Sam Chinitz's 10 Bold Predictions For 2021

The 2021 MLB regular season is less than one month away, so it’s time for some bold predictions. Last year’s bold predictions didn’t pan out too well for me; if we’re being generous, two out of the ten predictions hit -- and that’s including Corey Kluber posting a sub-3.00 ERA (which technically happened, even if […]

MLB Spring Training Notebook (3/17) - Jorge Polanco Leaves Game

Welcome to the 2021 edition of RotoBaller's Spring Training Notebook. Thankfully, we have real, live baseball being played every day again, and while it doesn't count for anything, these exhibition games gives us the smallest glimmer into players and teams heading into the new season. We're into our third week of spring training games and […]

Anthony Alford Returns To Lineup Wednesday

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Anthony Alford (wrist) is back in the lineup on Wednesday against the Rays, where he will be playing in center field and batting sixth. Alford had exited Saturday's game early after being hit by a pitch, but he appeared to be swinging the bat well in practice over the past few days. […]

Danny Santana Will Miss At Least Two More Weeks

Boston Red Sox utility man Danny Santana (foot) was hospitalized earlier in the week due to a foot infection, an ailment which has now been cleared up. Santana was allowed to leave the hospital Wednesday after receiving stitches, but his timeline for a return to game action has been pushed back. Santana appeared in just […]

New York Scratches Dominic Smith From Wednesday’s Lineup

New York Mets outfielder Dominic Smith (wrist) was removed from Wednesday's starting nine in Grapefruit League play due to what Mets manager Luis Rojas described as "general wrist soreness." Mallex Smith entered the lineup in his place. Smith is expected to serve as New York's primary left fielder to begin the season, having socked two home runs […]

Franchy Cordero Could Miss Opening Day

Boston Red Sox outfielder Franchy Cordero has been working his way back from a bout with COVID-19, shifting his timeline for his regular-season availability. Manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that there was "a chance" that Cordero would be cleared in time for April 1 against Baltimore, although the team's glut of reserve outfielders could help […]

Charlie Montoyo's 2022 Option Picked Up By Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays picked up manager Charlie Montoyo's 2022 option on Wednesday. The move gives the club some stability for at least the next two years. The decision should be welcomed by fantasy managers as Montoyo has pushed versatility among his players which has increased the fantasy value of players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. […]

Josh Palacios Continues Strong Play

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Josh Palacios went 2-for-2 on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies and raised his spring batting average to .400. The prospect is 8-for-20 with four extra-base hits. Capable of playing all three outfield spots, Palacios likely won't open the season on the big league roster but his emergence, along with Jonathan Davis, […]

Akil Baddoo Slugs Third Spring Home Run

Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Akil Baddoo continued his torrid spring on Tuesday with his third home run. Through 12 games, he's 9-for-23 (.391) with five extra-base hits. He has also shown excellent patience with a BB-K of 8-7. Just 22, Baddoo was a Rule 5 draft pick out of the Minnesota Twins organization over the […]

Alex Verdugo Continues To Struggle

Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo went 0-for-3 on Tuesday, dropping his already low spring training average to an anemic .111. Verdugo was one of the few bright spots for the Red Sox last year, hitting .308 with a 126 OPS+ while placing 12th in the American League MVP race. Verdugo has hit at every […]

Julio Rodriguez Homers, Doubles On Tuesday

Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a double and his first spring home run on Tuesday. The 20-year-old rookie is now 7-for-22 (.318) with three extra-base hits and two stolen bases through 12 games. His appearance on Tuesday broke a string of six straight games with at least one strikeout. Overall, Rodriguez has […]

Ketel Marte Homers, Injures Ankle Tuesday

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Ketel Marte went 1-for-2 with a home run and two runs scored before exiting the game after rolling his ankle on Tuesday. Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports that Marte rolled his left ankle going into third base on a double by Asdrubal Cabrera, and that he was removed from the game as […]

Marcell Ozuna Hits First Homer Of Spring Tuesday

Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna went 1-for-3 with his first home run of the spring on Tuesday in a loss to the Red Sox. Ozuna accounted for all of the Braves' runs in the loss with his three-run blast to left with one out in the third inning. After a slow start that saw Ozuna […]

Jarred Kelenic Could Return To Lineup Wednesday

Seattle Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic (knee) seems to be making good on his promise to return from his Grade 2 adductor strain quicker than anticipated. The injury was expected to keep Kelenic off the field for three to six weeks, but it now seems that the top prospect could return to the lineup as soon […]

Aaron Judge Unwilling To Change Approach At The Plate

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is unwilling to swing at low pitches that often get called for strikes against him. Judge said he's thought about swinging at those pitches, but doing so would take him out of his approach. The slugger ultimately chalked it up to an umpiring issue, saying he'd rather focus on […]

Billy Hamilton Signs Minor League Deal With White Sox

The Chicago White Sox have agreed to a minor league deal with outfielder Billy Hamilton. Hamilton was recently cut by the division rival Cleveland Indians and the speedster will look to earn a spot on the White Sox bench this upcoming season. Outfielder Adam Engel will be the biggest competition for Hamilton, but it is […]

Whit Merrifield Seeing The Ball Well This Spring

Kansas City Royals outfielder Whit Merrifield continues to see the ball well in Cactus League action. Merrifield collected another two hits in Monday's game to raise his spring average to .529, along with four doubles, four runs scored, and an RBI. The 32-year-old has been locked in at the plate and seems poised to deliver […]

Ryan Braun Still Heavily Leaning Towards Retirement

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun visited Brewers camp Monday but is still "strongly leaning" toward retiring, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Braun's visibility at the camp may have led some to believe he is considering playing at some point this year, and he did not close the door on that happening, saying, […]

MLB Spring Training Notebook (3/16) - Luis Robert Scratched Monday

Welcome to the 2021 edition of RotoBaller's Spring Training Notebook. Thankfully, we have real, live baseball being played every day again, and while it doesn't count for anything, these exhibition games gives us the smallest glimmer into players and teams heading into the new season. We're into our third week of spring training games and […]

Fantasy Baseball Spring Training Injury Updates

Injury updates tend to change often during Spring Training. "Soreness" is a common theme as players get back into game shape. I will be giving the most recent available injury updates from the offseason. These updates will undoubtedly change as Spring Training continues. As we get closer to Opening Day, some injuries are much more […]

Michael Chavis Homers Again

Boston Red Sox utilityman Michael Chavis hit his fourth home run of the spring on Monday, continuing to make a strong impression as he fights for a roster spot. Chavis is coming off a down 2020 in which he dealt with injuries and posted just a 69 OPS+. Chavis has been very vocal about his […]

Later-Round First Basemen - Targets and Avoids

Once you reach the middle-to-late rounds of drafts, everyone wants to draft some upside fliers that can provide a great return on value. You can take a risk or two on a variety of different players, including a prospect, forgotten veterans, players returning from injuries, or even players with skills but have playing time concerns. […]

Taylor Trammell The Early Favorite For Left Field Job

Seattle Mariners outfielder Taylor Trammell continued his impressive play on Monday. Acquired from the San Diego Padres late in the 2020 season for catcher Austin Nola, the athletic rookie led off Monday's game and got on base twice in three plate appearances with a double and a walk. Trammell is now 7-for-24 (.292) with four […]

Franmil Reyes Collects Two Hits Monday

Cleveland Indians outfielder and designated hitter Franmil Reyes went 2-for-3 with a run scored in Monday's 7-3 win against the Oakland Athletics. Reyes is now 5-for-17 with a home run and two RBI across seven spring games. Reyes will be a monster source of power for fantasy players in 2021 after he crushed 37 bombs […]

Dylan Carlson Slugs First Extra-Base Hit

St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Dylan Carlson slugged a triple on Monday. An early favorite to be one of the top rookies in 2021, he's off to a slow start this spring. Carlson is just 5-for-24 (.208) with eight strikeouts and the triple was his first extra-base hit. He also struggled in his first taste […]

Shogo Akiyama Will Open The Season On Injured List

The Cincinnati Reds announced on Monday that outfielder Shogo Akiyama (hamstring) will open the regular season on the injured list. Akiyama felt something while running the bases during Saturday's Cactus League game against the Oakland A's. Through his translator, Akiyama said, "I heard something before I landed on the base, and after I landed on […]

Heliot Ramos Avoids First Spring Cuts Monday

San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos, one of the team's top prospects, was notably not optioned to Triple-A Sacramento Monday, per NBC Sport's Alex Pavlovic. The team unsurprisingly cut most of their top prospects in this first round, including Joey Bart, Marco Luciano, Hunter Bishop, and Patrick Bailey. However, the 21-year-old, who has nine hits […]

Kyle Tucker Gets Fourth Hit Of Spring On Monday

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker went 1-for-3 against the Marlins on Monday afternoon, picking up his fourth hit of the spring in the loss. After posting back-to-back seasons with an average over .265 and a slugging percentage over .510, Tucker is currently the highest drafted Astro in fantasy with an ADP at 32. However, Tucker […]

Anthony Alford Swings A Bat Monday

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Anthony Alford (wrist) was swinging a bat for the second day in a row on Monday after being hit by a pitch on Saturday, reports Rob Biertempful of The Athletic. Alford exited Saturday's game after being hit on the right wrist, with the team later calling it right wrist discomfort. According to Biertempful, […]

Gregory Polanco Triples In Return To Lineup Monday

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco went 1-for-3 with a triple and a walk in a 12-3 loss to the Orioles Monday. Polanco had left the team to be present for the birth of his child, and he slotted in as designated hitter against Baltimore. After an injury-plagued 2019 campaign and testing positive for COVID-19 in […]