MLB News
Kristian Campbell Makes Opening Day Roster
Boston Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell has officially made the team's Opening Day roster, according to Chris Cotillo. He will likely begin the season playing every day at second base, with Alex Bregman at third and Rafael Devers shifting to DH. He didn't have the most promising spring, batting just .174 and striking out at a 30.4% clip. However, he did connect with his first home run on Saturday and is coming off of a dominant 2024 season in the minors where he slashed .330/.439/.558 with 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He is one of the best prospects in baseball and plays the weakest position in fantasy, making him a must-add in any league where he isn't already rostered.
3 hours ago
Hayden Birdsong Wins Final Spot In Rotation
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong has won the competition for the fifth spot in the rotation, according to Jon Heyman. While he wasn't viewed as the favorite coming into camp, it was impossible to ignore his performance this spring. He allowed only one earned run, six hits, and no walks in 12 innings while striking out 18. The strikeout upside didn't come as a surprise as he had an excellent 27.9% strikeout rate last season in 16 starts for the big-league club. His biggest issue was his control, with a 13.7% walk rate that ranked in the 1st percentile. He has seemingly fixed that problem in the small sample this spring, making him a high-upside arm if he can carry it over into the regular season.
3 hours ago
AJ Smith-Shawver Earns Spot In Rotation
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver will begin the season in the rotation, according to Justin Toscano. Smith-Shawver out-performed Ian Anderson this spring, who was recently traded to the Angels. He has struck out 20 batters while walking five in 16 innings this spring and is looking to translate the success he has seen as a prospect into production at the major league level. He encountered some road bumps last season, but he posted a 2.76 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with a 31.3% strikeout rate in the minors in 2023. Still only 22 years old, Smith-Shawver possesses long-term upside, but may only spend a brief time in the rotation to begin the year with Spencer Strider set to be ready at some point in April.
3 hours ago
Ranger Suarez To Begin The Season On The Injured List
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (back) will head to the injured list to start the season, said manager Rob Thomson. Taijuan Walker will fill in as the fifth starter in the meantime. Suarez has recently dealt with back stiffness, and while it doesn't seem to be a serious injury, it will hold him off of the Opening Day roster. He enjoyed a breakout 2024 campaign, posting a 3.46 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 145 strikeouts in 150 innings. He did a great job at limiting hard contact, allowing a 5.1% barrel rate (88th percentile) and 53.2% ground ball rate (90th percentile). He should be a useful fantasy option for the back end of rotations following his return from the injured list.
3 hours ago
Shane McClanahan Diagnosed With Inflamed Nerve In Triceps
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan has an inflamed nerve in his left triceps, says manager Kevin Cash. He will still begin the year on the IL, but shouldn't miss significant time. This is great news for the lefty and for fantasy managers, who feared the worst after he left his most recent Spring Training start with the injury. After missing all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, he will be looking to get back to his 2022 form, when he finished sixth in AL Cy Young voting. He posted a 2.54 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 194 strikeouts in 166 innings during that year and followed it up with a 3.29 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 2023 before suffering his elbow injury. He is one of the most exciting arms when healthy, and should be one of the highest-priority IL stashes to begin the season
4 hours ago
Ian Anderson Traded To Angels
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Ian Anderson has been traded to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. The right-hander has posted a strong 2.25 ERA across 20 innings of work this spring. However, Anderson has experienced trouble with his command considering he has walked 18 batters heading into Sunday's game. It's unclear if the Angels plan to use him in the rotation or send him to the bullpen until he's able to get his command under control. In exchange for Anderson, the Braves will receive left-hander Jose Suarez. The southpaw posted good numbers in 2021 and 2022. After that, Suarez completely fell apart, but it'll be good deal for Atlanta if they can get Suarez back on track.
5 hours ago
Brandon Pfaadt Secures Starting Rotation Spot
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt has won the final spot in the rotation. The right-hander has done a nice job this spring with a 3.18 ERA and 13/2 K/BB ratio across 11 innings of work. Pfaadt was a healthy and capable option for the D-Backs last season. He registered a 4.71 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 185/42 K/BB ratio across 32 starts in 2024. This means, Jordan Montgomery and Ryne Nelson will head to the bullpen to begin the season. Neither pitcher is expected to offer much fantasy value as long relief options.
5 hours ago
Zack Gelof To Undergo Hand Surgery
Athletics infielder Zack Gelof (hand) is unfortunately going to start the season on the injured list. Gelof will undergo surgery to repair a hamate bone fracture in his right hand. The A's haven't given a timetable on Gelof, but often times players with this procedure miss close to two months. This is obviously a frustrating blow to the A's considering Gelof is a promising young infielder. The 25-year-old figures to be the primary option at second base once he's ready to play again. In the meantime, Luis Urias is likely to see a majority of the starts over at second base.
5 hours ago
Zac Veen Optioned To Minors
Colorado Rockies outfielder Zac Veen has been optioned to minor league camp on Sunday. The Rockies have been some interesting decisions lately. Veen should be close to MLB ready after putting up decent numbers in the minor leagues last season. Instead, the Rockies will keep journeyman Nick Martini on the roster. Hopefully, Veen is able to continue hitting well in the minors and force the Rockies to call him up. The former first-round pick has above average speed and could be a good long term option the outfield once he's given the chance.
5 hours ago
Mitch Haniger Released By Mariners
Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger has been released by the organization on Sunday. Haniger began his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016, but was traded Seattle in 2017. He spent the next five seasons with the Mariners. He made one All-Star team and posted an impressive 39 home run and 100 RBI season in 2021. Since then, Haniger has seen his stats take a hard hit over the last few seasons. He has failed to hit over .210 in the last two seasons, so it's unclear what else he has left in the tank. Haniger is still owed over $15 million for the upcoming season. The 34-year-old will look to catch on elsewhere as a depth option.
6 hours ago
Max Scherzer Progressing With Thumb Injury
Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet reports that Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer's thumb responded well to his 62-pitch Grapefruit League outing against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. The 40-year-old pitched four shutout innings, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out four. Scherzer has been battling a thumb injury but appears to be progressing. If he experiences no setbacks, the former first-round pick is slated to pitch in the team's third contest against the Baltimore Orioles next Saturday. Scherzer is an intriguing late-round arm in fantasy drafts, selected on average just inside the top 300 players. While he may not be the same dominant pitcher he was in the past, the veteran could return some value if he can stave off injuries in 2025.
7 hours ago
Josh Rojas, Mike Tauchman To Open Season On Injured List
Chicago White Sox outfielder Mike Tauchman (hamstring) and infielder Josh Rojas (toe) are set to begin the season on the injured list. Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reported the news. Tauchman has struggled in camp, and it's unclear when he picked up the hamstring ailment. Due to the injury, fellow outfielder Austin Slater projects to get more time in right field. On the other hand, Rojas has been battling a hairline fracture in his right big toe and was the favorite for playing time at second base. It's unclear who will start in his stead, meaning any combination of Brooks Baldwin, Lenyn Sosa, or prospect Chase Meidroth could get time at the keystone position.
7 hours ago
Logan Allen Penciled In As Guardians Fifth Starter
Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports that pitcher Logan Allen will be the Cleveland Guardians' fifth starter in the rotation. Triston McKenzie will begin the year in the bullpen. The 26-year-old wasn't particularly effective during the 2024 season, bolstering a 5.73 ERA in 97.1 innings (20 starts). However, he's had a strong spring, authoring a 1.89 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 19 innings with a 19:4 K:BB ratio. Allen is an afterthought in drafts right now, which is fair based on his production a season ago. Still, his changeup and sweeper generated whiffs at 27.1% and 33.1%, respectively, with Cleveland last year. If he can get his fastball to play up, he could provide some value for fantasy managers while he's got a spot in the rotation.
7 hours ago
Tylor Megill On Tap For Mets' Second Game
Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports that New York Mets pitcher Tylor Megill will begin the season in the team's rotation. Per DiComo, he'll get the nod for the Mets' second game with the Houston Astros. Megill showed flashes of brilliance in 2024 and was particularly effective over seven starts (39 innings) post-All-Star break, compiling a 3.00 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 42 punch-outs. The 29-year-old will get a chance to show his stuff again with fellow pitchers Sean Manaea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat) battling injuries. Megill has tweaked his arsenal a bit and noted that he plans to rely on his fastball more heavily, which should be a boost for him. For now, he's a late-round dart throw in fantasy drafts with some sleeper appeal, depending on how long he sticks in the rotation.
7 hours ago
Brooks Lee To Start Season On Injured List
Minnesota Twins shortstop Brooks Lee (back) will begin the season on the 10-day injured list, per Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune. On Thursday, Lee was scratched from the Twins' lineup with lower back tightness and is still battling the injury. He did not participate in on-field pregame drills on Saturday. Lee was projected to see a good amount of playing time with teammate Royce Lewis (hamstring) starting the year on the IL, but he'll now recover from his own bout with injury. The 24-year-old hit for good contact in the minors and displayed strong enough plate discipline to profile as a potential impactful asset despite the ineffectiveness during his 2024 debut. He's a late-round option in drafts, selected outside of the top 200. Teammate Edouard Julien will pick up the slack at second base.
8 hours ago
Victor Robles' X-Rays Come Back Clean
Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles' (hand) X-rays were deemed negative. Though he is not in the lineup on Sunday, he's hitting in the cages, per Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com. Robles left Saturday's outing against the Chicago White Sox after getting plunked in the hand with a pitch and looked to be seriously hurting. Fortunately, it appears he can be considered day-to-day. The 27-year-old was a different player last season upon his arrival to Seattle, hitting an eye-popping .328 with 30 steals after the move. Robles is currently hovering around the top 200 picks off the board (~OF30) and projects to give fantasy managers the most considerable boost in the average and steals categories.
8 hours ago
Matthew Liberatore Named Cardinals Fifth Starter
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore has been named the team's fifth starter. The Arizona native was decent in spurts a season ago but could never put it all together consistently. He spent most of his 86 innings out of the bullpen (six starts) in 2024, but the Cardinals will give him another go in the rotation. Liberatore has been solid this spring, compiling a 1.62 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in 16 2/3 innings of work (one start). It's unclear whether or not the former first-round pick will impact fantasy this season, but it's certainly intriguing that the Cardinals continue to give him chances in the rotation. He's nothing more than a late-round lottery ticket at this point and can be found by fantasy managers on waiver wires until he proves he's worth a roster spot.
9 hours ago
Victor Scott II To Be Cardinals Center Fielder
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II will be the team's center fielder on Opening Day. The Athletic's Katie Woo reported the news. Scott's first taste of big-league action did not go as planned, as he hit .179 over 145 at-bats (53 games) with 11 extra-base hits. However, he's been electric this spring, hitting .366 with four home runs and five stolen bases (1.225 OPS). While that production is likely unsustainable, the 24-year-old projects to boost fantasy managers in the stolen base department. The former fifth-round pick sports an 80 grade for his elite speed and will now get everyday at-bats for St. Louis. He represents a potential cheap source of steals in fantasy drafts and he's going just inside the top 400.
9 hours ago
Graham Ashcraft Aiming To Be Reds' Closer
With his recent move to the bullpen, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Graham Ashcraft notes he's eyeing the team's closer role. "At the end of the day, if I'm in the bullpen, that's where I want to be," said Ashcraft. The 27-year-old had been considered one of the Reds' Big Three pitching prospects over recent years, though it hasn't really panned out for him in the rotation. A recent move to the bullpen could be a boon for the former sixth-round pick, and he pitched well last Thursday in that role, allowing no hits, a walk, and striking out two. Ashcraft may not begin the season pitching late in games, particularly with teammates Taylor Rogers, Emilio Pagan, and Scott Barlow offering potential ninth-inning options for manager Terry Francona. Still, if he can continue to pitch well when called upon, he may find his way there later.
9 hours ago
Alexis Diaz To Start Season On Injured List
Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Alexis Diaz (hamstring) is set to open the season on the injured list, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The 28-year-old reliever sustained a hamstring injury early in camp, and it appears he isn't entirely over it. It's possible the hamstring is to explain for how shaky he's been this spring -- owning a ghastly 13.50 ERA in 3.1 Cactus League innings. For now, one of Taylor Rogers, Emilio Pagan, Graham Ashcraft or Scott Barlow could pick up save chances in Diaz's stead. All three could be mixed and matched in high-leverage situations if manager Terry Francona opts to go in that direction. This bullpen situation will be one to monitor.
9 hours ago
Kristian Campbell
• SS
•
Red Sox
