MLB Player News

Break out the bubble wrap. With three weeks left in spring training we’ve seen everything we need to from Yelich already. The 34-year-old veteran figures to come at a discount as a utility-only option in fantasy drafts this spring, especially considering his checkered health history. His 150 games last year were his highest single-season total since 2022. There’s a strong possibility last year was the high-water mark from a production standpoint but forecasting 20 homers and at least 15 stolen bases doesn’t seem outlandish.

Stanton’s homer off Yennier Cano was hit 340 feet to right and would have left just two MLB ballparks, but that was just making things even. In his prior at-bat, Stanton crushed a ball 416 feet to center off Dean Kremer. Statcast said it would have been a homer in 23 ballparks, but it was a flyout today.

Fried’s velocity today was still down 1.5-2 mph from last year, and he gave up 11 hard-hit balls. However, it’s probably still safe to assume that he’ll back a lot closer to his usual self on Opening Day, when he’s set to face the Giants. Last year, he topped out at 95.1 mph in his Mar. 18 spring start. Today, he topped out at 95.5 mph.

Kremer got 15 whiffs on 39 swings while facing a lot of regulars today in his first official spring appearance this month. He previously threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings for Israel against Nicaragua in the WBC. Kremer figures to be a part of the Orioles’ potential six-man rotation to begin the year, though he’s the least interesting member of the group for fantasy purposes.

Based on his mediocre exit velocity numbers and too-high strikeout rate, Mayo’s September breakout last year seemed like a mirage. His strong spring numbers, though, hold up much better to scrutiny, as he’s struck out just once in 34 plate appearances and his hard-hit rate sits at 47%. We’re still not particularly confident he’ll be helpful in shallow leagues while filling in for Jordan Westburg, but there are certainly worse fliers out there.

Henderson is the headliner among this group. Given the injuries in the Brewers’ rotation, he had a shot to earn an opportunity with the big league club to start the season but he has been fighting elbow soreness of his own throughout the spring which held him back. He’ll start the year biding his time in the rotation at Triple-A Nashville.

The Mariners certainly had options with Bryan Woo also deserving of the honor, but it’ll be Gilbert getting the ball when the Mariners kick off their season at home against the Guardians on Thursday evening.

Suzuki noted that the club will slow him down a bit as he works through the issue, though Rodriguez is still playing catch. While publicly the Halos have said that they aren’t very concerned, given the right-hander’s extensive injury history, it’s a troubling development. It’s going to make it that much more difficult for fantasy managers to call his name on draft day.

With everyone back from the WBC, the Jays trotted out what figures to be their initial lineup against righties: DH Springer, CF Daulton Varsho, 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., RF Addison Barger, C Alejandro Kirk, LF Jesús Sánchez, 3B Kazuma Okamoto, 2B Ernie Clement, SS Andrés Giménez. It’s been a potent group this spring; everyone besides Kirk and Sánchez has at least a .950 OPS in Grapefruit League play.

The Yankees brought just three likely major leaguers with them, two of whom (Amed Rosario and Randal Grichuk) would typically only play against lefties. Ponce had an easy time with the group, even though his velocity fell off some today; he averaged 94.5 mph with his fastball, down from 96.0 in his previous four spring outings. Ponce’s rotation spot in Toronto could eventually come into jeopardy if they ever have all of their seven starters healthy at once. We like him in mixed leagues until then, though.

Weathers struck out five, but he gave up two homers and six other hits. His spring ERA is all of the way up to 11.68 through four outings. Still, his rotation spot probably won’t be on the line until Carlos Rodón returns and then Gerrit Cole beyond that.