Cesar Valdez Earns First Save Of Season Friday

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Cesar Valdez picked up his first save of the season in Friday's 3-0 win over the Red Sox. The veteran came on to pitch the ninth inning up by three and allowed no runs on a double and no walks with a strikeout. Manager Brandon Hyde confirmed late in spring training... Read More

Ty Buttrey Fails To Report To Alternate Site

Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Ty Buttrey failed to report to the team's alternate site and has been placed on the restricted list, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Manager Joe Maddon said that Buttrey has opted to walk away from the game for now. Buttrey had been a high-strikeout, middle reliever... Read More

Daily Slivers of the Fantasy Soapbox - Yesterday's Recap

Welcome to the April 2nd edition of Daily Slivers of the Fantasy Soapbox. Discussing baseball is as fun as the game itself. It has a way of bringing people together to share different opinions about the sport we all love. A similar action can be done with fantasy baseball where we not only discuss topics... Read More

Duane Underwood Jr. Strikes Out The Side On Opening Day

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Duane Underwood Jr. kicked off his 2021 season with a bang Thursday, striking out three in one perfect inning of relief in a 5-3 Opening Day victory over the Cubs. Underwood — who was acquired from the Cubs during Spring Training — showed no mercy against his former teammates, needing 18... Read More

Nationals GM Says Team Plans To Play Braves Monday

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said that the team plans to play the Atlanta Braves on Monday, according to The Athletic's Britt Ghiroli. The team has four positive COVID-19 cases and five players who are also under quarantine at the moment that will not be eligible for Monday's matchup, and Max Scherzer is currently... Read More

Hansel Robles Strikes Out Two, Shows Increased Velocity

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Hansel Robles looked impressive in his first appearance of the 2021 season. Robles operated as the set-up man in Thursday's loss to the Brewers, pitching a scoreless eighth inning with no walks or hits allowed while striking out two batters. The 30-year-old showed increased velocity on his fastball, going from 95.4... Read More

Taylor Rogers Works A Scoreless Inning Against Milwaukee

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Taylor Rogers had a solid start to his 2021 season in an Opening Day loss to the Brewers. Rogers took the ball in the seventh inning and pitched a scoreless frame, allowing no hits or walks while recording a strikeout. The veteran closer impressively got Christian Yelich to strike out on... Read More

Nationals-Mets Opening Series Postponed

The remainder of the Nationals-Mets opening weekend series has been postponed, according to a statement from the Washington Nationals. The scheduled games for Saturday and Sunday will be moved to a later date, after it had been previously announced Washington and New York would not be playing on Thursday or Friday. Latest reports have at... Read More

Drew Pomeranz Strikes Out Three On Opening Day

San Diego Padres reliever Drew Pomeranz fanned three batters in his relief appearance Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 32-year-old showed no ill effects from the sore forearm he dealt with during spring training, permitting a single in one inning of work and collecting the hold. Fellow reliever Mark Melancon was tabbed to slam the... Read More

J.B. Wendelken Fans Two In Opening Day Appearance

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher J.B. Wendelken struck out two-of -three batters faced in an Opening Day loss to the Astros. Wendelken allowed a walk, but he was able to escape a jam left for him by Adam Kolarek which should help Wendelken earn more high-leverage opportunities. A's closer Trevor Rosenthal (shoulder) is on the injured... Read More

Engel's Insider Angles: The Mets and N.L. East

The Fantasy Sports Writers Association award-winning Fantasy Baseball Insider Series continues on RotoBaller.com! Every year, Scott Engel talks to prime MLB sources to get exclusive nuggets of information. On the condition of anonymity, former and current players, executives, scouts and media members provide their unfiltered insights on key players and situations, and Scott supplies his... Read More

Setting an Optimal Week 1 Fantasy Baseball Lineup

Fantasy baseball is back in its rightful form! I know for some of you fantasy baseball never actually ends, but we actually have games upcoming and lineups to set. Not only that, but for the first time in two years we will be able to set our lineups in April, the way fantasy baseball is... Read More

Rafael Montero Blows Opening Day Save Opportunity

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Rafael Montero entered Thursday's opening day contest against the San Francisco Giants with an opportunity to protect a one-run lead, and promptly gave up a game-tying home run to Alex Dickerson. Montero did strike out two batters in the outing. Fantasy managers have to be disappointed, but Montero's role is safe... Read More

Raisel Iglesias Shines In Angels Debut

Los Angeles Angels closer Raisel Iglesias struck out two and locked down his first save in an Angels uniform as Los Angeles took down the White Sox 4-3 on Opening Day. Iglesias flashed his whole arsenal in quickly dispatching Leury Garcia and Luis Robert with back-to-back strikeouts. Iglesias was acquired from the Reds in the... Read More

Mark Melancon Collects Easy Save

San Diego Padres reliever Mark Melancon breezed through the ninth inning to collect his first save Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. With questions surrounding the Friars late-game hierarchy, Melancon required just seven pitches to nail down the 8-7 victory. If Opening Day was any indication, reliever Emilio Pagan handled the seventh frame before being spelled... Read More

Alex Colome Blows Save In Twins Debut

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Alex Colome had a shaky outing in his debut with his new team on Opening Day. Colome entered the game in the ninth inning with a three-run lead but couldn't shut the door, registering a blown save. The 32-year-old reliever normally relies on his cutter, but the pitch was hit hard... Read More

Daniel Bard Holds On To Secure Save On Thursday

Colorado Rockies reliever Daniel Bard picked up his first save of the season on Thursday when he struck out two while hitting a batter and issuing a walk over a scoreless ninth inning in an 8-5 win over the Dodgers. Bard immediately got into trouble upon entering the game when he allowed a leadoff triple... Read More

Josh Hader Secures Save In Extra Innings

Milwaukee Brewers closer Josh Hader secured the save in Thursday's extra-inning win over the Twins. He tossed a perfect inning while striking out the three batters he faced. Hader was absolutely dominant when called upon in the season opener, tossing nine of his 11 pitches for strikes and fanning the three batters he faced. Hader... Read More

Julian Merryweather Records First Save, Sees Value Spike

Toronto Blue Jays hurler Julian Merryweather wasn't officially announced as a member of the 26-man roster until this morning. Hours later, he recorded the first save of his career as the Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 3-2 in 10 innings. The hard-throwing right-hander needed just 11 pitchers to strike out the side in... Read More

Washington Nationals Now Have Four Positive COVID-19 Tests

The Washington Nationals now have three players who have tested positive for COVID-19, and a fourth who has "likely" tested positive as well, according to Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. General Manager Mike Rizzo said that the team is currently retesting the sample from the fourth player, but, "the different elements of the first... Read More

Jose Alvarado Records Three K's In Phillies Debut

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado struck out three batters in one inning pitched on Opening Day against the Braves. The left-hander allowed a hit and a walk, but got out of the inning by whiffing all three batters he retired. Alvarado was dominant in 2018 with the Rays pitching to a 2.39 ERA with... Read More

Diego Castillo Records The Save For Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Diego Castillo recorded the team's first save of the year, striking out two and allowing no baserunners in the Rays' 1-0 Opening Day win over the Marlins. Since Nick Anderson went down with a partially torn elbow ligament, closing duties were expected to fall on Castillo or Pete Fairbanks. The... Read More

Yimi Garcia Gives Up The Only Run Of Thursday's Game

Miami Marlins relief pitcher Yimi Garcia allowed the only run in a 1-0 Opening Day loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Garcia came in to pitch the eighth inning and allowed a solo home run to Austin Meadows after getting two outs on long fly balls. Pretty much everyone watching the game saw the Meadows... Read More

Richard Rodriguez Earns Save Against Cubs

Pittsburgh Pirates closer Richard Rodriguez allowed just one walk while striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save of the year in a 5-3 Opening Day win. The Pirates have had quite a few good relief performances this spring, but despite a few rough outings, Rodriguez has kept the closer... Read More

Sam Howard Strikes Out Side, Earns Win Against Cubs

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Sam Howard struck out the side in a perfect inning of relief on Thursday, earning the win in a 5-3 Opening Day victory over the Cubs. This is Howard's second season with Pittsburgh, having posted a 3.86 ERA and 30 percent strikeout rate in 22 appearances in 2020. In SV/HLD leagues,... Read More

Gregory Soto Allows Two Runs, Earns Save

Detroit Tigers closer Gregory Soto narrowly avoided blowing the save opportunity on Opening Day, as he allowed two runs on two hits and one walk in one inning of work in a 3-2 Detroit win over Cleveland. Soto surrendered a two-run home run with one out in the top of the ninth to make it... Read More

Kolby Allard Late Add to 26-Man Roster

Despite optioning him off the active roster recently, the Texas Rangers added pitcher Kolby Allard to the big league roster for opening day. The lefty had a solid spring by allowing five earned runs in 11.2 innings. He also posted an impressive K-BB of 15-4. Allard wasn't as successful in 2020 at the MLB level,... Read More

Alex Reyes Expected To Be Cardinals' Primary Closer

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Alex Reyes is expected to open the year as the team's closer according to Cardinals beat writer Derrick Goold. Goold said that, "Even if they don't call him closer. He'll be the reliever they're going to call on to finish games." This take from Goold is a bit surprising as... Read More

Tony Gonsolin And David Price Won't Pitch Two Straight Days

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told media that relief pitchers Tony Gonsolin and David Price won't be utilized out of the bullpen on consecutive days. He also threw reliever Jimmy Nelson into the discussion. He said that he wouldn't inform the three pitchers which games they should expect to pitch, explaining that he has to, "watch... Read More

Ryan Brasier Placed On Injured List

Boston Red Sox reliever Ryan Brasier strained his left calf while fielding a ground ball on Monday, and will begin the season on the injured list. Brasier was already expected to start the season on the injured list with a right pinkie fracture, but is now expected to be out for longer, as manager Alex... Read More