released outfielder Melvin Upton on Monday. The veteran only managed a .189/.250/.297 batting line in 40 Cactus League plate appearances, making the decision easy for Cleveland. He'll try to work his way onto a new team before Opening Day, but it's looking like he'll have a hard time making it onto a […]