Brian Snitker Awarded NL Manager Of The Year

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker was named the 2018 National League Manager Of the Year on Tuesday. Snitker led the Braves to the NL East title and received 17 first-place votes to finish ahead of Brewers manager Craig Counsell and Rockies skipper Bud Black. The Braves spent 115 days in first place in 2018 and […]

Bob Melvin Named AL Manager Of The Year

Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin was named the 2018 American League Manager Of the Year on Tuesday. Oakland's plus-22 win total from the previous season was the highest increase in baseball from 2017 to 2018. The A's also entered the year with the lowest payroll on Opening Day, but they managed to win 97 games […]

Steven Wright Undergoes Another Knee Operation

Boston Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright (knee) underwent left knee arthroscopy and debridement on Monday, and his timetable for a return is unclear. "Wright will continue to rehab and prepare for a return to pitching in the 2019 season," the team said in a press release. The knuckleballer had an operation on the same knee […]

Angels Willing To Trade Kole Calhoun, Blake Parker

The Los Angeles Angels have made outfielder Kole Calhoun and relief pitcher Blake Parker "highly available" on the trade market. Calhoun and Parker both had down seasons in 2018, but the Angels are trying to shed some salary if they trade either player. Calhoun hit just .208/.283/.369 with 19 home runs, 57 RBI and six […]

Dodgers Exercise Dave Roberts' Option

The Los Angeles Dodgers exercised manager Dave Roberts' option for the 2019 season on Wednesday, according to president Andrew Friedman. However, the team still expects to sign Roberts to a long-term deal soon. The option buys the team more time to negotiate with Roberts on an extension. Roberts has led the Dodgers to three straight […]

Francisco Rodriguez Still Wishes To Play

Free-agent relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez said he wants to pitch in 2019, according to a source. K-Rod, as he's been come to be known, didn't pitch at all in the big leagues in 2018 but was successful in a stint in independent ball. The right-hander has plenty of closing experience in the big leagues since […]

Cardinals Interested In Andrew Miller

The St. Louis Cardinals are interested in free-agent relief pitcher Andrew Miller and are active on the reliever market, according to sources. Miller is coming off a down year in 2018 due to three separate disabled list stints with various injuries. However, he's one of the most dominant lefty relievers in baseball when he's right, […]

Phillies Interested In Craig Kimbrel

The Philadelphia Phillies are interested in free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel, according to a source. The Braves and Cardinals are two other teams among the possible suitors for Kimbrel. Kimbrel will turn 31 next May, but he remains one of the most dominant closers in the game, posting a 2.74 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 13.9 K/9 […]

Mets Interested In Andrew Miller

The New York Mets are interested in free-agent relief pitcher Andrew Miller, according to a source. Miller pitched under Mets manager Mickey Callaway when he was the pitching coach for the Indians. The left-hander's value is down after he suffered multiple injuries in 2018 and threw just 34 innings with a 4.24 ERA and 1.38 […]

Yankees Working On One-Year Deal With CC Sabathia

The New York Yankees are working through the details of a one-year, $8 million deal to re-sign starting pitcher CC Sabathia on Tuesday, according to a source. In what is expected to be Sabathia's last year of his career, he didn't want to look around on the open market and preferred to work out something […]

Rick Renteria Receives Contract Extension

Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said that manager Rick Renteria signed a contract extension some time ago and that 2019 will not be his last season under contract. Renteria has gone 129-195 in his two years as the skipper for the Pale Hose. The White Sox are in the midst of a rebuilding […]

Mets Will Consider Pursuing High-Profile Relievers

The New York Mets will consider pursuing free-agent relief pitchers such as Craig Kimbrel, Zach Britton, David Robertson, Adam Ottavino and Andrew Miller, according to major league sources. The Mets bullpen is thin and without an obvious closer, as Robert Gsellman closed out the year as the ninth-inning man. Miller could be up for a […]

Mariners Want To Hold Mitch Haniger, Edwin Diaz, Marco Gonzales

The Seattle Mariners would like to hold onto outfielder Mitch Haniger, closer Edwin Diaz and starting pitcher Marco Gonzales, but "everyone else is up for grabs." Sources are saying that the M's are considering a full-fledged teardown of the roster this winter after finishing third in the American League West in 2018. Haniger and Diaz […]

Save Fallers: 2018 MLB Season Recap

The 2018 season has now come and gone (so sad!), so it is now time to dive into trends and projections for next season! A tough statistic to find trends on is saves, as a lot of success for closers comes from success from teams. There are also a lot of bullpens by committee these […]

Andrew Miller Is Healthy

Free-agent relief pitcher Andrew Miller's agent, Mark Rodgers, said that his client is fully healthy heading into the offseason after landing on the disabled list three different times in 2018 with knee, hamstring and shoulder injuries. “Altcheck saw absolutely nothing that would keep him from being the old Andrew Miller,” Rodgers said Monday at the […]

Cubs Won't Discuss Extension For Joe Maddon

Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein said he has informed manager Joe Maddon that the team will not discuss a contract extension this winter and will re-evaluate the situation later in the 2019 season. Maddon will be a lame-duck manager next season, and there have been whispers that Maddon's relationship with the front office is strained. […]

Save Risers: 2018 MLB Season Recap

The 2018 season has now come and gone (so sad!), so it is now time to dive into trends and projections for next season! A tough statistic to find trends on is saves, as a lot of success for closers comes from success from teams. There are also a lot of bullpens by committee these […]

Rockies Interested In Re-Signing Adam Ottavino

Colorado Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said the team remains in contact with free-agent relief pitcher Adam Ottavino after they did not offer him a $17.9 million qualifying offer. Ottavino had a career year in 2018, posting a 2.43 ERA while ranking eighth among qualified relievers with a 36.3 percent strikeout rate. He's a dominant […]

Rangers Hire Chris Woodward To Be Next Manager

The Texas Rangers hired Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward to be their next manager on Friday. The 42-year-old Woodward has spent the last three seasons as the third base coach for the Dodgers and played in the big leagues for 12 years in stints with the Blue Jays, Mets, Mariners and Red […]

Angels Claim Austin Brice

The Los Angeles Angels have claimed right-handed reliever Austin Brice off waivers from the Reds. Brice, 26, has a 5.68 ERA in 84 career big league innings, along with a 4.05 ERA in the minors. He is nothing more than a depth addition, and will have to fight hard for a roster spot on opening […]

Astros Decline Will Harris' Option

The Houston Astros declined the $5.5 million option on relief pitcher Will Harris for the 2019 season on Thursday, according to a source. However, because he isn't at six years of service time, he will remain under team control and the Astros can offer him a new deal by the Nov. 30 tender deadline. Harris […]

Cubs Pick Up Pedro Strop's Option

The Chicago Cubs picked up relief pitcher Pedro Strop's $6.25 million option for the 2019 season on Thursday. Strop stepped up in a big way for the Cubs bullpen in the second half of the season with closer Brandon Morrow injured, and he even closed out 13 games. Strop finished 6-1 with a 2.26 ERA, […]

A's Pick Up Fernando Rodney's Option

The Oakland Athletics exercised relief pitcher Fernando Rodney's $4.25 million option for the 2019 season on Wednesday. Rodney had a 3.36 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 70 K's in 64 1/3 innings over 68 outings in 2018. All 25 of his saves came with the Twins before being traded to Oakland at the trade deadline. Walks […]

Royals Rework Wily Peralta's 2019 Deal

The Kansas City Royals reworked their deal with closer Wily Peralta to guarantee his 2019 salary at $3.25 million and tack on a mutual option at $7 million for 2020, according to a source. His 2019 base salary will now be $2.25 million, with the other $1 million guaranteed in a buyout for the option. […]

Brewers Pick Up Jeremy Jeffress' Option

The Milwaukee Brewers picked up relief pitcher Jeremy Jeffress' $3.175 million option for the 2019 season, according to a source. Jeffress was an All-Star in 2018, going 8-1 with a 1.29 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 10.4 K/9 and 15 saves as a huge piece of a dominating Brewers bullpen this year. It was a huge turnaround […]

Brewers Decline Jordan Lyles' Option

The Milwaukee Brewers declined to pick up relief pitcher Jordan Lyles' $3.5 million option for the 2019 season on Wednesday, according to sources. Lyles will now be a free agent after spending most of his time last year with the Padres. The right-hander went 3-4 with a 4.11 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 8.6 K/9 in […]

Brandon Kintzler Exercising His Player Option

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Brandon Kintzler will exercise his $5 million player option for the 2019 season after the team declined their $10 million option on him for next year, according to a source. Kintzler had a rough 4.60 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 6.0 K/9 over 70 relief outings between the Nationals and the Cubs […]

Trevor Rosenthal Signs With Nationals

Free-agent relief pitcher Trevor Rosenthal is signing with the Washington Nationals. Rosenthal sat out all of 2018 after recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he'll now help anchor a bullpen that will have Sean Doolittle closing again in 2019. Rosenthal has plenty of experience (121 career saves), but he'll likely be in a setup role, […]

Mike Moustakas, Joakim Soria Become Free Agents

Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Mike Moustakas and relief pitcher Joakim Soria both declined their 2019 mutual options and will become free agents. Moose found a very cold market for his services last winter despite hitting a career-high 38 bombs in 2017, so he may struggle for takers again this year despite hitting .251/.315/.459 with 28 […]

Mets Sticking With Mickey Callaway As Manager

New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway will remain as the team's manager in 2019, according to new general manager Brodie Van Wagenen. "I fully support him," Van Wagenen said. There was speculation that Callaway would get the boot with a new GM coming in, but that won't be the case. The Mets had a very […]