Chris Sale (SP-BOS) completed his second live bullpen of Spring Training on Wednesday, throwing 43 pitches to four hitters during the session. He will now be able to advance to live game action, according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Sale is slated to make his Spring Training debut on Monday against the Detroit Tigers at home, which should be a cushy matchup for him against Detroit's anemic lineup. Still, it's encouraging that Sale is progressing well throughout Spring Training and ramping up without any setbacks so far after missing most of the past three seasons with various injuries. Sale hasn't opened the season with Boston since 2019, so the hope is that the lanky lefty can stay off the injured list. It's unwise to expect the 34-year-old to hold up for a full season or be a fantasy ace again, but he should still be a solid option whenever he's able to take the mound. His performance has remained strong in recent years despite all the injuries, so at least he's been effective when healthy. Draft Sale as a high-risk, high-reward option and make sure you have a backup plan.
Dustin May (SP-LAD) made his Spring Training debut on Wednesday, throwing 1 2/3 innings against the Texas Rangers. He walked two and struck out three, looking sharp with his slider and consistently hitting 97-98 mph with his fastball. After the pandemic and Tommy John surgery prevented him from pitching much during the past three seasons, the 25-year-old righty is finally healthy and ready to pitch a full season for the first time in his career. May's career numbers have been impressive to this point with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP and an 8.8 K/9 rate, so he appears poised for a breakout if he can stay healthy. There's ace potential for the former top prospect, making him worth reaching for on draft day.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted on Wednesday that Aaron Judge (OF-NYY) will begin taking fly balls in left field starting next week. While Judge is primarily a right fielder, Boone is hoping to play the reigning AL MVP in left occasionally and move Giancarlo Stanton to right, which is also his natural position. Judge has never played left field before, but after being named team captain in the offseason he knows he needs to lead by example. He's played center field, so soon he'll be able to play all three outfield positions. This move won't have much impact on his fantasy situation, although playing left is easier than playing right and could potentially help keep him healthier throughout the season.
Giancarlo Stanton (OF-NYY) had a good day at the plate during Wednesday's Spring Training game against the Washington Nationals, smoking a 112.4 mph line drive back at the pitcher and flying out deep to the warning track. It's good to see Stanton hitting the ball hard again after missing 52 games last year and watching his slugging percentage dip to a career-low .462. The 2017 NL MVP still managed to sock 31 home runs and drive in 78 during limited action, albeit with a career-worst .211 batting average. Stanton has now missed considerable time with injuries in three of the past four seasons, so it's fair to wonder if he can stay healthy at this point. It doesn't help that he's 33 and already has 13 MLB seasons on his odometer. His size could also be a factor, as bigger players tend to break down earlier. Still, the Yankees and fantasy managers are hopeful that Stanton can stay healthy and form a potent 1-2 punch in the heart of New York's lineup this year.
DJ LeMahieu (INF-NYY) went 1-for-2 in his Spring Training debut on Wednesday against the Washington Nationals, which also happened to be his first game action of any kind since last year's regular-season finale against the Texas Rangers. LeMahieu missed New York's postseason run with a lingering right foot injury, which he says is now completely behind him. That's good news for the 34-year-old infielder, who earned his fourth career Gold Glove last season. He still turned in a solid season at the plate as well despite missing 37 games, slashing .261/.357/.377 with 12 home runs, 46 RBIs and 74 runs. If LeMahieu is healthy, expect him to put up useful fantasy numbers again in New York's potent lineup while manning multiple positions.
Shane McClanahan (SP-TBR) looked good in his first Spring Training start on Wednesday, throwing 21 of his 36 pitches for strikes against the Atlanta Braves. Despite violating MLB's new pitch clock rule on his very first pitch, McClanahan bounced back and held his own against a tough Braves lineup. The 25-year-old southpaw is looking to pick up where he left off after making his first All-Star appearance and finishing sixth in the AL Cy Young race last season. The Rays are counting on him to step up and be their ace again, especially with Tyler Glasnow already sidelined 6-to-8 weeks by an oblique injury. McClanahan was the AL Cy Young favorite for awhile during the first half last year before fading in the second half, so he has the potential to be even better this year if he can finish the season strong. He'll be one of the first pitchers off the board in fantasy drafts this month.
Tyrone Taylor (OF-MIL) will miss the start of the season after getting a PRP injection in his elbow, according to Brewers manager Craig Counsell. Counsell announced the news at Spring Training on Wednesday that Taylor will be shut down from baseball activities for three weeks, which will cause him to miss Opening Day and begin the season on the injured list. According to Counsell, Tyrone could miss the first month of the season, suggesting he may not return until May. This is a tough break for the 29-year-old, who was expected to open the season as Milwaukee's starting right fielder. The job will likely still be his when he returns, as the Brewers don't have many other great alternatives at the moment. Still, this news dings Taylor's fantasy value considerably and will cause him to fall a few rounds later in fantasy drafts.
Domingo German (SP-NYY) was solid in his Spring Training debut on Wednesday, throwing 35 pitches over 2 1/3 innings against the Washington Nationals. He gave up a run and a hit but walked none and struck out three. It was an impressive outing for the 30-year-old righty, who is looking to claim the No. 5 spot in New York's starting rotation. That would make him much more valuable from a fantasy perspective as opposed to opening the season in the bullpen. German is a strong candidate for the role after going 2-5 with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in 15 appearances last year (14 starts), making him a viable fantasy option in AL-only formats and deeper mixed leagues if he cracks the rotation.
Chris Taylor (OF-LAD) could see time at his old position of shortstop this year following the news of Gavin Lux's season-ending injury. Taylor was originally slated to play the outfield this year, but he'll also slot in behind Miguel Rojas on the depth chart at shortstop. The 32-year-old utilityman played only one inning at short last year and admitted it could take him awhile to get used to the position again. It could give his fantasy value a boost if plays enough games there to earn fantasy eligibility, however, as he likely lost it in most leagues after last year. The real question is whether the 2021 All-Star can bounce back at the dish after slumping to .221/.304/.373 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs in 118 games last year.
Rougned Odor (2B-SDP) agreed to a minor league deal with the Padres on Wednesday. The slugging infielder entered March still unsigned but found a potential home in San Diego. His contract includes an invite to Spring Training, although earning a spot on the Padres' star-studded roster may be easier said than done. If he does make the team, Odor figures to open the season as a lefty bat off the bench who may struggle to get regular at-bats unless an injury opens up more playing time. The 29-year-old bopped is coming off a disappointing season with the Orioles where he slashed just .207/.275/.357 with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs in 135 games. Odor won't have much value outside of deep NL-only leagues even if he does make the Padres, although a hot spring could make things interesting for him.
Joe Votto's (1B-CIN) shoulder injury timeline remains murky after he declined to provide a concrete update on Wednesday. The 39-year-old former MVP simply said that he is working towards getting healthy rather than a specific return date, making it unclear whether he'll be ready in time for Opening Day. He's yet to play in any of Cincinnati's Spring Training games but has been participating in most drills and is going through physical therapy, although he has yet to take live batting practice. Votto appears to be taking his time and is in no rush to hurry back, which is probably wise for a player who turns 40 in September. His injury status gives fantasy managers another reason to avoid Votto in drafts this month after he batted just .205/.319/.370 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs in 91 games last season. Between his age, injuries and declining performance, Votto is best left on the waiver wire despite his impressive track record.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli announced on Wednesday that Jose Miranda (INF-MIN) will withdraw from the World Baseball Classic due to right shoulder soreness. He was originally slated to play for Puerto Rico. Baldelli said Miranda will continue to DH throughout Spring Training but is avoiding throwing for now due to his tendinitis-esque injury. The 24-year-old sophomore made the decision to opt out based on the soreness he felt after going through pre-game drills at third base with the Twins on Wednesday. Miranda is looking to build off a strong rookie season that saw him bat .268/.325/.426 with 15 homers and 66 RBIs in 125 games last year, so he doesn't want to jeopardize that by potentially aggravating his injury during the WBC.
Andrew Painter (SP-PHI) turned heads during his Spring Training debut on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins by hitting 99 mph on the radar gun against Carlos Correa. Not bad for a 19-year-old kid, who has a legitimate chance to break camp with Philadelphia and open the season in their rotation. A 2021 first-round draft pick, Painter probably should start the year in the minors after only making five starts at Double-A last season, so he could probably use some additional seasoning. Still, there's no doubt that his stuff is electric and he has the potential to be a quality MLB pitcher. The hard-throwing righty is worth targeting in later rounds of fantasy drafts as a sleeper and stashing on the bench if he gets sent down.
Cole Irvin (SP-BAL) tossed a pair of scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays in his Spring Training debut for the Orioles on Wednesday. It was a good first impression for the 29-year-old southpaw, whom Baltimore traded for this past offseason to help solidify the rotation. Irvin is coming off a pair of solid seasons with the Oakland A's where he logged a 4.11 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in 359 1/3 innings. The Orioles are hoping he and Kyle Gibson can step up to help lead their rotation in 2023 and potentially pitch them into the playoffs for the first time since 2016. After playing for an abysmal A's team last year, Irvin is likely excited by the prospect of pitching for a contender this year, which should also help him in the win department (21-30 lifetime record).
Cory Abbott (SP/RP-WSH) avoided a potentially scary moment during Wednesday's Spring Training game against the New York Yankees when he got drilled by a Giancarlo Stanton comebacker off his right calf. The ball left Stanton's bat at 112.4 mph, but thankfully it hit the lower part of his body and avoided any bones. Fortunately, Abbott was able to recover and finish the play, although he was spotted icing his calf in the clubhouse after the game. He might be listed as day-to-day but avoided a serious injury and should be fine to resume pitching soon. The 27-year-old righty is looking to prove he can hack it in the big leagues this year after going 0-5 with a 5.65 ERA over his first two seasons combined, as he'll need to avoid the type of hard contact he allowed to Stanton.
The Royals signed Jackie Bradley Jr. (OF-KCR) to a minor league deal on Wednesday with an invite to Spring Training. Bradley will join the team later this week and begin competing for a roster spot with Kansas City. That may prove difficult for the former All-Star and Gold Glover, however, as he's seemingly lost the ability to hit. Since the beginning of 2021, he's slashed a paltry .182/.245/.285 with 10 home runs, 67 RBIs and 209 strikeouts in 265 games. That type of production is unacceptable for any position, especially an outfielder. While he's still a solid defender, the 32-year-old World Series champ needs to show more with the stick if he wants to catch on with the Royals. Even if he makes the team, he's not on the fantasy radar.
This is just a small sample of our daily analysis, join our member area for tools that will help you win your fantasy championship. Click here for details: http://www.insiderbaseball.com/baseballsample.htm Click here to register: http://www.fantistics.com/salesbaseball.php3
