News for Mike Zunino - 2014 Going 9 Experts League

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Wed Mar 617:55Mike Zunino Announces Retirement
Free-agent catcher Mike Zunino has retired from professional baseball. Known for both his prodigious power and big-time strikeout rates, the 32-year-old spent the 2023 season with the Cleveland Guardians but struggled to a .177 average with just three homers in 42 games before being designated for assignment to pave the way for the catcher of the future Bo Naylor. Also known for his excellent work behind the plate, Zunino hangs 'em up after appearing in 892 regular-season games with a lifetime .199 average and 149 home runs in that time. He launched a career-high 33 home runs in the 2021 season with the Tampa Bay Rays while he spent six seasons with the Seattle Mariners to begin his career.
Source: Marc TopkinRotoBaller.com
Fri Jun 16 202320:21Guardians Calling Up Bo Naylor, Mike Zunino DFA'd
The Cleveland Guardians plan to call up catching prospect Bo Naylor from Triple-A Columbus in order to join the team on Saturday. Naylor is the team's No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and he's also the younger brother of Cleveland first baseman Josh Naylor. The 23-year-old backstop will join the Guardians after they decided to designate catcher Mike Zunino for assignment on Friday. He earned the promotion to the big leagues after hitting .254 (55-for-217) with 12 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs and 48 RBI in 60 games for Columbus this year. Bo Naylor should be in the starting lineup on Saturday and is worth picking up immediately in single-catcher fantasy leagues because of his power upside at a shallow position.
Source: MLB.com - Zack MeiselRotoBaller.com
Wed May 31 202312:52Mike Zunino Resting On Wednesday
Cleveland Guardians catcher Mike Zunino is not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles. Zunino is taking a regular day of rest after going hitless with a walk and a strikeout in three at-bats on Tuesday. The 32-year-old veteran backstop is hitting under the Mendoza Line at .194 (20-for-103) on the season with seven doubles, three home runs, nine RBI and 11 runs scored in 35 games played, so he's not really moving the needle much in fantasy. In the month of May, he's hit just .133 (6-for-45), although he has two, two-hit games in his last three contests. Cam Gallagher will be behind the plate for Cleveland on Wednesday, and he's hitting in the nine-hole against Orioles left-hander Keegan Akin.
Source: Baseball PressRotoBaller.com
Mon May 22 202321:45Mike Zunino Homers Monday
Cleveland Guardians catcher Mike Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in a 3-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday. Zunino provided most of the offense in the low-scoring game with a two-run shot in the seventh inning. The blast traveled 341 feet and had an exit velocity of 101.5 MPH. Hopefully the homer will get Zunino's bat going as he has been ice-cold at the plate in 2023, hitting just .173 with three homers, eight runs, and nine RBI over 90 at-bats.
Source: MLB.comRotoBaller.com
Sat May 13 202315:14Mike Zunino Out Of The Lineup Saturday
Cleveland Guardians catcher Mike Zunino (neck) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's matchup against the Angels. He didn't play on Friday because of neck stiffness, so he'll miss another one. Zunino has struggled in May, going hitless with 15 strikeouts in 20 at-bats, so maybe a trip to the injured list could be on the horizon. In the meantime, Cam Gallagher will handle things behind the dish and hit against Reid Detmers, with the 30-year-old going 0-for-1 versus the lefty during his career.
Source: Cal QuantrillRotoBaller.com
Fri Feb 17 202321:18Mike Zunino Should Be Ready For Spring Opener
Cleveland Guardians catcher Mike Zunino (shoulder) is expected to be ready for the spring opener next week. The 31-year-old is returning from thoracic outlet surgery, but appears to be headed in the right direction. He signed a one-year deal worth $6 million over the offseason. Zunino is expected to be the starting catcher for this team, but prospect Bo Naylor is waiting in the wings. Naylor will likely head to Triple-A to begin the season, but could join the Guardians at some point during the season. Zunino didn't bring much to the table last season. He hit .148 with five home runs and 16 RBI in 36 games, so hopefully he'll bounce back in 2023.
Source: MLB.comRotoBaller.com
Tue Dec 13 202211:38Mike Zunino Heading To Cleveland
The Cleveland Guardians signed free-agent catcher Mike Zunino (shoulder) to a one-year, $6 million deal on Tuesday. Zunino played in only 36 games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2022 and had thoracic outlet surgery in July. However, the 31-year-old backstop is expected to be ready for the start of the 2023 season, where he should serve as the Guardians' primary catcher. Eventually, though, catching prospect Bo Naylor could begin to earn more playing time, depending on how he performs. Zunino has been able to provide plenty of power at the catcher position in fantasy with 146 long balls in 10 big-league seasons, but he also strikes out a ton and won't do you any favors in the batting-average department with a career slash line of .200/.271/.410. He hit just .148 with five home runs and 16 RBI last year before his injury.
Source: New York Post - Jon HeymanRotoBaller.com
Mon Jul 25 202219:13Mike Zunino Done For The Season
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (shoulder) will undergo surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome and will miss the remainder of the 2022 season. It was a rough Monday for the Rays, as it was also announced that outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (hip) will miss the rest of the year. Zunino will finish his 2022 season with a brutal .148/.195/.304 slash line with five home runs, 16 RBI and seven runs scored in 123 plate appearances over 36 games played. The 31-year-old slugger will be a free agent after this season. With Zunino done for the year, Francisco Mejia and Christian Bethancourt will continue splitting time behind the plate for Tampa Bay.
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc TopkinRotoBaller.com
Fri Jun 10 202212:46Mike Zunino Expected To Be Placed On Injured List
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (shoulder) is expected to be placed on the injured list. He has dealt with a shoulder issue since late spring training. It's uncertain whether or not this injury is related to that. Rene Pinto is expected to join the big league roster as Zunino's replacement. However, Francisco Mejia is likely to do a majority of the catching, assuming Zunino does miss time. Fantasy managers won't be missing him too much since Zunino has struggled at the plate this season.
Source: Marc TopkinRotoBaller.com
Wed May 4 202214:09Mike Zunino In Wednesday's Lineup
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino is in the starting lineup for Wednesday's matchup with the Oakland Athletics and right-hander Frankie Montas. Zunino is hitting .143 with a .173 on-base percentage and two home runs in 52 plate appearances this season. He hit both of his home runs in Tampa Bay's win against Oakland on Tuesday. The veteran is hitting seventh against Montas on Wednesday. Given the tough matchup with Montas, however, fantasy managers are probably better off looking elsewhere for streaming options at catcher.
Source: Marc TopkinRotoBaller.com
Fri Apr 29 202215:03Mike Zunino Returns To Lineup Friday
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (biceps) is back behind the plate and is batting seventh on Friday against Minnesota Twins right-hander Dylan Bundy. Zunino missed two games due to a mild left biceps strain suffered earlier this week, but he's back in the starting lineup for the Rays to begin the series with the Twins. Third-string backstop Rene Pinto will return to the bench with Francisco Mejia still on the COVID list. Fantasy managers may want to continue to leave Zunino on the bench in his return, as he still hasn't hit a home run and has only three hits and 14 strikeouts in his first 39 plate appearances of the 2022 season.
Source: Baseball PressRotoBaller.com
Thu Apr 28 202211:09Mike Zunino Still Out Thursday
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (biceps) remains out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the Seattle Mariners. Zunino suffered a mild left biceps strain on Tuesday and hasn't played since, but the Rays expect him to be back soon. Rene Pinto will draw a second straight start behind the dish and will bat ninth on Thursday against Mariners right-hander Chris Flexen. The Rays other catcher, Francisco Mejia, remains on the COVID list. Pinto has gotten off to a nice start to his MLB career, going 3-for-6 with a homer and two RBI in his first two big-league contests. Zunino, on the other hand, has struggled mightily, hitting .083 (3-for-36) with no home runs and one RBI in 12 games played.
Source: Baseball PressRotoBaller.com
Wed Apr 27 202213:40Mike Zunino Held Out Wednesday
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (biceps) is not in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners. Zunino suffered a strained left biceps in Tuesday's loss to the Mariners, so it should come as little surprise that he's not playing the day after. It remains to be seen if the 31-year-old backstop will go on the injured list, but the Rays also have catcher Francisco Mejia on the COVID list at the moment. With both Zunino and Mejia unavailable, Rene Pinto will do the catching in a major league game for just the second time and hit ninth on Wednesday against Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales. Pinto has a home run and two RBI in his first three major league at-bats, but fantasy managers should look for better options at the position in DFS.
Source: Baseball PressRotoBaller.com
Tue Apr 26 202223:06Mike Zunino Not Expected To Land On Injured List
Updating a previous report, Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that as of now, the team doesn't consider catcher Mike Zunino's biceps injury as something that would lead to a stint on the injured list. Part of the reason Zunino was removed from the game early on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners was because of the lopsided score at the time. The 31-year-old suffered a strained left biceps after striking out in his lone plate appearance of the game, and even if he doesn't land on the injured list, fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to play on Wednesday. With Francisco Mejia on the COVID list, Rene Pinto is the only other catcher on the Rays current big-league roster. Zunino came into Tuesday's game with just three hits, one RBI and no home runs in his first 11 games of the season.
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc TopkinRotoBaller.com
Tue Apr 26 202220:59Mike Zunino Exits Early With Biceps Strain
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (biceps) was removed from Tuesday's game against the Seattle Mariners with a strained left biceps. He went 0-for-1 with a strikeout before leaving. The severity of Zunino's bicep injury is unknown, and he's considered day-to-day. Zunino has struggled to make contact this season, slashing .083/.128/.111 across 12 games in 2022. The Rays are suddenly thin at catcher with Francisco Mejia on the COVID-19 list and Zunino potentially missing time. Rene Pinto is the only other backstop currently on Tampa Bay's roster.
Source: Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay TimesRotoBaller.com
Fri Apr 15 202214:34Mike Zunino Taking The Day Off Friday
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino is not in the starting lineup on Friday against the Chicago White Sox on the road. Zunino and catcher Francisco Mejia have alternated starts behind the dish for the Rays to begin the season, so Mejia will get the nod on Friday and hit ninth against White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease. Zunino could use a day off, too, as he has just one hit in his first 15 plate appearances over four games to begin his 2022 season with eight strikeouts. The power-hitting catcher should be back in the lineup on Saturday. Mejia, a switch-hitter, has been much more productive with the bat, hitting .417 (5-for-12) with a home run and five RBI. However, he'll be facing a tough pitcher and is hitting at the bottom of the lineup.
Source: Baseball PressRotoBaller.com
Sat Apr 9 202211:26Mike Zunino Sitting Saturday
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino is not starting Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles, according to MLB.com. Instead, it will be 26-year-old Francisco Mejia behind the plate and batting sixth. Even though Zunino had a career year in 2021, hitting .216 with 33 HRs in 109 games, the Rays figure to split time between the two backstops more evenly than some fantasy managers would hope. Mejia didn't have a bad year himself, slashing .260/.322/.416 with six home runs over 84 games. The Orioles are throwing Jordan Lyles in the second game of a three-game set. He has struggled mightily over the last two seasons, pitching to a combined ERA of 5.60, so Mejia isn't a bad option in two catcher leagues against the right-hander.
Source: MLB.comRotoBaller.com
Fri Apr 1 202210:23No Structural Damage For Mike Zunino
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (shoulder) said that tests on his cranky shoulder showed no structural damage, and he will resume baseball activities on Friday. Zunino is "confident" that he'll be ready for Opening Day next Friday. The power-hitting backstop was diagnosed with only inflammation in his shoulder, so fantasy managers should have him available to kick off the regular season. The 31-year-old has been out of spring action since Tuesday, but he should be able to get some at-bats before next Friday. Zunino was a first-time All-Star in 2021 when he hit .216/.301/.559 with a career-high 33 home runs, 62 RBI and 64 runs scored in 375 plate appearances over 109 games. He's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 14 fantasy backstop.
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc TopkinRotoBaller.com
Mon Nov 8 202111:30Rays Pick Up Mike Zunino's 2022 Option
The Tampa Bay Rays exercised catcher Mike Zunino's $7 million option for the 2022 season at Sunday's deadline. The move will make the backstop one of the team's highest-paid players next year in his fourth season with Tampa. The Rays declined Zunino's $4.5 million team option last year, but he re-signed with the team for one season and $2 million. He was able to max out his 2022 option as a first-time All-Star when he hit .216/.301/.559 with a career-high 33 home runs in 109 games. The 30-year-old was second on the team in wins above replacement (4.5), and he was third among all catchers in the metric. While Zunino won't help fantasy managers with his average, he has elite power at the position and also is excellent on defense for the Rays. He finished second on the team in homers, second in OPS and fifth in RBI.
Source: MLB.com - Adam BerryRotoBaller.com
Sun Oct 3 202106:38Mike Zunino Crushes 33rd Homer On Saturday
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 12-2 win over the Yankees. He took Yankees pitcher Jordan Montgomery deep in the third inning to give the Rays a 7-1 lead. It was his 33rd long ball of the season, good for 26th overall in the league and second among all catchers behind Kansas City Royals backstop Salvador Perez (48). The 30-year-old is slashing .219/.305/.565 with 33 home runs, 62 RBI, and 64 runs scored in 2021. Zunino has a lop-sided slash line, but his elite power makes him a solid option two-catcher formats in 2022.
Source: MLBRotoBaller.com
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