Pirates Sign Josh Fleming To One-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that they signed free-agent left-hander Josh Fleming to a split one-year deal. The 27-year-old southpaw will make $850,000 if he's in the big leagues in 2024. The Pirates are planning to use him in a long-relief role, which won't give him much fantasy appeal for the rebuilding Bucs. Fleming... Read More

Orioles Put Felix Bautista On 60-Day Injured List

The Baltimore Orioles placed right-hander Felix Bautista (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday to make room for outfielder Peyton Burdick, who was acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins in exchange for cash considerations. Bautista emerged as one of the best closers in the game in 2023 for an Orioles team that... Read More

Daulton Jefferies Will Not Be Restricted In Camp

San Francisco Giants right-hander Daulton Jefferies (elbow) will not face any restrictions and is a full-go in spring training this season. The 28-year-old was sidelined for the entire 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery and hasn't been on a big-league mound since May 18, 2022, as a member of the Oakland A's. Jefferies' MLB... Read More

Scott Effross Won't Be Available Until The Summer

New York Yankees reliever Scott Effross underwent back surgery and will not be ready to return until sometime in the summer, according to manager Aaron Boone. The right-hander missed the entire 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and will miss a hefty chunk of the 2024 campaign, as well. Most recently, the 30-year-old tossed... Read More

Scott Alexander Inks One-Year Pact With Athletics

Free-agent pitcher Scott Alexander has agreed to a one-year deal with the Oakland A's. The left-hander spent the 2023 season with the San Francisco Giants, another Bay Area club, and worked to a 4.66 ERA across 55 outings (eight starts). However, Alexander posted an eye-popping 1.04 ERA across 17 outings in the 2022 season and... Read More

Liam Hendriks Hoping To Sign By Thursday

Free-agent reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) has multiple offers and has set a deadline of Thursday to sign with a team, according to sources. If he doesn't sign now, he would keep rehabbing from Tommy John surgery on his own and throw for teams in late July before signing for the stretch run. The Chicago White... Read More

Josh Staumont, Anthony DeSclafani Full-Go In Spring Training

New Minnesota Twins pitchers Josh Staumont (shoulder) and Anthony DeSclafani (elbow) have both been throwing for months after ending last year on the injured list and are full-go entering spring training. Staumont had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last July but should be good to go for Opening Day with his new club. The 30-year-old could... Read More

Kenley Jansen Has "General Lat Soreness"

Boston Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow said that closer Kenley Jansen (lat) reported to camp with some "general lat soreness" and will not be throwing for now. However, Jansen did take part in other drills on Monday and had been throwing bullpen sessions at home. This isn't good news for the 36-year-old reliever, especially... Read More

Josh Hader To Close, Ryan Pressly To Serve In Setup Role

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that left-hander Josh Hader would be the team's closer in 2024, with right-hander Ryan Pressly serving in a late-inning setup role. "Hader will pitch the ninth inning if both guys are available," Espada said. It's no surprise that Hader will be Houston's closer after they signed him to a... Read More

Five Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitchers To Target In 2024

Drafting relief pitchers can be tricky for fantasy baseball, specifically closers. It’s a volatile job, with even the best of closers sometimes having a down season. For example, Josh Hader, who is considered one of the most dominant closers in the game, finished the 2022 season with a 5.22 ERA. He had a 1.23 ERA... Read More

MiLB Stats: Using Sabermetrics For 2024 Fantasy Baseball

Once you've grown accustomed to having advanced tools to help make fantasy decisions, it can feel disorientating to be without them. Prospects are increasingly becoming a focal point in both real and fantasy baseball, but the minors simply don't have all of the data available for MLB players. For example, advanced plate discipline stats, Pitch... Read More

Red Sox Willing To Listen To Offers For Chris Martin, John Schreiber

While the Boston Red Sox have been in trade talks for closer Kenley Jansen this off-season, they are also reportedly willing to listen to offers for setup men Chris Martin and John Schreiber. Martin had an excellent 2023 season but is due $9.5 million in 2024, so a potential trade would seemingly be for monetary... Read More

Jason Adam Loses Arbitration Case With Rays

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Jason Adam lost his salary arbitration case against the team on Tuesday. As a result, he'll earn $2.7 million in 2024 instead of the $3.25 million that he filed for. This was Adam's second year of arbitration eligibility. The 32-year-old reliever has been very reliable out of the bullpen for the... Read More

Marlins Invite Yonny Chirinos To Spring Training

The Miami Marlins signed free-agent right-hander Yonny Chirinos to a minor-league deal on Tuesday with an invitation to big-league spring training. Chirinos spent 2018-23 with the Tampa Bay Rays, so new general manager Peter Bendix is familiar with Chirinos already. The 30-year-old veteran has appeared in 69 games (38 starts) at the major-league level and... Read More

Kaleb Ort Claimed Off Waivers By Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies claimed right-hander Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Miami Marlins on Tuesday and designated infielder Diego Castillo for assignment in a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster for Ort. The 32-year-old Ort was designated for assignment by the Fish last week and will now join the Phillies organization, making... Read More

Drew Pomeranz Signs Minor-League Deal With Angels

Free-agent left-hander Drew Pomeranz (elbow) signed a minor-league deal with an invitation to major-league spring training on Tuesday with the Los Angeles Angels. Pomeranz hasn't pitched in a big-league game since 2021 due to arm injuries, and he was forced to shut down his minor-league rehab assignment late last year due to more elbow pain.... Read More

Jose Suarez, Jose Cisnero Delayed At Spring Training

Los Angeles Angels pitchers Jose Suarez and Jose Cisnero are both being delayed to spring training, Suarez due to a family matter and Cisnero due to a visa issue. Suarez, a 26-year-old left-hander, had a disastrous year in 2023 in his fifth year in Anaheim, posting an 8.29 ERA and 1.96 WHIP with 20 walks... Read More

Dinelson Lamet Dealing With Visa Issues

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Dinelson Lamet, who is a non-roster invitee to spring training, isn't in camp with the rest of the pitchers and catchers yet due to visa issues, according to manager Dave Roberts. Other than Lamet, all of the pitchers and catchers are accounted for. Lamet can ill-afford to miss any time in... Read More

No Restrictions For Garrett Cleavinger

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that left-hander Garrett Cleavinger (knee) is considered fully healthy and won't have any restrictions in spring training. Cleavinger underwent ACL and meniscus surgery on his right knee in May of last year but is good to go for the 2024 campaign. The 29-year-old southpaw made 15 relief appearances... Read More

Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen Expected Back Later This Year

Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander is expecting left-hander Jeffrey Springs (elbow) to return around July or August this year, with right-hander Drew Rasmussen (elbow) returning sometime after that. Springs had Tommy John surgery in late April of last year, so when the 31-year-old does return, he'll most likely be on a... Read More

Daniel Bard Expected To Open On Injured List

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Daniel Bard (knee) is expected to open the 2024 season on the injured list due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. Bard opened last year on the injured list and also ended the 2023 campaign on the injured list due to a right flexor strain. The 38-year-old veteran wasn't... Read More

White Sox Add Dominic Leone, Corey Knebel On Minors Deals

The Chicago White Sox agreed to minor-league deals with right-handers Dominic Leone and Corey Knebel on Tuesday that include non-roster invites to spring training. The White Sox now have 68 players in camp, including 28 non-roster invitees. Leone and Knebel will provide much-needed depth for Chicago's bullpen this year. Leone, 32, pitched for the New... Read More

Edwin Diaz Throws Bullpen Session Monday

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz (knee) threw a bullpen session Monday, saying he's "ready to go" for the 2024 season, per The Athletic's Tim Britton. The 29-year-old had season-ending knee surgery last March. Regarding his off-season before spring training, Diaz said, "It was my normal off-season, I did my normal routine." While he hasn't... Read More

Kyle Crick Could Miss All Of Spring Training

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said that reliever Kyle Crick (calf) could miss all of spring training due to a calf strain. As such, it's unlikely that Crick will make the team's Opening Day roster out of spring training. The 31-year-old right-hander opted out of his minor-league deal with the Tampa... Read More

No Health Concerns For Alek Jacob

San Diego Padres right-hander Alek Jacob (elbow) doesn't have any lingering health issues headed into spring training with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp this week, according to manager Mike Shildt. Jacob finished last season on the 60-day injured list due to a flexor strain in his right elbow but should be ready for the... Read More

Amir Garrett Agrees To Minors Deal With Giants

Free-agent reliever Amir Garrett agreed to a minor-league deal with the San Francisco Giants on Monday, according to sources. The deal includes an invitation to major-league spring training and would pay him $1.35 million if he's in the majors. The 31-year-old left-hander spent last season with the Kansas City Royals, where he posted a 3.33... Read More

Blake Treinen Expects To Have "Normal" Spring Training

Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed reliever Blake Treinen (shoulder), who has been limited to just five appearances in the last two years due to shoulder issues, said he expects to have a "normal" spring training. General manager Brandon Gomes said earlier this month that Treinen is trending toward a return this year, so as long as... Read More

"Handful" Of Teams Remain Interested In Michael Lorenzen

There are reportedly still a handful of teams interested in signing free-agent pitcher Michael Lorenzen. The veteran is one of the better free-agent arms remaining on the market as he can pitch as a starter or out of the bullpen, both of which he did last season. Lorenzen posted a 3.58 ERA across 18 starts... Read More

Garrett Crochet Could Open The Year In The Rotation

Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz said that starting the year with left-hander Garrett Crochet in the starting rotation is under consideration if that's what is best for him. "I anticipate him being on our major-league club, but I don't want to close the door on what's best for Garrett Crochet," Getz said. The... Read More

Park Factors: Using Sabermetrics For 2024 Fantasy Baseball

If you have ever selected a streamable pitcher based on a home park or benched an otherwise must-start arm at Coors Field, you already know how much a stadium can impact a player's bottom line. Ballpark factors quantify the influence each stadium has, allowing you to make the most of your fantasy team's real-life schedule.... Read More