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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett is in the midst of a great season, but it appears that a hip injury will slow him down temporarily.   

The Dodgers announced Tuesday that they added their starter to the disabled list:

After pitching five shutout innings against the Colorado Rockies on July 6, the 34-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.26 for the season and improved his record to 6-5 overall. Unfortunately, he left the game after just 82 pitches because he hurt himself on the bases, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times:

Beckett discussed the issue after the game, saying, “I tweaked the hip. It’s been bothering me. We’ll see where we’re at tomorrow. It’s been a little more of a battle the last couple of weeks. The day I pitch is the best I feel all week,” via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times does not think Beckett’s hip injury is too serious:

Beckett is coming off a few injury-filled seasons with the Dodgers, so any issue should be taken seriously. As Shaikin points out, Beckett is no stranger to the DL:

However, the Dodgers will hope that this is just a mild setback before the second half of the 2014 MLB season. Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register notes that this will take away from the strength of the team:

Fortunately, the unit’s overall depth should help mitigate the loss.

Pedro Baez, who the team recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to replace Beckett, allowed two runs in his only career inning with Los Angeles earlier this season. He has compiled a 3.54 ERA in 34 games in Double-A and Triple-A this year. 

Beckett will be available to return on July 22, provided that his DL stint lasts only 15 days. 

If the Dodgers are going to keep ahead of the San Francisco Giants in the NL West and make a run this year, they’ll need Beckett healthy for the long haul.

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Updates from Saturday, June 28

Mike Puma of the New York Post provides an update on David Wright‘s shoulder:

FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal added more:

Updates from Friday, June 27

ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin provides an update on David Wright’s status:

Original Text:

A poor year for the New York Mets is looking worse, as David Wright is now dealing with an apparent shoulder injury.

The star third baseman was set to start the team’s June 27 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates until he became a late scratch, according to ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin:

Marc Carig of Newsday provided a few more details on the situation, which has apparently been an issue for some time:

Rubin provided comments from Wright:

Last night on a couple of different occasions I did something to reaggravate it and it got worse. I was hoping to be able to push through it. They obviously shut that down. So now it’s just protocol, like normal—head back, get an MRI. Hopefully just some rest, maybe an injection, and hopefully I’ll be back in a couple of days…

I would say it’s fairly painful. The issue is that these last three weeks I felt like I’ve been able to be productive and go through normal baseball things without feeling hesitant. Last night that wasn’t the case. I felt like it was prohibiting me from doing certain things on a baseball field.

Wright has had an underwhelming season up to this point, totaling just six home runs and 41 RBI to go with a .277 batting average in 79 games. Unsurprisingly, the Mets have struggled with him, as they recently moved into last place in the NL East with a 36-43 record.

However, the seven-time All-Star was seemingly turning the corner with a 10-game hitting streak, eight of which also came with an RBI and included two home runs.

Unfortunately, injuries have been a serious issue for Wright in the past few years after being somewhat of an iron man to start his career. The veteran averaged 156 games per season in his first six full years in the league, but he has only played in about 123 per year over the last three.

If this shoulder issue turns out to be a long-term problem, the Mets could be in serious trouble for the rest of the year. Eric Campbell is taking over third base duties for the upcoming game and could see more time at the position for the duration of Wright’s injury.

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The Cincinnati Reds are hoping they have found the next great Cuban star in Raisel Iglesias and have signed him to a seven-year deal.

Cincinnati announced the latest contract on its Twitter account:

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports Iglesias’ contract details:

Iglesias worked out for major league teams last month in Haiti. The Reds were one of the teams in attendance and came away impressed with what they saw. Joel Sherman of the New York Post noted that he is someone who can help immediately:

Meanwhile, the pitcher also showcased his ability at the 2013 World Baseball Classic for the Cuban national team. After he faced the United States college national team, head coach Jim Schlossnagle explained, via Ben Badler of Baseball America:

I think he’s a guy that, as he gets bigger and stronger, could be in the mid-to-upper 90s. He’s lean, has a ridiculously loose arm and pounded the strike zone. I was glad they didn’t pitch him more. He was the guy where you’re like, ‘Let’s find a way to get a lead before they get to this guy.’

Although he is relatively small for a pitcher at 5’11”, he has plenty of upside as someone who can stick in the bullpen and be a late-game reliever. If he can develop the rest of his arsenal, he can even move into the rotation as a starter in the future.

With fellow Cuban Aroldis Chapman playing alongside of him in the bullpen, Iglesias should have an increased comfort level as he gets acclimated to the United States and the major leagues.

As far as the Reds are concerned, the organization is hoping he can help sooner rather than later. The squad is barely hanging on to third place in the NL Central with the bullpen ranking 24th in the league with a 4.16 ERA.

If Iglesias can join the roster and contribute early on, it would be a huge boost to the team’s playoff chances.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.

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As one of the most consistent pitchers in the game, it is no wonder that teams will be trying to figure out ways to acquire James Shields before the trade deadline. 

The former Rays starter was dealt to the Kansas City Royals before the 2013 season for a package that included highly-touted outfield prospect Wil Myers. That season, Shields finished with the most innings pitched in the league at 228.2 and posted a solid 3.15 ERA.

With a solid start to the 2014 season, Shields has become a hot name heading into the MLB trade season.

One team that is interested is the Toronto Blue Jays, who have one of the best offenses in baseball but an inconsistent rotation. While there is a possibility they will make a big move for Jeff Samardzija, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports notes that Shields is the more likely option:

There’s been a lot of Blue Jays buzz regarding their potential to acquire Cubs star Jeff Samardzija, but as things stand Toronto expects to focus more this summer on “rental” pitchers, as it wants to avoid gutting its farm system.

With rentals the expected preference, Royals star James Shields is seen as a possible Jays target should he hit the trade market.

Heyman also quoted a source from the Blue Jays organization who said, “We can’t keep trading our prospects.” This explains why the “rental” route makes more sense at this point in the year.

Of course, teams only become sellers at the trade deadline when they are virtually eliminated from contention. Unfortunately for Toronto and anyone else interested in Shields, the Royals do not fit this description after a red-hot start to June.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports points out that this hurts the chances that the veteran pitcher will be dealt:

Still, it remains something to keep an eye on going forward, in case Kansas City starts to falter down the stretch. Considering Shields is on his way to his eighth year in a row of 200 innings pitched and double-digit wins, there would be an immediate bidding war when and if he becomes available.

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Major League Baseball is considering a rule change at the end of the regular season that would possibly allow pitchers to use pine tar on the mound.

The discussion comes on the heels of a recent incident involving New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda. The young player was caught with pine tar on his neck during a game and was subsequently suspended 10 games:

While Pineda clearly broke the rules and deserved his punishment, there is a wide disagreement as to whether this should remain illegal going forward. 

MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred explained that the league will review the rule in the offseason, via The Associated Press (h/t ESPN):

I think the way that the rule has been enforced, as with lots of rules in baseball, is that when there’s a complaint, we do something about it. And that’s what happened here. I don’t think that this particular incident is all that different from other incidents that we’ve had in the past. We will like we do every offseason look at this issue, but remember, pine tar is one of a number of foreign substances, and you have to have a rule that fits for all of them. I don’t think there’s anything all that different about the Pineda.

ESPN’s Doug Glanville provided a different take on the incident, saying that it is something that everyone does but Pineda was simply worse at hiding it:

On the other hand, Mike Greenberg of ESPN is someone who does not think it should be allowed regardless:

Pine tar helps pitchers grip the ball and clearly increases the ability to get movement on certain pitches. If legalized, most players would immediately take advantage of the help.

However, the substance is illegal as the rules are currently constructed and no pitcher should be able to get away with using it. In reality, hiding it should only make the penalty worse.

Cheating is cheating, and no one should look the other way with this issue until the rules are changed. Fortunately, the league will look into making a decision that works best for the players and the league.

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After signing Jacoby Ellsbury to a huge contract this offseason, the New York Yankees are looking to protect their investment. For this reason, they are remain cautious with Ellsbury‘s recent calf injury.    

The former Boston Red Sox star was slated to face his former team on Tuesday. However, he was kept out of the lineup due to his apparent calf issue. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports that he will be kept out multiple days:

According to Jorge Castillo of the Newark Star-Ledger, Ellsbury explained by saying, “It’s just something we want 100 percent before I step on it. It’s not one of those things where I try it on the field and see it how it is. I’ll know when I’m on that field that it’s already 100 percent.”

The outfielder signed with the Yankees this offseason for a seven-year, $153 million deal. He is coming off a solid season in which he helped the Red Sox win the World Series with a .298 batting average and a league-leading 52 stolen bases.

In reality, New York is hoping he can replicate his 2011 season, when he had a .321 batting average with 32 home runs to finish second in the MVP voting behind star pitcher Justin Verlander.

However, he first must learn how to stay healthy more than half of the year after suffering injuries in both 2010 and 2012.

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While everyone wants Mike Trout or Miguel Cabrera on their team, the best way to win in fantasy baseball is by grabbing a sleeper on the brink of a big year.

Those who grabbed Chris Davis last season with a late-round draft pick or for minimal auction cost were certainly happy with his production. Adding a player like this to a roster full of big-time talent can make your squad almost unbeatable.

Although it is tough to predict anyone to come out of nowhere to lead the majors in home runs and RBI like Davis did last season, there are still a number of young players set for big seasons.

These hitters should be available in the later rounds and could end up giving you a lot of production.

Devin Mesoraco, C, Cincinnati Reds

Sometimes it takes a few years for a top prospect to truly reach his potential in the majors. Other times, all that is needed is an opportunity.

Devin Mesoraco has been waiting to take over the full-time job as the Reds catcher since making his debut in 2011. Unfortunately, Ryan Hanigan has kept the role, preventing the young player from getting regular playing time.

That will all end in 2014 as Mesoraco is slated to be the Opening Day starter. He discussed the opportunity with Mark Sheldon of MLB.com:

I was obviously sad to see Hani go, because we’ve been pretty close as a catching unit as far as sharing information and picking each other’s brain. At the same time, it’s a good opportunity for me. It’s a vote of confidence for me. They’ve seen me improving over the years and getting better. I’m getting to be the player I’m supposed to be and can be. It definitely pumps me up a bit to come into camp in shape and 100 percent prepared to be an everyday catcher.

Jim Bowden of ESPN sees this as a golden opportunity for Mesoraco to shine:

With his power, the catcher can easily hit over 20 home runs in his first full season behind the plate, giving fantasy owners the type of offensive production not often found in catchers.

Although it might not be smart to make him your No. 1 catcher, he is worth the roster spot to see if he can reach his potential.

Jurickson Profar, 2B, Texas Rangers

It was not too long ago we were talking about Jurickson Profar being the next big thing in baseball. After the 2012 season, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com listed the shortstop as the No. 1 prospect in the league.

A poor 2013 campaign certainly tempered expectations as he was only able to hit .234 with six home runs and two stolen bases in 286 at-bats.

However, baseball is a sport that requires rhythm and consistency, especially for younger players. Profar was asked to play only a few times per week, and that caused him to struggle at the plate and in the field.

A spot finally opened up when the Rangers sent Ian Kinsler in a trade to the Detroit Tigers for Prince Fielder. Cliff Corcoran of Sports Illustrated argues that Profar is the most important player of that trade due to the boom-or-bust ability:

As he continues to mature both physically and in his baseball abilities, Profar has the potential to grow into a 20-homer player who regularly flirts with .300 batting averages. Of course, there’s also the very real possibility that Profar will continue to struggle in 2014 despite his more consistent playing time and role. He will, after all, be just 21, and not every 21-year-old can be Mike Trout or Manny Machado. Still, the consensus around the game is that Profar’s total package, even if it lacks a singular elite skill, is that of a similarly elite talent.

Between these two options, the chances are greater that he finds success. He can easily become a 20-20 player who also hits for a high average with an even better on-base percentage. This is hard to come by for a middle infielder.

If he can reach his potential this season, he could be a huge help to your fantasy team. 

Khris Davis, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Khris Davis hopes there is some magic in his name as he will try to replicate the success of the Baltimore Orioles star.

The 26-year-old outfielder got only 153 plate appearances last season, but he made them count with 10 doubles and 11 home runs. His slugging percentage of .596 would have ranked third in the majors last season if he had enough at-bats to qualify, trailing only Miguel Cabrera and Chris Davis.

At this point, all he needs is more playing time to put up even bigger numbers. Fortunately, the Brewers are doing everything in their power to make this happen. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel notes the lineup switch for the upcoming season:

Logan Schafer and Caleb Gindl will both provide tough challenges in spring training, but it appears to be Davis’ job to lose. Assuming he gets the starting spot, he has loads of potential for the upcoming season. 

The hitter has enough pure power to hit close to 30 home runs in his first full season in the majors and carry fantasy teams in the process.

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There will be a familiar face with the San Francisco Giants this spring, as Barry Bonds is set to help out the squad as an instructor.  

Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News provides the details:

Barry Bonds is scheduled to return to the organization in March, this newspaper has learned, serving as a special instructor for the Giants’ hitters. Bonds has long wanted to take on a more active role with the organization, but the two sides have not been connected in an official capacity since 2007, Bonds’ last season in Major League Baseball.

Manager Bruce Bochy explained the role Bonds will serve to Pavlovic:

“He’s part of what we’ll do here. He’s going to be part of the group of instructors, like (Will) Clark, (J.T.) Snow or (Jeff) Kent. He’s going to be like the other guys and help where he can.”

Bochy also discussed the controversy that Bonds’ presence might bring with the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Henry Schulman:

You understand there will be a lot of attention with Barry coming back, his first time coming back since he stopped playing. Our goal is not to let it be a distraction. He’s here to help the hitters. He might talk to you guys about things, but that’s not going to take away from what we’re doing.

Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area had more on Bonds’ role:

Bonds finished his career as baseball’s all-time leader in home runs with 762, seven more than Hank Aaron. He also finished with the most walks in league history as well as an impressive .298 batting average and .444 on-base percentage.

Most impressively, he won seven National League Most Valuable Player awards throughout his time with the Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates.

It is clear he has plenty of knowledge that he can impart on the young squad, especially considering the team finished 21st in the majors in total runs last season and 29th in home runs.

On the other hand, Bonds’ career was filled with controversy surrounding his use of performance-enhancing drugs. For this reason, he has not been voted into the Hall of Fame in two attempts and has even lost votes in the most recent election, according to Mike Oz of Yahoo Sports.

This certainly creates some risk for the Giants to associate with their fallen star.

Still, the situation seems to be a positive one, as Bonds will try to do anything he can to help his former team. This addition of knowledge could be enough to help the club get back to the postseason after a disappointing 76-86 season in 2013.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.

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With the start of spring training just weeks away, Major League Baseball teams are looking for small pieces to upgrade the roster heading into the season. 

There are plenty of big names still available in the free-agent market, including Ubaldo Jimenez, Fernando Rodney, Nelson Cruz, Stephen Drew and many more. However, teams have shown an unwillingness to give out multi-year deals or big money for these types of players.

Instead, front offices have been looking at smaller moves and trades that could add a few extra wins over the course of the season. These unheralded players could end up paying huge dividends in 2014 if they are moved.

Jose Lobaton, C, Tampa Bay Rays

A year after Jose Lobaton played the most games at catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, he appears to be the odd man out behind the plate.

The 29-year-old veteran played 100 games last season and posted a solid .320 on-base percentage in 311 plate appearances. He was also solid defensively and helped the rotation become one of the most consistent in the American League.

Unfortunately for him, Jose Molina appears healthy to start the year, and the team also acquired Ryan Hanigan this offseason in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. 

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times notes that settling the position is one of the final moves for the Rays before the start of the year:

With pitchers and catchers reporting Feb. 14, the Rays don’t have much else to do. They are still having talks about trading C Jose Lobaton, but bringing him to camp, though somewhat awkward, isn‘t the worst idea: protection if either Ryan Hanigan (already working out at the Trop catching bullpen sessions) or Jose Molina gets hurt, and opportunity if another team has to react to an injury.

While Lobaton was solid last season, Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune points out why he would be the one to go:

Lobaton appears to be the odd man out because he makes the least and would be easier to trade.

[…]

With Lobaton out of options, he would have to clear waivers to remain with the organization. The Rays likely would lose him in that case.

As a result, it would be smart to move him whenever they can find a suitor. Considering good catching has been tough to find in recent years, there should be plenty of organizations looking for a veteran presence like Lobaton to add to the lineup.

Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Boston Red Sox

Although Will Middlebrooks has shown flashes of brilliance in his short career with the Red Sox, his inconsistency has made him expendable. 

The third baseman hit 15 home runs in only 75 games as a rookie before slugging six more in April of 2013. Unfortunately, he hit only 11 more the rest of the year as his batting average continued to fluctuate. 

Middlebrooks ended up losing his starting job to Xander Bogaerts in the playoffs when he went 4-for-20 in the postseason. With his future in Boston uncertain, a number of teams are looking to make a deal, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe:

Teams ask about Middlebrooks, but the Red Sox haven’t pulled the trigger, feeling Middlebooks has power and they’d hate to lose that. The Marlins have asked a lot about Middlebrooks, but there’s no clear match unless it’s part of a Giancarlo Stanton deal, which isn’t happening. The Red Sox believe they could move Xander Bogaerts to third and still give Middlebrooks enough at-bats to make his power work by alternating him between the corners.

The reality is that the Marlins have little to offer the Red Sox besides young prospects, something they do not need. Boston wants players who can help compete right now and try to get back to the playoffs and win another World Series title.

That being said, there are plenty of teams who should be interested in adding Middlebrooks. Despite his inconsistency, he has shown plenty of raw power and could potentially be a 30-home run player at this level.

If the Red Sox are willing to part with him, this might be a worthwhile gamble for a contender.

Jason Castro, C, Houston Astros

This is the most high-profile player on this list as Jason Castro was named an All-Star last season as part of a breakout year. The catcher finished with a .276 batting average and 18 home runs as a rare bright spot on the depressing Astros.

However, Houston could look to deal him if it cannot lock him in for the long term, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports:

The Astros’ Jason Castro, a first-time arbitration eligible, is another catcher who could become a trade candidate, depending upon the development of Max Stassi.

Rival teams have inquired on Castro, according to major league sources. If the Astros cannot sign him to an extension, he could become the team’s best trade chip. The ‘Stros also could move him to first base.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that the two sides agreed to a deal to avoid arbitration this year:

Still, that price is just going to keep going up in the coming years as he keeps putting up big numbers. Considering Houston wants to keep its costs down, trading when the value is high might be a good strategy.

Plenty of teams around the league would love to bring in a 26-year-old catcher with a proven track record, but one can imagine the Astros will be looking for a lot in return in a potential trade.

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Dozens of major league scouts will be on hand for the 2014 Louisville Slugger Tournament Series in the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Prospect League features some of the best youth baseball players in the world, and they are all looking for a contract with a major league organization. This event is a great showcase for all of that talent, and players can use it as a launching pad for a successful professional career.

Meanwhile, the clubs get a great chance to evaluate a lot of talent all in one place over the course of a couple of days.

This is a great opportunity for both sides, and it has the opportunity to change many lives. 

When: Jan. 20-21, 2014

Where: New York Yankees Training Facility, Boca Chica, Dominican Republic

Top Prospects to Watch

Eduard Pena, OF

Sometimes a player has all of the skills to succeed; it is just a matter of putting it all together. Eduard Pena has time to improve, but he needs to showcase his skills at this event.

The outfielder has good speed and a strong arm in the field, but the real question mark is how his bat will develop. Perfect Game describes his ability at the plate (via DPL Baseball):

His approach is inconsistent but he has a sweet swing when everything comes together and tons of power, which he showed with a long game home run on Friday. I rarely make swing comparisons to a big leaguer immediately on seeing a young prospect but Pena’s swing looked just like Curtis Granderson’s, complete with the swing-and-miss tendencies.

Any prospect at this age would love to have the success of Curtis Granderson, but Pena has to learn to be more consistent at the plate in order to get a big-time deal. 

Gabriel Corporan, 3B

Although Gabriel Corporan is only 15 years old, he is already 6’2″ and 195 pounds. Amazingly, he is just going to keep growing in size as he becomes a force at the plate.

This strength is what has plenty of scouts intrigued. Corporan has the power to hit the ball out of any ballpark and is already showing what he can do against inferior pitching.

Still, the third baseman’s swing is based on timing with a big leg kick, something that will lead to problems when he faces good breaking balls. The good news, though, is that this part is teachable. 

On the other hand, you cannot teach size or strength, and Corporan has enough of both to be a legitimate power hitter in the majors. This will almost certainly be enough to land him a contract at the next level.

Starling Castillo, OF

When scouts search through players at this age, many want to find the ones who can be five-tool players in the majors. Although there are not many around, Starling Castillo is one to watch.

At 6’3″, he takes big strides that help him cover a lot of ground in the outfield and on the basepaths. This speed will help him at all levels regardless of how well his bat comes around.

Of course, Castillo has also shown a lot of potential at the plate with a nice, level swing that allows him to make consistent contact on virtually every pitch. If he adds strength as expected, he has the ability to hit for power and average.

Players like Castillo do not come around too often. Following this showcase, the outfielder will be in high demand among major league organizations.

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