MLB Teams To Open With 30-Man Rosters

Major League Baseball teams can have 30-man rosters for Opening Day in late July. Rosters will be reduced to 28 on Day 15 of the season and reduced to 26 for the rest of the year on Day 29 of the season. Teams must submit a list of up to 60 players -- entire 40-man […]

Players Agree To Report By July 1

The Major League Baseball Players Association has agreed to report to training camps by July 1 and play a 60-game season, according to sources. However, a deal is not yet finalized, as there is one last health-and-safety hurdle to get over amid the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports that there aren't any major […]

Reyes Moronta Could Return In Late August

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Reyes Moronta (shoulder) is throwing fastballs off of a mound and could still return to the team in late August, per TheAthletics.com's Andrew Baggarly. Moronta suffered a shoulder injury last August and had surgery this offseason to repair a torn labrum. The 27-year-old had a solid 2019 campaign, posting a […]

Players Expected To Vote Yes On Proposals

There is a strong expectation that the Major League Baseball Players Association will vote yes on Tuesday on the league's proposed July 1 report date for spring training and codify the health-and-safety protocol to lock in a 60-game season that will start around July 24, according to sources. However, the health-and-safety issues could cause a […]

Owners Vote To Proceed With 2020 Season

MLB owners unanimously voted on Monday night to proceed with the 2020 season under the terms of their March 26 agreement with the Players Association after the union's executive board voted down the league's latest offer of a 60-game season with expanded playoffs. Commissioner Rob Manfred has the power to implement a schedule of his […]

MLB Commissioner To Implement 60-Game Season

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is scheduled to implement a 60-game season that will start on July 29, although no official announcement has been made. This comes as the Players Association rejected MLB's latest proposal of a 60-game schedule with expanded playoffs. By rejecting the league's latest offer, the players union retains the right […]

Players Reject MLB's Latest Offer Of 60 Games

The Major League Baseball Players Association voted (33-5 against) on Monday to reject the league's 60-game proposal with expanded playoffs, putting commissioner Rob Manfred in position to implement a schedule of his choosing -- likely between 50 and 60 games. "While we had hoped to reach a revised back-to-work agreement with the league, the players […]

Four Yankees Employees Test Positive For Coronavirus

Four New York Yankees employees have reportedly tested positive for coronavirus. None of the positive tests appear to be players, but additional MLB-related coronavirus cases put the season even more at risk than it already was. The Yankees are moving their spring training back to New York with rising cases in Florida, but even the […]

Two Angels Players Test Positive For COVID-19

The Los Angeles Angels learned that two players in their organization have tested positive for COVID-19, according to general manager Billy Eppler. Eppler would not specify if the players were major leaguers or minor leaguers, but they hadn't been working out either in Anaheim or at the team's spring training complex in Tempe, Arizona. The […]

WPC+ Videocast: Hitter Values for a Shortened Season

Pierre Camus and Nicklaus Gaut review stats from the first 50 games of the 2019 MLB season to find notable differences from final season totals for top fantasy players. How much will a small sample size of a shortened season affect fantasy value? Like and subscribe to the RotoBaller channel on Youtube to get all […]

MLB Closing All Spring Training Sites

Major League Baseball will close all of their spring training sites in Arizona and Florida for deep cleaning and will not allow players or staff members back in until they pass a COVID-19 test. This comes after the Phillies, Blue Jays, Giants and Rangers shut down their spring training facilities earlier in the day due […]

MLB Won't Counter Players' Latest Proposal

Major League Baseball won't counter the Players Association's latest proposal to play 70 games this year, instead sticking with their most recent offer of 60 games at full prorated salaries. The players can either accept the 60-game offer with expanded playoffs and promise not to file a grievance, or reject it and force commissioner Rob […]

Astros Player Tests Positive For COVID-19

The Houston Astros have confirmed that one of their players has tested positive for COVID-19 at their West Palm Beach facility in Florida. The name of the player is unknown at this time, but according to general manager James Click, "The silver lining is we followed procedure and there were no other positive tests." MLB […]

Giants Shut Down Scottsdale Stadium Facility

The San Francisco Giants closed their Scottsdale Stadium facility on Friday "after one person who had been in the facility and one family member exhibited mild symptoms and were tested," per president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. The organization is awaiting test results. The Giants recommended that others who had been at the facility should […]

Blue Jays Close Facilities After COVID-19 Scare

The Toronto Blue Jays shut down their spring training facilities in Dunedin, Florida, on Thursday after a player showed coronavirus symptoms, according to sources. The Phillies, located in Clearwater, Florida, are also closing their facility after five players and a staff member tested positive. The Blue Jays player is a pitcher on the 40-man roster […]

ADP Champ or Chump: Seth Lugo

Using a reliever to improve your fantasy squad's ratios has become a trendy strategy, but this author doesn't really get the hype. Sure, it's great if you correctly identify which middle reliever will suddenly morph into a strikeout stud with a microscopic ERA, but it seems like the kind of strategy that requires hindsight to […]

MLB Owners Upset With Players' Latest Proposal

Major League Baseball owners are so upset about the Players Association's latest proposal -- which is for around $300 million more -- that no response is expected to be immediate this week. The league proposed a 60-game season earlier this week, while the players countered with a 70-game schedule, $50 million in playoff bonuses and […]

Players Union Proposing Schedule Of Around 70 Games

Updating an ongoing story, the Major League Baseball Players Association has finalized a proposal to the league for a season in the neighborhood of 70 games, according to sources. The season would run from July 19 to Sept. 30 and would include full pro-rated salaries and $50 million in playoff bonuses. It would also include […]

Players Want More Than 60-Game Season

Following a four-hour negotiation in Arizona between MLB commissioner and union executive director Tony Clark on Wednesday, the league believed the framework of a deal had been agreed upon, according to sources. But the union disagreed and players said they view the 60-game schedule proposal as too short. Absent a deal, the league has the […]

Spring Training 2.0 Could Start By June 29

If Major League Baseball and the Players Association can complete their negotiations by this Friday, the plan is for players to report to spring training 2.0 by June 29, with three full weeks of spring training before the 2020 season would begin. Most teams would train in their own home cities before starting the regular […]

MLB Sends New Proposal To Players

Major League Baseball has sent a new proposal to the Players Association on Wednesday, sources told ESPN.com's Jeff Passan. No deal is done yet, but commissioner Rob Manfred and union chief Tony Clark have met and made significant progress in negotiations for a 2020 season. The league knows players must get full pro rata, and […]

Oakland Athletics: Top 10 Dynasty Prospects

The Oakland Athletics will be our next stop on the farm to evaluate the best prospects on each MLB team. Once the 2020 MLB season begins, it may turn out that Minor League systems will be more important than usual. Franchises are losing money during the pandemic layoff, so many teams will be looking for […]

Rob Manfred Not As Confident Baseball Will Happen In 2020

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said on Monday that he's "not confident" that there will be a 2020 baseball season and that "as long as there's no dialogue" with the Players Association, "that real risk is going to continue." Manfred said "unequivocally we are going to play Major League Baseball this year" and estimated the likelihood […]

Judge Rules MLB's Letter To Yankees Should Be Unsealed

A New York judge ruled on Friday that a letter from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to the New York Yankees addressing a 2017 investigation of the team should be unsealed. The Yankees have made an emergency appeal before the letter is to be unsealed on June 19. The Yankees and MLB have the chance to […]

Players Reject MLB's Latest Offer

The Major League Baseball Players Association asked the league to set a schedule for the 2020 season rather than submit another counterproposal. "Further dialogue with the league would be futile. It's time to get back to work. Tell us when and where," MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said in a statement. The league has suggested […]

Ty Brown Among Astros Final Draft Selections

The Houston Astros selected Vanderbilt pitcher Ty Brown with the 101st overall pick in the third round in the 2020 MLB draft on Thursday. Houston wrapped up their draft by taking Tennessee outfielder Zach Daniels in the fourth round (131st overall) and UC San Diego shortstop Shay Whitcomb in the fifth round with the final […]

MLB, Players Remain At Impasse

MLB's latest return-to-play proposal has left the Players Association frustrated and increased the likelihood of commissioner Rob Manfred instituting a shortened season without input from the union, according to sources familiar with the situation. Dan Halem, the deputy commissioner, accused the players' union of causing "enormous damage to the sport" with its negotiating posture. The […]

Nats Go With Reliever Holden Powell Among Final Picks

The Washington Nationals selected UCLA pitcher Holden Powell with the 94th overall pick in the third round in the 2020 MLB draft on Thursday. Following Powell, Washington selected Oklahoma catcher Brady Lindsly in the fourth round and San Jacinto College North lefty pitcher Mitchell Parker in the fifth round. Powell is an attractive late-inning reliever […]

Giants Close Out Draft With Three Hurlers

The San Francisco Giants selected De La Salle High School left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison with the 85th overall pick in the third round in the 2020 MLB draft on Thursday. They followed that up by going with Arizona State pitcher R.J. Dabovich in the fourth round and Le Moyne College pitcher Ryan Murphy in the […]

Bryce Bonnin Highlights Cincy's Late Picks

The Cincinnati Reds selected Texas Tech pitcher Bryce Bonnin with the 84th overall pick in the third round in the 2020 MLB draft on Thursday. The Reds followed that up with St. Edward High School outfielder Mac Wainwright in the fourth round and Notre Dame pitcher Joe Boyle in the fifth round. Bonnin has been […]