Roto Riteup: August 7, 2026

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August 7, 2026

Kevin McGonigle is running away with the AL Rookie of the Year award.

On the Agenda: 

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

Quick Hits

New Blue Jays pitcher Spencer Arrighetti had to be removed from his Triple-A rehab start on Thursday. On the IL for nerve irritation in his right foot, Arrighetti appeared to have re-injured it.

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The Detroit Tigers will activate pitcher Jackson Jobe ahead of his season debut on Saturday. Jobe has been out since May of 2025 when he underwent Tommy John surgery. He pitched well in his five minor-league rehab starts, posting a 1.76 ERA, 17 strikeouts and just four walks in 15.1 innings. Expect Jobe’s pitch count to be limited on Saturday.

In his first game against a lefty starter in a Seattle Mariners uniform, outfielder Taylor Ward started in left field and batted leadoff. Ward should earn more opportunities against lefties at the top of the lineup, but should continue to bat in the bottom third against righties.

Robbie Ray hopes his Padres debut goes better than Casey Mize’s. Ray will toe the rubber against the Houston Astros at Petco Park tonight. Kevin Gausman will make his first start with the Cubs in Kansas City. Ditto for another new Blue Jays starter José Soriano, starting against the Phillies tonight.

More old faces in new places: Chicago White Sox catcher Joey Bart suffered a fractured left hand after getting hit by new Boston Red Sox reliever, Erik Miller. Expect Bart to go on the IL and Edgar Quero to be called back up.

The only two qualified hitters with a barrel rate of 20% or higher over the last 30 days are Esmerlyn Valdez (20.9%) and Eugenio Suárez (20%). Valdez has a .195 AVG, 8 HR and 21 RBI over that span. Suárez is hitting .182 with 6 HR and 8 RBI.

There are only three hitters with at least nine home runs and a .300 ISO against southpaws and the names might surprise you:

Seven of Tyler Soderstrom’s 17 home runs this season have been hit off southpaws. Last season, just five of 25. He is still a below-average hitter against lefties (88 wRC+, 135 against RHPs).

Various News and Notes

Sox were off on Thursday! It was a wild one between Red and White — probably the most entertaining game of the season. The White Sox took a lead five separate times, including in extra innings, but nothing can stop the Red Sox:

Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his incredible run on Thursday in tremendous fashion:

He is currently the slight favorite over Shohei Ohtani for the NL MVP award.

Framber Valdez had a rare strong start on Thursday, his first in the post-Skubal era.

Valdez struck out five over seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits and two walks. Breakout star catcher Dillon Dingler crushed his 26th homer of the season off Seattle’s Bryce Miller in the first inning.

What a crazy dinger by Ronald Acuña Jr. that bounced off two gloves:

Acuña hit a second home run later in the game.

The New York Mets ruined Foster Griffin’s Guardians debut, scoring five runs on seven hits off him. Griffin needed 88 pitches to cover four innings. The Mets offense torched the bullpen as well, managing 18 base-knocks in the contest. Everyone in their starting lineup had at least one hit.

The top four hitters in the Cincinnati Reds lineup went deep in Thursday’s contest, at home against the Athletics — Elly De La Cruz (19), Sal Stewart (25), JJ Bleday (20), and Tyler Stephenson (10). Stephenson has been locked into the cleanup start against righties since the end of July.

Streaming Pitchers (Under 50% on Yahoo)

Pitcher for Today: Kyle Leahy, STL (34%) vs. COL

Starts like these can often be traps. Leahy sports a ridiculous 1.21 ERA and a 32:9 K:BB over his last seven starts and will face the road Rockies in their pitcher-friendly abode.

Other Options: Keider Montero, DET (36%) at SF

Montero keeps getting his job done. His ratios of 3.17 (ERA) and 1.00 (WHIP) sparkle, as does his Kirbyan walk rate of 5.4%. The Giants are a great target for streaming pitchers for the rest of the season.

Pitcher for Tomorrow: Matthew Liberatore, STL (10%) vs. COL

An uber low percentage streamer whose team is a strong home favorite against a Rockies offense with the 29th ranked wRC+ (79) against lefties. Liberatore has a 27% strikeout rate over his last 13 starts.

Other Options: Walbert Ureña, LAA (44%) at MIA

He just keeps getting away with it! The difference between Ureña’s ERA (2.54) and his SIERA (4.45) is massive, as is his walk rate (12.3%). He has not allowed more than one run in five straight starts and somehow keeps getting the job done.





 

Vlad writes for RotoGraphs and is the head of fantasy baseball content at FTN Fantasy. He is a Tout Wars Expert League champ, member of the CDM Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame and has been nominated for FSWA writing awards six times. Vlad has been playing fantasy baseball since 1995, winning 42 NFBC leagues since 2012 and ranking in the top percentile in NFBC’s Online Championship contest (33% win rate, 52% cash rate; 64 leagues). Much to the chagrin of his colleagues and most baseball aficionados, Vlad is a lifelong Dodgers fan who claims his first gut call at age 9 was Kirk Gibson’s 1988 World Series home run. You can follow him on X and BlueSky @RotoGut.

1 Comment
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alang3131982Member since 2016
1 hour ago

Is Agustin Ramriez a hold in a dynasty league where folks like Winn, Nootbar, Mangum are owned?

0