Josh Hader Signs With The Astros: Fantasy Impact

There are very few things more volatile in the fantasy landscape than closers. MLB teams continue to adapt and use their bullpens differently to gain an edge. That has left very few elite fantasy closers with more teams opting to go match-ups over having one ninth-inning option. It's not often an elite closer hits the... Read More

2024 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings, Tiers, Analysis - Roto League Drafts

MLB shortstops, often considered the defensive captains of the infield, play a crucial role in baseball's dynamics. Renowned for their exceptional fielding skills and quick reflexes, shortstops prevent hits and turn crucial double plays. These players are typically versatile athletes who showcase a combination of speed, agility, and arm strength. Offensively, many modern shortstops are... Read More

Astros Manager Won't Name Closer Between Ryan Pressly, Josh Hader

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada would not name a closer when reporters asked him over the weekend at the team's FanFest. This is notable as the Astros just signed closer Josh Hader to a record-breaking contract. Ryan Pressly, who locked down 31 saves for Houston last season, was the clear incumbent before the Hader signing.... Read More

Does Josh Hader Push The Astros Back Over The Top? Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Free agent reliever Josh Hader signed a historic deal with the Houston Astros on Friday. His total figure falls short of the $102 million deal Mets closer Edwin Diaz netted last winter but Hader's five-year, $95 million contract is the largest for a reliever in MLB history as it does not contain any referrals. Diaz's... Read More

Juan Soto Likely To Hit Second In Batting Order

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Foul Territory on Friday that as of now, he'd probably put outfielder Juan Soto second in the team's lineup and outfielder Aaron Judge in the three-hole. It sounds as though infielder DJ LeMahieu would be a primary leadoff hitter, too, although Boone also mentioned second baseman Gleyber... Read More

Josh Hader Signs Megadeal With Astros

The Houston Astros have signed Josh Hader to a historic five-year, $95 million contract. While the total sum does not surpass the five-year, $102 million deal Edwin Diaz netted from the Mets prior to the 2023 season, it is the largest present-day value contract for a reliever in MLB history as it does not contain... Read More

Fantasy Baseball Top 100 Prospects for 2024 First-Year Player Drafts (January 2024 Update)

A number of the top international players that are being posted this offseason have signed, with a few more yet to come. Rankings for players have adjusted, some due to their destination, and a few MLB draft prospects are moving due to some additional viewing of tape and underlying metrics on those players. Otherwise, there... Read More

Matt Carpenter Reuniting With Cardinals

Free-agent designated hitter Matt Carpenter has agreed to a one-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday that is worth $740,000, according to a source. The Atlanta Braves will be responsible for the remainder of his $5.5 million guarantee. The 38-year-old Carpenter was originally drafted by the Cardinals in the 13th round in 2009... Read More

FIP/xFIP: Using Sabermetrics for 2024 Fantasy Baseball

While we've only examined how to evaluate hitters using advanced stats thus far, sabermetrics are just as useful for pitchers. The first advanced pitching stat most fantasy managers encounter is Fielding Independent Pitching or FIP. FIP measures a pitcher's actual skill instead of the effects of luck or his supporting cast. According to DIPS (Defense... Read More

Brewers Considering Garrett Cooper

The Milwaukee Brewers have considered a reunion with first baseman Carlos Santana but have also considered free-agent first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper, according to sources. The 33-year-old right-handed-hitting veteran was originally drafted by Milwaukee in the sixth round in 2013 and is coming off a season with the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres in which... Read More

Astros Targeting Josh Hader

Despite already having one of the best closers in postseason history in right-hander Ryan Pressly, the Houston Astros are trying to sign free-agent left-hander Josh Hader, who is considered perhaps the best closer in baseball. According to sources briefed on their discussions, the Astros are making a push for the 29-year-old southpaw who has been... Read More

Plate Discipline: Using Sabermetrics for 2024 Fantasy Baseball

No matter how high a particular player's BABIP may be, his average will be mediocre at best if he strikes out too much. This is why fantasy managers have known for years that players like Joey Gallo are potential drains on a fantasy team's batting average. Furthermore, players who whiff a lot tend to continue... Read More

Padres Sign International Shortstop Leodalis De Vries

A year after signing catcher Ethan Salas for $5.6 million, the San Diego Padres signed switch-hitting shortstop Leodalis De Vries, another player widely considered the top prospect in his international class. De Vries has good speed and the upside to hit 20-plus home runs. He received a $4.2 million signing bonus and has modeled parts... Read More

Blue Jays Keeping Tabs On Blake Snell

Free-agent pitcher Blake Snell, who is coming off his second Cy Young Award, has had his market "quietly monitored" by the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The two-time Cy Young winner is reportedly seeking a multi-year deal of around $240 million. Numerous teams, including the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Giants,... Read More

Padres Have Considered Bringing Gary Sanchez Back

The San Diego Padres have considered re-signing catcher Gary Sanchez, but there is a big gap in contract talks. Sanchez kept the Padres' offense afloat in the middle of last season and was one of their biggest offensive contributors despite not even starting the year with the club. Despite the strong season for the Friars,... Read More

Fantasy Baseball Outlooks for Robbie Ray, Mitch Haniger, Anthony DeSclafani, Andrew Kittredge, Jose Caballero, Luke Raley - MLB Trade Analysis

Last Friday, January 7, we saw a smattering of MLB trades. These were by no means any of the biggest names of the offseason, but we saw a former Cy Young winner and multiple All-Stars change teams. The three trades involved seven players and four teams, lefties, righties, youngsters, vets, pitchers, and position players. Let's... Read More

Closers and Relief Pitchers - 2024 Fantasy Baseball ADP Analysis, Draft Targets, Avoids

As we get into the middle of January, fantasy baseball draft season is gaining speed and momentum. By now, most of you have either already participated in a draft of some sort or are at least beginning your prep work and/or consuming more fantasy baseball content. This relief pitcher position is annually one of the... Read More

Michael King Avoids Arbitration With New Club

New San Diego Padres right-hander Michael King and the team agreed to a one-year, $3.15 million deal for 2024 on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration. King was part of the package sent to San Diego when the New York Yankees acquired outfielder Juan Soto in December. The 28-year-old was moved from the bullpen to the... Read More

Juan Soto Avoids Arbitration With Yankees

Outfielder Juan Soto and the New York Yankees agreed to a one-year, $31.5 million deal on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration for the 2024 season. It's a new record deal for an arbitration-eligible player, beating two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani by $1 million from his one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023. Soto and... Read More

Yankees Make Opening Offer To Blake Snell

The New York Yankees have made an opening offer to top free-agent starter Blake Snell. But little to no evidence of significant progress on Snell or two other top rotation targets in Jordan Montgomery and Chicago White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease, the Yankees are starting to look more seriously at right-hander Marcus Stroman. The Yankees... Read More

Yankees, Juan Soto Working On 2024 Salary Figure

The New York Yankees and outfielder Juan Soto are still working on a salary figure for the 2024 season. The Yankees agree that Soto will break Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani's arbitration-eligible $30 million record, but they haven't agreed yet on how much Soto will beat it by. The 25-year-old left-handed slugger will... Read More

Re-Drafting The 2012 Fantasy Baseball First-Year Player Draft - Mookie Betts, Gerrit Cole, Francisco Lindor, Yoenis Cespedes, and more

This is the third edition of a series here at RotoBaller from Benjamin Chase. The series explores previous First-Year Player Drafts and re-drafts those FYPDs with the information we've received since from drafted players and international signees that would have been eligible. This series shows that often the top guys in FYPD drafts remain the... Read More

Dylan Lesko Tabbed As Breakout Prospect Of 2024

MLB's 2024 MLB Pipeline Poll, which asks front-office executives from all 30 organizations for their opinions on prospects, named San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Lesko as the breakout prospect of 2024. The 20-year-old righty was the team's first-round pick in 2022, but he did not pitch competitively until June 2023 because he had Tommy... Read More

Josh Hader Seeking Record-Breaking Deal For A Reliever

The consensus in the industry is that left-handed closer Josh Hader wants to exceed the five-year, $102 million deal the New York Mets gave Edwin Diaz in November of 2022, even though Hader is entering his age-30 season and is a year older than Diaz was. But Hader has better numbers with a 2.50 career... Read More

Brewers Sign Austin Nola To Minor-League Deal

The Milwaukee Brewers signed free-agent catcher Austin Nola to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league spring training on Friday. The 34-year-old backstop became a free agent when the San Diego Padres non-tendered him in November. Nola became the Friars' starting catcher in 2022 by hitting .251 (87-for-347) with four home runs and 40... Read More

Rangers Still Interested In Josh Hader, Jordan Montgomery

The Texas Rangers are making progress on a local TV deal this offseason and now seem likely to be back in play to re-sign left-hander Jordan Montgomery and make a run at free-agent lefty closer Josh Hader. The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels are possibilities for Montgomery if he doesn't return to the World... Read More

2024 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Rankings, Tiers, Analysis - Roto League Drafts

Last season saw multiple catchers across Major League Baseball emerge as potential future stars, the most obvious being Baltimore's Adley Rutschman. But Seattle's Cal Raleigh, Arizona's Gabriel Moreno, Atlanta's Sean Murphy, and New York's Francisco Alvarez also raised their stock and were difference-makers offensively for their respective teams at points during the MLB season. Proven... Read More

Padres Sign Oscar Mercado To Minor-League Deal

The San Diego Padres signed free-agent outfielder Oscar Mercado to a minor-league deal. Mercado will report to spring training in 2024 hoping to impress the coaching staff and earn a reserve outfield role on the Opening Day roster. The 29-year-old Colombian played in only 20 games at the major-league level in 2023 with the St.... Read More

Blake Snell Interested In Playing For Yankees

Free-agent left-hander Blake Snell has privately expressed interest in playing for the New York Yankees, according to SNY's Andy Martino. At the moment, Snell seems a more likely fit in New York than Jordan Montgomery, with whom they have also talked. The Yankees are looking to aggressively add to their starting rotation and are planning... Read More

Padres Agree With Woo Suk Go On Two-Year Deal

The San Diego Padres and free-agent Korean reliever Woo Suk Go agreed to a two-year, $4.5 million contract on Wednesday, according to a source. The deal includes a mutual option for the 2026 season. The 25-year-old will join left-hander Yuki Matsui and right-hander Robert Suarez at the back of the Padres' bullpen in 2024 with... Read More