Danny Jansen DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Danny Jansen (rib) is in Friday's starting lineup. Jansen will be behind the dish and bat sixth against Colorado left-hander Kyle Freeland. Jansen was sidelined at the end of spring training due to a pulled muscle in his rib cage. However, the 29-year-old was able to progress enough and will not miss Opening Day. Earlier in the offseason, the Rays signed Jansen to a one-year deal worth $8.5 million to be the primary backstop. Before the injury, Jansen tallied three round-trippers with a .320/.452/.640 slash line with two doubles and two long balls across 11 contests in the Grapefruit League. Last season, Jansen posted a modest .205/.309/.349 slash line with nine long balls. He is worth a look in DFS competitions facing Freeland, who posted a 5.24 ERA last season.

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Danny Jansen (rib) appears to be ready to play on Opening Day on Friday against the Colorado Rockies after testing out his injured rib muscle while catching and hitting in a simulated game on Wednesday, according to Bally Sports' Ryan Bass. Jansen didn't have any limitations in Wednesday's sim game, clearing the way for him to be active on Friday. The 29-year-old backstop will open the 2025 campaign as Tampa's starting catcher after hitting a combined .205/.309/.349 with a .658 OPS, nine home runs and 24 RBI in 92 games with the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox in 2024. Jansen has decent pop for a catcher, but durability is an issue, as he's played in more than 100 games just once in his seven MLB seasons, and not since 2019. Expect the Rays to rest him regularly with Ben Rortvedt.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that catcher Danny Jansen (rib) is doing better and will test his injured rib in a five- to six-inning simulated game on Wednesday. Jansen has been out the last few days due to a pulled rib muscle, but if he responds well to Wednesday's simulated game, he will be included on the team's Opening Day roster. If Jansen doesn't do so well on Wednesday, Kenny Piper will open the year as Tampa's backup catcher behind Ben Rortvedt. The good news is that even if Jansen isn't ready for Friday's season opener, it sounds like he won't have a lengthy absence to begin the regular season. The 29-year-old Jansen had a solid spring training, batting .320 (8-for-25) with two doubles, two home runs and four RBI in 11 Grapefruit League games. He has decent pop for a catcher, but Jansen's injury history makes him a No. 2 fantasy catcher.