Long-time outfielder Melky Cabrera announced his retirement on Friday. Cabrera hadn't played in the major leagues since 2019, but he had played in winter ball each of the last two years. The switch-hitter broke into the bigs in 2005 with the New York Yankees. He spent the first five seasons of his career in the Bronx before making stops with the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates. Cabrera's most productive season came in 2012 with the Giants when he hit .346/.390/.516 with 11 home runs, 60 RBI and 13 stolen bases in his only All-Star appearance. The Melk Man never had much power (career-high 18 home runs), but he had a productive 15-year career that saw him hit .285/.334/.417 with 144 homers, 383 doubles, 854 RBI and 101 stolen bases in 1,887 games.
Free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera hit .308 in the Dominican Republic and Mexican Winter Leagues this offseason and is looking for a job. He's a career .285 hitter and batted .280 with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019. The 36-year-old did not play in the major leagues in 2020 after being released by the New York Mets. It's possible that Cabrera could latch on with a club on a minor league deal to try and prove himself in spring training, but it would probably have to be with an American League team, as he doesn't offer much on defense. While Cabrera does have a nice .285 career batting average and makes plenty of contact, he's 36 years old and has never hit more than 18 home runs in a single season in 15 big-league seasons. Cabrera is unlikely to find his way into regular at-bats in 2021 or provide any fantasy relevance.
The New York Mets released outfielder Melky Cabrera on Wednesday, corresponding with their signing of outfielder Juan Lagares to a minor league deal. In 2019, Cabrera hit .280/.313/.399 with seven home runs and 47 RBI in 378 at-bats for the Pirates. If Cabrera lands with a team in need of outfield depth, he may be worth a look in deep AL-only or NL-only leagues. For now, however, Cabrera remains off of the fantasy landscape.
New York Mets outfielder Melky Cabrera will work out at first base in addition to the outfield, according to manager Luis Rojas. With Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith rostered, the decision to work Cabrera out at first base is strictly to provide the Mets versatility during the shortened season. Cabrera is more likely to see time at designated hitter and in the outfield once the season gets underway. In 2019, Cabrera hit .280/.313/.399 with seven home runs and 47 RBI in 378 at-bats for the Pirates. Although the Mets are quite deep in the outfield, DH, and at first base, the condensed season may allow Cabrera to get decent playing time in 2020. Additionally, his value may increase if the recent injuries to Yoenis Cespedes (heel, ankle) and Michael Conforto (oblique) are not fully healed, cause recurring issues, or some Mets miss time due to the pandemic. For now, however, Cabrera is only worth a look in deep NL-only leagues.
The New York Mets signed outfielder Melky Cabrera on Monday and named him to their 60-man player pool for 2020. A career .285 hitter, Cabrera played in 133 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season and was productive, hitting .280/.313/.399 with seven home runs and 47 RBI in 378 at-bats. Although the Mets are quite deep in the outfield, the condensed season and universal DH may allow Cabrera to get decent playing time in 2020 as a fourth or fifth Mets outfielder. In addition, his value may increase if the recent injuries to Yoenis Cespedes (heel, ankle) and Michael Conforto (oblique) are not fully healed and/or cause recurring issues. For now, however, Cabrera is only worth a look in deep NL-only leagues.
Free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera is interested in playing for another couple of years. Cabrera played in 133 games for the Pirates last season and was productive, hitting .280/.313/.399 with seven home runs and 47 RBI in 378 at-bats. The 35-year-old switch-hitter typically hits for a high average with his high-contact profile -- he's a career .285 hitter in 15 major league seasons -- but he has never reached the 20-homer mark. The Melk Man will likely have to settle for a minor league deal with a team this spring, but he could be a useful fourth or fifth outfielder somewhere. His fantasy value will likely be limited to deep single-universe setups if he finds a new home.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Melky Cabrera (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Washington Nationals. Cabrera will get a routine day off here to rest. Pablo Reyes will take over right field and bat sixth versus lefty Patrick Corbin. Reyes has been awful with the bat, so he's not a trustworthy option in fantasy leagues or DFS contests.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Melky Cabrera is out of the lineup on Sunday, as Corey Dickerson will slot in at left and Bryan Reynolds will move over to cover right field. Cabrera has been providing solid fantasy value this year, with a .305 average and six home runs and 31 RBI over 79 games. This is just a day off for the 34-year-old, who has started in five of the team's last seven games.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Melky Cabrera went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and a walk in Tuesday's 12-5 loss to the Braves. Cabrera's first inning two-run home run was part of a four-run inning for Pittsburgh. Cabrera is now hitting .335 for the season but doesn't hold much value in fantasy leagues thanks to a lack of speed and power.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Melky Cabrera is back in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The veteran switch hitting outfielder is back in the lineup after sitting out on Thursday. Cabrera is hitting .318 with 3 home runs and 18 knocked in this season. He'll bat fifth and play left field versus righty Brandon Woodruff on Saturday. Despite Cabrera's hot start, he won't be a great option for DFS contests against Woodruff. Cabrera is capable of helping fantasy teams if the Pirates continue to put him in the lineup.
