Fantasy Baseball 2026

Benge's Breakout Continues - June 8, 2026

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 22:00:42 -0700

Carson Benge, OF, Mets Carson Benge had the best game of his young career on Sunday, going 5-for-5 with a home run, a triple, three runs, and two RBI. After a disappointing start to the year, Benge has been on a tear as of late, as he was batting .286 over the past month entering Sunday, and that was before the 5-hit game. On the season, he's slashing .265/.325/.408 with 34 runs, seven home runs, 26 RBI, and 10 steals. He brings a nice blend of power and speed with the potential for great on-base skill. While he hasn't carried it over to the majors as of yet, with a walk rate of 7%, he walked at a 13.1% clip in the minors in 2025. Whether that comes or not, the rookie has been impressive overall, particularly with a 95th percentile sweet-spot rate of 42.2%. Those optimal launch angles allow him to get the most out of his 44.6% hard-hit rate, which isn't elite by any means, but is a solid, above-average mark. The youngster started the year in a platoon situation, but has cemented himself as an everyday player for the Mets, with many of his at-bats coming from the leadoff spot. That should allow him to rack up the counting stats and be a solid all-around contributor in fantasy. Gabriel Moreno, C, Diamondbacks Gabriel Moreno went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run on Sunday, continuing his strong performance as of late. On the season, he's slashing .255/.327/.409 with 21 runs, four home runs, 21 RBI, and three steals in 41 games. While those don't seem like numbers that would blow you away, there are very likely better days ahead for the backstop. His xBA sits at a 73rd percentile mark of .269, and his xSLG also represents an improvement over his actual slugging percentage at .450. On top of that, his 10.4% barrel rate and 45.3% hard-hit rate both represent career highs, and he's even raised his pull air rate to 18.9%, up from 14.6% last season. Those are all signs that point to more power on the horizon, and his batting average should improve, too, as the 26-year-old has a very proven track record of a .278 career batting average in 355 career games. This homer could be a sign of things to come, so keep an eye on Moreno if you need help at catcher. Jacob deGrom, SP, Rangers Jacob deGrom was solid on Sunday against the Guardians, tossing six shutout innings with six strikeouts. He allowed three hits and two walks. This was his second straight scoreless outing, and he now possesses a 3.18 ERA in the season with 84 strikeouts and 15 walks in 70.2 innings. He's enjoyed a nice rebound to his strikeout rate, raising it to 29.8% from 27.7% last season. He's also displayed excellent control and a 35.4% chase rate (90th percentile). The underlying metrics aren't all good, as his 30.4% groundball rate, 47.6% hard-hit rate, and 91.7 mph average exit velocity are all bottom-of-the-barrel marks when compared to the rest of the league, and his xERA sits at a middling 3.81. While deGrom may be getting lucky, it's also hard not to trust someone of his track record, so I wouldn't worry too much unless his actual results start to decline. Gage Jump, SP, Athletics Gage Jump looked good in the third start of his career on Sunday against the Astros, tossing 6.1 shutout frames with three strikeouts. He allowed three hits and walked three. This followed a solid second start where he limited the Cubs to one run over seven innings, so the A's may have found something here in the rookie. While having a 2.45 ERA through your first three major league starts is nothing to complain about, it is surprising that he has only a 17.8% strikeout rate after posting a 33.1% rate in the minors this season. It's worth noting that Jump had faced three very formidable offenses in the Mariners, Cubs, and Astros, so it's probably safe to expect more strikeouts moving forward. The important thing for now is that he's completely limiting hard contact, with an excellent 2.9% barrel rate and 28.6% hard-hit rate. Sandy Alcantara, SP, Marlins Sandy Alcantara continued to bounce back on Sunday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over seven innings against the Rays. This was his second seven-inning outing in a row, after he allowed runs over an 11.2-inning stretch in his starts on May 21 and May 26. He currently holds a 4.33 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 64 strikeouts and 22 walks across 89.1 innings. While Alcantara always had a low strikeout rate, even when he was an ace, it's taken another drop this season to 17.1%. That ranks in the bottom 15 percent of the league, and it's why he struggles with consistency, as that many balls in play lead to a lot more variance from start to start. The other issue is that his groundball rate is down to 44.7%, which is much closer to league average than the elite rates of 50%+ he regularly posted in his prime. That ultimately leads to way too many balls hit in the air, resulting in suboptimal ratios along with very few strikeouts. That's not a recipe for a great fantasy contributor, so the former ace should be viewed as a middle-end rotation piece, at best.

Alonso Looks Back to Normal- Player Commentary- June 7, 2026

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 22:45:01 -0700

Pete Alonso- 1B- BAL- Hot- Alonso extended his current hitting streak to 10 games. He went 1-for-4 and slugged his 13th homer of the season. Since May 13th he has gone 27-for-87 with 5 homers, 11 runs, and 18 RBI. Alonso had only hit 2 homers through April 21 but now is on pace to at least get to his preseason projection of 37 homers. Nathan Lukes- OF- TOR- Stats- Since coming back from a strained hamstring on May 25, Lukes has hit safely in all but one game. He has gone 16-for-41 with a homer. Before yesterday's 1-for-4 effort Lukes had a BABIP of .467 in that stretch. His EV was 84.7 and HardHit% was 34.4%. Expect some regression to dampen Lukes' results. Sean Burke- P- CHW- Cold- Burke earned the win yesterday as a follower. He entered the game in the 2nd inning and pitched 4.1 IPs. Burke's performance was good enough to get the win, but it was not sparkling. He was charged with 3 runs on 3 hits and 5 walks. Burke's 7 Ks were a positive. He threw 50 of 90 pitches for strikes, so his control was less than exceptional. Burke has an ERA of 3.88 with a 3.70 FIPS. With the White Sox performing much better than in the past couple of seasons, Burke even has a chance to pick up some more wins. Alex Lange- RP- KC- Rise Value- Lange saved his third game of the season yesterday. His ERA is at 4.03 but that comes primarily from his outing on 4/20, when he was charged with 5 runs (4 earned) while retiring just one batter. He is the Royals closer now, saving 3 of their last 4 games. Bobby Witt, Jr.- SS- KC- Great Player- With Aaron Judge out for an extended period of time, Witt is the subject of MVP speculation. He and Yordan Alvarez were the new wagering favorites. Yesterday Witt went 2-for-5 with a RBI and steal. He is slashing .284/.359/.463 with 9 homers and 23 steals. Witt has hit 6 of his homers in the last month. His EV has improved from 2025 to 93.5 and his HardHit% is up to 52.7%. Witt has an xBA of .306 and xSLG of .526. Expect him to produce in a way more like what we have grown to expect.

Draft Day Steals, Thus Far - June 6, 2026

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:13:31 -0700

Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

Caminero went 3-3 with 3 R, 2 2B, 2 BB on two hard hit balls. Many were worried about Caminero regressing due to the ballpark change, and while he isn't on pace to hit 45 homers, the underlying hitter is still plenty awesome and plenty productive. Caminero is just 22 years old, but his 15/14 K/BB is plenty advanced. He's over 80th percentile in HH%, xwOBA, xSLG, and EV. The case for Caminero truly revolves around how many homers he'll hit. His 20 Pull Air % is very close to his 21.5% rate last year. But his 23.8% LASS and 50% GB rate mean he truly struggles to consistently hit the ball in the air. He's pacing closer to 35 than his 45 last year, but with strong ratios I don't really care. Elite fantasy asset.

Raisel Iglesias, RP, Atlanta Braves

Iglesias threw a clean 9th against Pittsburgh to pick up his 12th save of the season. Iglesias has been a fantasy asset at the closer position for many years now, but the presence of Robert Suarez pushed his draft stock down at the beginning of this year. Suarez does have some Saves, but the Braves are winning plenty for a couple extra to go around. Iglesias is still slinging it plenty good at 36 years old. His 2.04 xERA is a career low. He's also walking a career low 4.2% of hitters. Congrats if you bought the slight dip.

Adley Rutschman, C, Baltimore Orioles

Adley went 4-4 with 4 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, BB on three hard hit balls. He's slashing .471/.526/.882 in a short June so far. I truly love what I'm seeing from him so far. His .394 xwOBACON is a career high by a slight margin, but his 46.9 % HH, 14.1 K%, 9.8% Barrel, and 39.2% LASS are all career highs. Getting a .288 xBA with 8 HR so far out of the catcher spot is awesome.

Jordan Walker, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Walker went 3-5 with 2 2B, RBI, K on two hard hit balls. Walker has been the hot topic of the season, having finally broken out after being a highly touted prospect with mixed results to begin the career. I think he can sustain his .289/.353/.535 slash line moving forward. Walker is setting career highs in Barrel % (14), EV (94), LASS (33.7), xBA (.279), and xwOBACON (.471). A lot of this power is driven by Walker's ultra high end bat speed and size. Walker's 25.9% K rate is a bit high, but sits in good place when you consider the power/contact tradeoff. Yes, he whiffs and chases a lot, but if you're focused on counting stats, this guy was a draft day steal

Hunter Goodman, C, Colorado Rockies

Goodman went 1-3 with R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K on 2 hard hit balls. Goodman only really works because he plays in Colorado...but it works. A 33.9% K rate across 243 PA is simply not acceptable. A 42% chase and 34% whiff are comically high. Luckily, Goodman does the most important thing well. His 35.3 Pull Air rate lacks adjective to describe how high that is. A super low 32% GB rate and high 46% HH rate brings it all together. Goodman might go through slumps, but the homerun ability will absolutely keep coming. He's pacing for around 40 homers.

Disappointing with good play - June 5th, 2026

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 22:35:58 -0700

Taylor Ward (OF - BAL) - Ward had his 2nd straight 3-hit game on Thursday against Boston, bashing his 16th double of the season in the process, and he's now hitting 260/404/357 on the year. There's so much that's good here in the statline, like the absurdly low 12% chase rate, the equally impressive 5% swinging strike rate, and a massive walk rate of just under 20%. The problem here is that, with far more line drives and far fewer flyballs (and a much lower pull%), the HR total has been stuck at 2 for 2 1/2 weeks. He's obviously been hitting very well, but that's not the type of production that people expected from Ward. The problem with guys that truly only have average raw power, is that any change in their batted ball profile can have some fairly significant ramifications to their power production. There are so many players that rely on pulled flyballs to produce HRs, and this sort of thing happens on a somewhat frequent basis. Ward is still very productive and is having a perfectly good year at age 32, but without SBs, HRs, or RBIs his performance in Roto formats has left a lot to be desired. He's on pace for well over 40 doubles, and with the weather warming up it is very possible that some of those will turn into HRs, but with the much more patient, line-drive oriented approach, I can't envision a return to the HR frequency of the past few seasons for him. Justin Wrobleski (SP - LAD) - Wrobleski shut the D-Backs out for 6 innings on Thursday evening, showing increased velocity (back to 2024 levels) while scattering 6 hits and fanning 4 without walking a man. That gives him QS in 7 of his last 9, and he has excellent control. That about sums up the positives. Even in this solid outing, Wrobleski only managed 7 whiffs on 84 pitches, and he allowed 11 hard hit balls during the outing....that's more than half of the balls hit into play! His GB rate is poor, the strikeout rate is abysmal, and he somehow has a HR/FB rate of well under 5%. He has the 6th highest gap between his ERA and xFIP right now, and that was before Thursday's outing. The excellent control can only take him so far....I would absolutely be selling high here. Jackson Chourio (OF - MIL) - Chourio was 3-4 with 4 R, 4 RBI, and 2 HR on Thursday, and he's now hit in 6 straight and has a 308/373/505 line through his first 26 games of the season. Chourio basically put up identical seasons at age 20 and 21, but here at age 22 he's taken a step forward in bat speed and exit velo in addition to cutting his swinging strike rate by about 1.5%. Drafted as OF8 this spring, I think he's pretty easily going to surpass that ranking by a couple of spots this year, and he's still years away from his prime. He's been much more patient this year, although much of the patience has come inside the strike zone as opposed to reduction of his chase rate, but I have some faith that he will improve that chase rate as well over the next few years. He is as likely as just about anyone to be one of the best 5 players in baseball for the next decade. Vlad Guerrero JR (1B - TOR) - Vlad was 3-5 with a double on Thursday, and is now hitting 300/391/391 for the year. That SLG isn't a misprint, as the 27 year old has 11 2B but just 3 HR, with only 1 of those blasts coming since April 20th. The flyball rate is down for the 3rd straight year, and it was never very high to begin with. A bit more worrisome is the fairly sizable decline in exit velo for the second straight year. It's still above average, but not by all that much anymore, although the max EV shows that his raw power is still just about as good as anyone's. As much as we all want Guerrero to be a .300/30/100 guy year in/year out, I just don't see it happening with his style of hitting. He's a great hitter that just doesn't try to elevate the ball often. He's durable, he is a well above average contact bat, and he has plenty of pop, but the sum total of his production somehow always feels a touch disappointing. Kody Clemens (1/2/O - MIN) - Clemens hit two solo homers in the 8-6 loss to the Royals on Thursday, giving him 8 to go along with 5 steals through 51 games this year. Clemens is an interesting player, as he appears on the surface to be a high-power/low-contact slugger, but in reality he's an average contact/average power guy that hits a ton of flyballs. It keeps the AVG down, and allows the average power to play a bit above that. The kicker here is the 1B/2B/OF eligibility, which is both fairly unique and rather valuable. The 30 year old is a bit fringy in standard formats, but he definitely has value in deeper leagues, and the multi-position eligibility makes him a reasonable injury fill-in at times. A 20/10 season this year wouldn't be a surprise, although it will almost certainly come with a low AVG.

Hot Hitters and Kirby's Missing K's-June 3, 2026

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:53:43 -0700

Max Meyer-Marlins-SP Max Meyer went 7 IP and gave up 1 ER on 2 H, 2 BB, and 7 K's against the Nationals. Meyer has taken a step forward in 2026, posting a 2.81 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 73.2 IP. He continues to miss bats at a high level (27% K) while showing improved overall command despite a slightly elevated 9.0% walk rate. Meyer's 18% K-BB% and 3.60 SIERA support the breakout, and he has done a good job limiting home runs (0.61 HR/9). Meyer has also done a better job against left-handed batters. He had given up a career .843 OPS and .364 wOBA against LHB. This year, it is a .641 OPS and .289 wOBA. The overall profile looks much more stable than in previous seasons. Meyer has emerged as a strong fantasy starter with strikeout upside. George Kirby-Mariners-SP George Kirby went 4 IP and gave up 4 ER on 9 H, 1 BB, and 5 K's against the Mets. Kirby has been solid but somewhat underwhelming by his standards, posting a 4.04 ERA and 1.28 WHIP across 78.0 IP. The biggest surprise has been the drop in strikeouts, as Kirby owns just a 20% K rate after 26% last year. The elite control remains intact (5.7% BB), and he continues to generate plenty of ground balls (53% GB). His 3.76 SIERA suggests the current ERA is a fair representation of his performance. Kirby remains a safe fantasy option because of the command and workload, though the ceiling is lower without the strikeouts. Otto Lopez-Marlins-SS Otto Lopez was 1-5 with a run scored against the Nationals. Lopez has continued his strong season over the past two weeks, hitting .292 with 1 HR, 4 R, 4 RBI, and 2 SB across 53 PA. He continues to make a lot of contact (13% K) while contributing across multiple categories despite modest power. On the season, Lopez is hitting .332 with 5 HR, 35 R, 25 RBI, and 10 SB through 262 PA. The batting average has been fueled in part by a very high .376 BABIP, though his contact-oriented approach supports above-average batting averages. Lopez is not going to provide huge power totals, but the combination of average, speed, and positional flexibility has made him a very useful fantasy contributor. It is also nice to see him improve on last year's breakout. Kevin McGonigle-Tigers-SS Kevin McGonigle was 2-5 with a run scored against the Rays. McGonigle received a rare day off yesterday. He has continued his strong rookie campaign over the past two weeks, hitting .273 with 1 HR, 10 R, 5 RBI, and 2 SB across 52 PA. He continues to show an advanced approach (15% BB and 15% K) while consistently getting on base. On the season, McGonigle is hitting .288 with 3 HR, 39 R, 21 RBI, and 9 SB through 264 PA. The underlying metrics remain solid, highlighted by strong plate discipline and improving quality of contact (9% Barrels). McGonigle's fantasy value comes from his ability to contribute across multiple categories without hurting his batting average. The power will come because of his innate ability to hit, but it probably won't be this year. Carson Benge-Mets-OF Carson Benge was 1-5 with 1 R and 1 SB against the Mariners. Benge has quietly put together a strong all-around rookie season, hitting .252 with 6 HR, 31 R, 24 RBI, and 10 SB through 230 PA. He has shown a balanced offensive profile with a good plate approach (22% K and 7% BB) and solid underlying power metrics (10% Barrels and 46% HardHit). Benge has also contributed on the bases, which boosts the overall fantasy profile. His .305 BABIP looks sustainable given the quality of contact and approach. Benge is emerging as a very useful fantasy outfielder because of the power/speed combination.

Kyle Harrison is the Real Deal - June 3, 2026

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:19:54 -0700

Kyle Harrison (SP-MIL) was electric against his former team on Tuesday, holding the Giants to 1 run on 4 hits and a pair of walks while piling up a dozen punchouts across 5.2 IP. The 24 year-old southpaw yielded one homer while firing 70 of his 106 pitches for strikes in the outing. Harrison has been a pleasant surprise so far in 2026 as he now boasts a 1.57 ERA, 11.5 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, and 2.82 xFIP through his first 57.1 IP (11 starts) of the season. He's certainly benefited from a 92% strand rate and 7.5% HR/FB, but the dude has allowed very little loud contact (29% hard-hit, 4.5% barrel, and average exit velo of 88.5 mph per Statcast) while he's logged a robust 13.5% swinging-strike rate to go with a low 73% overall contact rate and 83% in-zone contact rate while his chase rate is a career-high 34.5%. Oh, and there's the much-improved control (3.5 BB/9 last season, 3 career). Seems legit, but an always-dicey trip to Coors is on tap for this coming weekend. Noah Cameron (SP-KC) was sharp in a no-decision at Cincinnati on Tuesday, allowing just 1 run (on a solo shot) on 1 hit and no walks while recording 8 punchouts on 87 pitches (61 strikes). The 26 year-old lefty has now earned a quality start in 3 of his last 4 outings while allowing 6 runs on 14 hits and 3 walks while fanning 24 across those last 24 IP. On the year, Cameron owns a 4.22 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, and 3.70 xFIP across 59.2 IP (11 starts) as a 66% strand rate has inflated his ERA a little. In fairness, Cameron has yielded a good bit of loud contact (44% hard-hit rate, 10.5% barrel, and average exit velo of 90 mph per Statcast) while his 10% swinging-strike rate is down from last season's 11.5% and the opposition's overall (78%) and in-zone (85.5%) contact rates are up a touch (75.5% and 84% last year, respectively). It's not an exciting profile, but a solid mid-rotation type overall for fantasy. Cameron lines up to face the Twins in Minnesota on Sunday. Jack Flaherty (SP-DET) was solid across 5 shutout IP against the Rays on Tuesday, scattering 5 hits and 2 walks while fanning 6 on 94 pitches (56 strikes). The 30 year-old righty has endured a rough season as he now owns a 5.31 ERA, 10.9 K/9, 5 BB/9, and 4.50 xFIP through 57.2 IP (13 starts). The control has obviously been the biggest issue, but Flaherty has also surrendered a good bit of loud contact as Statcast shows a 47.5% hard-hit rate and average exit velo north of 91 mph - both of which are career worsts - while the opposition's 9.5% barrel rate is one of the highest of his career. Also concerning is a 10% swinging-strike rate (12.5% career) as the opposition's 84.5% in-zone contact rate is among the highest of his career. In short, there are a lot of issues here as Flaherty prepares to face the Twins early next week. Shane Baz (SP-BAL) earned the win at Boston on Tuesday as he allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks while recording 6 punchouts over 7 IP. The 26 year-old RHP kept the ball in the yard as he fired 64 of his 94 pitches for strikes. Baz has now rattled off four straight quality starts, and during that span he's allowed 7 runs on 19 hits and 10 walks while fanning 25 across 27 IP. Through 12 starts, he now owns a 4.29 ERA, 8 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, and 4.29 xFIP in 71.1 IP. His 8.5% swinging-strike rate is a concern (11% career) while the opposition's 81.5% overall and 93.5% in-zone contact rates are both career highs. Meanwhile, his Statcast profile is almost identical to last season's with a 40% hard-hit rate, 9.5% barrel rate, and average exit velocity of 90.5 mph. Baz is toeing the line of fantasy relevance, and fantasy owners will have to consider him on a start-by-start basis. Up next is a challenging matchup in Toronto. Walbert Urena (SP-LAA) is an interesting option for fantasy on Wednesday as he prepares to take on the Rockies at home. The 22 year-old RHP has logged a 2.44 ERA, 8.3 K/9, 5.1 BB/9, and 4.41 xFIP in 44.1 IP, with his control being a significant concern. To his credit, Urena has missed bats (12% swinging-strike rate) while getting opposing hitters to chase (33% o-swing%) and keeping them to a reasonable 84.5% in-zone contact rate. He's also limited the loud contact to the tune of a 32.5% hard-hit rate, 6.5% barrel rate, and average exit velo of 87 mph. This call is at least as much about his opponent for while the Rockies rank 14th overall in team OPS (.716) so far this season, that lineup has been considerably less productive away from Coors field as Colorado comes in at 26th in the majors in team OPS on the road (.667).

Dillon Dingler Just Hits Dingers - June 2, 2026

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:27:00 -0700

Dillon Dingler (C-DET) continued his breakout campaign as he went 4-5 with 2 HR, a 2B, 4 RBI, and 4 R as he was a hitting machine at the Rays on Monday. The 27 year-old backstop is enjoying a breakout campaign as he's now batting .241 with 13 homers, 38 RBI, and 27 R through 221 PA. The average might not be great, but Dingler's .250 BABIP seems low, especially given his penchant for making loud contact (47.5% hard-hit rate, 12.5% barrel, and average exit velo of 90 mph per Statcast) and balanced profile that features a 20% liner rate, 39% groundball rate, and 41% flyball rate. With a 21% strikeout rate against a 9% walk rate, Dingler is controlling the dish reasonably well, and his 80% overall and 90.5% in-zone contact rates further illustrate his growth at the plate (77% and 87%, respectively, in 2025). A .250ish average with another 12-15 bombs the rest of the way seems likely. JJ Bleday (OF-CIN) stayed hot as he went 1-4 with a solo homer and walk as the Reds fell to the Royals, although he did also strike out 3 times. The 28 year-old is capitalizing on a new start after his run with the Athletics fizzled as he's now batting .301 with 10 big flies, 27 RBI, and 19 runs scored across 133 PA. The former #4 overall draft pick has slashed his strikeout rate to 19% after it came in at 26.5% a year ago while he's drawing walks at a career-best 14.5% clip. Bleday's 73.5% overall and 82% in-zone contact rates are down a touch from his career averages of 74.5% and 83.5%, respectively, but he's really excelled at making loud contact, with his 50% hard-hit rate, 15% barrel rate, and average exit velo of 91 mph all dwarfing his career averages of 37.5%, 8.5%, and 88.5, respectively. With an average launch angle of 21.2, Bleday is ripping lots of liners (24%) and lofting lots of flyballs (46.5%), which bodes well for continued power output while casting doubt on his ability to continue to hit for average. Bryce Eldridge (DH-SF) went 1-4 with a 2B and 3 punchouts against the Brewers on Monday. It's a small sample size, but the 21 year-old comes with a strong pedigree (#16 overall pick in 2023 out of high school) and seems to be figuring things out in his second taste of big-league action. He's now batting .242 with 2 HR, 4 RBI, and 8 R through 71 PA with a 25.5% strikeout rate against an 11.5% walk rate. As his much improved strikeout rate indicates (35% in a cup of coffee last season), Eldridge is making a lot more contact than last year, with a 79% overall and 88% in-zone contact rate (66% and 76%, respectively, in just 37 PA in 2025) while he's obliterating the baseball to the tune of a 57% hard-hit rate, 13.5% barrel rate, and average exit velocity of 93 mph per Statcast. An average launch angle of 17.7 has translated to a 29.5% liner rate, 41% flyball rate, and 29.5% groundball rate, which in tandem with his ability to hit the ball hard has enabled him to display his monstrous raw power. It will be interesting to see what happens with his contact rates, strikeout rate, etc. as he logs more PA, but the talent is clear and the potential for him to be a fantasy juggernaut makes him a must-add in fantasy leagues. Now. Curtis Mead (1B/3B-WSH) went 2-4 with an RBI as he stayed hot during a loss to the Marlins on Monday. The 25 year-old is enjoying a fresh start in the nation's capital as he now claims a .250 average to go with 8 dingers, 26 RBI, 26 R, and 3 steals (albeit in 5 attempts) across 160 PA. He's controlled the zone well with a 14% walk rate against a 17% strikeout rate while making a lot of contact (84% overall, 91% in zone). He's showing patience with a 41.5% swing rate and 24.5% chase rate, and often squaring up on the ball when he does swing, with Statcast showing a healthy 46% hard-hit rate, 11.5% barrel rate, and average exit velo of 89.5 mph. His average is suffering a bit as he's registered a 47% flyball rate against just a 13% liner rate (and 40% groundball rate), but Mead is showing new life with the Nationals. Chase Burns (SP-CIN) was a scratch ahead of his scheduled start against the Royals on Monday as he's dealing with an illness. It is apparently a mild illness as he's now slated to start against the Royals on Wednesday. The 23 year-old righty is in the midst of a stellar campaign in which he's recorded a 1.96 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, and 3.16 xFIP across 64.1 IP (11 starts). A .228 BABIP and 94.5% strand rate both seem due for some regression, so expect his ERA to rise a bit going forward. But there is no denying that Burns is a gifted hurler given his 15% swinging-strike rate, 79% in-zone contact rate, improved control (3.3 BB/9 in 2025), and improved Statcast metrics, which include a 37.5% hard-hit rate (45.5% in 2025), 8.5% barrel rate (9.5%), and average exit velo of 89 mph (90).

Braxton's Breakout - June 1, 2026

Sun, 31 May 2026 23:18:36 -0700

Braxton Ashcraft, SP, Pirates Braxton Ashcraft continued his breakout season on Sunday, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks with 11 strikeouts over six innings against the Twins. This was his third straight quality start, and eight of his 12 starts of the season have been quality starts. He now holds a great 2.77 ERA on the season with 81 strikeouts and 17 walks in 74.2 innings. He excels at getting hitters to chase out of the zone, as his 36.6% chase rate ranks in the 94th percentile. His .214 xBA and 2.93 xERA also rank in the top 20 percent of the league or better, so this isn't a matter of getting lucky. Ashcraft is one of the best breakout starters of the season and should be considered a top-30 starting pitcher moving forward. Ronald Acuna Jr., OF, Braves Ronald Acuna Jr. is finally heating up, as he went 2-for-3 with a home run and two walks on Sunday against the Reds. This was his fourth consecutive game with at least one home run, and he now has five homers in that span. Suddenly, his slash line is up to .253/.380/.441 with seven home runs and 12 stolen bases, erasing all worries that many fantasy managers had about the superstar as he struggled to begin the year. His .511 xSLG suggests that he was getting very unlucky in the early going, and that it was only a matter of time before a quick turnaround like this happened. Acuna should still be considered one of the premier fantasy talents that will once again be an early-first-round pick next season. Kyle Bradish, SP, Orioles Kyle Bradish had a great start on Sunday against the Blue Jays, allowing one unearned run and striking out four over seven innings. He allowed four hits and three walks. After having a pretty rough April, he's started to settle down as of late, not giving up more than three earned runs in any of his past five outings. Over that span, he's struck out 30 batters in 31.2 innings. Many were expecting Bradish to step forward as an ace this season after posting a 2.53 ERA and 1.03 WHIP through 11 starts last season. While that may not come to fruition, he is beginning to look like the top-20 starting pitcher that he was drafted as. The biggest issue has been his strikeout rate plummeting from 37.3% to 24.0%, but he's still found success through a 50.6% ground ball rate. He'll need to find a way to keep the strikeouts coming consistently to deliver on his full potential. Rafael Devers, 1B, Giants Rafael Devers showed some signs of life at the plate on Sunday, going 4-for-6 with three doubles, a walk, and four runs scored. The slugger has finally been heating up as of late, with hits in six out of his last eight games, with eight extra-base hits in that span. His slash line now sits at .253/.300/.432 with 26 runs, seven home runs, and 30 RBI. That's not to say that he's completely in the clear, as there are still some very concerning signs with his underlying data. For one, his 6.1% walk rate is not even in the same stratosphere as the 15.4% rate he posted in 2025, turning his biggest strength into one of his biggest weaknesses. Additionally, his 29.6% strikeout rate is worse than it's ever been, and his .222 xBA actually suggests that he's been getting more lucky than unlucky. There's still time for Devers to turn it around and be a reliable contributor in fantasy, but his days as an elite first baseman may be over. Brooks Lee, 2B/3B/SS, Twins Brooks Lee had a great day at the plate on Sunday, delivering a two-homer game and driving in three runs. He's now slashing .255/.310/.430 with 25 runs, eight home runs, 34 RBI, and three steals on the year. It's been a great season so far for Lee, although his underlying metrics don't back it up, unfortunately. His xSLG came into Sunday at .325, which ranked in the 13th percentile, along with a hard-hit rate that ranked in the ninth percentile. His standout trait is his ability to make contact at an above average rate, with a whiff rate and strikeout rate both ranking in the 70th percentile, but the rest of his profile doesn't suggest that a permanent breakout is coming.

NL Week 11 Strategy-May 30, 2026

Sun, 31 May 2026 08:07:07 -0700

In The Field OF Jung Hoo Lee was activated off the 10-day IL on Friday. Lee was hitting .283 with 3 HR, 22 R, 17 RBI, and 0 SB in 198 PA. 3B Nick Gonzales was removed from Thursday's game early due to left knee discomfort. He fouled a ball off his left knee on Wednesday. He was back in the lineup on Friday. SS Konnor Griffin was not in the Pirates lineup on Thursday due to forearm soreness. It is not believed to be a serious issue, but one the Pirates want to take caution with. He returned to the lineup on Friday as the DH. Griffin is hitting .261 with 4 HR, 29 R, 21 RBI, and 12 SB in 199 PA. INF Enrique Hernandez is going to be out 6-8 weeks with a significant tear in his left oblique. He had only been off the 60-day IL for two days before suffering this injury. OF Teoscar Hernandez was placed on the 10-day IL on Friday with a hamstring injury. Hernandez was hitting .276 with 7 HR, 30 R, 31 RBI, and 2 SB in 204 PA before the injury. OF Alex Call figures to get the majority of the playing time while Hernandez is out. The more interesting option would be OF James Tibbs III, who has been excellent in Triple-A (.310 AVG with 14 HR, 52 R, 44 RBI, and 3 SB in 240 PA), but that doesn't appear likely at this point. OF Brandon Marsh (finger) was not in the Phillies lineup on Wednesday. He was back in the lineup on Friday. Marsh has been very productive to start the year (.326 with 5 HR, 28 R, 24 RBI, and 4 SB in 194 PA). 3B Nolan Arenado was not in the Diamondbacks lineup on Wednesday or Friday due to right groin tightness. He was used as a pinch hitter and was hit on the arm by a pitch, and had to be removed from the game. Arenado has played well this year (.271 AVG with 7 HR, 27 R, 27 RBI, and 1 SB in 194 PA). OF Luis Robert Jr. was moved from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL on Tuesday. This opens up a long runway for OF A.J. Ewing, who has hit .250 with 1 HR, 6 R, 4 RBI, and 3 SB. 1B Jorge Polanco (Achilles) started a rehab assignment on Wednesday with Double-A Binghamton. 1B/OF Pavin Smith (elbow) is expected to be back for the Dodgers series next week. Smith is going to take at-bats against RHP at either 1B or DH. Smith has a career .252 AVG and .771 OPS against RHP. 3B Max Muncy missed four straight games before playing on Wednesday due to getting hit on the wrist by a pitch two Fridays ago. Muncy has performed well for the Dodgers this year (.251 AVG with 12 HR, 36 R, 19 RBI, and 0 SB in 194 PA). OF Jordan Lawlar (wrist) has been able to take BP on the field. He is eligible to return from the 60-day IL on June 2, but that is looking unlikely given that he hasn't taken any live at-bats. 1B/OF Ryan O'Hearn (quad) has been able to work out and is expected to return on Sunday. He has quietly been very good for the Pirates (.289 AVG with 7 HR, 27 R, 29 RBI, and 1 SB). 2B Tommy Edman (ankle) started a rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He is expected to spend three weeks rehabbing with Oklahoma City. C Francisco Alvarez (knee) is ahead of schedule in his rehab. He started hitting on Monday. He is still not expected to return until the second half of June. SS Francisco Lindor (calf) has started a running progression, which is a big step in his recovery from his calf injury. He will need multiple rehab games before returning. C Joey Bart (foot) has been cleared to work out in the weight room and play light catch. He is still weeks away from returning. At that point, the Pirates will have a better picture of their catching situation. C Endy Rodriguez has swung the bat well (.316 AVG with 0 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, and 0 SB). He has been able to barrel the ball (8% Barrels) and shown a good plate approach (33% BB and 23% K). The tough part of this situation is C Henry Davis, who is Paul Skenes personal catcher and is great defensively, but has struggled with the bat (.134 AVG). The Giants have switched up their lineup by moving SS Willy Adames to leadoff. Adames has been good in the month of May (.288 AVG with 4 HR, 15 R, 13 RBI, and 1 SB). OF Harrison Bader was placed on the 10-day IL on Saturday with plantar fasciitis. On The Mound Quinn Priester (shoulder) only went 0.2 IP in his latest rehab start (3 ER, 2 H, and 3 BB). The plan was for him to go five innings or 80-85 pitches, but we needed 38 pitches to get two outs. Priester has struggled on his rehab assignment, so it would be wise for the Brewers to let him figure it out at Triple-A as opposed to the majors. Eury Perez left his start early on Wednesday after experiencing hamstring spasms. He is expected to make his next start early next week. Perez has struggled at times this year (4.60 ERA and 1.26 WHIP). He is missing bats (27% K) but has not had consistent control (11% BB), which has shown up in the walks and home run rate (1.58 HR/9). The real issue is that he doesn't have a productive pitch outside of his fastball. Rhett Lowder (shoulder) is going to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday. Logan Webb (knee) was activated off the 15-day IL on Friday (4.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, and 5 K). Webb has struggled this year (4.82 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with 13% K:BB). Matthew Boyd (knee) is scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Sunday. He is three weeks out from having surgery to repair his meniscus. Hunter Greene (elbow) was able to complete a successful bullpen session on Tuesday. This was his first time throwing off a mound since having surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow in mid-March. We will get a clearer picture of his return date once he starts facing live hitters, but he will need multiple bullpen sessions before that. Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) is going to throw a 60-pitch live BP session next week. The results of this will determine if he is going to need a rehab start. Logan Henderson was placed on the 15-day IL with a low back strain. Tyler Glasnow (back) was able to play catch on Monday. The next progression would be mound work and then live at-bats but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Glasnow hasn't been able to progres beyond playing catch. Tyler Mahle was placed on the 15-day IL on Friday with a hamstring injury, but it was retroactive to Wednesday, which makes it seem like he will miss just the minimum. Corbin Burnes (elbow) faced a live hitter on Friday, which was the first time since surgery. He is scheduled for another live BP session on Tuesday and is expected back after the All-Star break. Jared Jones made his season debut on Friday night (4.1 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 2 Bb, and 6 K). He showed plus velocity by averaging 99 mph on his fastball and touching 101 mph. Despite the premium velocity, he was very hittable (7 H, including 3 HR). He showed better stuff than before he was injured (107 Stuff+ compared to 104 Stuff+ in 2024). The last time he was in the majors, he had a 4.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 26% K, and 8% BB. He is going to miss bats but will need to become less predictable and improve his command within the zone instead of just throwing strikes. Regardless, the upside is too much to ignore even if there are warning signs. Carmen Mlodzinski (3.76 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 19% K, and 8% BB) will move to the bullpen in a multi-inning relief role. The Pirates' bullpen has struggled outside of Gregory Soto, so he could produce in that role. In The Bullpen Paul Sewald picked up two saves (14) this week. He has pitched well this year (3.80 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 30% K, and 7% BB). A.J. Puk (elbow) is targeting a mid-June return. Rasiel Iglesias got save number nine on Tuesday. The Reds did not have any save opportunities this week, so there is no more clarity. Antonio Senzatela is someone to add if he is still available. He has worked his way into save opportunities, and he has been awesome this year (4 W, 3 SV, 1.36 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 21% K, and 7% BB). The Dodgers had three pitchers get saves (Tanner Scott, Kyle Hurt, and Blake Treinen). Tanner Scott has been awesome (1.14 ERA, 0.59 WHIP, 33% K, 4% BB, and 5 SV). Pete Fairbanks got a win last Sunday but took a loss on Friday night. He has a 7.53 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 33% K, 11% BB, and 3.02 SIERA. He has been extremely unlucky in terms of runners left on base (42%, career 72%). Trevor Megill got saves this week (7), but he continues to share save opportunities with Abner Uribe. The Phillies had three saves this week, with two going to Jhoan Duran (11 SV) and Jose Alvarado picking up the other. Gregory Soto had a big week for the Pirates, picking up two saves and a win. He now has 4 W, 6 SV, 2.05 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 32% K, and 10% BB. Mason Miller continues to be absolutely dominant (0.72 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 51% K, and 12% BB) with a save on Friday night. Caleb Kilian got a save last Sunday but blew a save and took a loss on Friday night. He has a 3.96 ERA, 1.16 WIHP, 26% K, and 12% BB in 25 IP. Players to add this week: RP Antonio Senzatela (COL)-Antonio Senzatela is someone to add if he is still available. He has worked his way into save opportunities, and he has been awesome this year (4 W, 3 SV, 1.36 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 21% K, and 7% BB). 3B Curtis Mead (WSH)-Curtis Mead is hitting .244 with 8 HR, 25 R, 22 RBI, and 3 SB through 150 PA while showing an improved approach at the plate (14% BB and 17% K). The quality of contact has also been solid (12% Barrels and 46% HardHit), supporting the power growth. Mead's low .245 BABIP suggests there could be some batting average upside moving forward. He is an intriguing add because of the improving plate skills and balanced offensive profile. Mead has started 8 out of the last 10 games and has hit either 2nd or 3rd in those games. RP Gregory Soto (PIT)-Gregory Soto had a big week for the Pirates, picking up two saves and a win. He now has 4 W, 6 SV, 2.05 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 32% K, and 10% BB on the year. Soto is an automatic add if he is still available. SP Ben Brown (CHC)-Ben Brown has been excellent through his first 44.2 innings, posting a 2.01 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. The underlying skills strongly support the breakout, as Brown owns a 26% strikeout rate, 8% walk rate, and 19% K-BB%. He has also done an outstanding job limiting home runs (0.20 HR/9) while generating strong swing-and-miss (12% SwStr). His 3.01 SIERA suggests some ERA regression is likely, but the overall profile still looks very strong. Brown should be rostered in all formats as a breakout pitching option. 1B Spencer Horwitz (PIT)-Spencer Horwitz continues to provide steady production, hitting .288 with 6 HR, 21 R, 25 RBI, and 1 SB through 198 PA. He has shown an excellent approach (15% BB and 12% K) while consistently putting the ball in play. This is why the Pirates have moved him to the leadoff spot. The quality of contact remains modest (6% Barrels and 34% HardHit), which limits the overall power ceiling. Horwitz is a useful add in deeper formats because of the strong batting average and on-base skills. OF Dylan Crews (WSH)-Dylan Crews has been okay to start 2026, hitting .237 with 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, and 1 SB in 39 PA. He has shown an 18% strikeout rate. He has shown an average quality of contact (7% Barrels and 39% Hardhit). Crews is worth picking up given his speed (30 SB in 125 career GP). He also has untapped potential if he can control the strike zone better (47% O-swing), which is what they wanted him to work on in Triple-A. SP Cade Cavalli (WSH)-Cade Cavalli has quietly put together a solid season, posting a 3.62 ERA and 1.41 WHIP across 59.2 IP. The strikeout ability remains intriguing (25% K) and is supported by a solid 18% K-BB%. Cavalli has been hurt by a high .361 BABIP, which suggests there could be some ratio improvement moving forward. His 3.50 SIERA supports the idea that he has pitched better than the ERA indicates. Cavalli is a strong upside add for strikeouts, especially if the BABIP starts to normalize. He has pitched well in the month of May (3.41 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 24% K, and 6% BB). SP Jared Jones (PIT)- Jared Jones made his season debut on Friday night (4.1 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 2 Bb, and 6 K). He showed plus velocity by averaging 99 mph on his fastball and touching 101 mph. Despite the premium velocity, he was very hittable (7 H, including 3 HR). He showed better stuff than before he was injured (107 Stuff+ compared to 104 Stuff+ in 2024). The last time he was in the majors, he had a 4.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 26% K, and 8% BB. He is going to miss bats but will need to become less predictable and improve his command within the zone instead of just throwing strikes. Regardless, the upside is too much to ignore even if there are warning signs. Registered members can click on the following link to see the complete weekly report: http://www.fantistics.com/baseball00/M-Strategyplus.

Tatis Finally Goes Yard- Player Commentary- May 31, 2026

Sat, 30 May 2026 22:49:52 -0700

Fernando Tatis, Jr.- OF- SD- Hot- It finally happened! Tatis slugged his first homer of the season yesterday. He only has a total of 8 extra base hits in 241 PAs. Tatis is slashing .271/.346/.324. His EV has dipped from 93.3 in 2025 to 89.9 while his HardHit% is barely changed, going from 51.8% to 51.6%. Tatis has not been getting loft on the ball. His FB% has dropped from 33.9% to 24.7% while his GB% has increased to 53.8%. Tatis has a LA of 0.9. That is not a typo. Before yesterday Tatis had a .394 xSLG. There is a lot of room for positive regression and Tatis could be a buy low candidate. Regression will be his friend. Colson Montgomery- SS- CHW- Hot- Montgomery went 2-for-3 with a walk and his 14th homer yesterday. He is below his homer pace of 2025, when he hit 21 in 284 PAs, but repeating that was not expected. With 240 PAs Montgomery is on a pace to exceed his preseason projection of 27 homers in 536 PAs. The power is real. Peter Lambert- RP- HOU- Hot- Lambert evened his record at 4-4 and held the Brewers to 2 runs over 5 IP on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3. His ERA is now at 3.77. Lambert has a 3.39 FIP and a 4.28 xFIP. Given that his HR/9 is at 0.40 his ERA likely reflects his underlying performance pretty accurately, being in the middle of his FIP and xFIP. Lambert's K/9 (8.54) is higher than it was before he spent a year in Japan. He is getting more chase (28.2%) and his SwStr% is also a career best at 11.4%. Lambert is acting like a late bloomer. Leody Taveras- OF- BAL- Stats- Taveras is having a solid age 27 season. He is slashing .280/.376/.406 with 2 homers and 6 steals in 169 PAs. Taveras has made a big jump in plate discipline. Pitchers are only throwing 44.8% of pitches in the strike zone and he is making the most of it. Taveras has a 12.4% BB%, well above his 7.0% career mark. He has hit safely in his last 6 games and 10 of his last 12 games. Taveras is overperforming to a certain extent, with a .251 xBA and .365 xSLG, but the trend is positive for him. Lucas Erceg- RP- KC- Cold- Last year Erceg posted a 2.64 ERA, 2 saves, and 22 holds. He was elevated to closer this season with an injury to Carlos Estevez. The results have not been as good overall. While Erceg does have 11 saves he has also blown 5, including yesterday. His ERA swelled to 6.33 after allowing 3 runs without retiring a batter. Erceg has suffered some bad luck, as his FIP is a more reasonable 3.81, but with the Royals underperforming his potential for significant fantasy value has dropped.

What's up with Zach Neto? - May 30, 2026

Fri, 29 May 2026 20:27:09 -0700

Konnor Griffin (SS-PIT) returned to the starting lineup after a one-game absence due to soreness in his right forearm. The 20 year-old rookie went 2-4 with an RBI and 2 SB as he batted 6th and served as the DH against the Twins. Griffin started his MLB career slowly but is coming around as he's now batting .266 with 4 homers, 22 RBI, 29 runs scored, and 14 steals (in 15 attempts) through 203 PA. Entering Friday's action, he was hitting .307 with 4 HR, 13 RBI, 22 R, and 8 SB in 126 PA since hitting his first MLB homer on April 24th. During that span, he's trimmed his strikeout rate a little (24.5%) while making more loud contact (39.5% hard-hit rate, 8.5% barrel, and average exit velo of 88 mph per Statcast). In 73 PA before that first big-league dinger, he hit just .182 with 8 RBI, 7 R, and 4 SB while striking out at a 30% clip and making less loud contact (26.5% hard-hit, 9% barrel and average exit velocity of 86 mph). Zach Neto (SS-LAA) went 2-4 with a 2B, walk, RBI, and 2 runs scored as the Angels fell to the Rays. The 25 year-old is now hitting .238 with 10 homers, 27 RBI, 41 runs scored, and 7 steals (in 13 attempts) through his first 266 PA of the season. The low average and poor SB success rate are both disappointing, but Neto remains on pace for a 20-20 campaign with a shot at 25-25, especially if he can get back to where he was in 2024-2025 on the basepaths. He's fanning too often (30.5%) but has more than doubled his walk rate to 12.5% while elevating his in-zone contact rate to 84% from 82.5% a season ago. While not terrible, his Statcast profile is down across the board in 2026, with a 38.5% hard-hit rate (was 46.5% in 2025), 11.5% barrel rate (14%), and average exit velocity of 90 mph (91). His average launch angle is up from 17.5 last season to 22.7 so far in 2026, which has entailed an increase in his liner rate from 23.5% to 25% while his flyball rate is up from 41.5% to 44.5%. All things considered, he's unlikely to finish the campaign with a sub-.240 average and could be a good buy-low target if his low average motivates his owners to move him. Michael Harris II (OF-ATL) continued his stellar start to the 2026 campaign by going 3-5 with 3 RBI at Cincinnati on Friday evening. The 25 year-old is now hitting .308 with 13 homers, 36 RBI, 27 runs scored, and 3 steals (in 4 attempts) through 207 PA. He's still not walking much (3.5%), but he's fanning at just under a 19% rate despite a strikeout rate north of 13%, a career-high 44.5% chase rate, and a career-high 57% swing rate. While his overall contact rate of 77% is right about his career norm, his 91.5% in-zone contact rate is a career best. Ever the aggressive hitter, Harris is capitalizing on pitches inside the zone in 2026, registering a career-best Statcast profile that includes a 56% hard-hit rate, 16% barrel rate, and average exit velocity of 93.5 mph while a career-high average average launch angle of 10.6 has produced a career-high 39% flyball rate. Ultimately, one might hate the hyper-aggressive approach, but he's absolutely punishing pitches inside the zone. Nick Martinez (SP-TB) continued his strong 2026 campaign on Friday night as he earned the W against the visiting Angels with 7 IP in which he allowed 2 runs on 8 hits and no walks while fanning 5. The 35 year-old righty kept the ball in the yard as he tossed 62 of his 88 pitches for strikes. Martinez now boasts a sharp 1.62 ERA and 1.6 BB/9 through his first 11 starts (66.2) IP of the season, but a 5.5 K/9 isn't great for fantasy while a 4.12 xFIP indicates that regression is coming as a 91% strand rate, .276 BABIP, and 5% HR/FB are all suppressing his ERA. To his credit, though, Martinez limits hard contact as Statcast shows a 32.5% hard-hit rate, 7% barrel rate, and average exit velocity of 87 mph. He should keep rolling next week as he lines up to face a Tigers lineup that ranks 29th in team OPS (.611) during the month of May. Walbert Urena (SP-LAA) was wildly effective at the Rays on Friday as he allowed just 1 run on 5 hits and 3 walks while fanning 5 over 6 IP. The 22 year-old righty served up a longball as he fired 60 of his 92 offerings for strikes in the contest. Urena now owns a sparkling 2.44 ERA through 8 starts (44.1 IP), but his 8.3 K/9, 5.1 BB/9, and 4.37 xFIP aren't exciting. He does possess nice raw stuff headlined by an electric heater that sits at about 97.5 mph to go with a 91-mph change and 86-mph slider. He's missed some bats (11.5% swinging-strike rate) while opposing hitters tend to chase (32.5% o-swing%), and they don't make a ton of contact inside the zone (83.5% z-contact%). The opposition also doesn't make much loud contact, with Statcast showing a 33% hard-hit rate and average exit velocity of 87 mph. The poor control is terrifying, though, and raises concerns about future implosions. He does get the Rockies at home next week, and the Colorado lineup ranks 28th in MLB in team OPS (.629) in May.

Pittsburgh's Other Ace-May 28, 2026

Fri, 29 May 2026 08:45:43 -0700

Davis Martin-White Sox-SP Davis Martin went 6 IP and gave up 1 ER on 2 H, 2 BB, and 5 K's against the Twins. Martin has quietly been excellent in 2026, posting a 2.00 ERA and 0.99 WHIP across 67.2 IP. He has paired a strong 27% strikeout rate with excellent control (5% BB), leading to an impressive 22% K-BB%. Martin's 2.95 SIERA suggests most of the breakout is legitimate, though the 0.40 HR/9 may be difficult to sustain over a full season. He continues to generate enough whiffs (13% SwStr) to support the strikeout gains. Martin also does a good job mixing his pitches to keep hitters off balance. He throws six pitches, with the most used being his fastball at 25% and all the others above 10% usage. Martin has emerged as one of the better waiver wire pitching finds of the season. Paul Skenes-Pirates-SP Paul Skenes went 5.1 IP and gave up 1 ER on 4 H, 3 BB, and 10 K's against the Cubs. Skenes has a 2.89 ERA and 0.86 WHIP through 65.1 IP with a strong K-BB% (24%) and 12% swinging strike rate. His low walk rate (4% BB) is what separates him from other power arms, allowing him to pitch deep into games without losing control of the strike zone. He had been on a dominant stretch of back-to-back games where he flirted with no-hitters and then back-to-back starts with 4 ER and 5 ER. The skills still look great, but he has been hurt by a 70% LOB%, suggesting he has been slightly unlucky, and better results are likely coming. It was good to see him turn it around in this one. Skenes is still one of the top arms in the game. Riley Greene-Tigers-OF Riley Greene was 1-4 with 2 K against the Angels. Greene has gone ice cold over the past week, hitting just .087 across 25 PA with a massive 36% strikeout rate. The encouraging sign is that he is still hitting the ball hard (57% HardHit) while elevating it more often (50% FB), suggesting the slump is more small-sample noise. On the season, Greene is hitting .304 with 4 HR, 30 R, 25 RBI, and 1 SB through 236 PA, backed by excellent underlying metrics (13% Barrels and 50% HardHit). The biggest red flag remains the elevated 28% strikeout rate, but his overall profile still points toward a high-end fantasy outfielder as long as the hard contact continues. Ronald Acuna Jr.-Braves-OF Ronald Acuna Jr. was 1-4 with an HR (3), 1 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, and 2 SB against the Red Sox. Acuña Jr. has struggled over the past week, hitting just .136 across 26 PA, though he continues to show patience (15% BB) and hit the ball hard (64% HardHit). The strikeouts have spiked recently (31% K), and he has become more aggressive outside the zone (33% O-Swing). On the season, Acuña is hitting .238 with 3 HR, 23 R, 16 RBI, and 10 SB through 193 PA. The power has not fully returned yet, but the underlying metrics remain strong (12% Barrels and 44% HardHit). Everything under the hood looks good, so this might be the only time to "buy low" on Acuna Jr. this season. Pete Crow-Armstrong-Cubs-OF Pete Crow-Armstrong was 1-4 with 1 R and 1 BB against the Pirates. Crow-Armstrong continues to provide fantasy value despite the inconsistent bat, hitting .224 with 6 HR, 30 R, 24 RBI, and 12 SB through 235 PA. The speed remains the biggest driver of his fantasy profile, but he has also shown improving power metrics (8% Barrels and 49% HardHit). The biggest issue continues to be the approach, as he owns a high 40% O-Swing and an elevated 26% strikeout rate. Not much looks different from a year ago (24% K, 13% Barrels, and 42% Hardhit). Normally, this would be a BABIP issue, but his .288 BAIBP this year is higher than last year's (.270). It hasn't been the start that fantasy owners have wanted, but he is still on pace for a 25 HR, 90 R, 80 RBI, and 30 SB season, which is not far off from last year's (.247 AVG with 31 HR, 91 R, 95 RBI, and 35 SB).

Sanchez Streaks - May 28th, 2026

Wed, 27 May 2026 22:47:26 -0700

Cristopher Sanchez, SP, PHI

Sanchez tossed 7.0 scoreless innings, extending his scoreless innings streak to 44.2, which is the 7th longest streak in the majors since 1920. He hasn't given up a run since April 30th, which spans five starts. During the five outings, Sanchez has racked up 45 strikeouts against three walks and has dropped his ERA to 1.47, which leads the league. The southpaw has been great throughout the whole of the 2026 season, with the recent stretch pushing it to fantastic. He's given up some hard contact (44.0% Hard-Hit%, 21st percentile), but his command and swing and miss ability have been top-notch. Sanchez's 1.82 BB/9 ranks 7th in the majors, while his 37.0% Chase% and 33.3% Whiff% rank in the 95th and 93rd percentile, respectively.

Otto Lopez, SS, MIA

Lopez went 4 for 4 with four singles, two stolen bases, and an RBI in Toronto on Wednesday. The 27-year-old is enjoying a breakout campaign and has his average up to .342 on the season, which leads the majors. Lopez flashed potential in his first two big league seasons, hitting .270 across 434 PAs in 2024 and popping 15 homers and stealing 15 bases across 594 PAs in 2025. However, he has turned a corner so far in 2026. Lopez has just four home runs, but he has swiped 10 bags and owns a 138 wRC+. Despite a lowly 3.8% BB%, he has displayed a solid approach at the plate with a 15.4% K% and 20.8% Whiff%. With the lack of power, pitchers appear not to be afraid to challenge Lopez, but with a 32.2% Squared-Up%, he has been happily pounding base hits all around the ballpark.

Dustin May, SP, STL

May took a no-hitter into the 8th inning, but ended up being the tough luck loser in a 2-1 game in Milwaukee. He gave up a double and a single to start the 8th before being removed from the contest. He ultimately ended his day giving up two runs (1ER), on two hits, no walks, and nine strikeouts. May used less of his four-seamer (23.0%), opting to rely on his cutter (33%) and sweeper (23%). Entering the contest, those percentages were 25.7%, 22.7%, and 18.8%, respectively. The switch-up in pitch-mix was successful, but was it just a one-off, or is it something the struggling 28-year-old can build on?

Julio Rodriguez, OF, SEA

Rodriguez went 1 for 5 with a three-run homer, his 10th of the campaign. He has now hit two homers amidst a four-game hitting streak as his bat has thawed out a bit after a rough spring. Rodriguez is now slashing .258/.317/.437 with a 118 wRC+, not exactly what you want to see from the star 25-year-old, but considering he was hitting .200 on April 16th, it's quite encouraging. He is hitting .289 with eight homers and a 139 wRC+ since that date.

Gavin Williams, SP, CLE

Williams gave up one run on three hits and two walks while striking out four across 7.0 innings en route to his 8th win of the season. Through 12 starts, Williams owns a 3.07 ERA and 3.03 xFIP, and his eight wins rank 2nd in the majors. Despite giving up career-high marks in HardHit% (48.8%), Avg Exit Velo (91.8 mph), and Barrel% (13.4%), the 26-year-old has found success due to his career-high 10.38 K/9 and career-low 2.83 BB/9. Williams owns a 35.1% Chase% (87th percentile) and 31.1% Whiff% (88th percentile). The contrast in the batted ball and plate discipline metrics has resulted in a 4.23 xERA that is almost identical to his career mark of 4.24.

Young Sluggers Making Strides - May 27, 2026

Tue, 26 May 2026 22:49:52 -0700

Michael Harris II, OF (ATL)

Harris' sensational season continued on Tuesday. One game after a rare 0-for-3 performance on Sunday, the dynamic outfielder filled up the stat sheet, tagging Red Sox pitchers for four hits in four at-bats, including a home run, double and three RBI's. Three of his batted balls were hit harder than 96 miles per hour, including two over 100-mph. He is posting elite quality-of-contact numbers while striking out less than 20% of the time. After hitting a career-high 20 home runs in 2025, Harris already has 12 homers in one-third of the season. It's all coming together for the talented outfielder and it's supported by elite metrics. This isn't a sell-high situation. Harris is a HOLD.

James Wood, OF (WSH)

Wood followed up his four-hit performance on Monday with three more hits and a walk on Tuesday. The young slugger has home runs in back-to-back games and stole his ninth base in Washington's 6-3 win at Cleveland. Most importantly, Wood has cut down his strikeouts. After posting a 31.1% strikeout rate through May 18, Wood has a 16.7% K-rate over his last eight games. Strikeouts were his Achilles heel in 2025 so moderate improvement in that category is a good sign Wood is developing. There's no question he possesses extraordinary power (96.4-mph average exit velocity, 25.4% barrel rate) and above-average speed. Becoming an all-around hitter with manageable strikeout totals will lift James Wood into a first-round caliber talent.

Joe Ryan, SP (MIN)

Ryan continues to showcase higher velocity, and the results are impressive. He threw a season-high 7.2 innings on Tuesday, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks while striking out nine batters for the second-straight game. Ryan was actually pitching a shutout through seven frames before Munetaka Murakami tattooed a two-run homer in the 8th inning. Ryan has allowed more than two runs only once in his past 10 starts. Ryan averaged 92.6 miles-per-hour on his fastball before leaving a start on May 3 with a sore left elbow. Since returning from that injury, his fastball velocity is up more than a mile-per-hour. On Tuesday he averaged almost 95-mph. He finished the game with a 37% CSW rate and lowered his ERA below 3.00 for the first time since his first start of the season.

Vaughn Grissom, 1B (LAA)

Grissom had his best game of the season on Tuesday. Playing first base and hitting third in the Angels lineup, Grissom was 3-for-5 with a home run and six RBI's. The unfortunate part is a lot of fantasy owners probably had him on the bench after going 2-for-28 in his last eight games and hitless in his last four. Grissom is showing signs of life this season after disappointing since his rookie year. While he is only hitting .233 with three home runs, his advanced metrics point to some positive regression on the horizon. He has a .231 BABIP despite a 45.6% hard-hit rate. He has 11 strikeouts to 11 walks. Grissom is also on the verge of adding 3B and 1B to his positional eligibility in most leagues. He's probably never going to develop into the star some projected when he came up with the Braves, but he's still only 25 years old and capable of developing into a worthwhile fantasy asset.

Garrett Mitchell, OF (MIL)

Mitchell hit his third home run of the season, a 3-run shot off Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez. Mitchell presents extraordinary potential. The former first-round pick has battled injuries for much of his career, but he is finally healthy and playing fairly regularly. What he has demonstrated is the makings of an elite power/speed combo. Mitchell's bat speed is fantastic and his sprint speed is top-notch. His biggest issue is strikeouts. He whiffed three times on Tuesday, lifting him into first play in all of major league baseball in strikeout rate. He maintains a strong on-base percentage because he draws a lot of walks, but the K-rate is simply unsustainable for an everyday player. If he can mitigate the K's, he really can develop into a fantasy stud.

Travis Bazzana Headlines a Rookie Roundup - May 25, 2026

Sun, 24 May 2026 18:26:47 -0700

Travis Bazzana (2B-CLE) set the table for the Cleveland offense against the Phillies on Sunday afternoon, going 3-4 with a solo blast out of the leadoff spot. The 23 year-old rookie has enjoyed a nice start to his MLB career, hitting .294 with 3 HR, 10 RBI, 11 R, and 7 SB (in 9 attempts) across 100 PA. He's controlled the plate well, logging a 17% strikeout rate against a 13% walk rate while his overall (80%) and in-zone (87%) contact rates are solid. If anything is lacking, it's loud contact, as Statcast showed a 31.5% hard-hit rate, 3% barrel rate, and average exit velo just below 89 mph entering Saturday's action. But he flashed a bit more pop on Sunday. Carson Benge (OF-NYM) went 0-5 with a BB, 2 K, and a SB at the Marlins on Sunday. The 23 year-old rookie's season stat line isn't great (.246, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 25 R, and 9 steals (in 10 attempts) across 190 PA, but he has stepped things up over the last month, hitting .324 with 2 HR, 14 RBI, 19 R, and 2 SB across his last 112 PA entering Saturday's action. During that span, his strikeout rate is down to 18% since April 23 (24.5% before) while he's making more loud contact (48% hard-hit, 10.5% barrel, and average exit velo of 90.5 mph) during that span (39.5% hard-hit, 4% barrel, and average exit velo of 90 mph before). Esmerlyn Valdez (OF-PIT) went 1-3 with a 2-run homer - his first career dinger - and 2 K at Toronto on Sunday afternoon. The 22 year-old got the call to the majors after a nice start to the campaign in Triple-A, where he batted .253 with 10 HR, 29 RBI, and 25 R over 194 PA while drawing 17% walks against a 21% strikeout rate. That largely reflects his minor-league track record as Valdez is a selective hitter who possesses nice pop. There's below-average power here while the hit tool is suspect, but will walk and hit dingers. Before his call to the majors, Valdez posted a 44.5% hard-hit rate and average exit velo of 90 mph while an average launch angle of 12.6 generated a combined liner-flyball rate of 54%. Andrew Painter (SP-PHI) took the loss in putting together a quality start against Cleveland on Saturday, tossing 6.1 IP in which he allowed 2 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3 on 82 pitches (52 strikes) in which he kept the ball in the yard. It's been a challenging first season in the majors for the 23 year-old RHP as he now owns a 5.40 ERA, 7.2 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, and 4.35 xFIP across 9 starts (50 IP). The gap between his ERA and xFIP does indicate that a .327 BABIP and 69% strand rate are inflating his ERA a bit, but he hasn't missed many bats (9.5% swinging-strike rate) as the opposition makes plenty of contact against him (81% overall and 89.5% in zone). The good news is that he hasn't allowed a ton of loud contact, with Statcast showing a 37% hard-hit rate, 9% barrel rate, and average exit velocity of 88.5 mph. He'll face a test in LA against the Dodgers next weekend. Parker Messick (SP-CLE) was sharp in picking up a win at Philadelphia on Sunday, firing 5.2 shutout IP in which he scattered 5 hits and 2 walks while recording 6 punchouts on 91 pitches (56 strikes). The 25 year-old southpaw now owns a strong 2.24 ERA, 9.8 K/9, and 2.7 BB/9 through 11 starts (64.1 IP) on the year, although a 3.08 xFIP indicates that he's benefited from some good luck in the form of a .273 BABIP and 85.5% strand rate. In addition to missing some bats (11.5% swinging-strike rate) and limiting contact overall (76%) and in the zone (84%), Messick yields little loud contact as Statcast shows a well below-average 33.5% hard-hit rate, 5.5% barrel rate, and average exit velocity of 87 mph. He lines up for a favorable start against Boston next weekend.