Fantasy News

• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Poor showing Monday

  Rotowire May 21, 2024

  Cecconi (1-4) took the loss Monday versus the Dodgers, allowing six runs on six hits and a walk while striking out two over five innings. Cecconi was partially sheltered Monday by pitching behind opener Joe Mantiply to avoid the top of the Dodgers' order at the start of the game. That proved to be a wise choice, though it ultimately didn't pay off, as Freddie Freeman's grand slam in the third inning off Cecconi was the decisive hit of the game. This is the third time in four outings Cecconi has given up six runs, and the second time this year he's allowed multiple homers -- he also gave up solo shots to Enrique Hernandez and Will Smith. Cecconi has a 6.12 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 22:8 K:BB over 32.1 innings across six appearances (five starts). He's projected for a much easier home matchup versus the Marlins his next time out.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Working behind opener Monday

  Rotowire May 20, 2024

  Cecconi is expected to operate as a bulk reliever behind opening pitcher Joe Mantiply in Monday's game against the Dodgers, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. Two of the Dodgers' usual top three hitters (Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman) bat from the left side, so manager Torey Lovullo will likely have the left-handed Mantiply work the first inning or two before turning the game over to the right-handed Cecconi. The arrangement should increase Cecconi's chances of qualifying for the win while perhaps helping him generate better results after he tagged for six earned runs in two of his previous three starts.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Burned second time through order

  Rotowire May 15, 2024

  Cecconi (1-3) was charged with Tuesday's loss to the Reds. He allowed six runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out three over 5.2 innings. Cecconi has been dynamite the first time through orders, when opponents are hitting .029 with a .084 OPS, but things go sideways after that. The second time through, Cecconi is allowing a .355 average and 1.283 OPS. He told Steve Gilbert of MLB.com that Tuesday's outing brought the struggles into focus: "It's a mental thing," the right-hander said. Cecconi said when he starts to get hit, he focuses on locating the ball, which takes velocity off whichever type of pitch he's trying to execute. He vowed to use Tuesday as a lesson that he can take into his next start Monday against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Solid vs. Cincinnati

  Rotowire May 9, 2024

  Cecconi did not factor into the decision Thursday against the Reds, allowing one run on three hits and three walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out two. Cecconi was sharp Thursday, blanking the Reds until Jeimer Candelario's solo home run in the fifth inning. It was a nice bounce-back outing from the 24-year-old right-hander after he gave up six runs in 4.1 innings during a loss to San Diego in his previous outing. Overall, Cecconi is 1-2 with a 4.15 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 17:6 K:BB through his first four starts (21.2 innings). He figures to remain in the rotation while Merrill Kelly (shoulder) and Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) are sidelined. Cecconi's currently in line for a home rematch with the Reds in his next outing.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Shelled in loss

  Rotowire May 4, 2024

  Cecconi (1-2) took the loss Friday against the Padres, yielding six runs on five hits and two walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out four. Cecconi cruised through the San Diego lineup once, retiring the first nine batters in order. However, he floundered in the fourth inning, allowing four runs, two walks and three extra-base hits, including back-to-back homers to Fernando Tatis and Jake Cronenworth. Cecconi will look to bounce back in his next start, scheduled to come against Cincinnati on the road.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Moved up in rotation

  Rotowire May 1, 2024

  Cecconi will start Friday against the Padres instead of Saturday as previously scheduled, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports. The 24-year-old right-hander will take the mound a day earlier than expected with Zac Gallen still recovering from his hamstring injury. Cecconi has posted a 2.25 ERA, 0.50 WHIP and 11:1 K:BB over 12 innings in his two-game stint in the major-league rotation.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Another strong outing

  Rotowire Apr 28, 2024

  Cecconi (1-1) took the loss Saturday against the Mariners, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out eight over six innings. Cecconi stifled Seattle's lineup for most of the contest, retiring 11 of the first 12 batters he faced, with seven of those batters going down on strikes. The 24-year-old right-hander would still get tagged with the loss after allowing an RBI single in the fifth, though he's now worked six solid innings in each of his first two starts to open the campaign. Cecconi's surrendered only three runs over that stretch while posting an 11:1 K:BB.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Secures first career big-league win

  Rotowire Apr 21, 2024

  Cecconi (1-0) earned the win after he pitched six innings, allowing two runs on two hits while hitting a batter and striking out three in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Giants. Cecconi was called up from Triple-A Reno ahead of Sunday's contest, securing his first career major-league win. The 24-year-old tossed 4.2 no-hit innings before Thairo Estrada notched a single and Mike Yastrzemski launched a two-run homer, accounting for all the damage on Cecconi's line. Cecconi may be asked to remain in Arizona's rotation for the time being with Merrill Kelly (shoulder) uncertain moving forward and if he gets another turn in the rotation, he tentatively lines up to pitch Saturday on the road versus Seattle.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Could relieve in minors

  Rotowire Mar 19, 2024

  Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Monday that Cecconi will pitch "bulk innings" in the minors but stopped short of saying he would be a starter, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. The Diamondbacks plan to have Cecconi, who was optioned to minor-league camp Monday, be as versatile as possible at Triple-A Reno. Whether that be as a piggyback starter or straight multi-inning reliever, the organization views him as someone that can help the parent club if needed. There were concerns last season about Cecconi going through an order a third time, which suggests his best fit going forward will be in a bulk-inning role.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Misses out on Opening Day rotation

  Rotowire Mar 18, 2024

  The Diamondbacks optioned Cecconi to Triple-A Reno on Monday. Cecconi's dismissal from big-league camp leaves Ryne Nelson, Tommy Henry and Bryce Jarvis as the likely candidates for the fifth and final spot in Arizona's Opening Day rotation. While making seven appearances (four starts) for the big club in 2023, Cecconi submitted a respectable 4.33 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB in 27 innings. He should open the upcoming season as a member of Reno's rotation and will likely be on the short list for a call-up if Arizona requires a spot starter or a pitcher capable of covering multiple innings out of the bullpen.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Makes second spring start

  Rotowire Mar 2, 2024

  Cecconi allowed two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out one over two innings in Friday's spring start against the Reds. Cecconi, who is among the group battling for the fifth starter job, may have fallen behind his main competitors, Tommy Henry and Ryne Nelson. One so-so spring outing shouldn't be the deciding factor, but both Henry (five scoreless innings) and Nelson (one run, five innings, 10 strikeouts) have been impressive early.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Doesn't make World Series roster

  Rotowire Oct 27, 2023

  Cecconi is not part of the Diamondbacks' World Series roster that was submitted Friday. He took Jace Peterson's spot on the roster for the NLCS, but Arizona has decided to go back to 14 position players and 12 pitchers for the World Series. Cecconi threw two scoreless innings against the Phillies in the NLCS.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Heads back to Reno

  Rotowire Sep 25, 2023

  The Diamondbacks optioned Cecconi to Triple-A Reno on Monday. Unless the Diamondbacks place another pitcher on the injured list during the final week of the season and recall him from the minors, Cecconi's 2023 campaign will come to a close. Over multiple stints with the big club this season, Cecconi covered 27 innings over seven appearances (four starts), pitching to a 4.33 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Needed for bulk relief

  Rotowire Sep 23, 2023

  Cecconi allowed one run on three hits and struck out two over 2.2 innings in Friday's 7-1 loss to the Yankees. Starter Brandon Pfaadt lasted 13 outs and 81 pitches, so Arizona needed bulk relief from Cecconi, who was called up after Miguel Castro was placed on the paternity list. Both Cecconi and Pfaadt had one thing in common; each pitcher was taken deep by Aaron Judge. Pfaadt was tagged twice. Cecconi will pitch out of the bullpen and gives the Diamondbacks length. In a mixed role at the major-league level, the right-hander has a 4.33 ERA and 1.15 WHIP over 27 innings.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Optioned to Triple-A

  Rotowire Sep 4, 2023

  Cecconi was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Monday. Cecconi was roughed up by the Orioles over the weekend and now finds himself back in the minors. It's not clear what the Diamondbacks plan to do with his rotation spot, but Arizona could look to bring back Ryne Nelson, who has pitched well over his last three starts at Reno. Cecconi holds a 4.44 ERA and 18:4 K:BB over 24.2 innings in the majors this season.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Tosses five innings in bulk relief

  Rotowire Aug 22, 2023

  Cecconi allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out two batters over five innings while taking a no-decision as the primary pitcher against Texas on Monday. Cecconi was originally slated to start the contest, but Arizona instead opted to go with Joe Mantiply as an opener. Cecconi came on in a scoreless game in the third inning and pitched well for the next five frames, yielding just one run on an Adolis Garcia homer in the seventh. The right-hander wasn't overpowering, notching just six swinging strikes and two punchouts, but he logged his longest outing as a big-leaguer through four appearances and made another strong impression. Cecconi has a 2.93 ERA and 1.04 WHIP through 15.1 frames as he makes his case to remain with the big club, though it's uncertain if the Diamondbacks will deploy him as a traditional starter or as a bulk reliever if they do keep him on the roster.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Remains in rotation

  Rotowire Aug 21, 2023

  Cecconi will start Monday in the Diamondbacks' series opener versus the Rangers at Chase Field, Jody Jackson of Bally Sports Arizona reports. After making a one-inning appearance out of the bullpen in an Aug. 11 game against the Padres, Cecconi returned to the Arizona rotation Wednesday in Colorado. He navigated the unfavorable conditions at Coors Field well enough, striking out four over four innings while limiting the Rockies to two runs on four hits and three walks. Even so, Cecconi owns mostly underwhelming ratios (4.91 FIP, 5.14 SIERA, 6.8 K-BB%) through his limited sample of big-league action to date and wasn't especially impressive over a larger body of work at Triple-A Reno earlier this season, making it tough to recommend him as a streaming option while he faces off Monday against one of the American League's top lineups.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Selected for MLB debut

  Rotowire Aug 2, 2023

  Arizona selected Cecconi's contract from Triple-A Reno ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Giants. Cecconi has struggled to a 6.38 ERA in 103 innings (20 starts) this season in the Pacific Coast League, but the Diamondbacks need a fill-in for Tommy Henry, who landed on the injured list this past Sunday due to left elbow inflammation. Cecconi does have good control, so maybe he'll be able to work deep and rack up some strikeouts in what will be his major-league debut at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Could be rotation fill-in

  Rotowire Jul 31, 2023

  Cecconi is the most likely internal candidate to be called up from Triple-A Reno to fill the vacant spot in the Arizona rotation after the Diamondbacks placed Tommy Henry (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Sunday, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. Given the high asking price for starting pitching on the trade market ahead of Tuesday's deadline, the Diamondbacks may opt to use internal candidates to fill in for Henry, who will miss at least 15 days. Cecconi's overall numbers at Reno aren't exciting -- 6.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 2.0 HR/9 in 103 innings -- but the right-hander's ledger since the middle of June shows improvement in a notoriously tough environment for pitchers. He has a fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90s and a pair of breaking balls in his slider and curveball. Another righty, Bryce Jarvis, is also being considered for a promotion, but he pitched out of the bullpen in his last two appearances.

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• Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Good start at Double-A

  Rotowire Apr 11, 2022

  Cecconi struck out six and gave up one run on four hits and zero walks in four innings in his debut for Double-A Amarillo. Cecconi was seen as a high-upside righty with an excellent 6-foot-4 frame coming out of Miami, but he had an uneven debut year in 2021. Wrist and elbow injuries limited him to 74 innings across High-A and the Arizona Fall League.

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