Mon Mar 18 | 20:35 | Orion Kerkering Might Not Be Ready For Opening Day | Orion Kerkering | RP/SP | Phillies | Free Agent |
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Orion Kerkering (illness) might not be ready for Opening Day on March 28, according to manager Rob Thomson. Kerkering hasn't pitched in the Grapefruit League since March 1 because of the flu, although he's scheduled to throw at the team's spring complex sometime this week. "He's 22 years old," Thomson said. "We're not going to push this thing." Kerkering has appeared in only two spring games and might need to open the year on the injured list in order to rebuild his strength. The former fifth-round pick in 2022 out of South Florida went from playing in Single-A in 2023 to pitching high-leverage innings in the majors in the postseason last fall. Kerkering has a nasty sinker/slider mix that can make him almost unhittable as a future closer candidate for the Phillies. |
Source: MLB.com - Todd Zolecki | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 20:28 | Nick Lodolo To Be Ready By April 10 | Nick Lodolo | SP | Reds | Team Mike |
Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (leg) will not be a part of the team's Opening Day starting rotation, but he's expected to be ready to go by April 10. The Reds will open the year with a rotation consisting of Frankie Montas, Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft and Nick Martinez (ribs), with Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson (shoulder) vying for the No. 5 spot. When healthy, though, the 26-year-old Lodolo will have a rotation spot waiting for him after a lost season in 2023 due to a stress reaction in his tibia. While Lodolo has lots of strikeout upside for fantasy managers, he's also a big injury risk. The good news is that he's feeling better and has allowed only one run in two Cactus League starts this spring. In deep-mixed fantasy leagues, Lodolo is still worth taking a late-round flier on. |
Source: MLB.com - Mark Sheldon | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 20:24 | Nick Martinez To Open The Year In The Rotation | Nick Martinez | SP | Padres | Doppelganger |
Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that right-hander Nick Martinez (ribs) is locked into a starting rotation spot to begin the year, along with Frankie Montas, Hunter Greene and Graham Ashcraft. The fifth spot is down to Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson (shoulder). Martinez has been dealing with a rib issue in camp, but he was able to throw a simulated game over the weekend and should be ready for Opening Day on March 28. The 33-year-old has started 87 of the 198 games that he's appeared in in the big leagues in six seasons, and he's been more effective in his career in a relief role. Moving back to the bullpen is still an option once lefty Nick Lodolo (leg) makes his 2024 debut, which makes Martinez more of an NL-only asset in his first year with the Reds. |
Source: The Athletic - C. Trent Rosecrans | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 20:15 | Matt McLain Scratched With Shoulder Soreness | Matt McLain | 2B/SS | Reds | Doppelganger |
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (shoulder) was scratched from Monday night's Cactus League game versus the San Francisco Giants for precautionary reasons with left-shoulder soreness. It doesn't sound like a serious injury, but it's something to watch after McLain also missed time earlier this spring due to an oblique injury that cut his rookie season short in 2023. Health issues aside, the 24-year-old earned the right to open the 2024 campaign as Cincy's starting second baseman after hitting .290/.357/.507 with an .864 OPS, 16 home runs, 50 RBI and 14 stolen bases in his first 89 major-league games a season ago. The former first-round pick in 2021 out of UCLA is RotoBaller's No. 7 ranked fantasy second baseman, but injuries are becoming a concern. If McLain is forced to open the year on the injured list, Jonathan India could fill in at the keystone. |
Source: Cincinnati Reds | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 19:06 | Merrill Kelly Has Stellar Outing | Merrill Kelly | SP | Diamondbacks | Team Erik |
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly continued his stellar spring during Monday's game against the Oakland Athletics. The right-hander threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing four hits and striking out seven batters. The 35-year-old hasn't allowed a run in two of his first three outings this spring. The hope is that these outings carry over into the regular season. Kelly should continue to climb up draft boards if he keeps pitching like he has lately. |
Source: MLB.com | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 18:57 | Oneil Cruz Blasts Two Homers | Oneil Cruz | SS | Pirates | Team Lorin |
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz continued his impressive power display during Monday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He went 3-for-6 with two home runs and six RBI during Monday's blowout victory. Cruz is now tied for the spring lead with seven home runs already. Fantasy managers who were lucky enough to draft him before the hype train should be excited. Now, fantasy managers will have to pay the price to get Cruz, but he looks like he's the real deal. It feels like a 30-HR and 30-SB season could be a real possibility for him. |
Source: MLB.com | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 17:06 | Patrick Bailey To Return To Game Action Soon | Patrick Bailey | C | Giants | Team Jim |
The San Francisco Giants are saying that catcher Patrick Bailey (hand) will be back in a Cactus League game in the next day or two. Bailey hasn't played in a week at spring training since taking a foul tip off his hand, but he appears to be fine now and will return to game action before the end of spring games early next week. The 24-year-old switch-hitting backstop hit .233/.285/.359 with seven home runs, 48 RBI and 29 runs scored in 353 plate appearances over 97 games in his rookie season for the Gigantes in 2023. Bailey caught fire early on after his big-league promotion but struggled in the second half. While he should see most of the playing time behind the plate in San Fran because of his defensive prowess, he's not really relevant in single-catcher fantasy leagues. |
Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 14:56 | Anthony DeSclafani To Begin Season On Injured List | Anthony DeSclafani | RP/SP | Giants | Free Agent |
Minnesota Twins right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (elbow/forearm) will begin the season on the injured list. He will visit Dr. Keith Meister to evaluate the next steps on his ailing right elbow. The right-hander was shut down by the team early in the spring but has recently thrown bullpen sessions. He has yet to appear in a Cactus League game to this point, however. The veteran was acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners this offseason after tossing a 4.88 ERA across 19 outings (18 starts) with the Giants in the 2023 season. He was involved in a deal for Mariners left-hander Robbie Ray before being dealt to Minnesota in a trade that saw Jorge Polanco head to the Mariners. |
Source: Bobby Nightengale | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 13:51 | Michael Lorenzen Throws 70 Pitches Sunday | Michael Lorenzen | RP/SP | Phillies | Ballbusters |
Free-agent right-hander Michael Lorenzen threw 70 pitches on Sunday, getting up and down four times while also hitting 94 to 96 mph with his fastball on the radar gun, according to a report viewed by The Athletic. The 32-year-old veteran remains without a team with Opening Day quickly approaching, despite the fact that he threw a no-hitter with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023. If Lorenzen does sign with a team soon, he should be pretty stretched out despite not facing actual competition in spring training. Both the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees have obvious needs in their starting rotations and have reportedly been considering signing Lorenzen. The former first-rounder of the Reds in 2013 out of Fullerton made his first career All-Star team in 2023 but struggled late in the year and was demoted to the bullpen in Philadelphia. |
Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 10:46 | Mark Vientos Blast Fourth Homer | Mark Vientos | 1B/3B/DH | Mets | Team Mike |
New York Mets corner infielder Mark Vientos went 2-for-4 with two runs and a three-run homer in Sunday's Grapefruit League matchup versus the Miami Marlins. Vientos now has four homers this spring with six RBI, but is hitting just .200 in 45 at-bats. The 24-year-old won't be beating out Pete Alonso for the first base gig, but his power may be enough to have him platoon with Brett Baty at third base and have regular at-bats as a designated hitter. The power has always been there for Vientos and he hit nine homers with 22 RBI in 218 big-league at-bats in 2023, but his .211 batting average was a big weakness. He is only an option in the deepest of leagues for now. |
Source: MLB.com | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 10:30 | Huascar Ynoa Optioned To Triple-A | Huascar Ynoa | SP | Braves | Free Agent |
The Atlanta Braves have demoted starting pitcher Huascar Ynoa to Triple-A Gwinnett. Ynoa, 25, is returning from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in 2022. He tossed a scoreless inning this spring with one strikeout. The Braves are likely to have a workload limit on the right-hander, no matter which level he is at this season. He can safely remain on the waiver wire in all formats. |
Source: Atlanta Braves | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 10:24 | Bryce Elder Gets Beat Out For Rotation Spot | Bryce Elder | SP | Braves | Team Mike |
The Atlanta Braves have demoted starting pitching Bryce Elder to Triple-A Gwinnett. The 24-year-old was an All-Star in 2023 with a 3.81 ERA and 12-4 record over 31 starts, but the underlying stats suggested he had luck on his side and is due for regression. A rough Grapefruit League didn't do him any favors as he had a 8.25 ERA in 12 innings. The Braves have plenty of starting pitching depth, but Elder would likely be one of the first names called if someone struggles or an injury occurs. He can be ignored in all formats at the moment. |
Source: Atlanta Braves | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 10:09 | Gavin Stone Named Fifth Starter | Gavin Stone | RP/SP | Dodgers | Free Agent |
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has named starting pitcher Gavin Stone the teams No. 5 starter to enter the 2024 season. Stone, 25, has been a top pitching prospect for the Dodgers over the past few seasons and had a dominate Cactus League to secure the fifth spot in the Dodgers rotation. Over 9 2/3 innings, Stone struck out nine with one walk and one run allowed. Stone made his big-league debut this past season and struggled with a 9.00 ERA, 22 strikeouts and 13 walks in 31 innings over eight outings (four starts). Despite his rough debut in 2023, Stone worked hard this offseason to improve his pitch mix and even gained around 10-15 pounds. The sample size is small, but his spring results are eye popping. On one of the best teams in the league, Stone should be able to provide managers with plenty of victories to go along with strikeouts. With an ADP of 367, Stone should be around for managers in the deepest of leagues and is well worth the gamble with his big upside at a low cost. |
Source: Doug McKain | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 02:00 | Ha-Seong Kim Crushes Two Homers In Korea | Ha-Seong Kim | 2B/3B/SS | Padres | Doppelganger |
San Diego Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim went 2-for-4 with a pair of two-run homers in Sunday's 5-4 win over the LG Twins in Korea. This was an extra special one for Kim, who was playing in the stadium he used to call home when he played in the KBO. Fantasy managers will hope that his homecoming continues to be a good one when they open the season against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Korea on March 20. Kim is being taken at an ADP of 85 in fantasy drafts and should provide plenty of speed at his cost while knocking out the occasional homer. |
Source: MLB.com | RotoBaller.com |
Mon Mar 18 | 01:20 | TJ Friedl Out At Least 3-4 Weeks With Fractured Wrist | TJ Friedl | CF/LF/PH | Reds | Doppelganger |
Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) will be re-assessed in three to four weeks after fracturing his wrist while diving for a ball on Saturday. Friedl will need some time off to allow the bone to heal, and then the team will see where he's at. At minimum, he will miss most of the season's opening month. While this is tough news for Friedl and his fantasy owners, his injury does help clear up a muddy outfield picture in Cincy. Both Will Benson and Jake Fraley should benefit and can be considered sleepers in fantasy drafts now. |
Source: Charlie Goldsmith | RotoBaller.com |
Sun Mar 17 | 17:54 | Tyler O'Neill Likely To Return On Tuesday | Tyler O'Neill | CF/LF | Cardinals | Ballbusters |
Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill (calf) is likely to return to the starting lineup on Tuesday, according to manager Alex Cora. O'Neill has been plagued by calf issues twice during camp already. The Red Sox are going to take the cautious approach and hold him out until he's fully healthy. If he returns on Tuesday, fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned about his Opening Day status. Otherwise, O'Neill could be in danger of missing Opening Day if this calf issue causes him to miss another week or more. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Tuesday for another update on his status. |
Source: Christopher Smith | RotoBaller.com |
Sun Mar 17 | 17:41 | Bryce Harper Dealing With Minor Injury | Bryce Harper | 1B/DH/RF | Phillies | Team Erik |
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (back) has been out of the lineup since Thursday, which has raised some concerns about his health. On Sunday, Phillies manager Rob Thompson confirmed that Harper is dealing with minor back stiffness. The lefty slugger has been out since Thursday and will remain out until at least Tuesday. It's worth noting that the organization is not concerned about this being a long term issue. Thompson says that Harper should be back in the lineup by the end of the week. That being said, fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned about Harper's health heading into Opening Day. |
Source: Todd Zolecki | RotoBaller.com |
Sun Mar 17 | 17:36 | Zack Wheeler Named Opening Day Starter | Zack Wheeler | SP | Phillies | Team Jim |
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler has been confirmed as the Opening Day starter, according to manager Rob Thompson. The right-hander has earned this opportunity given how excellent he has pitched over the last few seasons. This will be a change of pace for the Phillies as Aaron Nola has started the last seven Opening Day games for the Phillies. The organization will shake it up and have Wheeler take the ball against the Atlanta Braves on March 28. The assumption is that Nola will follow him as the second starter. |
Source: Scott Lauber | RotoBaller.com |
Sun Mar 17 | 17:31 | Orlando Arcia Considered Day-To-Day | Orlando Arcia | SS | Braves | Schellackers |
Atlanta Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia (left) was forced to exit early during Sunday's Grapefruit League contest against the Boston Red Sox. The 29-year-old was hit on the hand by a 96 mph pitch during Sunday's game. Luckily, it appears Arcia has avoided serious injury. The X-rays came back negative and Arcia is considered day-to-day with a left hand contusion. The expectation is that Arcia will sit out for a few days before rejoining the lineup. Fantasy managers should have Arcia back to full speed in time for Opening Day. |
Source: Justin Toscano | RotoBaller.com |
Sun Mar 17 | 15:22 | Joey Votto Exits During Debut | Joey Votto | 1B/DH | Reds | Ballbusters |
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Joey Votto (ankle) was forced to exit early during Sunday's spring training contest against the Philadelphia Phillies. The veteran slugger launched a solo home run in his first at-bat with his new team. Sadly, Votto didn't last too much longer as he rolled his ankle stepping on a bat in the dugout. The team decided to take a cautious approach and pull Votto from the game. The expectation is that Votto will return to the lineup in a few days. |
Source: Keegan Matheson | RotoBaller.com |