Chris Sale's Offseason Plan Becoming More Clear

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale has had an offseason plan that is geared more towards being successful throughout the season and through the postseason. We have known about the existence of a plan all offseason. Scott Lauber of ESPN has exposed a little more of what the plan actually entails. The lesson thus far […]

J.D. Martinez Getting Closer To Spring Debut

Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez will begin hitting in games soon. Manager Alex Cora stated that he will discuss with Martinez on Saturday when he feels would be a good time to make his spring debut. On Tuesday, Cora stated Martinez would likely start serving as the designated hitter after their day off on Monday. Until […]

Sam Travis To Expand Versatility

Boston Red Sox first baseman Sam Travis is likely to have his positional eligibility expand, according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. The Red Sox are looking for Travis to play some corner outfield later this spring. Travis does not fit the mold of the traditional first baseman ,as he lacks power. Also, another […]

Kenley Jansen Rankings Debate - Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

We continue our rankings debates with a look at the game's best reliever. RotoBaller's expert writers have come up with our consensus rankings for mixed leagues, but that doesn't mean we agreed on everything. In this space, we'll hear from rankers with the biggest differences of opinion on a well-known player and have them defend […]

ADP Sleepers and Busts - NL Relief Pitchers

Early-season drafts do not always tend to be reflective of a player's actual value. Average draft position does not tend to stabilize until closer to Opening Day but that does not stop people like myself (and presumably you as well if you're reading this) from drafting well before then. The ADP of relief pitchers is […]

Blake Swihart Competing For Second Catcher Role

Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart is trying to demonstrate that he is deserving of a roster spot, according to Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com. In the five games he has played, Swihart is 6-for-15 with four doubles and a homer. Swihart is 27 years old and out of options, trying to make the 25-man roster […]

2018 Relief Pitchers - Dynasty Tiered Rankings

As we move closer to the 2018 baseball season, at RotoBaller we have released our Dynasty Rankings. We have been dissecting the tiers of each position, showing fantasy owners where to find value in their draft. We have a total of 54 relief pitchers ranked in the first six tiers. When looking at dynasty leagues, one […]

Blake Swihart Plays The Field For First Time

For the first game this spring, Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart played first base on Wednesday against the Pirates. He went hitless in three at-bats and struck out once. The plan to increase Swihart's versatility has begun, and now we will see what he does with it and how it affects his future with […]

Marco Hernandez Six Weeks Away From Baseball Activities

Boston Red Sox infielder Marco Hernandez (shoulder) says it will be about six weeks before he can start baseball activities, reported Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Hernandez returned to camp from Boston on Tuesday. While in Boston, he had two screws removed from his shoulder, stemming from a procedure he had in May. He will be […]

Eduardo Rodriguez Takes Next Step In Recovery

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (knee) threw off the mound for the first time in the recovery process, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. Rodriguez was able to throw 35 pitches, all fastballs and changeups. He feels he’s recovered from surgery in October on his right knee and is focused only on […]

Steven Wright Throws Off Mound

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Steven Wright (knee) will throw off the mound for the first time Wednesday, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. Wright, who had cartilage restoration surgery on his left knee in May, started throwing from halfway up the mound then got to the top for the first time since his […]

Tyler Thornburg Throws Bullpen Session Wednesday

As scheduled, Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Tyler Thornburg (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Wednesday comprised of 20 fastballs off the mound, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. This was Thornburg's first bullpen session since having thoracic outlet surgery in June 2017. Christian Vazquez seemed enthused after catching Tyler Thornburg's first side session since surgery. He let […]

Dustin Pedroia Hitting Wednesday

Updating a report from Tuesday, Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (knee) will start hitting Wednesday, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. Pedroia is still recovering from offseason knee surgery, which included not only cartilage restoration in his knee but also microfracture surgery on his tibia. He started taking grounders last week. […]

Hanley Ramirez Makes A Bold Declaration

Boston Red Sox first baseman Hanley Ramirez has made an outrageous pronouncement, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. “I’m going 30/30. Write that down,” said Ramirez. Evidently, Ramirez is feeling very good this spring. Assuming health, it is not out of the question that Ramirez can hit 30 homers in this homer-friendly age, […]

2018 Starting Pitchers - Dynasty Tiered Rankings

We continue our fantasy baseball dynasty rankings analysis with the first base position. RotoBaller writers Kyle Richardson, Chris Zolli, Pierre Camus, and I have come up with our preseason rankings to give you a sense of player values as early as possible. In a dynasty league, it can be tough to decide between a proven veteran or […]

Chris Sale Rankings Debate - Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

We continue our rankings debate with a look at one of the game's most dominant arms. Major League Baseball's reigning strikeout king is a consensus top-four starting pitcher, but his exact draft value is still in question. RotoBaller's expert writers have come up with our consensus rankings for mixed leagues, but that doesn't mean we agreed […]

Craig Kimbrel Leaves Camp To Be With Family

Boston Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel has left the team to be with his infant daughter, who is having a second heart procedure in Boston, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Kimbrel learned his daughter would be born with a heart defect early in the 2017 season and she has already had one […]

Dustin Pedroia To Start Hitting Soon

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (knee) will start hitting on the field soon, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. Pedroia is still recovering from offseason knee surgery. He started taking grounders last week. While hitting on the field is good news, Pedroia is still a long way from running the bases.

J.D. Martinez Will Debut Next Week

According to Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald, Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez is acclimating quickly and is expected to debut next week. “His routine got messed up the last four or five days and it was the first day he hit in four or five days, so we want him to get back […]

Marco Hernandez Returns To Camp

Boston Red Sox infielder Marco Hernandez returned to camp Tuesday after his second shoulder procedure in a year, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. A week ago, Hernandez returned to Boston after doctors determined that pins put in his shoulder last May needed to be removed. The initial report was Hernandez would return when he was […]

Tyler Thornburg Scheduled For Bullpen Session

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Tyler Thornburg (shoulder) is scheduled for a bullpen session Wednesday, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. This will be Thornburg's first bullpen session since having thoracic outlet surgery in June 2017. “Big day for him,” manager Alex Cora said. Thornburg never had an opportunity to pitch in 2017 due to […]

2018 Third Basemen - Dynasty Tiered Rankings

The hot corner runs relatively deep in terms of draft value this year. While stalwarts like Arenado, Machado, and Bryant easily claim the top tier, you can find a former MVP at the ninth spot, a back-to-back 30-HR hitter at 14, and perhaps the best prospect in all of baseball at the 20th spot. Without […]

Top 500: Mixed Leagues Tiered Staff Rankings (February)

Spring training is officially here! To celebrate, today we are here to look at our staff's updated 2018 fantasy baseball mixed league rankings for February and the top 500 players. Our rankings are updated weekly, but enough changes have taken place recently (see humidor, Arizona) to release a new overall list. Over the next few weeks we will also be publishing individual tiered […]

J.D. Martinez's Contract Has Opt-Outs And Protection

Outfielder J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox have officially signed the agreed-upon contract of five years and $110 million. According to Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston, the contract was delayed by a medical issue in 2017 -- a sprained Lisfranc ligament in right foot -- and he has three opt-outs as well as […]

Yoenis Cespedes Rankings Debate - Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

Today's article is one in a series of debates regarding the overall ranking of some of the most fantasy-relevant players of the 2018 baseball season. RotoBaller's expert writers have come up with our consensus rankings for mixed leagues, but that doesn't mean we agreed on everything. In this space, we'll hear from rankers with the […]

ADP Sleepers and Busts - AL Relief Pitchers

The early days of draft season typically result in volatile ADP data, as values adjust rapidly to a growing sample size. Eventually, players fall much closer to their intrinsic worth as fantasy owners become inundated with news, analysis and pundit commentary. So, I'm here today to serve as another voice to the copious reams of […]

2018 Shortstops - Dynasty Tiered Rankings

We continue our fantasy baseball dynasty rankings analysis with the first base position. RotoBaller writers Kyle Richardson, Chris Zolli, Pierre Camus, and I have come up with our preseason rankings to give you a sense of player values as early as possible. In a dynasty league, it can be tough to decide between a proven veteran or […]

J.D. Martinez Press Conference Still On Hold

Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal has reported that there is still no news on the physical nor impending press conference of Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez. "I'm not concerned. My concern is with the guys here," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Until we hear more about the exact holdup, we will just […]

Marco Hernandez Experiencing More Pain

According to Jen McCaffrey, Boston Red Sox infielder Marco Hernandez (shoulder) had to return to Boston due to discomfort in his left shoulder. Doctors determined Hernandez needed to have the pins removed that were inserted into his shoulder last May. "He was doing everything fine and he felt weak or he was sore and it […]

Blake Swihart Not Named As Starter Or Backup Catcher

According to Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora has stated that Sandy Leon and Christian Vazquez are his catchers. This news means that Blake Swihart has lost another opportunity to win a starting position. Through process of positional elimination, Swihart will be relegated to a utility role. Thus far […]