[smells in deeply] What’s that, a new baseball season? How do I know? Because they’re playing baseball! That’s the wrong answer? Oh, because Royce Lewis is injured! That has to be the answer! No? That’s not it either? Because I’m craving a hot dog? Because I just stood outside and screamed at myself for starting Andrew Heaney and he gave up 7 ER in 2 IP? That’s not it either? Man, this is tough. Oh, I know! Because I’m seriously second-guessing my 2025 fantasy baseball rankings. Finally! I knew I had the right answer in me. Tigers did us all a favor and said Jackson Jobe would break camp with the team. That was kinda everyone’s assumption all along. For some reason, I haven’t drafted him anywhere, but, as I said in the starters to target, Jobe was Itch’s top prospect back in, like, November. Think Itch’s now moved off that, but this was before Sasaki, Cam Smith and maybe some others. Still, like Mary J. would say, the love is real. As I said in my Jackson Jobe fantasy, he’s this year’s Paul Skenes, though there is no ‘this year’s Paul Skenes.’ Now onto some more rankings changes, or: Anyway, here’s what else I saw this Spring Training for 2025 fantasy baseball:
PSYCHE! The first week’s Buy/Sell is already available for Patreon members. It will be released all year early for Patreons, so if people are getting a jump on you, it’s because they paid the $10. Anyway, the roundup:
Parker Meadows – Shut down for four weeks with a nerve issue in his arm. Or as Curly would say, “What noive!” It’s beginning to feel like a lost season for Meadows. My beautiful sleepers taking some hits early here. Updated Meadows in the top 100 outfielders and he’s droppable in 12-teamers, if you need IL room. By the by, Tigers will be fine, they have [checks notes] Javier Baez in center.
Cam Smith – Sounds like he’ll make the roster on Opening Day, and I am furious at myself for not moving on him earlier in drafts. It’s been apparent since around 1st week of March that the Astros wanted him to break camp to fill in for the loss of Bregman’s production. [screams at top of lungs] FUUUUUUUUUUUUUDGE! Only, I wasn’t in See’s Candies. Smith was added to the 3rd basemen rankings and top 500.
Ronald Acuña Jr. – As mentioned at different times during the offseason, we could get to the end of March and I could lower Ronald Acuña Jr. and I did just that last week. Not dramatically. I just lowered him to around Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Brent Rooker in the top 20 outfielders, and top 500 overall. As long as you followed the rankings, you were fine. They announced he wouldn’t be running as much and he might not play for the Sox, but I reached for mine because I got cold feet. I’m still the high man on him, and can’t figure out how five-ish months of Tildaddy will be anything but spectacular, if he’s healthy, but that “if” has a condo in your building and is the head of your HOA.
Craig Kimbrel – Signed a minor league deal with the Braves. In related news, the Braves lost a bet.
Alex Verdugo – Signed with the Braves. Oh, the Braves for real lost a bet. Unless. Dot dot dot. Braves have in their minor league system a Will Verdung, and now a Verdugo. If they sign a Verdungo, then they’ll have the set. Think this hurts Bryan De La Cruz, but might hurt Kelenic a bit too. Let’s face it, none of these guys are worthwhile in all but the deepest of leagues. Updated in the top 100 outfielders.
Jose Suarez – Traded to the Braves for Ian Anderson. Damn, the Angels means the end of Ian Anderson’s career and Jose Suarez about to become a top five reliever.
Vinnie Pasquantino – Sounds headed to the IL with a hamstring strain. Ay yo, Vinnie Pasketti can’t, ay yo, stay on the field. Va fangool. Will address him in the 1st basemen rankings as soon as we get a timetable.
Gerrit Cole – Confirmed via social media he was having Tommy John surgery. Better than my uncle who confirmed via social media he was “researching” measles. Cole was removed from the top 20 starters, and Devers was lowered. I kid on the Devers note, but his iffy projections just took another hit, losing Cole.
Clarke Schmidt – Sore shoulder and will start the year on the IL. How many times can Carrasco pitch the 1st week? Haven’t moved Schmidt in the top 80 starters, because it sounds minorish (as much as a shoulder injury can be minorish) and I don’t have him projected for many IP.
Carlos Carrasco – Made Yanks’ rotation, and Will Warren, uh, will too, then when Clarke Schmidt returns Warren is expected to be great on another team when he’s traded for someone like Tommy Pham or Ty France, then Warren will be great on the Yankees again after he’s a 31-year-old free agent.
Dylan Floro – A’s reassigned him to Triple-A Vegas, which is either a demotion for this year or a promotion for 2028.
Kutter Crawford – Dealing with a knee issue, and I just learned (relearned after previously forgetting?) that he acquired this knee injury in April of last year. Okay, so that’s a serious concern. Kutter can’t throw a cutter without two good knees and his name ain’t Healthyknee Crawford. Moved him down in the top 100 starters and removed him from the pitchers pairing tool.
Wilyer Abreu – Likely starting the year healthy after roughing it out with a stomach virus for a few weeks. The entire Red Sox team being sick can’t be a fluke. Only because the sushi restaurant was out of that. It was mostly salmon and tuna.
Masataka Yoshida – Will start the year on the IL. Red Sox clubhouse (sushi) sidelined.
Lucas Giolito – Will start the year on the IL with a hamstring strain. Geez, how bad was that fish?
Richard Fitts – Announced as the Red Sox 4th starter. If the Dick Fitts, you must acquit yourself to pitch (work inn progress). He has solid command and 8.5 K/9 strikeout stuff. Might be some streamer potential in April. By the by, Streamonator is up and running. Way too late in the game to be adding guys into the rankings, and I’m not clear D. Fitts is gonna be in the rotation for more than 75 IP, so grab him now to see if the Dick Fitts acquits himself (still work in progress).
Kristian Campbell – Will break camp with the team. By any chance, was Campbell the one serving his teammates the sushi and did he get it from a gas station? Here’s what I said back in November in my Kristian Campbell fantasy, “So, this brings us to playing time estimates for 2025. Much like Roman Anthony, I don’t know, but I can guess. I’d put Kristian Campbell at 70% odds of breaking camp, which is slightly better than Roman Anthony, because Campbell can play middle infield too.” And that’s me quoting me! Make it 100%. Upped him in the 2nd basemen rankings.
Aroldis Chapman – Likely to start year as the Red Sox closer. That doesn’t mean he’ll finish April as the closer, so act accordingly.
Alan Roden – Will break camp with the Jays. Went into camp without a chance to make a difference, then he burrowed his way in. That’s Roden to a T. Convoluted pun alert, and you just missed it! Roden is a 10/10/.280 type, so your mileage may vary. Or rather since he’s a Jay, your kilomileage. He was added to the outfielder rankings.
Danny Jansen – Mild intercostal strain. Starting job for Jansen or backup job for Jansen means exactly the same because he can’t stay on the field. Rortvedt could become the catcher. Or as Scooby would say, “Rortvedt!”
Shane McClanahan – Left Saturday’s game with an inflamed nerve in triceps. Shane Mc trying to run the WWE for a replacement. That’s Waiver Wire Excitement. Was that not clear? Hmm. Considered removing Shane Mc vs. moving him down from his spot in the top 60 starters, but I also told you not to draft him, so no one has him anyway, right? Cool, so, yeah, I left him alone. All things considered his injury sounds like good news, but also: Don’t draft, but also: Don’t draft, but also: Don’t draft.
Caleb Durbin – Sent down with Tyler Black to start the year. Asked a prospect guy this offseason why it seemed like Durbin wasn’t favored to start after they traded Devin for him, and I think his exact words were, “Durbin can’t hit.” So there’s that. Wasn’t adjusted in the 2nd basemen rankings because I didn’t have many at-bats for him.
Thairo Estrada – Fractured wrist. Unlike him, but I can’t catch a break. Estrada was my most drafted player. Sigh, he was adjusted in the 2nd basemen rankings.
Nolan Jones – Traded back to the Guardians. Conventional wisdom says leaving Coors should be a negative, but leaving Bud be bazinga. I kid, slightly. Jones has looked lost in the spring, and won’t be anything more than righty-side platoon guy, and won’t move him up in the rankings. I do wonder if the Guardians saw the Rockies wasting Jones and were like, “We can fix him.”
Tyler Freeman – Traded for Nolan Jones. Conventional wisdom says going to Coors should be a boon but Bud. That’s the Rockies’ motto, “Boon but Bud.” Freeman is nothing but an NL-Only flyer. Or. Dot dot dot.
Zac Veen – Trade of Jones opens a spot for Veen? Haha, you fool! Of course not! They’re the Colorado Prospect Blockies. For what it’s Cronenworth, here’s my Zac Veen fantasy. Maybe we see him in June.
Mike Clevinger – Might close for the White Sox. That’s like being a surgeon who specializes in appendix implants.
Colson Montgomery – Optioned to Triple-A. That should give more at-bats to Nick Maton and Josh Rojas, or Ickosh Majas.
Joey Gallo – Couldn’t make the White Sox roster, so he hung up his bat and announced he will become a pitcher. Or a practical joker.
Brice Turang – Had an MRI on his shoulder and will be shut down for precautionary reasons. Precautionary MRIs are my favorite MRIs to try to get my insurance to cover. Haven’t yet moved him down in the rankings, but it could be coming.
Coby Mayo – Sent to the minors. What the Hellman’s!
doing this every year and having Charlie Morton as your number two is more crackers than Gunnar Henderson’s high school
— Razzball (@razzball.bsky.social) March 18, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Kyle Gibson – Signed with the O’s. Finally, the O’s add a starter. Now they have a solid number six and just need a number two, three and four.
Gunnar Henderson – Will start the year on the IL, but they’re saying it’ll be a 7-day minimum stay. It better! Otherwise…[formulates what kind of threat I can make]…well, I don’t know just yet, but it will be something harsh. Gunnar was updated weeks ago in the top 10 and all throughout the rankings.
Brooks Lee – Will start the year on the IL. Oh, no, not Buddy Lee’s nemesis! So, Jose Miranda or Edouard Julien could make hay, but they’ve been nay for a while now.
Jesus Sanchez – Will start the year on the IL with an oblique strain and is expected to miss four weeks. On the 7th day, God gave his boy an oblique strain, instead of resting, because he had restless hands. Stop tinkering, God! Moved in the top 80 outfielders.
Edward Cabrera – Will start the season on the IL with a finger blister, but he has a leg up for the last spot on the Marlins’ Dire Straits cover band, Dire Team.
Ryan Weathers – Shut down for two months with a forearm strain. [strikethrough] Sleeper [/strikethrough]. The crappy thing is he needs Tommy John surgery now, but the Marlins will wait two months and prolong his surgery-slash-rehab-slash-we’ve seen this so many times why won’t teams smarten up?
Connor Norby – Left Saturday’s game with a side injury. Lock up all obliques!
Christian Encarnacion-Strand – After I posted my 1st basemen rankings, I moved CES down when Austin Hays was signed, now I moved him up since Steer’s injury seems to be lingering. I can’t say I’m 100% confident in how many at-bats I’m giving CES, but his upside is immense and you have to grab him to feel alive. If you look at our lineup page, you can quickly see how a player is being used:
Tyler Stephenson – Will start the year on the IL with an oblique strain. Sounds low-grade so it’s minor, which for an oblique means it’s nothing or something that they can’t pinpoint for months, and becomes a career-ender. He was lowered in the catchers rankings.
Andrew Abbott – Will start the year on the IL. Or rather, it was announced, “Reds have told Andrew Abbott he’ll open on IL,” which made me laugh. Does he have an injury?
Alexis Diaz – Hit the IL with a “hamstring” strain. Quotes are mine. It stands for “he’s really just terrible.” Lowered him in the top 500 and raised Taylor Rogers further. Was targeting Rogers in the last round of drafts, and don’t think I got him anywhere, which is just bad process.
Ranger Suarez – Will start year on IL dealing with a stiffy. Uh, back. A stiff back! You know what I’m saying. His projections were adjusted, but it sounds minor enough that I didn’t lower him in my top 60 starters.
Edwin Diaz – Velocity’s been down, and I’m worried. Don’t roster him anywhere and wouldn’t, so that makes my worry even more troubling. I schadenbawled.
Jeff McNeil – Out for 3-4 weeks with a strained oblique. DJ LeMahieu and Jeff McNeil should start an underground club called, You Don’t Have To Go Home, You Can Stay Here, and never close it, so they have to be there to manage it 24/7, which would open at-bats for prospects. Unfortch, McNeil (and DJ) aren’t entrepreneurial enough and will return at some point, so I’m fine with draft flyers on Luisangel Acuña, Brett Baty (taking reps at 2nd) and others, but your enthusiasm might be short-lived. Updated 3rd basemen rankings for Baty; the rest remained relatively similar.
Matt Waldron – Oblique will likely cause him to miss the opening of the season. That leaves Kyle Hart and Stephen Kolek for the 5th Padres’ rotation spot. It’ll likely be Kolek, who sounds like off-brand kaopectate, and that’s what you’ll need if you roster him, outside of NL-Only.
Yu Darvish – Elbow inflammation. Welp, I guess Kyle Hart will have a job too. I kid, maybe. Randy Vazquez is there too. So, I moved Yu Darvish into the top 100 starters; changed top 500 and the pitchers’ pairings tool.
Gavin Sheets – Seems to be favorite to DH for the Padres, which is appropriate, since I couldn’t give two Sheets about the bottom of the Padres’ lineup.
David Bednar – Derek Shelton was cagey when asked if Bednar was the closer. That’s similar to hitters facing Bednar, because it’s been like they’re in a cage and they know a meatball fastball is coming. It’s officially time to panic. [starts screaming, people in elevator look at me like I’m crazy] I should’ve waited to scream. It’s going back roughly a year since he’s been good and not Shit-the-Bednar. In my top 500, I upped Dennis Santana and Colin Holderman and lowered Bednar.
Jared Jones – Elbow is janky. Was removed from the top 40 starters, and the pitchers’ pairings tool. The list of pitchers who threw 97 MPH or harder in 2023, who were then hurt in 2024 is in that post, and, brucely, scary. It sucks, because I like the speed-balls, as well. They are all ticking time bombs. In fairness, all pitchers are, but throw hard and risk goes up exponentially. As Truss said in our Razzball writer Discord, “It’s Bubba Chandler SZN!” To which I said, “It’s Carmen Mlodzinski SZN.” They held down Skenes, but did promote Jones to start the year, so it’s hard to say, but worth grabbing Chandler, just in case.
Jung Hoo Lee – MRI on his back showed no structural damage. Hoo Lee crap, this guy can’t stay healthy. I do like him (at his price), but get it together with your insurance provider.
Jerar Encarnacion – Fractured hand. From maybe breaking camp to, well, you know.
Zack Gelof – Hand surgery to repair a hamate bone. That usually sidelines guys six-ish weeks, and then they return like 2001 Bonds. Gelof is gonna hit 89 homers in half a year. 2nd basemen ranks updated.
Max Muncy – They announced he made the team! No, not that team. No, not that Max Muncy. A’s middle infidel prospect, that I struggled to like for five minutes after looking at his stats. He’s young; he could still become appealing. Added him into the shortstops rankings.
Royce Lewis – Out with a hamstring injury. It’s too bad Charmin doesn’t make tissues, because you have “soft tissue injuries” and “soft like Charmin” just dying to be harmonious together. “Soft like Kleenex” feels strained like Royce Lewis’s hamstring. He currently has no timetable for return, so it’s hard to gauge when his next injury will happen. Some guys seem injury-prone, but, if being honest, I don’t know why or if that’s true or if that’s anecdotal, but Royce Lewis is producing a lot of anecdotal evidence. He was updated in the 3rd basemen rankings.
Tobias Myers – Will start the year with an oblique injury, and I seriously am wondering did anyone ever miss time from about 1900 to 2009? Ya know, before the oblique manufacturing craze of the 2010’s? Whoever discovered the oblique and implanted one into every baseball player should be sent to The Hague. Top 80 starters were updated for Myers.
Justin Martinez – Real World/Road Rules Challenge champion Torey Lovullo said the DBags won’t have a closer, they’ll play matchups. At least to begin the year. Still think Ju-Ma’s a better bet, but now their closer is more A. Just Martipuk, to you silly billies. Top 500 updated.
Hyeseong Kim – Optioned to the minors. Dodgers have so much money they buy players who would be the leadoff hitter for roughly 20 other teams and send them to the minors. Just gorgeous parity. 2nd basemen rankings were updated.
Andy Pages – Could have a strong side platoon spot in the Dodgers’ outfield. Could be James Outman, but he’s having a hard time keeping his K% under 35, which is, how do you say, effin’ awful. Pages is interesting, and in the top 100 outfielders, but I’m not convinced Outman or Pages are going to be anything more than NL-Only to start the year.
Cody Bradford – Dealing with elbow soreness. No! You’re supposed to be immune to that because you don’t go for strikeouts. You hacky-sack the ball to the plate! (With great command, don’t discount that!) Sigh, the top 100 starters were updated for Cody. Also, I updated DJ Herz, because he’s struggling as all-get-out and seems like they’re about to tell him to get out. Also, pitchers pairing tool updated.
Jon Gray – Fractured wrist. Rangers went from unsure if they had room for Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker to wanting to know if they had two more Jack Leiters or Kumar Rockers. Wish I liked Rocker or Leiter more, but their command is [spraying wildly in a port-a-potty]. Oh, the Rangers figured out a way around having only one Kumar and Leiter, they signed Patrick Corbin. Perfection.
