Justin Wilson To Start The Season On The Injured List

New York Yankees relief pitcher Justin Wilson (shoulder) will start the season on the injured list after dealing with shoulder tightness this spring. Wilson is still expected to avoid surgery and rejoin the team a week or so into the season, but fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress. A solid reliever with a... Read More

Zack Britton To Return In May Or June

New York Yankees relief pitcher Zack Britton (elbow) is on track to rejoin the team in late May or early June, according to general manager Brian Cashman. Britton has been sidelined since early March due to a bone chip in his pitching elbow, and he'll miss the first two months of the season as a... Read More

Ryan Weathers Makes Padres Roster

San Diego Padres manager Jayce Tingler confirmed pitching prospect Ryan Weathers will make the Opening day roster. Despite a 7.11 ERA this spring, the 21-year-old was increasingly likely to crack the squad due to a plethora of injuries to the Friars bullpen. The team's No. 5 prospect will operate as a swingman but could earn... Read More

Matt Barnes Cleared To Return To Red Sox

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Matt Barnes (COVID-19) has been cleared to return to the team, according to MLB Network's Joel Sherman. Sherman reports that Barnes was ruled to have a "non-infectious positive" diagnosis for COVID-19, and he has been allowed to return to activities, along with the eight others who were held out due... Read More

Josh James Could Be Swingman On Astros Staff

Houston Astros pitcher Josh James could play multiple roles on the Astros pitching staff this season. James has enjoyed a solid spring and has experience as a starter and out of the bullpen. The 28-year-old struggled mightily last season but the right-hander will get a clean slate to start again. With pitchers like Cristian Javier... Read More

Tyler Chatwood Will Work Out Of Bullpen In 2021

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Tyler Chatwood is expected to work as a reliever with his new club this season. Chatwood began his career as a starter for the Colorado Rockies, but bounced between the starting rotation and bullpen over the past three seasons with the Chicago Cubs. The right-hander has pitched well this spring with... Read More

Ryan Pressly To Be Astros Closer

Houston Astros pitcher Ryan Pressly is expected to be the closer for the team to start the season. Pressly has pitched only twice during exhibition action but finished last season as the team's closer. Pressly was solid last year, converting 12-of-16 save opportunities with a 3.43 ERA. The 32-year-old has been an integral cog in... Read More

Patrick Sandoval Ready For Role In 'Pen

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Patrick Sandoval will open the season in the Angels bullpen. Sandoval has enjoyed a solid spring, striking out 18 hitters through 14 innings pitched. Sandoval endured a rocky season in 2020, posting a 5.65 ERA with a whopping 10 home runs through only 36 2/3 innings pitched. The Angels hope to... Read More

Ty Buttrey Hopes To Produce Out Of Bullpen

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ty Buttrey is hoping to become a cog in the team's bullpen for the 2021 season. Buttrey has enjoyed a solid spring thus far, posting a 3.86 ERA with seven strikeouts in seven innings pitched. It was a bumpy ride for the right-hander last season, posting 1.41 WHIP and a 5.81... Read More

Twins Agree To Five-Year Contract Extension With Randy Dobnak

Minnesota Twins pitcher Randy Dobnak has agreed to a five-year contract extension with the team. The deal, worth $9.25 million with three club options and the potential to be maxed out at $29.75 million, was made official on Monday. It's a great story, as Dobnak has one of the more unique rises to the big-league... Read More

Craig Stammen's Durability Earns Him A Roster Spot

San Diego Padres reliever Craig Stammen will once again be a part of the Friars bullpen in 2021. Projected on the roster bubble to start spring training, a plethora of injuries has secured Stammen's fifth season as a reliable middle relief option for the Friars. The 37-year-old faltered last season with a 5.63 ERA (3.36... Read More

Matt Strahm Not Close To Returning

San Diego Padres reliever Matt Strahm (knee) will begin the season on the injured list and there's no timetable for his return. He underwent right knee surgery in the offseason and didn't pitch this spring. The 29-year-old southpaw has been a steady presence in the Friars bullpen the past three seasons, posting a 2.61 ERA... Read More

Austin Adams And Pierce Johnson To Start Season On IL

San Diego Padres relievers Austin Adams (elbow) and Pierce Johnson (groin) will begin the season on the injured list. Both injuries are considered short term. Adams appeared in only one spring game on March 7 and forecasted as a middle reliever prior to the injury. The 29-year-old owns a phenomenal 38 percent strikeout rate in... Read More

Raisel Iglesias Ready To Lock Down The Ninth

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Raisel Iglesias is ready to hit the ground running as the club's new closer in 2021. Iglesias was acquired in the offseason from the Reds after posting impressive numbers during the shortened 2020 season. The right-hander went 4-3 last season with a 0.91 WHIP, a 2.78 ERA while allowing opponents to... Read More

Emilio Pagan Could Be A Steal For Saves

San Diego Padres reliever Emilio Pagan could be a steal in drafts for managers scrounging for saves. Listed on RotoBaller as the designated closer, Pagan's dirt-cheap 454 ADP makes him a worthwhile gamble. The 29-year-old struggled with injuries and command in 2020, stumbling to a 4.50 ERA in 22 appearances, but has collected 22 saves... Read More

Mark Melancon A Lottery Ticket For Saves

San Diego Padres reliever Mark Melancon could be tabbed to close games in 2021. Entering spring training, the ninth inning looked to be Drew Pomeranz' job, but subsequent injuries to the bullpen could lead to a hierarchy reshuffling. The 36-year-old Melancon enters his first year in San Diego after posting a 2.78 ERA with 11... Read More

Aaron Bummer Appears To Be Healthy Entering 2021

Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Aaron Bummer should be healthy entering 2021. The lefty missed much of the 2020 season with a left biceps strain and a left biceps nerve issue, but has thrown in seven games this spring and allowed four runs in 6 2/3 innings. Bummer has been a mainstay at the back... Read More

Rafael Dolis To See High-Leverage Situations

Toronto Blue Jays hurler Rafael Dolis (back) is expected to help fill in some of the high-leverage innings that need to be covered in the wake of Kirby Yates' Tommy John surgery. Dolis has been slowed this spring by back spasms and has thrown in just three official spring games but he's been pitching on... Read More

Jordan Romano A Favorite For Saves

The Toronto Blue Jays won't officially name a closer but pitcher Jordan Romano is expected to pitch in a lot of high-leverage situations in 2021. Veteran free-agent acquisition Kirby Yates was originally named as the Jays' closer but he will miss the full season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Romano allowed just one run this... Read More

Pierre Camus' Bold Predictions for 2021

Can any prediction really be considered bold after 2020? We hope for a return to normalcy but we also have to remember that the very definition of normal is constantly changing. I've never shied away from pushing the envelope when it comes to this bold predictions column, so this year will be no exception. I... Read More

Late-Spring Closer Report: Unsettled American League Bullpens

"Spring stats don't matter." "Grapefruit and Cactus League games don't count." "Everyone is just working on something." These are all things we hear before baseball season, and they're mostly true. However, injuries certainly count, and there have been a few major ones already in March when baseball doesn't count. The National League seems to have... Read More

Lou Trivino Looks Good In Cactus League Play

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Lou Trivino has looked good in Spring Training having thrown 7 1/3 shutout innings over eight appearances. Trivino struck out eight against three walks and only one hit allowed. The 29-year-old righty was the team's eighth-inning man in 2018 pitching to a 2.92 ERA and a 27.4 percent strikeout rate while... Read More

Trevor May Having A Solid Spring

New York Mets reliever Trevor May has had a solid spring posting a 3.86 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and a 9:3 K:BB in seven innings pitched in Grapefruit League action. May will be the lone, primary set-up man to Edwin Diaz for the early part of the 2021 campaign, with Seth Lugo (elbow) starting the... Read More

Seth Lugo Responding Well To Treatment

New York Mets reliever Seth Lugo (elbow) is reportedly responding well to treatment following bone spur surgery he had just prior to spring training. Although Lugo has not started throwing yet, Mets manager Luis Rojas has indicated that Lugo should begin throwing soon. It appears that Lugo remains on pace to return to the Mets... Read More

Robert Gsellman Makes Mets Opening Day Roster

In somewhat of a surprise move, the New York Mets have told reliever Robert Gsellman that he has made the Opening Day roster. Gsellman has not been too impressive in spring action, posting a 5.63 ERA and 2.00 WHIP in eight innings of relief. Gsellman is also coming off a very mediocre 2020 campaign in... Read More

Rowan Wick Throws 25 Pitches On Sunday

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Rowan Wick (intercostal) recently threw a 25-pitch bullpen session according to manager David Ross. Wick has been a nice piece of the Cubs bullpen over the last two seasons and there is no reason to believe that he won't continue that success when he is fully healthy. With Craig Kimbrel entrenched... Read More

Lucas Sims Expected To Share Closer Duties

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Lucas Sims threw a scoreless inning in a 7-1 Cactus League loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. Sims is expected to share the closer role with Amir Garrett and possibly Sean Doolittle this season. The veteran reliever got a late start to the spring due to an elbow issue but he... Read More

Updated Top 50 Fantasy Baseball Redraft Prospects for 2021

Opening day is just around the corner. So what better way to celebrate the occasion than to refresh the Top 50 prospects list for 2021 redraft leagues. If you're a habitual prospect watcher then you could have a leg up on your fantasy competition in 2021. Managers around baseball will heavily rely on rookies like... Read More

Mychal Givens Takes The Loss On Sunday

Colorado Rockies reliever Mychal Givens blew a save and took the loss in Sunday's Cactus League game vs. the Kansas City Royals. It was an ugly outing for Givens, who allowed two runs on two hits while walking three over just 2/3 innings. Givens entered the game in top of the sixth inning with the... Read More

Giovanny Gallegos Pitching Poorly This Spring

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Giovanny Gallegos hasn't pitched much this spring, but he hasn't been great when he has. In seven appearances, he's pitched 6 2/3 innings, putting up an 8.10 ERA and 2.25 WHIP. He's still missing bats, as evidenced by his eight strikeouts, but when he's getting hit, he's getting hit hard.... Read More