Relief Pitcher Preview
March sadness
Unfortunately the three marquee free agents at the time of the LABR drafts have now signed with National League teams. So Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and J.D. Davis must now be cut from AL LABR rosters.
First FAAB results, roster tweaks
Thanks everyone for a relatively smooth first FAAB run. We didn't have any major snafus, but we did have a couple coin flip tiebreakers.
-- ESPN (Cockcroft) won the three-way flip-off for Yimi Garcia at $6. Colton and the Wolfman (Wolf/Colton) were awarded backup Greg Weissert for $1 and refunded $5.
-- Colton and the Wolfman then won the tiebreaker for Jordan Leasure at $3 over Rotoballer (Clegg) so they get to keep him.
-- Baseball HQ (Adler) had a $2 bid on Brian Anderson voided since he was released earlier Sunday. He gets Josh Smith for that same $2. Also, Dave drops Francisco Mejia instead of Akil Baddoo in his pickup of Matt Thaiss.
I think that's it. Nice job everyone.
First FAAB refund
Colton and the Wolfman (Wolf/Colton) reclaim $10 FAAB for Lucas Giolito's season-ending elbow injury.
Funds will be available for Week 2.
If a player in your Week 1 starting lineup plays in the early Korea games of 3/20 and 3/21, their stats count for Week #1. Even if you draft after those games or pick the players up in the Sunday night 3/24 waivers.
If players from those two teams are in your starting lineup anytime before the deadline (on 3/28) for the first week locks for those teams, you will get the stats for the players for their two games in Korea.
Please let us know if you have any questions or comments via email or phone at 636-447-1170.
Baseball HQ | 0 |
Baseball Prospectus | 0 |
CBS Sports | 0 |
Colton & The Wolfman | 0 |
ESPN | 0 |
Fangraphs - Collette | 0 |
Mastersball | 0 |
Rotoballer | 0 |
RotoWire | 0 |
Sabermetrics 101 | 0 |
USA TODAY Sports | 0 |
Winning Fantasy Baseball | 0 |
The Tampa Bay Rays have placed Wander Franco on administrative leave through June 1 under an agreement between the MLB and the MLBPA. Franco has been away from the team since last August when his relationship with a minor first surfaced. There is no administrative leave in the offseason which is why Thursday's Opening Day is when this move took place, which also takes the former All-Star off of the 40-man roster, although he is still being paid while on leave. On June 1 the two parties will meet again to decide whether to extend his leave or place him on the Restricted List, depending on the results of the investigation in the Dominican Republic. It's presumed that once that investigation is complete, MLB will conduct it's own investigation and Franco would likely be suspended.
From RotoBaller
The Cincinnati Reds announced their starting lineup for Opening Day on Thursday in Cincinnati against the Nationals, with outfielder Will Benson penciled into the second spot in the order. Benson gets the start in centerfield after the projected Opening Day starter T.J. Friedl fractured his wrist in a spring game and was officially placed on the 10-day IL on Wednesday. Benson is intriguing for fantasy purposes, as while he's in there he brings a solid power-speed profile to the table, with the six-foot-five-inch lefty hitting 11 home runs and stealing 19 bases last season in just 329 PA. Benson will face the Nationals' RHP Josiah Gray whom he is 2-for-3 off of in his career, including a double and a strikeout.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes will go up against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday in Baltimore. It will be his first Opening Day start for the Orioles and he'll match up against the Angels' LHP Patrick Sandoval. Burnes allowed five home runs in five spring games and finished with a 6.75 ERA, although he walked just two while striking out 13 in 16 IP. The Angel batters will see a mix of cut fastball (55%), curve (17%), changeup (11%), slider (9%), and sinker (8%) from the 3x All-Star, with the cutter clocking at 94.4 mph last season and the curveball being his most effective put-away pitch (26.3% Put Away%, 53.1% K%). Having pitched in the National League for all of his career to this point, the 29-year-old hasn't faced the Angels much, but for what it's worth, he's faced superstar Mike Trout three times in his career with Trout going 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly off of the righty.
From RotoBaller
Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black says first baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant is in a "great place" physically, and he believes 25 home runs is a possibility for the veteran. Bryant is entering the second season of a seven-year, $182 million contract that is widely perceived as an albatross, but the 32-year-old four-time All-Star did hammer three homers and draw six walks over 43 plate appearances during spring training. Set to primarily occupy first base in 2024, Bryant should have a much better chance of staying healthy at the cold corner after appearing in just 122 of a possible 324 games in the past two years for the Rocks. Only rostered in one-third of Yahoo leagues to begin the season, the former National League MVP can't be discounted as a potential bounce-back candidate with plenty of slugging upside from a premium lineup spot in Colorado's lineup at the hitter's paradise that is Coors Field.
From RotoBaller
The Cincinnati Reds put starting pitcher Nick Lodolo (leg) on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday. Lodolo will miss the first couple of turns in Cincy's rotation, but the southpaw is set to make his 2024 debut on April 10 at home versus the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers following a long road back from a stress reaction in his tibia that dates back to May of last season. The 26-year-old former No. 7 overall pick tallied an underwhelming 6.29 ERA (5.79 FIP) and 1.74 WHIP through 34 1/3 innings in 2023, but he registered a strong 28.3% strikeout rate as well as 6.0% walk rate and gave up only one run while punching out five hitters covering two spring training appearances. Considering a favorable matchup is on tap for his first showing, Lodolo's bat-missing upside means he probably shouldn't be lying around on very many waiver wires in fantasy leagues for managers that can afford to stash him.
From RotoBaller
The Cincinnati Reds placed outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. While the move is a procedural measure, it's worth noting that Friedl avoided the 60-day IL in the face of a recovery timetable of six to eight weeks due to his fractured wrist. The Reds must believe the 28-year-old center fielder has a chance to return before the end of May, meaning fantasy managers shouldn't forget about him if choosing to leave Friedl on waiver wires instead of stashing him to start the year in shallow leagues. Friedl flourished during his first full year in the major leagues, slashing a potent .279/.352/.467 with 18 home runs, 66 RBI, 73 runs scored, and 27 stolen bases across 556 plate appearances. Will Benson is a name to watch during the early stages of the 2024 campaign after hitting .275 with an .863 OPS, 11 homers, and 19 swipes over 287 at-bats for Cincy a year ago.
From RotoBaller
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio will start in right field for Friday's Opening Day matchup against the New York Mets. It remains to be seen where manager Pat Murphy will slot Chourio in Milwaukee's batting order, but it's fair to expect the 20-year-old speedster to find himself in the lower part of the lineup during the early goings of the campaign. That doesn't mean Chourio won't work his way up to a more favorable spot over time; the No. 2 prospect in baseball slashed a promising .323/.373/.403 with four extra-base hits, four RBI, and two stolen bases over 62 spring training at-bats. Garrett Mitchell (hand) will miss at least the first month of the season, so Chourio will have an extended opportunity with the Brewers to showcase his exciting power and speed potential and is a threat to record 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in his rookie year.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that right-hander Jake Odorizzi (shoulder) will make a start for Triple-A Durham on Tuesday, April 2, and then the team will go "start-to-start" on deciding when/if they'll bring him to the major-league level. Not only did Odorizzi not sign with the Rays until March 15, but he didn't pitch at all in 2023 while recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder. The 34-year-old veteran should eventually become a rotation option for Tampa this year, but he'll certainly be on an innings limit and already didn't come with much fantasy upside. The former first-rounder (32nd overall) of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008 went 6-6 with the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves in his last season in 2022, sporting a 4.40 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 35 walks and 86 K's over 22 starts.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (late) started his throwing program on Tuesday and appears to be ahead of schedule. Rodriguez threw from 60 feet on Tuesday, which was the first time he had done any throwing since suffering a left-lat strain in spring training on March 19. The 30-year-old veteran southpaw is still going to start his first year in Arizona on the injured list, but his stay there may not end up being a lengthy one. In any event, the Snakes still felt the need to add lefty Jordan Montgomery to their rotation on Tuesday. E-Rod had career-highs in ERA (3.30) and WHIP (1.15) in his final year in Detroit in 2023, but fantasy managers should be expecting regression from an injury-prone pitcher that has exceeded 160 innings just once in his eight major-league seasons.
From RotoBaller
Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said on Wednesday that outfielder Garrett Mitchell (finger) will miss six to eight weeks due to a fractured finger on his left hand. The good news for Mitchell is that his injured digit won't require surgery at this time. Mitchell thought his finger was fine the other day before undergoing X-rays, but that won't be the case. It's a tough blow for the 25-year-old, who only managed to appear in 19 games for the Brew Crew last year due to a left-shoulder injury that required surgery. The former first-round pick from UCLA shouldn't be out nearly as long this time around as he was in 2023. In a crowded outfield picture in Milwaukee, Mitchell figures to be on the strong side of a platoon in right field in 2024 when he's able to return from his injury. In the meantime, Sal Frelick will likely see most of the starts in right.
From RotoBaller
TSN's Scott Mitchell writes that the Toronto Blue Jays will use a closer-by-committee setup and matchup-based choices to open the season with relievers Jordan Romano (elbow) and Erik Swanson (forearm) starting the year on the injured list. Mitchell says that his pecking order for saves would be Chad Green first, followed by Yimi Garcia and Tim Mayza. Green, 32, has 11 career saves in eight big-league seasons and posted a career-worst 5.25 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, four walks and 16 K's in just 12 innings last year in Toronto in his return from Tommy John surgery. He struck out 11 hitters in 7 2/3 Grapefruit League innings this spring but also allowed seven runs. While Green might get first crack at saves in Toronto to open the year, the fact that both Garcia and Mayza could also be involved means that fantasy managers shouldn't invest much in any of these three names off the waiver wire.
From RotoBaller
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah (shoulder) is likely to start the season on the injured list, according to manager John Schneider. Manoah threw 34 pitches in two simulated innings on Wednesday, and his next steps will depend on how he feels after Wednesday's session as the team looks to continue building him up. The 26-year-old doesn't have any structural damage in his right shoulder, but starting the year on the IL is another setback after he had an absolutely disastrous 2023 campaign. Manoah's command completely deserted him last year, which led to him being demoted to the minors two separate times. There was lots of optimism from the Blue Jays that he'd be able to bounce back in 2024, but the fact is that Manoah won't be guaranteed a rotation spot once he comes off the IL if he continues to pitch poorly.
From RotoBaller
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that the team still hasn't decided on when right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) will make his first start of the season, but it will be either Sunday in Tampa Bay against the Rays or on Monday in Houston versus the Astros. Gausman came out of his only Grapefruit League start on Monday fine and will not need to open the regular season on the injured list after dealing with shoulder fatigue in spring training. Neither matchup is ideal for the 33-year-old's first start after missing time in spring training, so he'll be more risky than normal in season-long fantasy leagues and in DFS in his first start of 2024. But fantasy managers should feel comfortable that the Blue Jays' ace can put his shoulder injury in the rearview and put forth another strong season as a No. 1 starter.
From RotoBaller
Toronto Blue Jays relievers Jordan Romano (elbow) and Erik Swanson (forearm) will officially open the 2024 season on the injured list, according to manager John Schneider. As a result, Nate Pearson and Wes Parsons will open the year in Toronto's bullpen. Swanson has already resumed playing catch, while the Blue Jays hope Romano can begin throwing off a mound next week. Hopefully, both pitchers will be able to return in the middle of April, but there's no guarantee. Romano should be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues for the time being. With both Romano and Swanson on the shelf, the Blue Jays are expected to roll with a closer-by-committee approach, consisting of arms like Chad Green, Yimi Garcia and Tim Mayza.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Noah Song (elbow) is set to miss the entire upcoming 2024 season. This is a tough blow as the 26-year-old will need to undergo Tommy John surgery. This is frustrating for Song who missed most of last season due to a back issue. Song returned to professional baseball last season after leaving after the 2019 campaign to fulfill his military obligations with the Navy.
From RotoBaller
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser (elbow) is expected to miss significant time due to injury. The left-hander is reportedly out indefinitely due to a bone spur in his left elbow. This is a tough blow to the Brewers as Gasser was looking close to MLB ready. The 24-year-old was likely to start the year in the minors but probably would've been one of the first reserves to be called up. The Brewers should give a timetable on Gasser at a later time.
From RotoBaller
The Boston Red Sox acquired pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa from the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. The right-hander will head to a divisional rival after failing to make the Opening Day roster in Tampa Bay. The Rays will receive cash considerations for Uwasawa who they signed to a minor-league deal this offseason. The 30-year-old looks like additional bullpen depth and will probably be put in low leverage situations right away.
From RotoBaller
New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres is set to bat leadoff against the Houston Astros on Thursday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it official that Torres will take the first at-bat of the regular season for New York. It won't be an easy task against left-hander Framber Valdez. Boone said that Juan Soto is batting second and Aaron Judge hitting third. The move to the leadoff spot should give Torres a boost in fantasy value until DJ LeMahieu (foot) returns to the lineup.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda (finger) has been placed on the 10-day injured list. As expected, Aranda is going to miss some time after suffering a broken finger last week. The expectation is that Aranda should return around late April or early May. As a result, infielder Austin Shenton has been recalled from the minors. He'll likely be in the mix with Curtis Mead, and Harold Ramirez for more playing time with Aranda sidelined.
From RotoBaller
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back) continues making progress from his offseason back surgery and was able to play catch on Wednesday. The veteran right-hander won't be ready for Opening Day, but might not miss too much time. Rangers manager Chris Young doesn't believe that Scherzer will need to be placed on the 60-day injured list. Instead, Young suggested that Scherzer could be back as early as May. The Rangers are likely going to be cautious with the 39-year-old. His injury might push him back into the later rounds of fantasy drafts.
From RotoBaller
Postponed | |
MIL | Peralta R (0-0) |
NYM | Quintana L (0-0) |
3:05pm | |
LAA | Sandoval L (0-0) |
BAL | Burnes R (0-0) |
Postponed | |
ATL | Strider R (0-0) |
PHI | Wheeler R (0-0) |
4:10pm | |
SF | Webb R (0-0) |
SD | Darvish R (0-0) |
4:10pm | |
DET | Skubal L (0-0) |
CWS | Crochet L (0-0) |
4:10pm | |
NYY | Cortes L (0-0) |
HOU | Valdez L (0-0) |
4:10pm | |
WSH | Gray R (0-0) |
CIN | Montas R (0-0) |
4:10pm | |
TOR | Berrios R (0-0) |
TB | Eflin R (0-0) |
4:10pm | |
PIT | Keller R (0-0) |
MIA | Luzardo L (0-0) |
4:10pm | |
STL | Mikolas R (0-0) |
LAD | Glasnow R (0-0) |
4:10pm | |
MIN | Lopez R (0-0) |
KC | Ragans L (0-0) |
7:35pm | |
CHC | Steele L (0-0) |
TEX | Eovaldi R (0-0) |
10:07pm | |
CLE | Bieber R (0-0) |
OAK | Wood L (0-0) |
10:10pm | |
BOS | Bello R (0-0) |
SEA | Castillo R (0-0) |
10:10pm | |
COL | Freeland L (0-0) |
ARI | Gallen R (0-0) |
Colton & The Wolfman | Thu Mar 28 11:52am ET |
RotoWire | Thu Mar 28 10:24am ET |
Fangraphs - Collette | Thu Mar 28 10:02am ET |
USA TODAY Sports | Thu Mar 28 7:53am ET |
CBS Sports | Thu Mar 28 1:22am ET |
Sabermetrics 101 | Wed Mar 27 8:34pm ET |
ESPN | Wed Mar 27 6:12pm ET |
Winning Fantasy Base | Wed Mar 27 5:25pm ET |
Baseball Prospectus | Wed Mar 27 7:35am ET |
Commissioner | Tue Mar 26 11:29pm ET |
Baseball HQ | Mon Mar 25 8:18pm ET |
Rotoballer | Mon Mar 25 8:48am ET |
Mastersball | Mon Mar 25 1:16am ET |
Rotate for more data.