Ottoneu Cold Right Now: June 12, 2025

Cold Right Now (CRN) is a weekly Ottoneu feature focused on players being dropped or who should be dropped in Ottoneu leagues. In this feature, we will break down players into three sections:

1. Roster Cuts: Analysis of players who have been cut in a high percentage of leagues.
2. Recent Injuries: A look at the implications of recent injuries (not all, just some high-profile ones).
3. Cold Performers: Players with a low P/G or P/IP in recent weeks.

This article will typically run once per week and will help fantasy managers keep track of players that need to be given extra attention to improve rosters.

Roster Cuts

Mike Yastrzemski, Add% Change (7 days): -11.0%

One of the subjects of my first “Hot Right Now” of the season, Yastrzemski, has cooled off. Take a look at his OPS slide:

Mar/Apr -> .889, May -> .574, June -> .503

Remember that the league average OPS is typically just above .700; currently, it stands at .712. It may be lazy to make a direct connection to his BABIP, but it’s all too tempting:

Yet, when you look at Yaz’s monthly HardHit% splits, he’s hit the ball at the hardest rate of the season (44.4%) in June. His HR/FB has been sapped even as he’s continuing to put the ball in the air with regularity. Many fantasy managers are likely seeing zero home runs in May and zero home runs so far in June and are giving up. But, this seems like a slump Yaz will work his way out of. Yastrzemski is no longer batting at the top of the order, but he’s still getting plenty of at-bats. His platoon counterpart, Jerar Encarnacion, is not hitting.

Walker Buehler, Add% Change (7 Days): -10.1%

Buehler?…Buehler? Why are you giving up so many home runs? His 1.78 is simply too high and above his career mark. Below his career mark is this season’s 13.5% K-BB%, and that is more due to a decrease in K% than an increase in BB%. Remember that Buehler only threw 75.1 IP in 2024 as he returned from Tommy John surgery, and that he was shut down from mid-June to mid-August. When he returned, his velocity was down:

Buehler has now ramped that velocity back up, but the results haven’t followed. The key here is that Buehler is not getting enough swing and miss on any of his pitches. Every pitch in his arsenal holds a below league-average SwStr%. Until he can start missing bats, he’s unlikely to show much fantasy value.

Luke Jackson, Add% Change (7 Days): -8.9%

The Rangers have allowed Jackson to play around with the closer role this season, and the results have been mixed. He’s earned eight saves, but has blown two. In high-leverage situations, he’s pitched to a .436 wOBA compared to a .239 in low-leverage situations. He doesn’t have closer stuff, and that is detailed by Stuff+’s below-average grades on each of his pitches. RosterResource has now moved him down into the middle relief section of the bullpen. Hopefully, you benefited from the saves and avoided the rest.

Injuries

Tony Gonsolin, Add% Change (7 days): -27.9%

We’ll place Gonsolin in the “Injury” section, but after feeling discomfort in his elbow after his latest start, reports came back that his UCL is still “intact”. So…that’s good. What’s not good is his 5.00 ERA and 1.42 WHIP through seven starts. While his 24.2% K% is above his career average, his 11.5% BB% is well above it as well. He hasn’t showcased much control, and that can be found in a number of statistics, including his 94 Location+. While Gonsolin’s secondaries are doing a decent job of limiting damage, his fastball has been getting torched for a .403 wOBA. His fastball has never been something to behold, but this elbow discomfort, along with a few too many mistakes due to a lack of control, may be the cause of such trouble.

Ryan Mountcastle, Add% Change (7 days): -10.7%

Mounty will be on the shelf for the foreseeable future. According to his RotoWire page:

Even in a best-case scenario, the 28-year-old’s absence will extend into August

Look for Coby Mayo to attempt to take advantage of the opportunity, though Ryan O’Hearn will get the majority of plate appearances at the position.

Cold Performers

Cold performers are marked by measuring low P/G or P/IP in the last 14 days.

Logan O’Hoppe,  -1.6 P/G

The Angels catcher has one hit in his last 25 plate appearances. He had a great Mar/Apr (.852 OPS) and a good May (.779 OPS), but in June, he is slumping. He’s still hitting the ball hard, but his GB% has swelled to nearly 50% in June.

Carson Kelly,  -1.1 P/G

Say it ain’t so, Kelly! The early-season, hot-streaking Cubs catcher has cooled off. In June, he’s striking out much more often (20.0%) compared to Mar/Apr (9.0%) and May (16.7%), and walking far less. The decline in his wOBA is correlating with a decline in HardHit%:

Bryan Woo, 1.6 P/IP

Last night (6/11), Woo gave up two more home runs and only struck out three. He’s given up six home runs in his last three starts and seven home runs in his last five. That puts his season HR/9 at 1.20, above his career 1.17. He’s still showcasing an excellent 3.7% BB%.

Spencer Strider,  2.2 P/IP

Strider gave up three home runs against the Diamondbacks on June 3rd, and that killed his P/G mark, as has his elevated BB% (10.3%). You can read all about Strider’s 2025 performance in Davy Andrews’ recent piece. It’s been a rough start to the season for the one-time Braves ace.