Odubel Herrera Designated For Assignment

The Philadelphia Phillies designated outfielder Odubel Herrera for assignment on Tuesday and claimed outfielder Nick Martini off waivers from the Reds in a corresponding move. Herrera was handed an 85-game suspension to close out the year for a domestic-violence incident, and he hit just .222/.288/.341 with a home run, 16 RBI and two steals in […]

Biggest Outfield Risers/Fallers of 2020

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season as well as the beginning of Fantasy Baseball Prep season! It may seem like the 2020 fantasy baseball season just ended, but the 2021 season will be here before we know it. Now is as good a time as ever to start thinking about your new draft […]

Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball: HR/FB

Using BABIP to predict a player's batting average is great. Average is a category in many league formats and every hit is an opportunity to steal a base or score a run. But most owners find the long ball sexier. Every HR comes with a guaranteed run scored and at least one RBI. Many owners […]

How To Win Your Fantasy Baseball Leagues on Draft Day

I hate intros. Nobody takes the time to read these things. I could say whatever I wanted and it would literally pass zero sets of eyes. Watch.... I have hemorrhoids! See? No one. But in the rare occasion that one of you sad saps does in fact read this paragraph before jumping to the meat […]

Don't Doubt Mike Trout: Why He's Still #1

It has become fashionable for fantasy owners to suggest that perhaps this is the year that Mike Trout should be supplanted as the consensus first overall draft pick. Not one, but two other players - Ronald Acuna and Christian Yelich - are being regularly selected in early NFBC drafts ahead of the 28-year-old Trout, who […]

Cubs, Kyle Schwarber Avoid Arbitration

The Chicago Cubs and outfielder Kyle Schwarber avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $7.01 million deal. Schwarber slashed .250/.339/.531 with a career-high 38 home runs, 82 runs scored and 92 RBI in his 155 games for the Cubs in 2019. The big left-handed slugger has at least 26 round-trippers in each […]

Nomar Mazara Avoids Arbitration With New Team

Chicago White Sox outfielder Nomar Mazara avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $5.56 million deal. Mazara was traded from the Rangers this offseason after hitting .268/.318/.469 with 19 home runs, 69 runs and 66 RBI in 429 at-bats in Texas in 2019. Mazara has been consistently mediocre in his four seasons […]

David Dahl To Make $2.475 Million In 2020

Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.475 million deal. It was Dahl's first year of arbitration eligibility. The 25-year-old has the ability to be a five-category fantasy contributor if he can just stay healthy, which is something that has eluded him in his career to this […]

Mallex Smith Settles With Mariners

Seattle Mariners outfielder Mallex Smith avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.35 million deal, according to a source. It was the first year that he was eligible for arbitration. While Smith led the league with 46 swipes, he hit a putrid .227/.300/.335 with only six home runs and 37 RBI in […]

Mitch Haniger To Make $3 Million In 2020

Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $3.01 million deal, according to a source. Some freak injuries caused Haniger to play in just 63 games for the M's in 2019, and he hit a disappointing .220/.314/.463 with 15 home runs and 32 RBI after batting .285/.366/.493 with […]

Mookie Betts Sets Arbitration Record

Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a record-breaking, one-year, $27 million deal, according to a source. The amount breaks the record set by Nolan Arenado last year of $26 million. Boston also reached one-year deals with outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. ($11 million) and relievers Brandon Workman ($3.5 […]

Diamondbacks Reach Extension With David Peralta

The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a three-year, $22 million extension with outfielder David Peralta on Friday to avoid salary arbitration. He can make an extra $1.25 million in incentives. Injuries held Peralta to only 99 games for the D-backs in 2019, but he hit a useful .275/.343/.461 with 12 home runs and 57 RBI when […]

Hunter Renfroe Avoids Arbitration

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Hunter Renfroe avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $3.3 million deal. Renfroe came over to the Rays this offseason in the trade that sent Tommy Pham to the Padres. Although he hit just .216 in 140 games for the Friars, Renfroe delivered on his power potential by […]

Marcell Ozuna Deciding Between Cardinals, Rangers

Free-agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna said he's basically deciding between the St. Louis Cardinals and Rangers in free agency. I’ve been in St. Louis and I like the city. My first option will be St. Louis. If they step up I will stay, if not I will find a new home," Ozuna said. St. Louis just […]

Brandon Drury Avoids Arbitration

The Toronto Blue Jays and third baseman/outfielder Brandon Drury avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.05 million deal. Drury started the 2019 season as the team's starting third baseman, but he became a corner outfielder primarily once prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was called up. The 27-year-old hit an underwhelming .218/.262/.380 on […]

Michael Taylor Avoids Arbitration

The Washington Nationals and outfielder Michael Taylor avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $3.325 million deal, according to a source. He'll receive $25,000 in incentives if he reaches 300 plate appearances in the majors next season. The 28-year-old speedster hit only .250/.305/.364 in 97 plate appearances in 2019 and was demoted […]

Christian Yelich Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (knee), who fractured his right kneecap last September, said he will be ready for spring training. "If the Milwaukee Brewers had an actual game tomorrow," Yelich said, "then I would be able to participate." The Brewers will be careful with the 2018 National League MVP, but the expectation is that […]

Cardinals Could Trade Dexter Fowler

The St. Louis Cardinals have discussed trading outfielder Dexter Fowler this offseason and could move him in another deal, according to sources, as top prospect Dylan Carlson is expected to play a big role this year. The Cardinals dealt outfielders Jose Martinez and Randy Arozarena to the Rays on Thursday in exchange for top left-handed […]

Rays Acquire Jose Martinez, Randy Arozarena

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired outfielders Jose Martinez and Randy Arozarena from the Cardinals on Thursday in exchange for top left-handed pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore and low-level catching prospect Edgardo Rodriguez. The Cardinals also sent a competitive-balance Round A pick (38th overall) to the Rays, who sent their Round B pick (66th overall) to St. […]

Brewers Agree With Logan Morrison

The Milwaukee Brewers agreed to an undisclosed deal with first baseman/outfielder Logan Morrison on Thursday, according to sources. Morrison slugged a career-high 38 home runs and drove in 85 runs in 149 games for the Rays in 2017, but he has fallen off a cliff since. He hit a miserable .186/.276/.368 with 15 homers and […]

Pirates Agree With Guillermo Heredia

The Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to an undisclosed major league deal with outfielder Guillermo Heredia on Thursday, according to sources. He was non-tendered by the Rays last month and is known as a strong defender and good clubhouse presence. That's not going to do much for fantasy owners, however. Heredia, 29 later this month, hit just […]

2019 Season in Review: Aristides Aquino

On August 1, 2019, Aristides Aquino was called up by the Cincinnati Reds. Shortly thereafter, bedlam broke out. He hit 11 home runs in his first 63 at-bats, drove in 22 runs, and caused the internet to flood with The Punisher GIFs and newly made t-shirts. When the month of August came to a close, […]

Brewers Give Craig Counsell Contract Extension

The Milwaukee Brewers are signing manager Craig Counsell to a contract extension that will run through the 2023 season, according to sources. It's a well-deserved extension, as Counsell led the Brew Crew to a National League Championship appearance in 2018 before a wild-card showing this past season. The 49-year-old coach started as the head man […]

Top 570: Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings (January)

Welcome back RotoBallers, and Happy New Year! Below you will find our staff's early 2020 fantasy baseball tiered rankings (top 570) for mixed leagues. In case you missed it, you can also see our tiered positional rankings and position-by-position analysis breakdowns as well. Four of our lead fantasy baseball analysts - Nick Mariano, Pierre Camus, Riley Mrack and Nicklaus Gaut - have analyzed the […]

Mets Shopping Jed Lowrie, Dominic Smith

The New York Mets have discussed with teams the concept of taking second baseman Jed Lowrie and first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith as part of a joint package in a trade. Lowrie is injury-prone and will make $10 million in 2020, while Smith doesn't have a clear path to regular playing time and is out of […]

Dodgers Discussing Mookie Betts

The Los Angeles Dodgers negotiations with the Boston Red Sox about outfielder Mookie Betts have become at least as frequent as their talks with the Cleveland Indians about shortstop Francisco Lindor, according to sources. The Indians want infield prospect Gavin Lux to be part of a Lindor trade, but the Dodgers have refused to include […]

White Sox Reach Extension With Luis Robert

The Chicago White Sox signed center field prospect Luis Robert to a six-year, $50 million deal on Thursday, according to sources. The deal includes two club options. With no service-time manipulation necessary, Robert will begin the 2020 season on Chicago's roster. Robert is a five-tool star who was named Minor League Player of the Year […]

Front-Runners Emerge For Marcell Ozuna

The market for outfielder Marcell Ozuna is gaining steam, and the Reds, Cardinals and Rangers appear to be the front-runners for his services at this time, according to a source. Along with Nicholas Castellanos, Ozuna is the top corner outfield bat on the open market going into the new year. While he remains a streaky […]

Top 30 Impact Prospects for 2020 Redraft Leagues

When last we checked in on the top rookies for 2020, the World Series had yet to be decided, the Astros’ obsession with garbage cans was still a secret, and Neal Huntington was running the Pirates. A number of things around baseball have changed since the last update but few, if any, moves have rattled […]

Reds Agree With Shogo Akiyama

The Cincinnati Reds agreed to a three-year deal with Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama on Monday. The deal is believed to be for around $15 million. The 31-year-old has hit over .300 with an on-base percentage above .390 with 20-plus home runs in each of the last three years in Japan. The Cubs and Padres were […]