Fantasy Baseball Today - Weekend Waiver Wire Adds, Drops & Start or Sit Questions! (6/29 Fantasy Baseball Podcast)

Episode Date: June 29, 2026

Sonny Gray dominated the Yankees (2:30). ... Foster Griffin has really picked things up (6:26). ... Brandon Young has a new splitter (10:30)? ... Esmerlyn Valdez homered in three straight (13:10). ... News (23:55): Elly De La Cruz tweaked his ankle. ... Luis Garcia Jr. is on fire (46:09). ... There are a lot of interesting waiver wire SP right now (53:10). ... DROP-O-METER (1:05:07). ... Start or sit these pitchers (1:09:26)? ... We wrap up with leftovers, bullpens and streamers (1:16:57).Subscribe to our YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/FantasyBaseballToday⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for the newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cbssports.com/newsletters

Welcome to the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast from CBS Sports. Got a fantasy question? Email Fantasy Baseball at CBSI.com. Get ready to win your lead. Where fantasy becomes reality. Now here's Frank, Scott, and Chris. Hello, welcome into fantasy baseball today on Monday. June 29th.

I am Frank Sample joined by Scott White and Chris Tower. is today on the show. Weekend, Waiverwire ads and drops. Trevor Rogers is hot. Spencer Arrogetti is not. We have injury updates, starter sit decisions, and much more. Let's jump in.

Oh, gracious! Oh my goodness, there was a beatdown in Boston. The Red Sox dominated my Yankees behind some great pitching this weekend, and they've been pitching really well for a while. It's actually 11 straight quality starts from their starting pitchers. A four-game sweep,

and I just wanted to highlight at the very very Very top. Sunny Gray, he's kind of on fire. He looks really good right now. Took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Yankees. Final line, seven and a third shutout, one hit, one walk, nine strikeouts, 14 whiffs on 97 pitches here. And last two starts, incredibly impressive, quality start and six straight. During that span, 204, ERA, 101 whip, 41 strikeouts, over 39 and two-thirds innings. I know sometimes we pull our hair out trying to figure out Sunny Gray, but right now he's looking pretty awesome. I think he's just set it and forget it the way he's pitching.

Yeah, he's had a weird season. There were like no strikeouts early on. He wasn't missing any bats. That's changed a lot in June. And I think part of it is he's gone from throwing the cutter as his most used pitch in April and May. Remember, that's a new pitch for him. He's throwing it as his fourth most pitch in the month.

of junior. At least he was entering this start. So I think that's probably not a bad thing for him. I know the Red Sox are a big cutter organization, but, you know, it doesn't have to be one size fits all. It doesn't work for everybody. So, you know, it's not a terrible pitch, but it's certainly not a great

strikeout pitch for him. So backing off on that appears to have helped Sunny Gray quite a bit. Like, meanwhile, the sweeper, which is by far as best swing and miss, pitch. It's got a 40, over 40% with fray. It did last year, too. It's got to swap places with the cutter.

Since April, it was cutter one sweeper four, and now it's sweeper one cutter four. That sweeper usage increasing each month. So, yeah, I think Sunny Gray has landed on the right pitch mix, and if the last decade plus

has shown, you don't give up on sunny gray. He's always you also don't ever buy in all the way. What's that? You also don't ever buy all the way in on Sunny Gray. It's going to shift at some point, you know? I think that's the story.

I mean, I think in the long run, you're better buying than selling. Oh, yeah. No, I'm just saying he's like those stretches where he looks like an absolute ace, like right now. Yeah. Those don't tend to last either. Sure. Yeah. I think we say that for most pitchers outside of like the very best.

But yeah, he's getting up there in age, but obviously still pitching very well. We did see in the second half, he slowed down last year, you know, giving up lots of home runs and things like that. But that is not the case right now. Sunny Gray pitching very well. And he's at the Angels this week, a Mike Troutless lineup, a team that has the highest strikeout rate against right-handed pitchers this season. So you didn't need me to tell you, but you're using Sunny Gray this week at the Angels.

Chris, he's 10-and-1. I did not. He won today, didn't he? 10-1? not get the win, no. No, he didn't get the win for that. Too bad. The bullpen blew it in the ninth, and then they came back and won in the bottom of the 10th. That would have put him on pace for 20 and two. Instead, it's just 18 and two. And he missed like, what, two or three weeks too and still has, what, nine wins? That's pretty impressive. Eight wins, whatever it is. There are actually

eight pitchers with nine wins right now. That's kind of wild. There's one with 10, right? And it's a reliever, Aaron Ashby. Oh, yeah, I guess. I'm only looking at the starters. leaderboard, I guess. A reliever leads in majors and wins. Every year we get one of these kind of wonky stats where there's a reliever. I mean, not like this. 10 wins at the halfway point is pretty crazy stuff. Tyler Holton had 10 saves and 10 wins a couple years ago.

Very weird. Top five starting pitcher in fantasy. Very, very weird stuff there. Chris, let's go to you. Your player of the weekend, I'm interested here because I don't know if you're going to say good things or bad things about this guy. I've been very skeptical of Foster Griffin. And I think that's starting.

starting to look unfair. Now, in fairness, he is pitching better. You know, this is not one of those situations where he has just been exactly as good as this all season and only now starting to change my tune. He has gone from pretty middling peripherals, especially early on. Remember, he had like a two ERA through his first like seven starts. Then he had a couple of bad starts. Over the past seven starts, he has a 149 ERA.

which is obviously excellent. But it comes with a 307 XERA and a 358 fit. That is much better than what we had seen early on from him. He has 44 strikeouts to seven walks and 42 and a third innings. He's got six pitches that he throws at least 10% of the time. He's got another one. He throws 5% of the time. He's got good command and control.

He's doing really, really, really well right now. It's giving some like Seth Lugo vibes. And Frank, you might have made that comp. for Foster Griffin his last timeout where it's a bunch of pitches. None of them are really great pitches, but none of them are really disasters either. And he's commanding it all well. And it's all just working.

I think right now it's definitely a some is better than the hole or whatever, some is better than the parts kind of situation where I don't think you look at anything about Foster Griffin and think, oh yeah, that guy's one of the 40 best pitchers in baseball for sure. But it's working for him right now. And I don't think it makes too much sense to be skeptical of it. I don't think he's a sub 3ERA guy.

I don't think he's a sub 350 ERA guy the rest of the way. We have seen with Seth Lugo how marginal the differences between the really good and really bad versions of him can be. And Griffin is a guy who has struggled a lot with hard contact this season. He's struggled a lot with giving up home runs. He's got 16 homers. allowed on the season. His...

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Yes, his average ex velocity is not that high, but he gets it really hard when he gives the ball up in the air, is the problem. Okay. I think he's got like a 22% pulled air rate.

Like, his homer issue is not a fluke. His expected home runs, I think it's 14 and a half compared to 16 given up. Like, homers are an issue for him in a way that doesn't seem like it's a fluke. But that's also gotten a little better for him lately.

And so I, I think you should be starting Foster Griffin with confidence, mostly because I don't think anybody's going to blow your doors off in a trade for Foster Griffin. And so I think your best bet is just ride it out. He seems to have taken a step forward in the past month and a half and just enjoy it while at last. I don't think he's going to be a sub three ERA guy for long, but I think he's perfectly useful, especially in a points league. I think, you know, in a in a roto league, this could be a good whip.

mediocre ERA kind of guy because of the home runs, but I think you'll take it either way. I think the biggest difference between him and someone like Seth Lugo, I get the comp with all the different pitches and everything. Foster Griffin actually is getting a good amount of whiffs right now. Over his last five, it's a near 13% swinging strike rate. Now I'm not sure he can maintain that, but he does have some pitches to in particular to the sweeper and change up with with whiff rates over 32%. So he's doing a really good job with those two. He's coming off a great June overall. I agree. I think he's a start with confidence, especially in points

leagues, but 76% started for Foster Griffin. I think that number probably should be higher. Gets the Pirates this week. They're actually really good against lefties. They have struggled against really good against righties, excuse me, they have struggled against left-handed pitching this season. So I do like Foster Griffin this week. Scott, let's go over

to you. Player of the weekend. Hmm. Yeah. Racked up on ton of whiffs. Got a ton of whiffs on Saturday. and it's a guy who is available in most every league. And his name is Brandon Young. Pitches for the Orioles in case you've never heard of him.

And he's had some interesting moments already this year, times where we thought, maybe there's something here. ERA down to 311 after this start. It actually went up in this start, two earn runs in five innings against the Nationals. But the reason why I'm highlighting Brandon Young here, is you got eight strikeouts in those five.

five innings. And as you mentioned, Frank, 23 swinging strikes. He was a whiff machine against the nationals. And a big reason why the characteristics of his splitter changed quite a bit. It was the big swing and miss pitch.

It was responsible for nearly half of those 23 whiffs. It was down two miles per hour. Normally it's a pitch he throws about 15% of the time and the whiff rate isn't very good on it, but he threw it 33% of the time. And again, it got those 11 whiffs. So he also got a good number of wiffs on his fastball in this start. I'm trying to, I might be mixing him up with somebody else in my head, so I want to make sure I

got the right guy. Yeah, Brandon Young's fastball, it has over a 20% whiff rate. So it's not, it's not a terrible swing of miss pitches. All right. The slider has over 40% width rate. So if the splitter is a the splitter again with different characteristics if it becomes a weapon for Brandon Young then suddenly he starts to go from borderline interesting

to decisively interesting and I picked him up in a 15 team league that's probably as deep as I'd look to add him right now but I think he's a name that needs to be on our radar at least to see where he goes after this big width outing Again, that is Brandon Young

at the Reds this week. Obviously, anytime you go into Cincinnati as a pitcher, it is worrisome, but they are also a lineup that has struggled quite a bit here in June. Yeah, they are in the month 26th in Wobo, they're also 26th in Wobo against right-handed pitching. So I think it's still kind of a risky

move here to use him in Cincinnati. But yeah, Brandon Young doing some interesting things. Last 7 starts, 232, ERA, 117, whip. Only made three starts in the minors this year had a 19% swinging strike rate. So definitely, definitely an interesting picture right now. We'll compare him to some other waiver wire pitchers a little bit later on.

Wanted to highlight an outfielder here up top, Esmerlin Valdez of the Pirates. He continues to flash big in-game power. He homered each game this weekend. Two for four with a home run on Friday. That was 106.5 exit velocity, 414 feet. Three for four with another homer on Sunday, 109.8. and velocity, 4161 feet. That is a, this is a mammoth home run.

Last five games, he's got the eight hits, three homers, has only started three of five. So this is a very deep league name for now. 5% rostered. I picked him up in Tout Wars, which is a 15-te-Tam mixed roto, five outfielder league. I think in leagues like that,

I would look to add him right now. Big power in the miners as well. Also has been striking out a lot so far. I have to mention that 40% strikeout rate in the majors. It was much lower in the miners like 22, 23%. But do you guys have any interest in adding Esmerlin Valdez right now, the magician and some deeper leagues?

It'd have to be pretty deep. There are some, there are quite a few flaws here for Esmerlin Valdez, which is why even though he was very productive the last couple of years in the miners, he didn't show particularly well on rank lists. His zone contact rate was, at least what we have on rent. record between low A and AAA, you know, it never got to 80%, which 80% is kind of the minimum threshold you want to see. And so, you know, you looked at some of the individual pitches.

I think that was a AAA for as Merlin Valdez-Frank. And, you know, it was very high on the fastball, very high on some of the breaking balls there. And I just don't know, even though like there's power, you can hit the ball hard, average exit velocity now during the short time in the majors. Like 95. Yeah, it's really high. But I don't think in the long run he's going to make enough contact since he misses on so many hitable pitches. I don't think he's going to make enough contact to be of, to have real

staying power. So deep five outfielder leagues you could take a flyer on as Merlin Valdez, but I don't have the highest hopes for his future. While we're talking about very deep league outfielders, I mentioned his name last week. Those who might know, I cannot quit this man. And his name is Josh Lowe. He hit a grand slam on Sunday.

He stole a bag on Saturday. He has started four straight since being recalled. He was playing pretty well in the minors, had some power some speed, also strikeouts in a shoe for someone like Josh Lowe. You get an extra player the weekend, just because it happens to be a guy you love? I'm just comparing him.

He runs the show. He gets to bring up whoever he wants. We're at his mercy. We have to talk about... I'm just saying there were more players and just Foster Griffin I like this weekend. I didn't get to talk about that. He could bring up the most obscure player

we've never heard of and we just have to pretend like we have. We're totally at his mess. Many such cases like Josh Lowe. That's true. In deeper leagues, I did that... I was putting in bids for both of these guys. Do you have a preference between the two?

Look, I understand there's massive skepticism with both of these guys. But in deeper leagues, we're just looking for any kind of pulse. And these guys are playing. They're doing some things. I think I'd give Lowe the agile for Faldes. I think it's probably similar profiles as a hitter, but Lowe at least brings some speed to the table.

Valdez has more power. But he's one of these guys that his swing is so groove for power in a way that almost isn't necessary. Like we always talk about guys who hit the ball really hard, but don't hit the ball in the air to the pole side. And Valdez actually very much does those things, almost to a fault to the point where he hits a ton of infield fly balls as well, which is also a thing that's held him back as a prospect. I think he can be a pretty good player,

but it's there are lots of these guys, you know, Reese Heinz and stick with the Reds, Aristidesa Sikino from a couple of years ago. Like, there's lots of the, lots of these guys exist in major league baseball who can hit the ball a mile. It's just, you know, figuring out how to become fully fledged baseball players is a little more difficult. Was Valdez the guy you caught the home run off of at the Arizona Fall League, Frank?

I don't. Was that the guy in the Red Sox? I don't remember exactly. I think it was a Nationals prospect. Okay, it might have been in a, yeah. We were out at the Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby, and I caught a ball, not on the fly, on the bounce during the home run derby. But yeah, I think it was a national.

And then you dropped one on the fly. I dropped immediately after. We didn't have to bring that one up, Chris. Yes, that did happen. It was one of it was top five most embarrassing moment for me in my life. just dropping it in front of everyone. That was pretty bad. And I wouldn't give the ball to a kid.

A couple kids came and asked for a ball, and I was like, I only got one. I can't keep you this one. But if I had a second one, I'll give it to you. I do have an, oh my goodness gracious, team if I could bring up a few more players here. From the weekend, the White Sox on Friday, they put up 22 runs against the Royals.

That's pretty awesome. You can put it on the board. They did 22 runs on 23 hits, including five homers on Friday. Miguel Vargas is picking things back up. he went three for six with a homer. Five RBI in that game. He homered again on Sunday.

19 homers, 10 steals, massive breakout season for him. Kyle Teal, two for five with his first home run, three RBI, has started four of six games since being activated.

44% rostered. I saw him out there in a few two-catcher leagues when putting bids in this weekend. I was trying to drop somebody like JT Real Muto for Kyle Teal. Who would you guys prefer between, I think Teal and like Cooper Engel

are kind of the hot names in like 12-team two-catcher leagues right now. Teal. Yeah. Teal was. I think so, too. Before he got hurt, which was pretty early in spring training, as I recall. But he was in that same tier as, you know, a lot of the, a lot of the- Carter- Chanson and Francis-Garraz.

Yeah. A lot of the upside catchers. I mean, he had a very good rookie season. He's the kind of, coming off that rookie season and the caliber of prospect, Kyle Teal was like normally in in the typical year for catcher when the depth

there is is about what it normally is Kyle Tea would be would have come in as a top 12 guy and you know now he's finally back from injury must add in all two catcher leagues I think so too and Ingle Engle did start all three games

this weekend right two at DH1 at left field yes so it's a good sign I mean I'm not surprised they're not actually playing him at catcher, but still a good sign he's playing. Yep, for sure. Jacob Gonzalez in that game as well, three for four with his second home run, five RBI. He was slumping a bit.

He's starting to lose playing time before this huge one on Friday. 10% rostered. I don't think there's anything here for now. Maybe we could check back in a little bit later on in the season. Tristan Peters, a name that we haven't really talked about at all, but just wanted to give him some shine here. Two for four, two for five, rather, with his fourth home run, six RBI in that game.

He's close to an everyday player. He has sat out just three games in June. He's hitting 285. He's got four homers, five steals in 78 games this season. Has an OPS over 850 since the start of May. He's only 8% rostered. And he thought it's an interest in a Tristan Peters, pretty deep name as well.

Yeah, it is a pretty deep name. And it looks like, it looks like you're reliance. mostly on batting average there to sustain him, and I'm not sure he has the profile to continue hitting over 280. And there's not a ton of power there, not a ton of speed there. I agree. He is fast, but he's like the stolen base pace isn't particularly high. And even last year in the miners,

only eight steals in 136 games, eight and 124 last the year before that. So not a lot of stolen base potential here based on his track record. We're shooting down that one, too, Frank. as Merlin Valdez, get out of here. Tristan Peters, no thank you. Hey, just got to ask, man. Before we hit our first break, just a reminder,

like this video, and subscribe on YouTube. If you haven't already, I know the summer months are coming. Things are heating up, you know, July 4th, right around the corner. People are starting to, you know, think about football and all that stuff. I get it, I get it, but stick around. We're going to be here, you know, same schedule throughout the course of this season. So we'll be here all year, all season. Let's take a break, and we'll be back right after this.

Welcome back, Fantasy Baseball today. Let's hit the news and notes from the weekend. Ellie De LaCruz tweaked his ankle trying to get out of the batter's box on Sunday, but he did stay in the game. Very weird that they had a rain delay, and then he came back after the rain delay, had another at bat, walked, and they kept him out to run, even though he was dealing with this, you know, tweaked ankle.

So kind of a weird situation there. Afterwards, Terry Francona revealed that Ellie did get the ankle taped up. They will reevaluate on Monday, and he just recently returned from the aisle with a hamstring injury. So we'll watch closely see what happens here with L.A. Dela Cruz. If you need a replacement for this week, Dansby Swanson and aim out there in shallow leagues, Willie Castro in medium-sized leagues,

and I think someone like Nassim Nunez, you know, most people will need L.E.D.A.C.A.R. and so I think Nunez will provide a lot of that in deeper leagues as well. The, uh, this next guy just cannot stay healthy. Wyatt Langford placed on the aisle with a left hamstring, and we'll be out through the All-Star break. He was having a massive June as well, but it's just been one injury after another.

It was, you know, oblique stuff the past couple of years. He had a forearm earlier this year. Chris, I know you were looking it up. I believe there was another hamstring strain in a previous season as well, right? Yeah, his first aisle stint in 2024 was a hamstring strain. This is sixth IEL stint in less than three seasons now in the majors. That's not a great sign.

The fantasy streets are calling him the new Byron Bucson. What do you think about that? Hmm. I mean, if anything, like Byron Buckson, a lot of his early career issues were like concussions and stuff.

I feel like it was more bad luck than this. So, yeah, it's not a great sign. Sometimes these things just stop, though. Yeah, that's true. Sometimes guys just truly do run into bad luck for a couple of years and then their luck changes or their, I don't know, vitamin regimen changes or whatever,

and they find a way to stay healthy. But it's not looking great. right right now for a guy who has, I think, largely been a disappointment when he's been on the field, too. So it's rough. Outfielders on Scott Sleeper Hitters for this week. We have Cole Carrig, Sam Antanachi, Jake McCarthy, Willie Castro, Star-Dle-Yer-Rockey, seven games at home this week, Lars Neupar and Owen Casey, who will have a couple games in Coorsfield as well. As expected, Cole Regans will undergo surgery on his left elbow on Wednesday and they will reveal the extent of the surgery once they open him up and see how bad it is. They just don't even know exactly what they're going to do yet. So we can't,

we don't have a timeline. But I would be very shocked if we see him pitch again this year. I like these surgeries. It's like unwrapping a present. You don't, you don't know what's going on until you get in there. You've got that situation with Cole Regens and Mick Abel to. I think in a best case scenario for even just a minor elbow thing, you're talking about a couple months. Yeah, unless it's like a, you know, the nano needle or whatever, but that seems like about September in a best case scenario. And, you know, if you're on a head-to-head league, your season might be over by then, not just because you've been eliminated already. So I don't know. And that's the best case scenario. Like, obviously there are many scenarios worse than that. I think,

I think you can treat both Reagan's and Abel at this point as if they're done for the year, unless you just have unlimited free roster space, free IL space. You can free up that spot. Jack Caglione was scratching the lineup on Sunday due to left groin soreness. The Royals don't play again until Tuesday, so he does get a day off. Obviously, one of the hottest hitters in June right now, so hoping that he's all right, but we'll have to see if he's in the lineup on Tuesday again. That's Jack Caglione.

Mike Trout took 30 swings. and ran at about 50% intensity on Saturday. He's on the IL with a hamstring strain. He also said this weekend that he doesn't plan to do the home run derby because of the hamstring strain. So if he kind of anticipates, this is still going to be a thing within two weeks. Like, I hope he's back after the All-Star break, but...

It sounds like he's expecting to be, like that it would even be a question, seems like he's expecting to be ready by then. And just doesn't want to take the chance. Yeah. I see both sides, because it's like, Like, if he knows that he's going to still be kind of dealing with it two weeks from now, that just kind of scares me a little bit.

Sure, yeah. That's right. Yeah, I hope that he's all good and ready to return right after the All-Star break. That's Mike Trout. Hunter Green was awesome in his final rehab start Sunday at AAA, 6 and a third shutout. One hit, four strikeouts to zero walks. He got up to 82 pitches. His next start will be with the Reds later this week.

It looks like that will be at home against the Orioles. Do you guys start Hunter Green first time out? Yeah, almost certainly. I agree. Eugenio Suarez left Sunday after taking a fastball off of his left hand slash wrist area. X-rays were inconclusive, which sounds kind of scary. Yandy Diaz left early Sunday with a left shoulder strain. He said he's hurting a little bit, but is optimistic that he'll play on Tuesday.

One to watch might need a first base replacement there. Willie Adamas left Sunday's game with back spasms. Apparently he's been dealing with it for the past week or so. Kyle Tucker returned to the Dodgers lineup on Friday. He went three for four with a home run, four RBI on Saturday, so nice sign for him. Teasca Hernandez will be activated on Monday. He's been out since May 27th with a hamstring strain,

so get Teasca Hernandez back in your weekly lineups. I believe he homered in like three straight games down in the minors while rehabbing. So it looks like he's all good to go. Pirates updates O'Neill Cruz and Spencer Horowitz are both expected to return shortly after the All-Star break. Daniel Palencia, Cubs Closer, dealing with elbow tendonitis, will also be out until after the All-Star break.

The Orioles reinstated both Adley Rutchman and Dylan Beaver's here on Sunday. So good to get Adley Ruchman back in your lineups. The Guardians reinstated Chase DeLarder from the IL as well. Tyler Soderstrom left early Sunday with a sore left hip, and he left early Saturday, excuse me, then he was out of the lineup on Sunday. So another one to watch, you might need a first. space or outfield replacement depending on where you play Tyler Soderham.

Nick Povetta has advanced to long toss and could begin throwing off a mound soon. He's been out since mid-April with a right flexor strain. He's 67% rostered. Is now the time to re-add Nick Povetta if he's available anywhere. Sure. I mean, I think it's unlikely he's back before August at this point. It might be closer to September. So it depends on your situation and how much flexibility you have.

but it does seem like he'll pitch this season. It's just, and he's probably going to have to go, like think of it like we're in like February at the start of spring training or maybe even a little behind. He's probably still six weeks out, but from returning to games. Angelo 844 says Povetta, bah ha ha ha ha ha. So that's his analysis in case you were curious.

All right. Well, thank you, Angelo. Nick Ladolo has been clear to start. Monday against the Brewers. That makes him a two-star pitcher against the Brewers and the Orioles. He's only 38% started. Scott, I know you rank all the two-star pitchers. Where is Nick Ladolo on that list?

He is in the Points League-only section of the rankings, 17th among 32 pitchers, behind Ryan Johnson, who's only 4% rostered, but I think is a deep points league sleeper for this week coming off a good start last time. So all of which is to say, I don't have a lot of confidence. and Nick Lodolo. The Cardinals skip Dustin May's turn in the rotation Saturday. He's been dealing with lower back tightness since his complete game shutout back on June 15th. He is...

He has... 37% started. Do you start Dustin May this week at the Braves? Kind of tricky situation because, again, he hasn't pitched, you know, since last week. And the Braves lineup, while they are a good lineup, they're kind of scuffling right now. So what do we do with Dustin May? It's only been the one start since the complete... game, right?

Yeah, and he was bad. He was bad, yeah, yeah. It was like six earned runs and five innings or something, yeah. It was like his first bad start since March, though. True. I think I'd lean towards sitting him just because of the back issue,

but it's hard to say. I don't feel like Dustin May is must start. Yeah, like even before that last good start. It's not like, eh, I'm going to automatically put him in my lineup. He happened, that happened to be a two-star week. I think, which is unfortunate, because everybody was starting him.

You could start him against the Braves, or you could not. It really just depends what else you have. I wouldn't be afraid to start it because of the back issue, I guess, is how I'd sum it up. Yeah, I think it's pretty fringy. I have him in my home league, and I put McKenzie Gore at Cleveland in there instead of him, just because Guardians lineup is so bad right now. So I would opt for someone like McKenzie Gore over Dustin May this week. I have similar expectation of results against...

average opponent too, so that makes sense. The raise push Shane O'Mack. Shane McClain-Han start back several days as they look to monitor his workload. He has struggled lately as well. It looks like he will start the upcoming series at some point at the Royals.

67% started. Do you use Shane O'Mac this week? I mean, he hasn't really been worth using for a few weeks now. I mean, you might have used him, but it went poorly. He's been scuffling. laying in the upside is only so high with

not being the strikeout pitcher he once was and with his outings being limited to like five innings apiece. Especially in points, yeah. Yeah, I would side against that. It's not a bad matchup against the Royals, but I'd still side against it. I'd say maybe in Roto, no in points.

It is a 579 ERA 182 whip. Lots of walks, lots of hard contact, over his last four starts for Shane McClanhan. The Blue Jays called a prospect Sean Keyes this weekend. He's 23 years old, a fourth round pick in 2024. In 67 games between AA and AAA this season, he was hitting 284 with a 409 on base, 21 homers,

seven steals, OPS over a thousand, and lots of hard contact. I just don't know that he's going to play enough. Your guys' thoughts here on Sean Keyes of the Blue Jays. Yeah, I don't see how he's going to play that much. He definitely put himself on the map as a prospect

this year. Did you read off the numbers? Yep. Okay, yeah. I mean, the exit velocities were great after moving up to AAA. Between double A and AAA, Sean Keyes was awesome at both levels,

but he's a corner infielder. Yeah, he's only played first and third. Like, the Blue Jays aren't sitting Vladimir Guerrero or Cosimo Okamoto except you know, just as a

that's day off. Like, Keyes isn't going to be more than a spot starter there. So I like them in a broad sense, but I don't think there's much utility right now for fantasy. Best case scenario, he forces his way into a platoon or a D.H. Role and then plays once or twice a week at first base and third, but it'd have to be, he'd have to prove it first. So I don't think this is when you have to get ahead of.

I was wondering about the DH possibility. And I know Hesu Sanchez went on the IL, So they could theoretically play Springer in the outfield. It seems like they've been hesitant to do that, though. So there are ways they can make it work, but interesting name. He has to force it, I think. Isn't Addison Barger close to coming back? Yeah, he started a rehab assignment last week, I think.

Right. So I think that probably is Key's return date when Barger's back. Has Springer not played the outfield? He hasn't played the outfield at all this season. Really? Not even single time. I don't think so, no. I know we had the fractured toe,

so perhaps that has contributed to it, but yeah, let's... Looks like he had... No, he has not played... There's 67 games last year in the outfield, but none so far this year. Interesting. All right, Chris Bubich made another rehab appearance

on Saturday, throwing two perfect innings at AAA. He got up to 22 pitches. His first time out, he threw only one inning, so it seems like they're just building him up very deliberately right now, but hopefully still... planning to use Chris Boobich as a starter. Jorge Polanco started a rehab assignment at AAA on Saturday.

He's 30% rostered. Any interest in Jorge Polanco? I mean, the second base picture has changed a lot since we last saw Jorge Polanco. Yeah. I'm not counting him out, but I don't see a reason to be proactive unless you're desperate at that spot that no longer seems so weak. Elliot Ramos was activated from the IL. He's been out since mid-May with a quad-train.

last year hit 256 with 21 homers. I'm not sure that he'll play every day for the Giants, but they have six games this week. Three of them are in Cores. 36% rostered. Any interest in Elliot Ramos? Five outfielder leagues. Yep.

I think in 12-team Roto leagues, he's probably out there in a few of them at just 36% rostered. So I'm not, I've never been too big into Elliott Ramos, but with the matchups this week in Cores, I could see taking a series. shot on just this week. One question?

Sure. No. Have you guys heard anything? All right, Frank. Have you guys heard anything about, just because we've spent so much time talking about the seven games of course field and all that. I know Brenton Doyle started his rehab assignment last week. I know they sent Jordan Beck back down to AAA.

So maybe they're just going to do that with Brent and Doyle. But I was just wondering if you guys have heard anything about Brent and Doyle because that's the one thing when I was going through for the waiver wire. like, man, you can add a bunch of Rockies, but it's like, oh, is it going to get crowded in the outfield all of a sudden? That's what I'm not sure about. I genuinely have not heard anything about Brent Doyle. Scott, I don't know if you have.

Last I saw as she started his rehab assignment last week. I haven't seen anything since. No, I haven't seen anything either. I don't. I'm trying to remember if he had, if they were already kind of fading him before he got hurt. He was not playing every day. They weren't playing anyone.

Remember the first month of the season, they weren't playing anyone every day, except like maybe Tovar. That's really changed the last two months. So, yeah. But Doyle's been pretty awful the past two years. Yes. So I know Troy Johnston and Tyler Freeman are kind of trading off in the outfield right now,

which is unfortunate because I couldn't recommend either as a sleeper hitter for this week. I think Colerick's role is safe, though, if that's what you're getting at. I'm just kind of talking about everyone. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I mean, look, a team that's, they have the worst record in the National League, I understand that in the past, they have been, you know, the laughing stock of baseball.

They do have a different regime now. So I hope they realize, like, let's just get, let the young kids play. I think that, you know, prioritizing their development makes the most sense for the Rockies right now. So I hope that's the case, but you never know with the Rockies. So, yeah. They have, like, Charlie Condon and Zach, they are both killing it at AAA.

And somehow before the years is done, they're going to have to clear a path for them, I would say. Yeah. I mean, that sounds like... Even T.J. Rumfeld, as good as he's been this season. Hey, hey, hey, hey, TJ... If you wanted to trade him at the trade deadline, I don't think he's going to have more trade value in the future than he currently does.

That's fair. He's 26 years old with an 84-mile-an-hour average eggs of a lot. you know. Yeah. I think it's 84.7. I mean, front offices around the league

can read those same numbers you just did. Sure. Yeah. Just saying. Yeah. It feels like, there aren't any real roadblocks here

is what I'm saying. Like, there's as presently surprising as a lot of guys have been. If you want Charlie Condon in your starting lineup, I don't think,

you know, T.J. Rumsfeld and Troy Johnston should be, should be preventing that. I absolutely could see them shipping Jake McCarthy out as well. Oh yeah. That's

that's probably the easiest path to clear. He's not well for them, but he's not a building block by any stretch. I was about to say like August 1st, I could see, or whatever, post-trade deadline, we see Condon and Veen come up, but at that point they'd probably just wait until you know, mid to late August

when they could keep them eligible for the draft pick compensation next year. If that's even a thing in the new CBA, like I have no idea what's going on, so I'll just assume that it's going to be a thing. But again, we have like a lockout looming and all this stuff, so who knows. Players who went on the aisle this weekend,

Hazu Sanchez with a right ankle sprain, Tony Santian with a significant oblique strain. It was lefty Caleb Ferguson, who picked up the save for the Reds on Fridays, then Chase Petty picked up a save on Saturday. Does sound like Emilio Pagan will be back pretty soon. Marcelo Meyer with a stress reaction in his left forearm. Daniel Susack.

with a lower back strain, and Robert Suarez with right elbow inflammation. The Braves were called Hurston Waldrop, who pitched in relief. Two shutout innings, four walks, three strikeouts. He's 20% rostered. They used Grant Holmes as a reliever this weekend. Scott, any chance Hurston Waldrop could work his way into the rotation?

I mean, there's definitely a chance. He had a semi-breakthrough last year. I say semi because he pitched 56 and a third innings, but in them 6-1 record 288 ERA, 119 whip, nearly a strikeout per inning, looked like he was going to be a fixture in the rotation coming off of that, but then he got hurt, obviously. He's not, I don't think he's built up enough yet to enter the starting rotation. The most he went in the minors was four and two-thirds innings.

He's also had control issues, walked four and two innings in this. a 2026 debut. Again, that's four and two innings. And in the minors, he had 11 walks of 15 and third innings. But he, like I think between Hurston-Waldrip, Reinaldo Lopez, and Grant Holmes,

they're hoping to find a starter there. And I don't, I don't think any of their roles is particularly clear right now. Grant Holmes did come in relief, but I think he pitched four innings, right? And it was more of a piggyback situation with Ranaldo Lopez. Yep.

And maybe they'll continue to work in that role, and Waldrop will just be long relief until he builds up. But, like, I don't think in the long run, Holmes or Lopez is good enough. And Bryce Elder may be pitching his way out of the rotation sooner than later. And then Martin Perez is filling a spot. So he's been fine, but nobody trusts that long term. So long story short, yes, I think there's a good chance

Waldrop is in the rotation within a month or so. Yeah. I don't know that anybody needs to be stashing him right now. And we did get some. manager news. The old Friday news dump, the Mets fired Carlos Mendoza and Andy Green took over as the interim manager. Did you guys see the pregame segment on the Mets broadcast? Oh my goodness. It's one of the funniest things I've ever seen in baseball. Scott, did you see this? The Mets pregame reporter is doing like a stand-up talking about the firing and the impact on the organization and Mr. Mets comes in behind

him and starts dancing. Mr. Mets did not get the memo that they fired their manager on Friday. they're doing a very serious segment pregame about, you know, the direction of the franchise. And hey, they fired Mendoza and like, what can Andy Green provide? And behind him is just Mr. Met dancing around. It's one of the most I think you should leave coded baseball things that has happened in a long time. It was so good. It was truly fantastic. So I encourage everyone to go check it out if you haven't. Let's take our final break. When we return, I've got some waiver ads. I've got the drop o meter. Start or sit decisions. We'll do all that. Right. after this.

Welcome back, fantasy baseball today. Let's hit WaverWire pitchers from the, you know what, I had WaverWire hitters. I skipped over that. Let's talk about those first. Louise Garcia Jr. just had a monster week. He went four for five with a home run on Saturday, three for five with a double dong on Sunday.

And this week overall, 10 hits, six homers, nine RBI. It's a massive June. He has 55 RBI on the season, which is crazy. Wow. That is crazy because he's still not playing. all that much. He sat out, you know, as hot as he's been,

11 home runs in June, as hot as Luis Garcia has been, he sat out both Thursday and Friday because the lefty was pitching. He got one at bat between those two games. I do think he's got to start one of the games against, because I think they have three straight games against lefties to kick off this week.

And they have an off day Thursday. There's no way they can have him on the bench for four straight games, right? Or four straight days. That's just, that doesn't see, yeah. I agree with that. He was in the line of four straight days, yeah. I would agree with that. I still think it's hard to fully recommend it.

He's still only going to play four games at max, right? So, look, he's, I think in a Roto or a category, Head-Ted categories league with daily lineups where you can kind of finagle it and, you know, play him whenever he's in there, it makes sense. But, you know, from a head-to-head points perspective, the lack of volume, I just, it's going to be hard in weekly lineup leagues whenever. Every week there's going to probably be at least one or two. two lefties on the schedule.

He has started one game against lefties, I believe, since April. It's tough. It's tough to fully recommend Luis Garcia, but we are. He started one on June 22nd. I think that's the only one since April. I think that's the only one.

Oh, man. You may be right there. You may be right. I may be crazy. Yeah, it's, oh, yeah. I, like, I think he's a good hitter. Is he this good of a power hitter?

He's got some juice. He's, the eggs of velocities are definitely there. He's hit a ball's hardest 114 miles per hour. That's a career high. The last time he even hit it 112 was 2022. Average eggs of velocity also career high. His ex-slug is a career high as well. It helps that he never faces lefties.

I mean, that might be the only knock on him. Well, it doesn't walk at all, so that hurts in points leagues. I think he's an OK Roto player, a good daily lineups player, especially because if you're talking about daily lineups leagues, you need guys who are multi-eligible to really make it work because you can't have five guys on your bench. He does have first and second, so at least you get corner and middle covered.

So I think he's good in those formats in any points league outside of a daily lineup context. I think it's pretty mid, unfortunately. If it was playing every day, it would be different. Yeah. Yep. I feel the same way about Kerry Carpenter. We kind of know the deal.

Homer on Friday, Grand Slam on. Saturday, two more hits on Sunday. Scott, I believe you had him as a sleeper hitter this past week and obviously came through on that. Only has one lefty on the schedule this week, so you know, you can play Kerry Carpenter if you want, but it's kind of the outfield version of Luis Garcia Jr., unfortunately. Jake McCarthy, who we've talked a lot about, use him this week, you know, Rocky's seven games at home. He had a big game on Friday, three for five with a, with his sixth home run. Then he went two for five with his 13th steel on Saturday. He's hitting over 300, six homers.

13 steals. Very productive season here for Jake McCarthy. Another name I saw getting added in a lot of leagues already is Tommy Edmund. He's 27% rostered, second base, outfield eligible. Dodgers said they would ease him in. They played him five of six games this week already, so it feels like it's kind of ramping up quicker than we thought. Two or four with three RBI on Saturday.

To Oscar Hernandez is due back on Monday. My guess is that Edmund plays every day at second base or close to every day as they still kind of ease him in. 27% roster. Do you think that number should be higher for Tommy Edmund? Since joining the Dodgers after the 2020-3 season. So three seasons, a lot of it's been injured, but still, three seasons since joining the Dodgers,

Tommy Edmund has stolen a base nine times. He's been for all that power. I just don't. I just don't know that he brings enough to the table if he's not a base dealer anymore. I just wonder if, like, was the ankle ever healthy, right? And he finally had like another surgery. Well, I wonder that too. Yeah.

But he has yet to attempt his deal. And he's got one stolen base attempt in 23 games between AAA and the majors. He liked the Dodgers rank pretty low as a team in terms of steals this season as well. so let's see they are uh yeah they're 27th in baseball with 33 steals as a team so it's not like they're overly aggressive either

so that doesn't i mean it may change you know if but again it gets back to what i was saying about uh about horay polanco there aren't that many people that are dying for another second basement you know you get in a deep enough rhodo league where you got that extra middle and field spot to fill We do need outfield help, though. Yeah, I guess there's that too.

Yeah. But it would have to be a pretty deep Roto League, I think, for me to look at Tommy Edmund. I mentioned earlier, speaking of deep names, Esmerlin Valdez and Josh Lowe, Cedric Mullins, a name we haven't really talked about. He homered twice this weekend, and he's been solid since the middle of May, basically.

Last 36 games, 273 batting average, six homers, six steals, and he's 16 per. He doesn't play against every lefty, but he plays against like about half or a little bit more than half of the lefties so far this season. Any interest in Cedric Mullins power and speed over the past month? In roto, in like a deeper roto league. I don't think a 12 team league. I would have much interest in him even, but if you're in a 14 or 15 team league, that's fine.

How would you guys rank Edmund, Mullins, Josh Lowe, and Valdez? I'll put Edmund at the top. I guess. which doesn't speak well for the rest of the list, I kind of feel like I might go with the other guys just because there's some uncertainty there. Like, because like Scott said, a version of Tommy Edmund who doesn't run has never really been all that appealing. He's not that good of a hitter. So I'd be okay with going with one of the younger unknown guys or at least Josh Lowe is younger. I don't know if he's unknown.

I don't know that my hope for Josh Lowe is any more than Edmund at this point. Yeah, that's fair. I think it's decisively less than Edmund, in fact. All right. Well, let's talk about some WaverWire pitchers and three names, I think, pretty interesting here. Trevor Rogers really picking things up, six in a third innings, one run, seven strikeouts to zero walks. He had 16 whiffs on 87 pitches. Five starts in June, 205 ERA, a 0.91 whip.

And he gets the White Sox this week. Joey Cantillo was great for a second start in a row. Six innings of one-run ball, nine strikeouts to two walks, 18 whiffs on 90 pitches. And those last two, 14 innings, two runs, 18 strikeouts to three walks. He gets the Rangers this week with No-Wye Langford. And Jake Bennett continues to pitch well this time against the Yankees. Six and a third, one run, three strikeouts here.

He has a, this three-pitch mix looks pretty good for him. Four seam sinker change up relies on those pitches a lot and they all look pretty good for him. It's back-to-back quality starts for Jake Bennett. He's at the Angels this week. No Mike Trout in the lineup. So Chris, how would you rank these three? Jake Bennett, Trevor Rogers, and Joey Cantillo. I think they're all pretty interesting.

Okay, so not counting that Cantillo has RP eligibility in a points league, which I think would probably make him number one. In a points league. Yeah, in a points league, I would go Rogers, Cantillo, Bennett. just because we have seen Rogers. I don't quite know what it is that makes Rogers good when he's good and bad when he's bad. It's like,

is it like a half mile an hour in fastball velocity in one direction? He's like really good or really bad. I can't quite figure it out. It's just sometimes he pitches a lot better. And right now he's in one of those stretches where he's pitching really well. And we saw him do it for 23 starts last season where he was unhittable. So that would be the top of the list. And those last two starts where he was so good,

Trevor Rogers allowing one earn run between them with 13 strikeouts and 13 into third innings against the top two offenses and baseball. Yeah, well, the nationals, one of them went, right? Nationals and Dodgers. Yeah, that's national for the best against lefties, yeah. And so nobody benefited from that. Because who would, the kind of run Trevor Rogers was on, who was starting him against those two.

Anyway, continue. Cantillo, though, there is. some interesting stuff going on. One, his velocity's up pretty much across the board. He introduced a cutter like five starts ago that he has started throwing his four seamer. He's gone from about 45%. Well, I was getting there. He did it again. I was getting there.

He's made multiple changes. The cutter, the curveball have mostly replaced the fastball. And curveballs look really good, which is kind of out of nowhere. Like for Cantillo, it's always been change up and just pray. And now he's throwing this curveball like 40% of the time. The last couple of starts, I think the last three starts has been his most used pitch. Last two starts especially have been excellent, nine strikeouts in each. This is a really interesting run from a guy that before this, I'm going to be honest,

I never had a lot of interest in. But the cutter replacing the four seamer, the curveball becoming more of a weapon, it's looked really good. So I'm very interested. I think Cantillo, you know, he's 60% rostered right now. think that should be closer to like 85-90. I'm not going to say he needs to be rostered in every league, but I'm looking at like, I'm sure we'll get to Roki Sasaki at some point,

but he's looked pretty bad lately. I think I drop Roki Sasaki for Joey Cantella. Yeah, I think so too. I'm putting Cantillo at the top of that, this list. I think he's a must, must, must, to quote Tennifer from Parks and Rec. because there's been this clear arsenal change with that curveball just spamming this much harder curveball.

But like you said, Chris came out of nowhere. He's done it back to it. So he's like he sustained it now for two straight starts and gotten the big strikeout total. Yeah. Cantillo. Like I moved him way up my sleeper pitchers for this week following this start. I think there's real staying power here. It's a good magic this week too.

Like you said about Trevor Rogers, I don't know. But like, sure, pick him up again because he was so good last year. But I have no idea. Yeah. No, it's just deferring to how good he was last year mostly. Yeah. But then there's the so bad this year that like makes me nervous. How likely he is to revert to that again?

In this particular start for Trevor Rogers, the fastball velocity was up 1.2 miles per hour. And the fastball had 13 of his 16 swinging strikes. So, I mean, that was massive for him. Scott, let's put your. Joey Cantillo love to the test. On Friday, we spoke very glowingly about Tatsuya Imi

and Troy Melton and Ian Seymour. Would you take any of Jake Bennett, Trevor Rogers, Joey Cantillo over that trio from Friday? I take Cantillo. Cantillo's a must, must, must, okay? I think I take them

both over Ian Seymour. Yes, yes, Rogers over Seymour. Yes. I probably put in my he's he's about equal with Rogers I might give him the edge over Rogers

the thing with Melton is it's really just the one start where he's really looked impressive I know the results have been good all along but it was it's really just the last start that the velocity jumped or was the previous start and the wifts the wifts have only been there for really one start but he did get a lot of whiffs in the minors too so

yeah so I like all of them I think we're we always this always happens it's like every two weeks it's like oh there's nobody available. There's nobody would care about. And then it's like, ah, there's all these guys. And then most of those guys will invariably stink. Let's be honest. And then you're just hoping two of these guys, if they're still fantasy relevant in August, that's probably a win. So I do, we glossed over Jake Bennett. I know we have a lot to cover. But yeah, he's kind of like a little poor, a little poor man's Peyton Tolly, like big lefty, not the velocity's not quite as good. He's about

two, three miles an hour lower than Tully, but it's a really good fastball. Nonetheless, he gets a ton of extension with it, 30% whiff rate with the four-seamer this season. The change-ups been really good. His minor league numbers are good. I think Ben, it's a guy. I'm not sure he's... We talked about him a lot after his last start, but yeah, that one was a little more impressive

than this one, but this was he gets the Yankees and, you know, came through with the quality start. And anytime you get a good swinging strike rate on the fastball, and those minor league numbers just to remind everybody at AAA this year, Jake Bennett had 160 ERA 102 whip 9.4K per 9 with a high ground ball rate. Yeah, there's a lot to like there. Two other names that I think are pretty interesting, but slightly deeper leagues.

Brandon Young, we spoke about at the top. Kumar Rockerman, man, he was good again. This time at the Blue Jays, six shutout innings, five strikeouts to one walk, had 16 whiffs on 92 pitches. He's been so, he's been mostly bad so far in his career, but now it's like two good outings in a row through 65% of his pitches for strikes in this one, changed up the pitch mix once again. Thoughts on Kumar Rock.

I think it's mostly a deep league play like kind of spec and let's see what happens. But it looked good. Pass two. I was pretty interested coming off his previous start. Not like interested in adding, but just interested in watching because he had that dramatic change in his pitch mix. He went all sliders and cutters in that one. It was like 76%.

between the two of those. And then he went back to his normal pitch mix in this one. And we've seen enough of Kumar Rocker being pretty underwhelming with his traditional pitch mix that I don't have a lot of interest. He pitched well. I'm not downplaying that.

I just, I don't see a lot of reason to think that that's going to last. All right. I think these names are mostly just streamer types, but I'll run through. Luis Castillo pitched well at the Guardian. Six innings, one run for strikeouts. he gets the Blue Jays this week, I think,

I don't know what the piggyback situation looks like, although the piggyback, they told us they were going to do this weekend. They didn't do, so who knows what's going on with the Mariners? They don't even know. Too complicated. Too complicated. Can't last. Michael McGreevy, a strong outing against the Marlins, six shutout with four strikeouts for him. He's at the Braves this week.

Walker Bueller has quietly pitched well lately. Five June starts, 171, ERA, 129 whip. That number is pretty high. But he's at the Cubs. Jack Flaherty pitched well in his return Sunday against the Astros five shutout innings, nine strikeouts. It's mostly been a disaster this year. But the velocity was up in this first start back. We know that when he's on, he could get whiffs.

And he's at the Rangers this week. That's a pretty good matchup. Scott, can I interest you in any of these streamer types? Flarity at the Rangers, Walker Bueller at the Cubs, Michael McGreevy at the Braves, Luis Castillo, home against the Blue Jays this week. I think I could see myself streaming McGreevy with the Braves lineup struggling

and he's kind of been a quality of start machine of late I could see myself streaming Louise Castillo who has more hits than misses recently I'm interested in Jake Flaherty

I just don't know that I could justify starting him yet I have one league where he's coming off the aisle this week along with Hunter Green, and it's like, all right, well, I've got to drop Jack Flaherty, even though he had a good start.

Velocity was up across the board in this nine-strikeout effort against the Astros. It was his first start back from the IL, obviously, but in his last five, counting this one, 304, A-R-A-127 whip, 12.2K per nine. All of them less than six innings. So, when he's striking out that many batters, he tends to be good. I just don't know if I trust him, Jack Flaherty, to keep doing it,

especially since he just got back from the IL, you know. Right. Some deeper streamer types, Kair, Montero has quietly had a strong season here. He's also at the Rangers this week, no Wyatt Langford. Slade Cicconi, five starts in June 188 ERA 108 Whip. He gets the White Sox this week. Connor Prelip, an awesome start here against the Rockies. Rockies on the road, six innings, two runs, 10 strikeouts to zero walk. but he struggled quite a bit before this. He's at the Yankees this week. Chris, deeper streamer types.

Any interest in pre-lip at the Yankees? Cicone against the White Sox. Cade Air Montero at the Rangers. I don't really have much interest in Montero or Cicone. Pre-lip, I think, is interesting. He's got a really good slider. And then in this one, he started throwing the curveball more

and it got eight whiffs, which is really impressive. So that is something to keep an eye on. It's also the Rockies on the road. which is one of the best matchups in baseball. Although they've actually been weirdly not as bad on the road and not as good at home. Did you see Hunter Goodman splits this year? He's got seven homers on the road, 18.

Or seven at home, 18 on the road. He's got like a 680 OPS versus like a 990 or something. So weird, man. So weird. Yeah, Hunter Goodman's up to 25 homers, by the way. 25 homers in like 78 games. And last year was 31 last year. 31 last year.

31 last year in a season that, people said was a fluke. How about that? Guy's going to hit like 40 bombs is here. Yeah, he's pretty good. But I think prelip is pretty interesting. I think we have enough interesting pitchers right now that I don't think you have to go at him. But if we get another good start in a row, then we'll have to start talking about Connor

Prilip. But right now I think it's more just a watch. All right. Let's fire up the dropometer for these starting pitchers. And let's consider this dropometer a 10 today. would mean you would drop them for any of the pitchers we spoke about in that first group. So Jake Bennett, Trevor Rogers, Joey Cantillo, and the trio from Friday as well. So that would be Troy Melton, Tatsuya Imi, and Ian Seymour.

Spencer Arroghetti, he got destroyed at the Tigers. Three innings, eight runs, five walks, three homers loud. Five starts in June, nine ERA, a 160 whip. He's 82% rostered. Where is Arrogati on the dropometer? Ten. Just to be fair, that's the high June. ERA is really just the last two starts, right?

Which were both abysmal. That sounds right. He also had 17 walks and 29 innings during May when he won rookie. Yeah, no, I mean, we've been waiting for Erigeti to slip for a while. He does record strikeouts at a good clip, but the walks are too high.

Like, everything else is bad. He was, I don't know, a few weeks ago, I had him as one of six sell high pitchers. So hopefully he did that advice, got something for Erigetty. I tried. I don't know that I drop them for everyone on the list, so I'm going to go like eight.

I don't think I drop them for the bottom guys Ian Seymour. I don't think I'd drop him for Jake Bennett. I think maybe all the others, though, if I'm remembering right. Yeah. So again, that would be Troy Melton, Imi, Rogers, and who is the other name?

Joey Cantillo. Yeah. Yeah. I dropped Bargetti for, any of those. Roki Sasaki has regressed as of late this time at the Padres, four innings, three runs, five walks to two strikeouts, through just 56% of his pitches for strikes. And he's basically ditched that slower splitter, the forkball. He just hasn't really used it over his last six starts. And over his last three, it's an 836 ERA and a 164 whip. So where is

Roki Sasaki on the dropometer? Probably about a six. it was frustrating because it was the Padres, the worst offense of baseball. And he's facing the Padres again in his next start. And I had him as a sleeper pitcher. I had to remove him, I feel like, because he just faced the Padres and walked five. There's definitely improvement here.

But if there's not consistency there, particularly with the control, how much can you use them? I want to hold on, because I think they're still upside there for Roki Sasaki. But, you know, if he was my only way to get Joey Cantillo, I'd do it. Who's second on the list?

Trevor Rogers. I'd rather have Rogers. I'd rather have Mai. Yeah, I think so. I think it's like a seven or eight for me. Amai is kind of the same boat as Sasaki. I think there's similar upside there, similar concerns. So yeah, I think those three had drawn.

up Sasaki 4. Bryce Elder has allowed 5 plus earned runs in four of his last six starts. And during those six starts, an 870, ERA, a 177 whip. Seven homers allowed. 82% rostered, where is Bryce Elder on the dropometer?

Same. Eight or nine, I think. Yeah, I'd go to. This guy who's been terrible his entire career outside of two months, basically. Well, I guess didn't he make an all-star game a couple years ago somehow? Yep.

Well, he did. But then it was terrible in the second half. might be happening. Well, no, I think he blew it early enough that he's not going to make the All-Star game this time. Yeah, he's not very good. And Jared Jones, not great here against the Reds. Four and two-thirds, four runs, three earned.

Did have 12 whiffs on 81 pitches. In six starts, 576 ERA, 144 whip. Doesn't go longer than five innings. I think there's talent. I think we'll see that eventually, like long-term. Maybe not so much this year. But what do you guys think about Jared Jones on the dropometer? I've got to be pretty high too.

Yeah, I'll probably go eight about the same level as Aragutti for me. I think he's better than Aragutti, but yeah, I think the situation is holding him back. Starters sit these pitchers this week. Another rough outing here from Garrett Cole this time at the Red Sox five and a third, seven hits, four runs allowed, two homers allowed in this one.

Still only six swinging strikes. He gave up nine hard hits in this game. I'm not looking good. 77% started. He's home against the twins this week. Garrett Cole. His whiff rate on his curveball, especially has just completely disappeared.

I think that was the one that I was looking at. He's gone from like, legit, really good whiff rates on the curveball to, I think it's below 10% now. He has 7% whiff rate on his curve rate. It was 30% in 2024. But it's also just down across the board. The whiff rate on everything,

except the slider is down. So that's kind of, you can't just say it's just, oh, he needs to fix one pitch and then he'll be fine. The weird thing is watching it from the broadcast angle, everything looks fine, right? Like, it looks like Garrett Cole. And there's just something going on in the batters box that it is not Gary Cole. He has, I think it would be the fifth lowest swing strike rate

of any starter if he qualified. And the guys ahead of him are pretty bad pitchers. So I am. I'm not dropping Garrett Cole. No. But it's very much Sandy Alcantra last season where I expected to work at some point.

But he's not there right now. It's not, it's not Garrickle. Ironically enough, his last two starts have been pretty bad. And those were the ones where his Stuff Plus and Location Plus were both way up. I have no idea what to make of that, but just something I noticed with Garrickle.

Brandon Woodruff looked great again in his second start against the second start back. against the Cubs, five and two-thirds, shutout, one hit, two walks, six strikeouts here on Sunday. He's 69% started nice at the debacks this week. Are we using Brandon Woodruff? Yeah, I'm not totally at ease with him, but he's been kind of an enigma dating back to last year, and these two starts were so good, even if, okay, there weren't many whiffs, his velocity was still down quite, a bit from last year.

He wasn't throwing the cutter that seemingly saved him last year. So I have concerns, but I think I have to start him as good as the result has been last two. Agreed. Kyle Bradish took a step back here against the Nationals, four innings, one hit, four runs, three those earned five walks to two strikeouts, five walks, a season high for Kyle Bradish. It kind of just feels like, as long as his command is this inconsistent, it kind of just feels like we're going to do this thing all season where it's kind of up and down with Kyle Bradish. He's at the Reds this week. What do you think about using him this week? I'm still starting

him. Scott, Kyle Bradish? I'd lean, yes. Yeah, it was a frustrating step back after two steps forward. All right, we have Emerson Hancock who was supposed to piggyback Logan Gilbert on Saturday. Instead, he started Sunday, and he pitched well at the Guardians five and two thirds, one run, six strikeouts, to three walks. His velocity up quite a bit in this one, but that sweeper has really fallen off as the season has gone on here. He's home against

the Blue Jays this week, I think, again, don't really know what the piggyback situation is. I also kind of feel like this could be your last chance to sell high on Emerson, Emerson Hancock. It was among the six in that article I referenced earlier. It's already happened for Aragetti. You've already missed your chance.

Don't miss it for Emerson Hancock. If you can't trade him Sign your Hancock on that deal. Get it done. Would you start him this week against the Lou Jays? Emerson Hancock?

Yeah, probably. I think it's okay, yeah. In Seattle especially, yeah. Tosh Bradley, a nice bounce back here against the Rockies on the road for them. So obviously, great matchup. Seven innings, two runs. Seven strikeouts, 14 whiffs on 99 pitches.

His velocity up between one and one and a half miles per hour across the board here. And he's at the end. Astros this week. What do you guys think about Todge Bradley? I think he is he's come crashing back down. I did notice though. I did notice in this start that was obviously a good one.

He got his splitter usage back to where it was earlier in the season. It had been way down. He'd been throwing at about half as much as before the it was a pectoral injury, right? But since before the IL stint, he'd come back. throwing the splitter about half as much.

It's his best pitch. Got back to normal usage in this one, and lo and behold, you know, got a good start against the Rockies on the road, granted. But that makes me a little more hopeful. But overall, I still think, I still think Taj Bradley,

there's a lot more downside there than upside. All right. Next up, we have Emmett Sheehan, who bounced back at the Padre, is five innings, one run, five strikeouts, two walks, 15 whiffs on 84 pitches. I mean, whiffs not a problem here, but the last he was up. He used his curveball more. It was really good for him in this one.

He's only 41% started against to Patrice again this week. What do you guys think about using Emmett Sheehan? I think he saved his job, baby. Emmett Sheehan forever. He was on the separate article. I wrote six pitchers to buy low on. You can't buy quite as low now. should have done it last week

should have done it true true that what about Robbie Ray he turned things around this time against the Braves kind of the result is there eight innings one unearned run but only two strikeouts here use his sinker a bunch faded

his four-scene fastball such like it was such a weird start to just game to break down because Chris Sale allowed two hard hits in this game and gave up eight hits and Robbie Ray allowed 14 hard hits and gave up four hits. It was just very, very weird start.

Weird game all around. He's at the Rockies this week, so I don't think you want to use him there. But I guess just an opportunity to talk about Robbie Ray. I mean, he's a sinker baller now. This is a 39% sinkers in this start. It was 20% in his last start. It's 7% for the season.

So he's just like suddenly become a sinker baller. And has worked for two starts. back-to-back eight-inning outings with no earned runs allowed. I don't know if that's just element of surprise. Like, I don't think a Robbie Ray who's pitching to contact is going to work in the long run. That's my take.

Sounds like Chris had one too. It's a high bar, but I think this might have been the weirdest start of Robbie Ray's career. Like eight, eight un-earned, zero-earned-run innings with two, strikeouts against a good lineup. I have no sense of how that happened. He seems like he's gotten dramatically worse in the last year and I don't really have a lot of faith in Robbie Ray moving forward. Some hitting leftovers. Welcome back to Connor Griffey. Homered in his first at bat back from the

aisle. He went two for four on Friday. What a week for Junior Camerero. He homered each game this weekend. Havanaero. Last six games, 11 hits, seven homers, 15 RBI, and all of a sudden he is up to 22 home runs on the season. Hunter Goodman, massive power month. We talked about it, three for five with a triple dog on Saturday, 12 homers in the month, 25 home runs in 78 games. Last year, 31 homers and 144 games.

So, if he says he's healthy, he's going to get to, if he says he's going to get to 40. I mean, how high is it going to go? That's the only question here for Hunter Goodman. Mookie Betts looks like he's coming alive. Last 14 games, he's hitting 368 with five homers and a steel OPS over 1100. Kyle Swarber, the first to 30 home runs this season, two for five with a sock and a shoe on Sunday. And Mani Machado looks like he is coming around as well. Last 17 games, 266, four homers, 12 RBI, OPS over 900 during that stretch.

Lots of names here. Anything to add, guys, on the hitting, leftovers. It's good to see Sons of Life for Manny Machado. It's one of those ones that even when the underlying numbers are bad, I still just kind of expect the underlying numbers to get better moving forward. That's what we're starting to see. He's hitting the ball a little harder. I don't really have anything else. I guess Mookie Betts is kind of the same thing, although I was less certain just because we have seen multiple years of declining production for Mookie Betz. He had that huge, was it 23 when he had 39 homers, and it was like, oh, he went to drive line and figured it out.

He's a homer hitter now again. But next season he wasn't nearly as good of a power hitter. The next season, he was pretty bad. And then so far this season had been pretty bad. So it did look like age was catching up to Moogie Betts. I don't expect him to be a difference maker moving forward. I think at this point, it's more can he be a top 100-ish player? I'm still a little skeptical of that.

The power in general has bounced back a little bit this year for Moogie Betts, just in terms of the pace. It's a 205 ISO for him. And last year it was just 148. It's his highest ISO since 2023 when he hit 39 home runs. It was 272 that year, which obviously was much higher. Some pitching leftovers, part one. The Miz.

Jacob Mizierowski, another strong outing six innings, one run, eight strikeouts. And it turns out he's human. He gave up his first home run since 8. April. How could he? He also touched 105 miles per hour with his fastball. So maybe he's not human after all. Nathan Evaldi was fantastic at the Blue Jays seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts for him. That's three straight quality starts with nine strikeouts and back-to-back outings. Zach Wheeler, seven innings of one-run ball, five strikeouts at the Mets. And Peyton Toley, the man loves facing the Yankees. He dominated seven shutout with seven strikeouts.

and two starts against the Yankees this year. 13 innings, one run, 18 strikeouts to three walks. Scott, anything to add on Peyton Toley, Zach Wheeler, Nathan Avaldi, and The Miz. Just a small observation about Peyton Toley's curveball, which he still didn't throw that much, but it was the pitch that got us so excited in his season debut

because it's like, wow, he has a weapon there to go with that awesome fastball. And then he pretty much shelved it out. after that. I don't know. I wish he'd work with it a little more because it was responsible for three of the whiffs in this one and he got a great result again. All right, pitching left over is part two. Max Meyer, a great start at the Cardinals. Seven shutout with five strikeouts for him. Logan Webb has been money since coming back. Last five starts, 0.71, ERA, 0.61 whip went seven plus innings in each of those five starts. Drew Rasmussen wrapped up an amazing June 6th shutout with.

five strikeouts. Five starts in June. 0.82 ERA, 0.61 whip for Drew Raspison. And Chris Sale, a tough loss at the Giants on Sunday. Six innings, two runs, 10 strikeouts to one walk. I mentioned eight hits in this one, but only two hard hits. He had a 533 Babbup against on two hard hits. 77.9 average EV, so seems pretty unlucky. Chris, anything here on Sale, Raspson, Logan Webb,

and Max Meyer. Max Meyer, I think there's like a twinge of sell high on Max Meyer, and I'll just throw it out there, but he's had a lot of trouble staying healthy in the past. This is by far the best stretch of his career.

This is really, I think kind of the first time in his career, he's even looked like a functional major league pitcher, let alone a difference maker. I wonder what his innings get up to this year too. Yeah, that's a fair because I can't imagine he's had, I would guess he's had a season

where he's had more than 100, but not many, I would guess. 11 and 2021 in the minors. 2022, he got to 109 or 119, it looks like. Okay, there's some room here. He got to 115 in 2024. I think he could get to 140, 150. So you don't have to worry about an imminent shutdown,

but I think you have questions about how he'll hold up in the second half and how sustainable this all is, because it's just a completely new level for him. But underlying numbers are all very, very good, if not quite 260 ERA good. I will say, I think he's at Colorado this week. Yeah, he is. I can't tell you to sit, Max Meyer.

He's been too good to sit. I definitely cannot say that Max Meyer has earned my trust enough to start at Corse Field. And Corse Field in the summer months plays a lot differently than earlier in the seasons. and relies, like, throws his sweeper and slider, what, 75% of the time? It's a good point. It's a really, really, really, really, really tough ask.

I'm not saying it won't go well, but I am not ready to trust him there. All right. Again, that was Max Meyer, who gets the Rockies in course field this week. The call to the bullpen for the Orioles on Friday. Ryan Helsley got the ninth with a two-run lead, a clean inning for his eighth save. I believe he was charged with a loss in extra innings on either Saturday or Sunday, but, you know, Manfred Man, all that stuff. For the Pirates on Saturday, Gregory Soto got the ninth with a one-run lead.

He allowed three runs on two walks and two hits. He took his fourth-blown save and second loss. Gregory Soto, in eight June appearances, 12-15 ERA and a 240 whip. I looked into each of his four converted saves in the month, and there were four different relievers that pitched before him each time. So is there somebody to look at in the Pirates bullpen? And like if Gregory Soto just keeps on stinking? I would, I haven't looked at the Pirates Bullpen in a long time.

I have to admit, though, I was planning to put out a mid-season bullpen report where I go through the pecking order for every team. I think it would be. I can't come up with an answer on the spot. Sorry. I think it would be Mason Montgomery, but I don't know for sure. So it makes sense. Yeah, I think that makes up.

It might be Dennis Santana. I know he's been bad, but he like sometimes managers do that. Has he been better? Oh man, Montgomery's crashed pretty hard here too. I know Evan Sisk has looked really good for them all season, but. And he's a former prospect, I think. And it might be like years ago now. It's 29.

Dennis Santana in June 450, ERA, 130 whip. I don't know. I don't think it's a great bullpen overall. No, I think a pretty bad bullpen, yeah. Yeah, I saw someone put out that if games would just end after the seventh inning, the pirates who have the best record in baseball. That's, uh, it's, uh, yeah, it's pretty crazy stuff. For the White Sox on Saturday, Grant Taylor pitched two perfect innings in the eighth

and the ninth, and he struck out four. He wound up with the win as the White Sox walked it off. I saw Sir Anthony Dominguez pitching in the sixth inning on Sunday in a game they were losing, so I have no idea. Yeah, his usage has been all over the place and he still pops in for the occasional save, Sir Anthony Dominguez, but he doesn't have a firm grip on that role.

It's not like Taylor's... It's not like they're clearly setting him up to take over the role. I think it's very much a committee situation right now with Dominguez and the lead and Taylor behind, but... Taylor has stumbled himself. That's, I think, part of what hurts it

the last like two weeks. If he had been clean the past couple of weeks, I think Grant Taylor might have this job by now. Agreed. For the Nationals on Saturday, Justin Lawrence got the 10th with a one-run lead. He allowed a hit and a walk but picked up his first save.

His numbers are terrible. And then on Sunday, it was a lefty PJ Poulin, who tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth, and he picked up his third save. The Nationals do not have a closer and they never will ever again. For the Rockies on Saturday,

Jimmy Hergett got the final two outs for his third save. He does have the last two saves for the Rockies. Does this matter? Jimmy Hergit. I have a hard time caring about any Rockies reliever. It's been a few years of that. I agree.

For the Angels, Sam Bachman got the eighth inning with a one-run lead. He allowed a hit and two walks, but he wiggled his way out of it. And then for the ninth inning, they got Kirby Yates with a three-run lead, a clean inning for his second save. That was on Saturday, by the way.

So I kind of felt like they were going towards Bachman, but Yates picked up the save on Saturday, so I don't know. They're also a very bad team. Yeah. For the Rangers, Tyler Alexander picked up saves on both Saturday and Sunday. Did you guys see any reason for why, like, Jacob Lats pitched Thursday and Friday? But, I mean, I guess Sunday would have been a third time in four days, so I guess they didn't want to do that.

Did they score late? I didn't check the game. situation there. They did. So it was tied at two going in. So it was, Blue Jays were down to nothing heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Right. They tied it up. Blue Jays scored in the bottom of the eighth. Rangers scored in the top of the ninth. So it could have just been that they were heading into the ninth inning, treating it like a tie game. You would still think you would put your closer in

for the tie game in the bottom of the ninth. Also, Lats, so his last appearance was the 26th Friday. That was his fifth appearance in seven days. So they may have just wanted to give him an extended break. Yeah, that makes sense. For the Tigers on Sunday, Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning with the game tied.

He came back out for the 10th, and he was charged with four runs. Three of those earned. He allowed a Homer and took his fourth loss. I mean, the problem, nobody in the Tigers bullpen has looked good, even, you know, including Jansen. I know Finnegan's ERA is low, but his whip is very high, and his Kada Walk stuff is terrible this season. So I still think it's Jansen for now. For the Twins on Sunday, Ewenries Gomez got the ninth with a one-run lead.

He picked up his eighth save. Feels like, you know, Gomez kind of taken over. Not going to call him the closer, but I feel like he's most likely to get the twin saves. For the Royals on Sunday, Alex Lang got the ninth with a one-run lead. He picked up his seventh save. He has the last... He also had... a terrible outing in that 23 to 1 loss.

If you were a pitcher for the Royals on Friday, you had a bad outing in that game. It was- gave a five earn runs in one-third of an inning, Alex Lang. But he bounced back for the save. So I guess all's well there. Just bad for your ERA. I don't know if there is ever a way to look like a closer

just to have the look. Alex Lang has it. I like this like turtleneck underarmor thing that he wears. He just looks like a closer. He gets it. So I'm rooting for Alex Lang. For the Giants... Yeah, maybe he's got it.

For the Giants on Sunday, Caleb Killian got the 9th with a 2-run lead. He gave up a run on 2 hits but picked up his 6th save. That is coming off of a horrible last appearance for him, but not really sure the Giants have anywhere else to go. And then for the Dodgers on Sunday, Tanner Scott, recorded four outs across the 7th and 8th innings. He struck out 2.

And then it was Edgardo Enriquez, who got the 9th with a 2-1st, with a two-run lead. He walked one but picked up his first save. I believe Tanner Scott had each of the last seven or eight saves for the Dodgers before this. So just using Scott in the biggest moments. So not really worried about that.

I think Edwin Diaz probably back sometime in July as well. To stream or not to stream on Monday, we have Sean Burke at the Orioles. Shane Baas against the White Sox. Aaronola against the Pirates, Sean Mania at the Blue Jays. Robert Gasser against the Reds, Zemi Matthews, at the Astros.

Peter Lambert against the twins, Ryan Johnson at the Mariners, Tyler Malley at the D-backs. Sean Burke, even though it's a tough matchup, just like the way he's been pitching lately. And probably Peter Lambert for the same reason, even though that twins matchup on paper is pretty tough.

Ryan Johnson, you know, Dare to Dream at Seattle. Good matchup. I have no faith in that one. I know he was awesome in his last start, but that is literally the first one. Yeah. Yeah, I got Burke.

Lambert's okay. I think Shane Boz could be all right. Yeah, I mean, boss is fine, I think. I kind of like Gasser against the Reds. Yeah. They have really struggled against good fastballs lately.

Their lineup has just been bad. And they might not have Ellie or Suarez. Yeah, and Gasser has a good fastball. So, yeah. On Tuesday, Cade Cavali at the Red Sox, Matthew Liberator at the Braves, Martin Perez against the Cardinals, Griffin Jacks at the Royals, Brandon Sproote against the Reds and landed Roop at the D-backs.

Cavali, Rup, Griffin Jacks. Agreed. Very excited about all three. You could roll the dice on Brandon Sprope coming off by far. His best outing. But as with Ron John. And that was against Cincinnati, too. Yep.

It was in Cincinnati, which could go either way. Yeah. I don't trust Sprote, but that's, Maybe that's my own problem. There's no reason to trust them. Jack's Cavali and Root. Yeah. Agreed on those three.

We are going to wrap there for Scott and Chris. I am Frank. Thanks as always for tuning in to Fantasy Baseball today. Please make sure to follow and leave a five-star rating on Apple or Spotify. And we'll be back again tomorrow. Bye-bye. Mount Podcasts. Now streaming.

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