Jakob Marsee: Ball Robber

On the Agenda: 

1. Closer Chaos
2. Quick Hits
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitchers

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Count Roto: “One, two, three dazzling dingers. Ah! Ah! Ah!”

On the Agenda: 

1. Closer Chaos
2. Quick Hits
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitchers

Read the rest of this entry »

Pulling off trades in our fantasy baseball leagues can be difficult. We usually know our league-mates well, and they often know our true tendencies and intentions, but that shouldn’t stop us from engaging. We should be active with trade conversations to improve our rosters in our quest for league titles. This weekly column will recommend hitters and pitchers to try selling high or buying low, and I’ll try to present realistic opportunities.

This week, let’s dig into a specific underperformer and assess what they types of deals we can make.

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Every Monday, this column will break down the most popular waiver wire and free agent acquisitions of the weekend.

Fantasy baseball managers know that our game is the ultimate test of grit, grind, tenacity, and patience. Unlike fantasy football, where league titles can be won with minimal in-season activity, fantasy baseball leagues require incessant attention and activity. Particularly when it comes to free agent adds and drops. Real-life baseball managers are constantly adjusting batting orders, players are frequently optioned to and promoted from the Minor Leagues, and injuries occur almost daily. There’s no resting on our laurels. We must always stay vigilant with league news and notes and remain active on the waiver wire if we want to win our leagues.

Every week, I’ll dig into the top adds on the ever-popular Fantrax and in the NFBC Online Championship (OC), a national mid-stakes contest with 240 total leagues of 12 and a six-figure grand prize. Reviewing player adds between the two should provide us with a well-rounded perspective and barometer of the fantasy baseball marketplace.

Week 6 Overview

It was a monster week for Byron Buxton (.345-6-5-7-2) who feasted on Mariners and Blue Jays pitchers and was the only hitter with five home runs. The next two top producers were Cardinals Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson. Both hit .390+ with 2 HR and 11 RBI each. The Cardinals had seven games with some tough opposing starters (PIT, LAD), but the duo was unfazed. That 1-4 for the Cardinals (Wetherholt-Herrera-Burleson-Walker) is quite formidable. The Cardinals offense ranks eighth in ISO (.162) and their 44 homers is tied for fourth-most in the majors behind the three powerhouses, the Yankees, Braves, and Dodgers.

Cardinals rookie Nathan Church did not step up for his new fantasy managers. He went 6-30 (.200) with one run and three runs batted in. Expect better production from him in Week 7 as the Cardinals have seven games and are lined up to face all RHP starters.

Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto had an excellent week as well. He went 7-27 (.259), but four of those hits were home runs, and he tied Walker and Burleson for the most RBI (11) in Week 6. Okamoto has deservedly moved up in the batting order. He was the cleanup hitter behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for most of the week, and hit second on Sunday with George Springer out of the lineup and rookie Yohendrick Pinango earning his first leadoff start.

Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter was on an absolute heater. He produced 13 hits in 22 at-bats (.592) — nine singles, three doubles, a homer and two walks. Teammate José Ramírez ran cold, going 4-24 with one run and three runs batted in.

No hitter was colder than Rangers Evan Carter (0-18). Cedric Mullins went 1-15 for the Rays and his slash line is now down to .127/.189/.225. He’s an easy drop in all formats (in case you haven’t dropped already) and he won’t play much this week with the Rays slated to face four left-handed starters. On that note, RHH Jonny DeLuca is a sneaky streamer in Week 7.

There were fewer two-start pitchers last week than usual. Of the 24 pitchers who started two games, only Jesús Luzardo and Clay Holmes won twice, a rate of 12.5% for the two-steppers. Phillies reliever Chase Shugart was the only other pitcher to earn two wins last week, and he did so on the same day, in Thursday’s doubleheader. Luzardo led all pitchers with 18 strikeouts, while posting stellar ratios (1.26 ERA, 0.70 WHIP). Cincinnati’s Chase Burns punched out the second most batters (16 in 13 innings) and brought his ERA down to 2.20 through seven starts.

The biggest disaster two-step of the week was Seattle’s Luis Castillo, who allowed a major-league-high 11 earned runs to the Twins and Royals last week. Castillo’s ratios are up to 6.29/1.66 and he’s allowing a career-high barrel rate of 12.4 percent. Castillo’s velocity is on par with last season’s and his peripherals (4.64 xFIP, 4.45 SIERA), high BABIP (.367) and low LOB rate (58.8%) foretell better days ahead, but there’s no harm in cutting him loose for a potential upgrade in 10- and 12-team formats. It’s been very noticeable that Castillo has been steadily declining over the last few seasons. If he continues to struggle, perhaps Bryce Miller or even super-prospect Kade Anderson can take his spot in the rotation eventually.

Seven relievers earned more than one save one week. Royals Lucas Erceg was the only reliever with three. He looked great in his three appearances, allowing just one hit, one walk, four punchouts and did not allow a run. Last week’s waiver darling Ryan Walker blew not one, but two save opportunities last week. RosterResource currently lists the Giants’ bullpen as a four-man committee with Walker, lefty Erik Miller, and righties Caleb Kilian and Keaton Winn. Kilian would be my bet for team saves leader the rest of this season.

Boston’s rookie southpaw Jake Bennett was the top addition in Fantrax leagues. They 25-year-old was drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2022 (Rd 2, Pick 6) out of Oklahoma, where he was the top starter in that Sooners rotation with Cade Horton. Bennett escaped his major league debut with a win and just one run allowed in five innings (1.80 ERA) against the Astros, but the corresponding metrics (5.75 FIP, 10.29 xERA) told a tale of great fortune. Bennett may not last beyond a start in Detroit this week, since Sonny Gray is expected to be activated off the IL later this week. The Red Sox could use five innings from him though, to keep their taxed rotation fresh as the Red Sox have seven games this week.

Sean Burke has been an absolute stud this season, boasting a 2.72 ERA (3.75 SIERA), 1.01 WHIP, 5.1% BB, and a 4.3% BRL over nearly 40 innings. He posted a season-high eight punchouts against the Padres on Saturday. His next two starts should be at home against the Mariners and the Royals. He doesn’t have dominant stuff, but he’s certainly on the radar for all formats 12-team and higher. Nick Martinez (Rays) and Janson Junk (Marlins) were two of the most popular two-start pitchers added this weekend. Both have outperformed their peripherals so far this season. Junk has plus control and lines up for two home starts against the Phillies and Nationals. Martinez’s matchups don’t look too awful (vs. TOR, at BOS) considering how poor those offenses have been performing lately.

Not certain why Tyler Phillips was scooped up in 12% of leagues, but that probably includes some leagues that use holds. With Pete Fairbanks on IL, Phillips earned a save on Tuesday, but then pitched three scoreless innings (5th-7th innings) on Sunday in a start where Chris Paddack served up seven runs in 2.2. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough will continue to rely on Phillips in the most important spots, which won’t often be save opportunities. Phillips has been their best reliever (1.27 ERA, 22 K in 21.1 IP), but it doesn’t look that great under the hood — a 12.9% walk rate, 1.36 WHIP, and 4.44 xFIP.

Casey Schmitt was among the most popular hitters added as he’s been one of the only reliable hitters for the Giants lately. Schmitt sports a 15.7% barrel rate and a fine slash (.308/.354/.519) and has earned the coveted three-hole spot in manager Tony Vitello’s offense. Carlos Cortes should see more playing time this week with the Athletics slated to face five right-handed starters this week.

Another week of building up confidence of fantasy managers and their real-life ones for relievers Jack Perkins and Jacob Latz. This week’s average winning bid was significantly higher than last week’s when I scooped up Latz for $3 in several of my NFBC OC leagues. I spoke kindly of Perkins in last week’s column, and he has yet to betray my trust, though he had a light workload last week (2 G, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 SV). Lefty Hogan Harris is the only semi-reliable reliever in that bullpen right now. Latz is a lefty, but continues to dazzle and could take the ninth-inning gig for himself, if he hasn’t already.

Logan Henderson, Christian Scott, and Cade Cavalli were the most popular starting pitcher acquisitions on Sunday. With Brandon Woodruff hitting the IL, Henderson was called up for Sunday’s start and pitched well, striking out eight and walking none, though he took the loss, giving up two runs in the fifth before punching out the side in the sixth. Henderson has a tough date with the Yankees this week, so make sure you’re not starting him over a comparable starter with a better matchup just because you want the boys on your roster to give him a proper greeting. Do what you believe is optimal for your fantasy squad. A healthy Henderson could easily stick around in this rotation even when Woodruff and Quinn Priester return. Brandon Sproat is probably the next man out, and though Chad Patrick has been solid, it’s possible he also gets the boot if he runs into the Regression Monster over the next two weeks.

Scott lines up for a start against the Rockies at Coors Field. This is another case where we don’t have to force a tough-on-paper start just because we have a shiny new roto toy. If you have Cavalli, you must roll him out there for his two starts (vs. MIN, at MIA), because if not this week, why even roster him? Aaron Nola was already rostered in 85% of OCs, but was scooped up on the remaining teams despite his YTD struggles because a two-start week of Marlins (away) and Rockies (home) is too juicy. If he can’t hack it, feel free to give him the boot.

Rico Garcia looks like the lone man standing atop the Orioles bullpen, at least for now, or until he gets pummeled. That’s exactly what happened this weekend to the other two temp-closer candidates in Ryan Helsley’s stead. When Helsley hit the IL last week, the market speculated on a possible three-man committee with Garcia, Anthony Nunez and veteran Andrew Kittredge, who recently came off the IL himself. Nunez got lit up on Saturday (3 ER, 2 BB) and Kittredge got brutally torched (7 H, 7 R in 0.1 IP) on Sunday. Garcia has been excellent in relief this season (14.2 IP – 16:4 K:BB – 1 H – 1 ER), but doesn’t have much closing experience. Which means new Garcia bag-holders (gross term, by the way) will likely be devasted when veteran Yennier Cano earns the bulk of save chances over the next two weeks. Isn’t that how the closer chaos has been flowing this season?

Cleveland’s top prospect Travis Bazzana should be in the majors to stay. He’s a rookie hitter — there will be ups and downs — but the 23-year-old first overall pick from 2024 should be able to weather the storms and have a respectable first season. He has already scored three runs, drove in two, and swiped two bases in his first five games.

Nice to see Mark Vientos crush two dingers on Sunday before heading to Denver for a three-game series where his squad will face Rockies starters Tomoyuki Sugano, Michael Lorenzen and Jose Quintana. I’ve been steadfastly holding and expect the fruits of my patience to blossom, at least for a short period of time before his next, inevitable slump.

Drop of the Week

It doesn’t feel great to drop a top 100 ADP hitter, but that’s what needs to be done with Agustín Ramírez. It’s not wise to stash a third catcher on rosters with shallow benches, and so we bid adieu to Gus, at least for now. Let’s be sure to track his journey in Triple-A, because Ramírez and Joe Mack could be swapped for one another again in a few weeks. Let’s hope that Ramírez is motivated by the demotion, not demoralized by it. Unless, of course, you’re a Mack bag-holder (ok, I promise I won’t ever type that again).

Adley Rutschman says, “See? I’m not just good in real life, but in fantasy baseball, too!”

On the Agenda: 

1. Closer Chaos
2. Quick Hits
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitchers

Closer Chaos

There is always some chaos to report! Last night’s mayhem involved Giants reliever, Ryan Walker. Walker entered the bottom of the ninth with a 2-1 lead in the first game of the doubleheader. Walker gave up a single, run-scoring triple, and the game-winning single to rookie outfielder Justin Crawford. Interim manager Don Mattingly is now 3-0 and also, this is pretty cool:

The Crawfords are the second father-son set to each have a walk-off RBI for the same manager (RBI official since 1920)

Carl & Justin Crawford for Don Mattingly
Gary & Daryle Ward for Lou Piniella

h/t @EliasSports

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 1, 2026

Back to this bullpen: it’s an absolute mess! Manager Tony Vitello should make lefty Erik Miller and righty Caleb Kilian the co-closers. Gregory Santos could eventually be a dark horse candidate (I can’t quit that guy).

Tigers veteran righty Kyle Finnegan earned his first save of the season in a 5-2 victory over the Braves. Kenley Jansen blew Wednesday’s save, but isn’t in danger of losing his job, though Finnegan and Will Vest will earn opportunities from time to time. Over 15 appearances (15.2 innings), Finnegan has 15 strikeouts and just one earned run allowed, but has issued 10 free passes.

Meanwhile, my boy “Perky” Jack Perkins earned his third save of the season in a 6-3 victory over the Rangers:

Quick Hits

The hits keep coming for the Mets. Oft-injured outfielder Luis Robert Jr. hits the IL with a lumbar spine disc herniation. His stay will be more than the minimum, as he will be shut down for 7-10 days and given an injection. The Mets also designated relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. for assignment, claimed infielders Andy Ibañez and Eric Wagaman off waivers from the Athletics and Twins, respectively. It’s not even May and their no. 3 hitter is MJ Melendez. Godspeed, Mets fans.

Paul Skenes struck out nine, but served up two longballs to JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker:

It was his sixth time allowing four or more earned runs in his career 62 starts. Two of those outings were against the Cardinals.

The Braves expect Sean Murphy to be activated early next week. Murphy won’t play every day, but should manage some starts behind the plate and as the DH. None of the Braves bench bats have minor-league options, so it’s likely that whoever gets called up if Michael Harris II goes on the injured list, is the player optioned.

Have a day, Kyle Schwarber!

Kyle Schwarber of the @Phillies is the first MLB player to have a day with:

5+ hits
3+ walks
2+ doubles
2+ homers
0 strikeouts

…since Lou Gehrig on August 26, 1935 (also in a doubleheader). pic.twitter.com/khD1AvHxb5

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) May 1, 2026

Various News and Notes

Brandon Woodruff was pulled after 21 pitches on Thursday after averaging 85 mph on his fastball. Woodruff claims it’s dead arm and that he didn’t feel pain. Regardless, the Brewers will skip his next start and will further assess whether an IL stint is needed. Logan Henderson (17.2 IP – 1.02 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 35.6% K, 12.3% BB) would likely get the call to make the start for Woodruff against the Cardinals in the first half of the week.

A quick check-in on pitchers on rehab assignments:

Tatsuya Imai has been out since April 13 with right arm fatigue and made his first rehab start on Tuesday. Imai allowed five runs and three walks, with just two strikeouts in two innings. He is expected to make another rehab start, which will likely occur with Triple-A Sugar Land. If Imai doesn’t require any more rehab starts beyond the next one, he should return sometime between May 11 and May 14 for the series against the Mariners.

Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole could both be back in the Yankees rotation the week of May 11. Rodón pitched 4.1 scoreless innings in his first rehab start in High-A last week. On Thursday, he dazzled in a rehab start with the Double-A squad, punching out eight batters with one run allowed on five hits in 5.1 innings.

Cole is up to three rehab starts now. He has allowed eight runs (four homers) in 14.1 innings, but has a 10:1 K:BB and only needed 60 pitches to in Wednesday’s Double-A Somerset start to nearly reach six innings (5.2). A rotation of Rodón , Cole, Max Fried, Ryan Weathers, and Cam Schlittler will be a nasty one. The Bronx Bombers would have no choice but to boot Will Warren from it.

Streaming Pitchers (Under 50% in Yahoo)

Pitcher for Today: Joey Cantillo (LHP, CLE) at ATH

It may not seem wise to start pitchers in Sacramento, but we’re not in the dead heat of summer yet and we can make an exception for Cantillo tomorrow. The Athletics have struggled against souhthpaws and have the fourth lowest wRC+ (73) against them. Cantillo will have to be on point with his control. Nick Kurtz has been a walks machine and has a 22.7% walk rate against lefties. In the seventh inning on Thursday, Kurtz was intentionally walked and is now tied with Ted Williams for the third-most consecutive games with a walk (19).

Other Options: Christian Scott (RHP, NYM) at LAA

Watch Scott totally redeem himself after walking five of the 10 batters he faced in his 2026 debut.

Pitcher for Tomorrow: Reid Detmers (LHP, LAA) vs. NYM

It’s a solid matchup for Detmers against the reeling Mets who have a .343 SLG and 78 wRC+ against left-handed pitching (bottom five). The Mets might be rolling out Wagaman, Ibañez, Austin Slater, and Tyrone Taylor on Saturday.

Other Options: Chase Dollander (RHP, Rockies) vs. ATL

The immovable object meets an unstoppable force on Saturday. It’s Dollander vs. Chris Sale and it’ll be a doozie.

Welcome back, Esteury Ruiz!

Of course, Ruiz couldn’t help himself and swiped a bag to complete the combo meal.

On the Agenda: 

1. Closer Chaos
2. Quick Hits
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitchers

Closer Chaos

It’s been an inauspicious start to Kurt Suzuki’s managerial career, mostly due to his mismanagement of the bullpen. Recently released reliever Jordan Romano has all four of the Los Angeles Angels’ saves; the most recent one was way back on April 6. Suzuki continues to deploy veteran lefty Drew Pomeranz in high-leverage opportunities, and it keeps backfiring. Here’s what happened on Wednesday:

The Angels were hoping that Kirby Yates could help the team out in late innings soon, but Yates has been getting shelled on his rehab assignment — seven hits and seven runs allowed over three innings/three appearances. Righty Chase Silseth was mentioned as a potential late-inning option, but his control has been poor (10 walks over 11 innings) and Sam Bachman has 10 walks in 15.1 innings. Fireballer righty Ryan Zeferjahn has been slowly moving up the leverage ladder and might be a waiver wire save spec before the week is over. Zeferjahn has struggled in multi-inning outings, so perhaps management gets the memo and just have him pitch one inning per appearance. Ben Joyce just began a rehab assignment and if all goes well, he could be activated in 3-4 weeks. All in all, it’s full blown chaos in Anaheim!

Texas Rangers lefty Jacob Latz is one step closer to being their full-time ninth-inning guy. He followed Nathan Eovaldi’s seven scoreless innings to fire two scoreless innings of his own (1 H, 1 K) to lock down his second save of the season.

Manager Skip Schumaker might ask righty Jakob Junis to occasionally close games out. Nevertheless, Latz has been the most dominant and reliable option in the bullpen and could run away with the job despite being a lefty. Latz has a 14:3 K:BB with just five hits and two runs allowed over 16.2 innings (13 appearances).

With Miami closer Pete Fairbanks sidelined on the injured list, Calvin Faucher was called upon to close out the Dodgers on Wednesday. Faucher was shaky, walking three batters, but escaped unscathed, earning his first save of 2026. The Marlins took 2-of-3 from the Dodgers.

Quick Hits

#OldFriend (or frenemy?) Jarred Kelenic was called up by the White Sox on Wednesday. He pinch-hit for Luisangel Acuña in the seventh, his first at-bat since April 23, 2025 with the Braves. Kelenic batted .202 with 6 HR, 18 RBI, and 7 SB in 104 PA in Triple-A.

With starting pitcher Casey Mize hitting the IL, the Tigers called up Jace Jung. Jung appeared in 21 games last season (.106/.236/.106) and owns a horrific .190/.315/.230 slash over 149 career major-league plate appearances. Jung shouldn’t be up for long.

With George Springer activated for the Jays, Eloy Jiménez was designated for assignment. Jiménez went 9-31 (.290) with 3 BB and 3 RBI in his part-time three-week stretch.

The Texas Rangers expect to activate Wyatt Langford on Saturday. He hit just one home run in his first 20 games before the forearm injury, with his hard-hit rate down considerably from last season (48.4% to 37.7%).

Hunter Goodman smashed two dingers in Great American Ball Park:

He went 3-4 for four runs scored and increased his batting average from .250 to .269 (a reminder of how early it still is). Goodman’s 37.3% strikeout rate remains among the highest in the majors. His strikeout rate last season was 26.3%.

Right-handed pitcher Hunter Dobbins will make his Cardinals and 2026 debut on Thursday against the Pirates. A rookie last season, Dobbins made 11 starts for the Red Sox and came over to St. Louis in the Willson Contreras deal in December. He has a 3-0 record with a 4.37 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 19.8% K, and 9.4% BB over five starts for Triple-A Memphis.

Various News and Notes

A couple of valuable closers should be back soon. Daniel Palencia of the Cubs is expected to be activated this weekend as is Phillies righty, Jhoan Duran. Palencia suffered a lat injury on his non-throwing side and Duran is recovering from a minor oblique injury. The quick turnarounds are a good reminder for us to not get carried away with the interim closer hype in fantasy free agency. Caleb Thielbar and Brad Keller were expensive acquisitions in FAAB leagues two weeks ago and we’ll soon be able to say that those dollars were officially wasted.

Injury is officially added to insult as first-round fantasy pick Garrett Crochet was placed on the injured list (retroactive to Sunday) with shoulder inflammation. Crochet says he felt fatigued in his last start and that he lost strength in his shoulder in spring training and really never got it back. Crochet is “pretty confident” he will return by the time those 15 IL days have passed. Struggling starter Brayan Bello appears to have a stay of execution with another turn in the rotation. Sonny Gray should be back next week, but with Crochet out, the Red Sox promoted 25-year-old lefty Jake Bennett. Bennett will make his major-league debut this weekend.

After getting run out of the game by the Nationals in the first inning last Tuesday (four earned runs), Braves manager Walt Weiss announced that Reynaldo López would be moved to the bullpen to work on his mechanics. On Wednesday night, López entered the contest in the eighth inning, and only needed 17 pitches to earn six outs and get credited with the win after Matt Olson’s walk-off home run.

It’s a long season and perhaps López works his way back into the rotation, but it’s also possible that he sticks in the bullpen. It would be a quite formidable one when Raisel Iglesias returns, joining López, Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee, and Didier Fuentes. Even former Rockies gas-can Tyler Kinley has pitched well (1.38 ERA, no homers allowed in 13 innings).

Streaming Pitchers (Under 50% in Yahoo)

Pitcher for Today: Andrew Painter (RHP, PHI) vs. SF

Only 11 games on this Transition Thursday and not many sub-50% starting pitchers on the slate. His Yahoo roster rate has dropped to 27% after two subpar starts, but both those outings were against the scorching Braves offense. Painter is in a good position for a bounce-back start on the back end of a doubleheader where the Giants may not be rolling out their optimal lineup.

Other Options: None, though if you don’t mind some potential ratio damage, Astros righty Peter Lambert should be good for six or more strikeouts.

Pitcher for Tomorrow: Joey Cantillo (LHP, CLE) at ATH

It may not seem wise to start pitchers in Sacramento, but we’re not in the dead heat of summer yet and we can make an exception for Cantillo tomorrow. The Athletics have struggled against souhthpaws and have the fourth lowest wRC+ (70) against them. Cantillo will have to be on point with his control. Nick Kurtz has been a walks machine and has a 22.7% walk rate against lefties.

Other Options: Christian Scott (RHP, NYM) at LAA

That’s right. Scott totally redeems himself after walking five of the 10 batters he faced in his 2026 debut.

Hitter platoons are a necessary part of baseball and have been utilized to some effect since the 1880s. Boston Braves manager George Stallings employed a successful outfield platoon in their 1914 World Series championship season. Legendary manager Casey Stengel utilized them prominently with the Braves pre-WWII and during the Yankees dynasty from 1949-1953. The term “platoon” was first used in the 1940s. Platoon usage decreased in the 80s and 90s and has since returned to prominence this century, even more so in the last several years due to heavier reliance on data.

In fantasy baseball, we can optimize our starting lineups in daily and weekly leagues by paying close attention to hitter platoon splits and baseball managers’ tendencies. Astute fantasy managers pay attention to the upcoming week’s matchups and make sure to bench a left-handed hitter who does not start against left-handed pitchers in a weekly league where that hitter’s team is facing four or five lefties. During draft season, those managers are careful not to overload their roster with too many extreme platoon bats like Kerry Carpenter so they can maximize the number of plate appearances, and by virtue of that, fantasy stats. Since we are one month into the season, I wanted to review the relevant platoon hitters. How are they performing? Who is likely to remain in their platoon? Who is in danger of falling into one? Who is working their way out of one? Let’s dig in.

Likely to Remain on the Strong Side Platoon

Lawrence Butler was a top 200 fantasy pick. Though he reached 20 HR, 20 SB in his second season, Butler hit .234 and struggled relative to his high ADP last spring. Butler has two home runs and four stolen bases in 95 plate appearances, but has mostly struggled to produce (.186/.263.279). He was in the starting lineup for one of the A’s seven games against a LHP and has fallen to hitting eighth over the last two weeks. There will come a time this season when Butler is red-hot and possibly even leading off for a stretch, but with the emergence of Carlos Cortes (LH), Tyler Soderstrom (LH) in the outfield, and two viable short-side platoon righties (Colby Thomas and Zack Gelof), the margin for error for Butler is slim.

For most of his career, Reds centerfielder TJ Friedl has shifted back and forth from strong-side platoon (vs. RHPs only) to a full-time bat. His career wRC+ splits are close (109 vs. L, 102 vs. R), though Friedl has faced RHPs 3.5x more. Friedl is locked into a platoon with righty centerfielder Dane Myers, which is an arrangement that should continue as long as both remain healthy. Friedl may be sitting on your waiver wire, but should only be considered in deeper (15-team) formats.

Kyle Manzardo and Kerry Carpenter are the two best power hitters in this group. Manzardo played a little bit against lefties last season, batting .186 against them in 95 PAs. He had a 83 wRC+ vs. lefties and a 119 vs. righties. Manzardo is in a strict platoon with Rhys Hoskins at first base. Manzardo will heat up at some point. He has only one home run this season after hitting 27 in 2025. Carpenter is a stud against RHPs (career 138 wRC+, .262 ISO) and a dud against LHPs (69, .124). The Tigers have faced mostly righty starters this season and manager A.J. Hinch is a very platoon friendly manager. Carpenter could earn some starts against lefties this season, but will likely never be a full-time starter against them.

Owen Caissie has some pop, but he is also the easiest hitter to punch out. Don’t pay much attention to his strikeout rate against lefties in a small sample (69% in 16 PA) as much his overall strikeout rate of 43.3%. Caissie is slashing .207/.256/.354 and has not been a plus defender. It’s possible that he is danger of being demoted.

Before the season started, the managers of the Phillies and Rangers told us that Brandon Marsh and Evan Carter would see more starts against lefties. Neither deserve more as both have struggled mightily against them. Marsh has earned a few starts against lefties (6 of 12), but fewer since rookie Felix Reyes was promoted. Let’s see how interim manager Don Mattingly handles it. It will probably be more of the same, though. The Phillies are slated to face mostly RHPs over the next two weeks. We can stream him while his bat remains hot, but he’s fungible in 12-team leagues. Carter’s batting average is around the Mendoza Line and he is hitless in 20 plate appearances against southpaws.

Rookie Carson Benge hasn’t started against a lefty and it will likely remain that way in the short term. Further solidifying the case is the recent addition of right-hand-hitting outfielder Austin Slater.

In Danger of Falling into Platoons

Red-hot rookie Carter Jensen is mostly included here for a little shock-and-awe. We anticipated a platoon for him before the season and he hasn’t been great against southpaws, but he has started against the last two lefty starters as Salvador Perez has mostly been playing DH and first base. The Royals recently signed short-side platoon catcher Elias Díaz and he will earn the occasional start behind the plate.

Nolan Schanuel is actually a competent hitter against southpaws (career 98 wRC+ in 330 PAs). He’s had a rough run against them so far this season, but it’s a tiny sample. Angels manager Kurt Suzuki might want to see if Oswald Peraza is capable of playing first base. His at-bats will be curtailed as the Angels play more RHPs, but perhaps he would serve as the ideal platoon pairing with Schanuel at first base.

Matt Wallner was told he’d have the opportunity to run away with everyday at-bats. So far this season, he can’t hit lefties or righties. Wallner is hitting a mere .172 with the fourth-highest strikeout rate (36.8%) among qualified hitters. He is hitting the pine for Tuesday’s contest and I’d be shocked if he started against the next lefty starter (Patrick Corbin on Friday). Otherwise, the Twins face all righties this week.

We don’t want to get carried away with a one-month sample of limited handedness data, but these are hitters worth highlighting. Wilyer Abreu and Daulton Varsho are both holding their own against southpaws. Even a slight slump against lefties won’t keep Blue Jays manager John Schneider from benching Varsho against them. With Alex Cora out of the picture and a new Driveline-infused coaching staff, we can’t be sure about Abreu’s prospects on that front.

Jarren Duran’s wRC+ split is wild, but not in the way you’d expect — a 101 wRC+ against lefties and 19 against righties. He’s earned four times more PAs against righties, and his .286 BA against lefties is fueled by a .353 BABIP. He will probably play every day under this new regime.

Bryson Stott also has an odd reverse split (155 wRC+ vs. L, 33 vs. R), but digging into his splits page uncovers the true story. Stott has only had 12 plate appearances against lefties because he does not start against them, hence the 3-9 (three singles) and three walks will inflate his metrics. Stott has been ice cold. Let’s see if Mattingly can wake some of these bats up.

There are so many more players to dig into. I’ll do so at a later point in the season. The samples will be bigger, but still too small to extract meaningful insights. Baseball managers all operate their lineups differently, but platoons remain a big part of their strategy. The best way to get ahead of potential shifts in platoons is to track each team’s lineup daily and watch for trends.

Every Monday, this column will break down the most popular waiver wire and free agent acquisitions of the weekend.

Fantasy baseball managers know that our game is the ultimate test of grit, grind, tenacity, and patience. Unlike fantasy football, where league titles can be won with minimal in-season activity, fantasy baseball leagues require incessant attention and activity. Particularly when it comes to free agent adds and drops. Real-life baseball managers are constantly adjusting batting orders, players are frequently optioned to and promoted from the Minor Leagues, and injuries occur almost daily. There’s no resting on our laurels. We must always stay vigilant with league news and notes and remain active on the waiver wire if we want to win our leagues.

Every week, I’ll dig into the top adds on the ever-popular Fantrax and in the NFBC Online Championship (OC), a national mid-stakes contest with 240 total leagues of 12 and a six-figure grand prize. Reviewing player adds between the two should provide us with a well-rounded perspective and barometer of the fantasy baseball marketplace.

Week 5 Overview

Ildemaro Vargas continues to tear it up, out of nowhere. He lead all hitters with 12 RBI last week with his team only playing five games, albeit two of them in Mexico City. More on him later. Nolan Arenado had an incredible week as well, going 11-18 with a homer and seven runs scored. That two-game Mexico City series did not disappoint as the Diamondbacks and Padres combined to score 29 runs.

Since returning from Paternity Leave, Michael Harris II is slashing .429/.468/.786 with 4 HR and 13 RBI in 13 games. Talk about #DadPower.

A few notable hitters who hit the skids in Week 5: Willy Adames (1-22), Dillon Dingler (1-21), Luis Robert Jr. (1-15), Austin Riley (2-26), CJ Abrams (2-22) and Kyle Schwarber (3-27). Oneil Cruz only managed three hits (3-23), but two were home runs. Over the last two weeks, Ezequiel Tovar is 5-43 (.116) with no RBI. Already one of the biggest chasers of bad pitches and arguably the worst plate discipline among MLB regulars, Tovar’s YTD walk rate (2.7%) and strikeout rate (30%) are worse than ever before. There will be better days ahead, but managers in 12- and 10-team leagues should continue finding alternatives for their rosters.

Nasim Nuñez was the only player with five stolen bases last week, and is the current Major League leader (13). Right behind him are José Ramírez, José Caballero (11) and Oneil Cruz and Jakob Marsee (10). Nuñez has the lowest ISO (.012) among 180 qualified hitters.

It was another week where two-start pitchers’ wins hovered around weekly expectations. Among 30 starting pitchers with two starts last week (let’s include Sean Burke and Chase Dollander, who entered their second appearances early in the games), only three earned wins in both — Justin Wrobleski, Landen Roupp, and Spencer Arrighetti — a rate of 9.6%. Nolan McLean led all pitchers in strikeouts (17 in 11.2 IP), Dollander was second (16 in 13) and Kyle Harrison was third. Harrison only pitched three innings on Tuesday (3 Ks) before punching out 12 Pirates in six innings on Saturday.

Louis Varland was the only reliever with three saves in Week 5. Rockies Victor Vodnik got rocked for five runs on Thursday, and secured a clean save in one of the doubleheader contests against the Mets on Sunday.

Let’s dive into the top trending acquisitions for Fantrax (waivers) and the NFBC 12-team OC (blind bid FAAB):

 Roster % is the current percentage of leagues rostering the player

+/-  is the percentage of leagues the player was added in the previous week

Ildemaro Vargas was the top addition on Fantrax. He’s been the Diamondbacks top producer, leading them in HR (six), RBI (20) and in wRC+ (203), wOBA (.473), and ISO (.354). His power metrics are all below average — 87.6 mph EV, 37% hard-hit, 7.1% barrel. That barrel rate is nearly three times his career rate, as is his seven degree launch angle. He recently earned first base eligibility, as he’s made himself comfortable there in the absence of Carlos Santana. With Geraldo Perdomo out of Sunday’s lineup, Vargas had the opportunity to lead off for the first time this season and delivered in grand style — 3-5, 3 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI. Vargas won’t finish the season as a top-three hitter in this offense, but could maintain an everyday (or almost everyday) role in this shallow lineup and deliver his best season. Though that shouldn’t be difficult considering he has never earned more than 303 plate appearances in a season.

The recent waiver pickup timing of Carlos Cortes is symbolic of the essence of fantasy baseball chaos. Cortes was a somewhat popular add before Week 4. The Athletics had seven home games, Brent Rooker was on the IL, and Cortes’ playing time was increasing, so the opportunity for production was ripe. Cortes went 3-16 with one run and one run batted in that week. Most managers dropped him before his epic Week 5 run of .542 (13-24), 4 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI. Now he’s popular again, but Rooker is back and Cortes will likely only make two starts, since the A’s are expected to face four lefty starters and Cortes doesn’t typically start against them. If you picked him up in weekly leagues, make sure you bench him for the week.

Nathan Church has been a pleasant surprise for the Cardinals. The left-handed-hitting 25-year-old rookie was an 11th-round draft pick in 2022 and produced between Double-A and Triple-A last season: .329/.386/.524, 13 HR, 16 SB in 385 PA (86 games). Church has been a mainstay against right-handed starters,, and has covered all three outfield positions, though he mainly plays left field. He stepped into the fantasy scene last week, going 8-19 with 4 HR, 7 RBI and a stolen base in six games, as the Cardinals faced all righties. He sports an 11.5% barrel rate, though his average exit velocity (86.6 mph) and hard-hit rate (38.5%) remain subpar. The Cardinals play seven this week and five of those matchups are against RHPs, though Church will be tested going up against the likes of Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, and Emmet Sheehan. His power/speed combo is intriguing for deeper leagues and he should not yet be on the radar for 12-teamers or shallower formats. Though, if matchups line up as they currently project, Church and the Cardinals should face seven RHPs the following week (Week 7, May 4 – May 10), though more tough tests are to come against studly Brewers and Padres arms.

% Lgs Added is the percentage of leagues that added the player (240 total leagues)

AWB stands for Average Winning Bid

This was a huge weekend for spending in NFBC managers, on par with last weekend when Noah Schultz and Spencer Arrighetti both earned triple-digit AWBs. The big ticket was Red Sox southpaw Payton Tolle, who dazzled in his 2026 debut, punching out 11 hitters in six innings from the Yankees on Thursday. The hulking (6’5”, 250) and famously mustachioed 23-year-old rocks a killer 97-mph four-seam fastball, and mixes in a cutter, curve and sinker, with an occasional changeup. He is locked in to face the Blue Jays in Toronto on Tuesday, and has a good opportunity to remain with the big-league club even when Sonny Gray is activated. To keep Brayan Bello (9.00 ERA, 2.27 WHIP, 13% K, 11.3% BB in 22 IP) over Tolle in the rotation would be a travesty, but could be par for the course for a front office that just fired manager Alex Cora and is feeling the heat from their fanbase.

JR Ritchie had a strong career debut last Thursday. The Braves top pitching prospect boasting a 0.99 ERA over five Triple-A starts fired seven innings against the Nationals. Ritchie struck out seven, and gave up two walks and two runs on five hits (two home runs). The next day, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss confirmed that Ritchie would remain in the majors for now. His next start is confirmed for Wednesday, at home against the Tigers. The timing of Ritchie’s promotion and impressive debut was perfect. It was one of several factors that drove his fantasy free agent market price up over the weekend. Didier Fuentes struggled in his start the day before (and was subsequently optioned to Triple-A). Reynaldo López got shelled last Monday (4 ER in 1 IP), and on Sunday, it was announced that he would move to the bullpen to work on his mechanics. So, even with Spencer Strider’s upcoming activation off the IL, there is still an open rotation spot and clear opportunity for Ritchie to gain some momentum and lock himself into the rotation. I did not acquire Ritchie in any leagues this weekend, but would call myself a founding member of his fan club. I drafted him in my first 50-round NFBC Draft Champions back in November. I also drafted him in my live Main Event in Las Vegas and stashed him on my bench for the last 5.5 weeks. Who wants to pay retail anyway?

Jack Perkins is emerging as the Athletics most reliable bullpen option. After earning a save earlier in the week, Perkins impressed on Sunday by locking down a two-inning save. Middling veteran righty Joel Kuhnel ran into some trouble in two early-week appearances (6 H, 2 ER in 1.2 IP). In Sunday’s tilt against the Rangers, Kuhnel appeared in the fourth inning for banged-up starter J.T. Ginn. RosterResource currently displays Perkins, Kuhnel and lefty Hogan Harris as a committee. Though, Perkins is best suited to handle ninth inning duties, he’s an effective multi-inning arm who manager Mark Kotsay could easily deploy in various relief scenarios, including early innings. Perkins was my most-added RP, so I am ready to be hurt again. But I will not overreact to his usage this week and intent to stand firm with Perkins on my roster. Well, barring an 8-ER implosion or IL stint, of course.

Drop of the Week

This week, it’s a four-way tie between “closers” Edwin Díaz (LAD), Jordan Romano (LAA), Clayton Beeter (WSN), and Caleb Thielbar (CHC). Each stung in its own way — Díaz due to expectations and high-draft capital and Romano because of the ratio damage. Don’t be surprised to see more carnage next weekend in what is the craziest season for closers and saves in recent memory.

Jazz, finally!

Expect Fernando Tatis Jr.’s first dinger of the season in Mexico City this weekend.

On the Agenda: 

1. Closer Chaos
2. Quick Hits
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitchers

Closer Chaos

Abner Uribe entered the bottom of the ninth in a tie game and served up the walkoff bomb to Spencer Torkelson.

Could it be Trevor Megill time in Milwaukee again, soon?

Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald entered Thursday’s tie game in the ninth and got hammered. He walked two batters and gave up a 3-run homer to Andrew Benintendi. Sewald has been lights-out in save opportunities. The lights are off when it’s not one:

Paul Sewald in tie games (3 G):
1.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 3 HR.

Paul Sewald in all other games (9 G):
8.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K, 0 HR.

— Jesse Friedman (@JesseNFriedman) April 23, 2026

White Sox closer Seranthony Domínguez stepped into the bottom of the ninth and protected their 4-1 lead with his fifth save.

Tanner Scott locked down his first save of the season in a 3-0 win over the rival Giants. Scott and fellow lefty Alex Vesia have manager Dave Roberts’ trust and will be the two relievers called upon for save chances. Vesia has yet to allow a run this season. He is an excellent relief pitcher but has running a bit hot (.111 BABIP, 100% LOB).

Quick Hits

Francisco Lindor‘s calf MRI did not supply Mets fans with the good news they were looking for. Lindor’s strain is considered worse than Juan Soto’s and it’s possible that Lindor will be out until after Memorial Day. I wonder if Juan will call and check in on Frankie from time to time.

Orioles righty Dean Kremer appeared to be on the precipice of a breakout season, rocking a 16:2 K:BB through his first two starts (11 innings). Unfortunately for those who acquired him over the weekend, Kremer was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right quadriceps strain. Lefty Brandon Young will be called up to start Friday’s contest.

The Marlins called up speedy outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who stole 67 bags in 497 plate appearances for the Athletics in 2023. Veteran short-side platoon outfielder Austin Slater was designated for assignment.

Various News and Notes

Gerrit Cole is getting closer and closer. He looked good in his rehab start, throwing 42-of-52 strikes with four punchouts and two runs allowed in 4.1 innings. Cole will continue to build up his pitch count throughout his minor league assignment, which could last another two to three weeks.

Pirates righty Bubba Chandler continues to struggle. Rangers outfielder Evan Carter had a two-run, inside-the-park home run and Corey Seager hit a three-run home run, bringing Chandler’s ERA up to 4.88.

Meanwhile, Oneil Cruz continues to prove the draft season haters (including me) wrong. Cruz hit his eighth homer of the season in the fifth off Jacob deGrom. Cruz should re-take the top spot on the FanGraphs Player Rater after Thursday’s stats are are processed overnight. Konnor Griffin’s average dipped to .182 after another 0-4 afternoon.

It’s never too late for a breakout! Jayson Werth, er, Brandon Marsh crushed two home runs on Thursday:

Marsh brought his average up to .300 and his slugging percentage to .500. Manager Rob Thomson has so far kept his promise of letting Marsh face more left-handed pitching — he’s been in the starting lineup in six of the last nine lefties the Phillies have faced. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been that effective against them: 3-17 with 7 Ks and no RBIs. Rookie Felix Reyes could eat into some of Marsh’s playing time.

Streaming Pitchers (Under 50% in Yahoo)

Pitcher for Today: Max Scherzer vs. CLE

The Blue Jays are rare home underdogs as the Guardians come to town with a scorching Gavin Williams toeing the rubber on Sunday. We can’t confidently stream Scherzer like in years’ past, but on a slate with few sub-50% rostered options, a home tilt where the game’s projected run total is just 8.0 is certainly worth a shot.

Other Options: None, but be sure to stream hitters in the Miles Mikolas/Erick Fedde 페디 barnburner.

Pitcher for Tomorrow: Kodai Senga vs. COL

It’s been a disastrous season for Senga so far (8.83 ERA), but it isn’t all on him. Senga has a 3.95 xERA, 4.04 SIERA, .413 BABIP and a 54.7% strand rate. His fastball velocity (96.3 mph) is up from last season (94.7) and he has 22 punchouts in 17.1 innings. A date with the Rockies in his home turf might be just what Senga needs.

Other Options: Walbert Urena at KC, Bryce Elder vs. PHI

Two (II) dingers for new dad, Michael Harris II

On the Agenda: 

1. Closer Chaos
2. Quick Hits
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitchers

Closer Chaos

The Giants’ ninth inning is slightly less murky now. Ryan Walker was called upon tonight to close out the game. It was his second save conversion in as many games.

With Raisel Iglesias (shoulder) on the IL, Robert Suarez assumes ninth inning duties for the Braves. Suarez locked down the save on Wednesday, his second of the season. Suarez was the Major League saves leader over the last two seasons. Iglesias’ MRI showed no structural damage. He should take his job back if he returns to full health, but there are no guarantees.

Before the week began, Joel Kuhnel had not allowed a run in six appearances and was quickly earning high leverage duties and save opportunities. He earned the save on Monday, but allowed his first earned run in a 6-4 victory over the Mariners. On Wednesday, Kuhnel entered the ninth inning in a tie game, but allowed four hits and the game-winning run. It’s quite possible that a much more talented righty in that bullpen by the name of Jack Perkins quickly earns ninth inning opportunities ahead of Kuhnel. Perkins earned his first save of the season on Tuesday. He worked as a reliever and starter last season, scoring four saves and starting four games.

Quick Hits

Guess who’s back! The Braves are expected to promote veteran righty Carlos Carrasco and employ him in long relief. Carrasco has a 1.71 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 18 strikeouts and five walks over four starts at Triple-A Gwinnett.

It’s an exciting few days for pitchers. Twins lefty prospect Connor Prielipp made his MLB debut on Wednesday and Braves pitcher JR Ritchie makes his today. Payton Tolle (BOS) and Christian Scott (NYM) have made starts in the big leagues before, but will be promoted to make their season debuts today. On Saturday, wily veteran Zack Wheeler will make his first start for the Phillies in 2026. Wheeler has made five rehab starts since March 28, posting a 5.14 ERA, 1.20 WHIP with a 19:2 K:BB over 20 innings.

The Mets finally ended their 12-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Twins in Juan Soto’s triumphant return, but there was carnage. Francisco Lindor was removed from the contest with left calf tightness and will have an MRI today.

The Rangers placed snakebit outfielder Wyatt Langford (forearm) on the IL on Wednesday. Langford does not expect to be out longer than 10 days, but we’ve heard that before. Outfielder Alejandro Osuna was promoted.

The Diamondbacks expect to activate catcher Gabriel Moreno next week.

The Phillies placed catcher J.T. Realmuto on the IL due to back spasms. Thirty-two-year-old Garrett Stubbs was promoted and should split time behind the plate with Rafael Marchán.

Various News and Notes

José Soriano was masterful again, hurling five scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no walks allowed.

Soriano became the first pitcher since 1900 to allow one run or fewer across his first six starts of the season.

Max Fried had an incredible outing against the rival Red Sox (8 IP – 3 H – 0 ER – 2 BB – 9 K) to take his record to 3-1. It was the second time this season that he’s reached eight innings. He has thrown at least 90 pitches in every start except the season opener, 86 against the Giants.

The Giants shut the Dodgers down, winning 3-0. Neither starter allowed a run — Shohei Ohtani threw six innings and Tyler Mahle allowed just three hits in seven innings. It was a much-needed bounce back start for Mahle after allowing 8 ER in 4 IP to his former team, the Reds, last week.

Yordan Alvarez hit his league-leading 11th home run of the season.

Newcomer Peter Lambert dazzled in this contest, hurling six scoreless innings, with three hits, three walks and eight strikeouts. It was Lambert’s second start as a member of the Astros. Lambert owned a career ERA over 6.00 in four partial seasons with the Rockies before spending a season pitching in Japan last year. Lambert was a second-round draft pick of the Rockies in 2015. He’s been shoving his four-seam fastball at 95 mph, which is 2-3 ticks up from his days with the Rockies.

Streaming Pitchers (Under 50% in Yahoo)

Pitcher for Today: Brandon Sproat at DET

There are only a few options under 50% on this transition day Thursday slate. Sproat had a rough start with the Brewers, but bounced back nicely against the Blue Jays in his last start, punching out six over 6.2 innings with one run allowed. This contest has a 7-run total (mostly because of Skubal) and could turn into a pitchers’ duel.

Pitcher for Tomorrow: Kodai Senga vs. COL

It’s been a disastrous season for Senga so far (8.83 ERA), but it isn’t all on him. Senga has a 3.95 xERA, 4.04 SIERA, .413 BABIP and a 54.7% strand rate. His fastball velocity (96.3 mph) is up from last season (94.7) and he has 22 punchouts in 17.1 innings. A date with the Rockies in his home turf might be just what Senga needs.

Other Option: Walbert Urena at KC