Fantasy Baseball Today - FBT Express - Latest Waiver Wire Adds! Dodgers Bullpen Without Tanner Scott (7/22 Fantasy Baseball podcast)

Episode Date: July 22, 2025

Download and follow Fantasy Baseball Today Express! You can find FBT Express on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠�...��⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the Audacy App and wherever else podcasts are found. Tanner Scott left Monday with a forearm injury. Who's next up for saves in the Dodgers bullpen? Now is the time to stash Luke Keaschall. Add Zebby Matthews or Brandon Walter? Fantasy Baseball Today Express is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Get Fantasy Baseball Today merch here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/3y8dUqi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow FBT on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@fbtpod?_t=8WyMkPdKOJ1&_r=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow our FBT team on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@FBTPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CPTowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CBSScottWhite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Roto_Frank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join our Facebook group at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/fantasybaseballtoday⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for the FBT Newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cbssports.com/newsletters/fantasy-baseball-today/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more fantasy baseball coverage from CBS Sports, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can listen to Fantasy Baseball Today Express on your smart speakers! Simply say "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 podcast" or "Hey Google, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 podcast." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Who are the latest waiver wire must ads? Let's find out on Fantasy Baseball Today Express. Welcome in to FBT Express on Tuesday, July 22nd. I am, for example, joined by Chris Towers. And the big news that we got here late on Monday night was that Tanner Scott left with a trainer during a relief appearance and apparently felt a sting sensation in his forearm, most likely going on the IL and getting an MRI on Tuesday. So we're losing a potential top 15, top 12 closer in fantasy, Chris.
Starting point is 00:00:35 What do you think happens here in the Dodgers bullpen since Tanner Scott? I don't know. I mean, look, it's the Dodgers. When Tanner Scott is available, he gets most, but not all of the saves. When Tanner Scott's not available, who knows? It could be a completely wide open situation. Alex Vescia has been the primary setup man in the eighth inning for the Dodgers. this season. Kirby 8th obviously has closing experience. He was an elite closer last season.
Starting point is 00:01:06 Blake Trinan is working his way back from the IL and could be up within the next week or so. I think all three of those guys are going to figure into the closing situation for the Dodgers. I think even, you know, we could see Anthony Banda get a couple of saves. It's just, I think if Dave Roberts doesn't have one obvious guy, he's not going to go with one obvious guy. We've seen Trininin be a closer for this team. We've seen Kirby Yates be an elite closer in the past. I don't think this is likely to be a scenario if Tanner Scott has to miss a significant amount of time where there's going to be one obvious replacement in the ninth inning. If you have to add somebody, I think it has to be Alex Vessia just because he's been the primary eighth inning guy. But if Kirby Yates goes out and gets the next two saved for the Dodgers, I wouldn't be at all surprised. Yeah, Kirby Yates did pick up the save here on Monday. He's 24% rostered. Vesia is 18%.
Starting point is 00:02:02 And as you mentioned, Blake Trinen, who actually closed out, nope, that's a lie. Walker Bueller closed out the World Series last year. But he was the closer in the World Series run. He was mostly the closer during that postseason run. He picked up some saves earlier this season. So a couple names there to know in the Dodgers bullpen. A couple other saves options here.
Starting point is 00:02:22 Robert Garcia has been the, the Rangers kind of pseudo-closer. He's 27% rostered. And with all the injuries to the debacks, Kevin Ginkle is the last man standing there. So if you need some saves, those are some names to look at. Let's take a look at some of the most added hitters
Starting point is 00:02:40 right now on CBS. And some deeper league names, Luke Kishel is 33% rostered. He had two hits and two steals in his latest rehab game. He looked pretty interesting early on this season. 33% rostered, Chris, now is the time to stash Keishel before he's back. Yeah, I think between AAA and the majors, it was something like 12 steals and 23 games for him. He was really aggressive.
Starting point is 00:03:06 He stole 25 plus bases the year before. They gave him the green light when he got to the majors. He has a knack for getting on base. There's a little bit of pop. It could be a really, really useful skill set in all fantasy formats, but I think especially Rhodo because of the speed, for Luke Kishel. And I do expect him to play pretty much every day
Starting point is 00:03:28 for the twins once he's healthy. Chris, do you have any interest in Anheel Martinez of the Guardian? 17% rostered has second and outfield eligibility. And having a nice July so far hitting 297, 4 homers, 928 OPS. He has started 15 straight games. And he was hitting second in the lineup between Kwan and Jose Ramirez. That seems like a pretty nice spot in the lineup to be in any deep league interest and in Anhele Martinez.
Starting point is 00:03:55 Not really. I don't think there's a lot here. He's got a 290 Wobah for the season. It's a 262X Woba. He, like a 22% strikeout rate is not alarmingly high, but it's pretty bad if you don't have for much pop. He doesn't really steal bases. He doesn't walk at all.
Starting point is 00:04:15 It just, I don't see much in Anhele Martinez's skill set to be excited about. And I'll also just add especially because Tyler Freeman is rostered in a much higher range, but it's like 45% last I saw. I think I'd certainly much rather have Tyler Freeman than on Hal Martinez, but he's so widely available that it'd have to be a pretty deep league for me to get to Honel Martinez. All right, let's take a quick break when we return. We'll talk a little bit about some deep league catchers and some pitchers right after this.
Starting point is 00:04:51 Welcome back in the FBT Express, taking a look at some waiver-wire options, some interesting two-catcher league names here. Francisco Alvarez was recalled by the Mets, and in 19 games down in the minors, he hit 11 home runs, had an OPS over 1,200 or something. He was crushing the ball. And Adrian Del Castillo recently recalled by the Debex. Chris, who would you rather take a shot on here in some two-catcher leagues?
Starting point is 00:05:18 So the fact that Alvarez is one, Huss hitting from much more power in the minors is very promising because I think the Mets have kind of screwed him up. There was a quote that has really stuck with me. I think it was Eric Chavez, who's the hitting coach for the Mets, I believe. And he said something like, we want him to focus on being a contact hitter because the power will come. Well, the problem was the last couple of seasons, Francis Gavrez has been neither a contact hitter nor a power hitter. kind of the worst of both worlds out of him. And looking at his stint in AAA, he was hitting 51% of his balls in the air.
Starting point is 00:06:03 Pull rate was way up. I think a Francisco Alvarez who's trying to sell out for power is going to be a much better player than the one we've seen. So the fact that he's two years younger than Adrian Del Castillo, I think I'll also give the edge there. That being said, I really like Adrian Del Castillo. I think he's a really interesting talent. I think he might just be a really good hitter.
Starting point is 00:06:25 And the fact that he's not really going to catch for the 9-Mex doesn't really bother me because a strong side platoon, DH, that'll play plenty for a two-catcher league. All right, two shallow league starting pitchers here. Quinn Priester over the weekend had a 10 strikeout start against the Los Angeles Dodgers. And in his last 12 games, has a 258 ERA and a 101 whip. Trevor Rogers is the other name here who turns. in another quality start over the weekend. Has a 174 ERA.87 whip here with the Orioles.
Starting point is 00:06:58 Chris, who would you rather have between Priester and Trevor Rogers? Yeah, I don't quite understand how Quinn Priester is getting these results. I think it's a new cutter. He's throwing everything a little harder than he was last season or in the minors. That being said, I have a lot more faith in him than Trevor Rogers, who, it's like everything is like highest whiff rate highest strikeout rate fastest fastball velocity since 2021 but it's all still well below 2021 it's not like he's getting back to the 2021 level I think he's probably just an average pitcher Trevor Rogers I'm not sure he's that much
Starting point is 00:07:38 better at this point than like Dean Kramer who's been really good for a couple of months so I'll take the flyer on Quinn Priester ahead of Trevor Rogers for sure and two other pitchers both under 50% rostered on CBS right now. Zebby Matthews returned over the weekend for the Twins. He wasn't great. It was in course field. He did have 17 whiffs on 77 pitches. And Brandon Walter has allowed two earn runs or fewer in six of eight outings.
Starting point is 00:08:03 He also has just three walks allowed in 46 and two-thirds innings. It kind of feels like maybe Zebby Matthews is the high ceiling play and maybe Brandon Walter is the high floor play. But who do you like between those two? I like both of these guys quite a bit, actually, because Walter is managing to pull off the super low walk rate trick without sacrificing strikeouts. He actually has like a 25% strikeout rate. He's limiting hard contact. He's doing kind of everything you want.
Starting point is 00:08:34 So I think Brandon Walter is actually pretty good despite, you know, it's like a 91, 92 mile per hour fastball, but he gets whiffs with it. He generates weak contact. I like a lot of what we're seeing from him. And then Zebue Matthews, it's just, I think the ceiling is super high. The velocity jump from the spring has been there. He's missing the bats when he's pitching. It's just one course field. I don't think we can take much from that just in general.
Starting point is 00:09:01 It's such a tough place to pitch. And then he's had a little trouble with home runs. And maybe that will continue to be the case. But I'll bet on the talent. I'll bet on the whiffs and I'll bet on Zebby Matthew. So I'll give Matthews the edge, but I do like him and Branagh Walter. Both probably more than Trevor Rogers, at least. All right, for more extensive fantasy baseball coverage, listen to our full-lane podcast,
Starting point is 00:09:26 Fantasy Baseball today on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else podcasts are found. Thanks for listening to Fantasy Baseball Today Express, and we will be back again on Thursday. Bye-bye.

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