The Los Angeles Angels stayed busy early this offseason and agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with free-agent infielder Kevin Newman on Thursday. The deal includes a club option for the 2026 season. Zach Neto is the Angels' starting shortstop, but Newman will provide insurance for the team at the position for the start of next season after Neto underwent offseason shoulder surgery. The 31-year-old veteran won't have much fantasy appeal outside of AL-only leagues, though, even if he's the team's starter at the 6 on Opening Day. In 111 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024, Newman hit .278/.311/.375 with a below-average .686 OPS, only three home runs, 28 RBI, eight stolen bases and 41 runs scored in 311 plate appearances. He has only had double-digit home runs once in his seven MLB seasons, and that came way back in 2019 with the Pirates in his second year in the league.
Kevin Newman Collects Four Hits, Including Walk-Off Knock
Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Kevin Newman went 4-for-5 with two doubles, two singles, and two RBI in Monday night's walk-off win vs. the Cincinnati Reds. That makes it three games in a row that Newman has collected multiple hits; the two RBI have been his first since April 26. The right-handed hitting shortstop did have a poor .216 batting average on the season, but the four hits, one of them being the game-winning walk-off single, bumped that batting average to a more respectable .253. Despite the four-hit performance, Newman only has two home runs and 10 runs batted in on the season, batting out of the number nine spot in the Diamondbacks' batting order. This makes him someone you can avoid for your fantasy outside of deep-league formats team unless his hot streak proves to be sustainable.
Free-agent shortstop Kevin Newman agreed to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Newman will give Arizona some veteran infield depth heading into the 2024 season. The 30-year-old veteran spent last season playing for the Cincinnati Reds, slashing .253/.311/.364 with three home runs, 16 doubles, 28 RBI, eight stolen bases and 28 runs scored in 253 trips to the plate over 74 games. In his six years in the big leagues (five with the Pittsburgh Pirates), Newman has hit .259 (459-for-1,770) with 23 home runs, 171 RBI, 38 stolen bases and 189 runs scored in 505 total games played. He isn't really going to have any fantasy appeal as long as he's in a utility role in Arizona.
The Cincinnati Reds reinstated infielder Kevin Newman (oblique) from the 10-day injured list on Monday and then designated him for assignment. Newman missed over a month with an oblique injury and will now not be with the Reds as they look to somehow secure the final wild-card spot in the National League over the final week of the regular season. The 30-year-old veteran will likely make it to the free-agent market and be looking for a new team this offseason. In his first year in Cincinnati in 2023, he hit .253/.311/.364 with only three home runs, 16 doubles, 28 RBI, eight stolen bases and 28 runs scored in 253 plate appearances and 74 games.
The Cincinnati Reds placed infielder Kevin Newman (illness) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to July 14) with gastritis and selected the contract of infield prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. Newman should be ready to return to the Reds when he's eligible on July 24. The 29-year-old hasn't had a ton of fantasy value as a part-time player at shortstop for the Reds, but he's hitting a decent .260 (52-for-200) with three home runs, 14 doubles, 27 RBI and 24 runs scored in 225 trips to the plate and 64 games. He's been especially useful against left-handed pitching, going 24-for-79 (.304) with all three of his long balls against southpaws.
Kevin Newman Getting An Opportunity In The Leadoff Spot Wednesday
Cincinnati Reds infielder Kevin Newman is getting a shot out of the leadoff spot Wednesday night against Red Sox left-hander James Paxton. It's just the second start of the season out of the leadoff spot for Newman who has logged four two-hit efforts with three doubles, three runs, five RBI, and a stolen base over his last five contests. However, Newman has long been a light-hitting infielder as he sports a career .261 average with 22 homers, 32 stolen bases, and a .662 OPS for his career across 469 big-league appearances. He will man third base in addition to his leadoff duties Wednesday night at Fenway Park in Boston.
The Cincinnati Reds acquired infielder Kevin Newman from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. The Reds traded right-handed pitcher Dauri Moreta to Pittsburgh for Newman, who hit .274 with a .316 on-base percentage in 309 plate appearances last season. The 28-year-old, who has significant experience playing both second base and shortstop, also chipped in with a pair of home runs and eight stolen bases in those 309 plate appearances. In addition to Newman, Cincinnati's other infield options on the 40-man roster include Jose Barrero, Joey Votto, Elly De La Cruz, Jonathan India, Alejo Lopez, Noelvi Marte, Matt Reynolds, and Spencer Steer.
Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Kevin Newman enjoyed a strong day from the top of the lineup Sunday, going 3-for-6 with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored in an 8-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Newman has only appeared in 24 games this season after missing time with an injury, and he has slashed .273/.319/.375 in 93 plate appearances with no homers and two steals. He's a solid contact hitter, but unfortunately that doesn't count for much in the world of fantasy baseball.
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that shortstop Kevin Newman (groin, hamstring) experienced a setback in his rehab, although it's believed to be on the minor side. Newman felt something in his hamstring, and it's not related to his groin injury. The 28-year-old played in a minor league rehab game with Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, where he likely tweaked his hamstring. Newman has been on the shelf since late April due to a strained left groin, and now he'll be out longer. He was hitting .250/.308/.375 with no home runs, eight RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base in 14 games before his injury, and Newman has very little fantasy appeal in much deeper leagues when he's healthy. Rodolfo Castro has been starting every day at the 6 for the Bucs.
Kevin Newman Expected To Begin Rehab Assignment Soon
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Kevin Newman (groin) has been on the shelf since April 26 due to groin tightness. On a radio show on Sunday, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington stated that the team expects Newman to being a rehab assignment soon and he added that the hope is for Newman's rehab to begin this coming week. Newman played in 14 games this year before suffering the injury and he slashed .250/.308/.375 with five extra-base hits (four doubles, one triple).
Kevin Newman
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Angels
