Tim Beckham Shines In Tokyo

Seattle Mariners shortstop Tim Beckham had an impressive debut in Wednesday's win over the Oakland Athletics. He went 3-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and a walk as he lifted a home run in the fifth inning for his first of the year. Beckham is only worth looking at in AL-only formats for now as […]

Domingo Santana Blasts Grand Slam

Seattle Mariners outfielder Domingo Santana went 1-for-5 against the Oakland Athletics in the season's first game in Tokyo. Santana took Mike Fiers deep to the opposite field in the third inning for his first career grand slam. Santana struck out in two of his other at-bats as the M's defeated the A's 9-7 in this […]

Hunter Strickland Nails Down First Save Of Season

After battling back issues late in spring training, Seattle Mariners closer Hunter Strickland looked sharp in his regular season debut. He threw a clean ninth inning striking out two batters as he finished off the Oakland Athletics for his first save of 2019. Strickland is entering his first season as a bona fide closer and […]

Marco Gonzales Logs Quality Start In Season Debut

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Marco Gonzales got the win over the Oakland Athletics in the first game of the MLB season on Wednesday in Tokyo. The southpaw was shaky early giving up runs in each of the first three innings but bounced back nicely retiring the last eight batters he faced. Gonzales went six innings, giving […]

Anthony Swarzak Placed On The Injured List

Seattle Mariners reliever Anthony Swarzak has been placed on the 10-day injured list to open the season. Swarzak has been battling right shoulder problems this spring but should be ready to roll in early April. He'll be a setup arm for the Mariners when he returns this season and could be first in line for […]

Ross Stripling (SP, LAD) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 180 CURRENT ADP: ~215 overall ANALYSIS: Entering his age-29 season, Ross Stripling will begin the year locked into a rotation spot for the first time in his career. Stripling showed us an excellent first half in 2018 that led to his first ever All-Star selection. An injury-riddled second half put […]

Merrill Kelly (SP, ARI) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 415 CURRENT ADP: ~445 overall ANALYSIS: It’s almost becoming a trend for players to travel overseas to play baseball after struggling to make it in the MLB, only to end up back in the Majors better than before. In 2017 it was Eric Thames and last year it was Miles […]

Jay Bruce Mashing In Preseason Play

Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Jay Bruce launched a three-run homer in Sunday's exhibition contest versus the Yomiuri Giants. This shot put an exclamation point on a strong spring training in which he hit .433 with two more bombs and four doubles. Bruce batted fifth in this tune-up and figures to remain in this spot routinely as the […]

Hunter Renfroe And Franmil Reyes Dealing With Fatigue

San Diego Padres outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Franmil Reyes are battling more than just each other for the right field job in San Diego this season. The two combatants are dealing with "general tiredness," but manager Andy Green believes the pair will be ready to go "when the bell rings." This situation doesn't sound serious, […]

Starting Pitcher Busts Who’ll Keep Junking It Up in 2019

It’s a stocked junkyard full of veteran left-handers in this edition of starting pitcher busts. Highlighted in articles depicting their incredible value and abilities over the last few years, the players on this list have suffered a free fall from the upper ranks of talent since then. After seeing a rapid transformation in quality from […]

Hunter Strickland Fully Recovered From Back Issues

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Hunter Strickland stated Saturday from Tokyo that his back is "100 percent." Strickland hasn't seen game action since March 3 but will throw in an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants on Sunday. The M's begin their season on March 20 against the Oakland Athletics, and all signs point to Strickland getting […]

J.P. Crawford Sent To Minor Leagues

After acquiring shortstop J.P. Crawford from the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason, the Seattle Mariners have decided to send him down to Triple-A to begin the year. It's a tough blow for the former top shortstop prospect, but a wise move by the M's as he's failed to develop his bat in the majors. Hitting […]

Hunter Strickland On Track For Japan Series

The top closing option for the Seattle Mariners, Hunter Strickland, threw a successful bullpen session on Tuesday and appears to be on track for the team’s two-game series in Japan on March 20. Strickland was experiencing tightness in his lower back last week and hasn't appeared in game action in ten days. The 30-year-old will […]

Mallex Smith Ruled Out For Japan Series

Seattle Mariners center fielder Mallex Smith has officially been ruled out for the team’s two-game trip overseas starting on March 20. He’ll stay back with the minor league club to get in more at-bats as he’s recovering from an elbow injury that he suffered early in the Spring. Smith still has time to get ready […]

Outfielder Breakouts Due for Regression in 2019

It’s inevitable that we see players breakout in baseball every season. In these scenarios, certain athletes may have a total blindsided outburst that no one anticipated coming, or perhaps it’s a savvy veteran who finally took that next step in their professional development. In either circumstance, we pay up for it in the following season […]

Kyle Seager Out Until May

Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager will undergo surgery on his left wrist after injuring it diving for a ball over the weekend. This marks the first time Seager has been put on the DL in his career. There is no official timetable for his return, but he has been ruled out for at least […]

Hunter Strickland Out With Minor Back Issue

Seattle Mariners reliever Hunter Strickland hasn’t pitched in a week due to tightness in his lower back. Manager Scott Servais doesn’t believe it to be serious, and he should return to action early this week. Strickland is the favorite for picking up saves in the M’s bullpen this season although Servais mentioned earlier this spring […]

Marco Gonzales Tabbed For Opening Day

Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais announced that Marco Gonzales will start Opening Day in Japan on March 20. This ends Felix Hernandez’ 10-year run as the M’s Opening Day starter. Gonzales had a fine season in 2018 going 13-9 with a 4.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 166.2 IP. The southpaw is an […]

2018 Outfielder Busts Who’ll Keep Junking It Up In 2019

The term “bust” in fantasy baseball can have a few different definitions. The distinct meaning is a player who does nothing more than stink up the place. Whether it’s not stealing bases, failure to find the bleachers with home runs, or just flat out not being able to hit the ball anymore, they are a […]

Infielder Busts Who’ll Keep Junking It Up in 2019

Every year in fantasy baseball we do our best to try and avoid the players who are going to be a big-time disappointment on our rosters. It’s the purpose of most preseason articles to sift through the vast array of major-league talent and try and pick out who will repeat, rebound, or regress. The “sleeper” […]

Platoon Watch - Five Players On A Short Leash

One of the most commonly overlooked aspects when drafting a player in fantasy baseball is projecting how their season could play out. We sometimes don’t see the possible outcomes of playing time factors that a player can see during the course of a season. With our minds present in spring training battles and on players […]

Domingo Santana Raking In Spring Training

Seattle Mariners outfielder Domingo Santana hit his fourth home run of the spring in Wednesday's game, and he’s now batting .444 in exhibition play. While spring stats need to be taken with a grain of salt, it’s encouraging to see this level of production from Santana following a disappointing 2018. After only clubbing five homers […]

Best-Ball Targets and Sleepers For 2019

One of the biggest challenges that fantasy baseball owners face is that they literally have to follow it every day. Unlike fantasy football, where you only need to check lineups once a week, baseball is on every single day and if you don’t pay attention your season will be in jeopardy. Most leagues are won […]

Platoon Watch - Five Players Who Could Earn Bigger Roles in 2019

With spring training games officially underway, it’s that time of year to keep a close eye on some position battles. Every year we see fringe players carve out roles on their respective teams during the spring. In other instances, these players lay in the weeds during the regular season and pounce on their opportunity to […]

Mitch Haniger Still Out With Back Tightness

After the Seattle Mariners scratched outfielder Mitch Haniger (back) in Sunday's game, the team held him out again in Tuesday's contest. Haniger said he "tweaked" his back weight-lifting on the weekend and will play it safe over the next few days. It appears this is a precautionary measure, but the Mariners start their season on March 20 […]

Mallex Smith Resuming Baseball Activities

Seattle Mariners outfielder Mallex Smith was limited early in spring training with a strained elbow. After consulting a doctor, the speedster has been cleared for throwing and participating in other baseball activities. He was able to play "light" catch on Monday, and it's a good sign moving forward. Smith may not be ready in time […]

Travis Jankowski Out For Significant Time

San Diego Padres outfielder Travis Jankowski (wrist) left Sunday’s game after diving for a ball in the outfield. He suffered a broken wrist on the play and will be out indefinitely. It appears this will be a lengthy absence, freeing up more playing time for the remaining players in the crowded Padres outfield. Jankowski was […]

Travis Jankowski Injures Arm In Spring Training Game

Padres outfielder Travis Jankowski left Sunday's game after diving for a ball in right field. He appeared to be favoring his left wrist, and the team announced he'll undergo an MRI. Jankowski batted leadoff in this game, flying out in his only at-bat. In a crowded outfield this year in San Diego, it will take […]

Platoon Watch - Part-Time Outfielders To Target

The deepest position in fantasy baseball is undoubtedly the outfield spot. With such diverse talents ranging from elite speed to pure power, it seems like there’s always a handful of outfielders on the draft board that we’d take on any given pick. If you’re in shallow or three OF leagues, you may not need to […]

Platoon Watch - Part-Time Infielders Worth Drafting

Platooning in major league baseball is becoming more common every year. With this mentality, teams play lefty/righty matchups to get the daily batter versus pitcher advantage. They also use this method to try to defend players against a potential injury and keep them fresh. While platooning may look smart on the surface, it’s not always […]