Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Jac Caglianone, Shane Bieber & Thairo Estrada
FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
Jac Caglianone (1B Royals): Rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues
Let's wish this into existence.
The hope was that the Royals were calling up Caglianone when they dropped Cavan Biggio from the roster on Sunday, but they chose John Rave instead. Three days earlier, they cut Hunter Renfroe but replaced him with an infielder in Nick Loftin. Whether it's offense or, more likely, defense, the Royals don't think Caglianone is quite ready, at least not as an outfielder. He has to be close, though.
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Caglianone was the sixth overall pick in last year's draft after a stellar run at the University of Florida. While he was also a legitimate prospect as a pitcher, there was no doubt he was being drafted for his bat, which produced 68 homers in 137 games in his final two years in school. He opened this year in Double-A and hit .322/.394/.553 in 38 games. The Royals just recently promoted him to Triple-A Omaha, where he's opened up 12-for-37 with five homers. Overall, he's hit .323/.389/.593 with 14 homers in 216 plate appearances.
Never having played anywhere other than first until this year, Caglianone remains a novice in the outfield, He's started two games in left and 10 in right, where his excellent arm should help make up for his lack of range. Obviously, he still needs more work out there. He needs it almost as much as the Royals need his bat in the middle of their lineup.
Caglianone should be a future 30-homer guy for the Royals, even while playing half of his games in arguably MLB's toughest home run park for lefties. Kauffman is actually a fine hitter's park on the whole, but because homers are the biggest part of his game, it will probably take away from Caglianone's numbers some. Still, Caglianone isn't a big strikeout guy for as hard as he swings; he's fanned just 20.4 percent of the time this season. He should be worth using in mixed leagues as soon as he's promoted.
Shane Bieber (SP Guardians): Rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues
Making his way back from last April's Tommy John surgery, Bieber is set for his first of several rehab starts Saturday. He probably won't make his return to the Guardians rotation until the end of June, but it'll likely be too late by then to add him in mixed leagues.
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Of course, we don't know exactly which Bieber we'll be seeing this year. The 2023 version was a far cry from the AL Cy Young Award winner of 2020, as his strikeout rate dropped significantly for a third straight year and he wound up with a 3.80 ERA. It looked like a turnaround was in store last year, as he followed up an impressive spring by pitching 12 scoreless innings with 20 strikeouts in his first two starts. But that's when his elbow gave out.
That Bieber worked hard to reclaim some of his lost velocity probably played a role in last year's injury. It's certainly too much to expect him to come out firing now like he did last spring, though anything is possible. If he's in 2023 form, that's still a useful pitcher, too. Pitching in Cleveland helps limit his homer totals, and he's always done well in terms of WHIP. There are no guarantees with a pitcher returning from surgery, but Bieber's a good enough bet to be worth the roster/IL spot a month ahead of his debut.
Thairo Estrada (2B Rockies): Rostered in 6% of Yahoo leagues
Signed over the winter to replace Brendan Rodgers at second base in Colorado, Estrada is finally ready to make his Rockies debut 10 weeks after a Kumar Rocker pitch left him with a broken wrist. That he'll play regularly isn't in doubt. How much running he'll do will be the determining factor in whether he proves useful in mixed leagues.
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Never much of a basestealer in the minors, Estrada surprised everyone by swiping 21 bases in 27 tries while emerging as a useful fantasy infielder with the Giants in 2022., He followed that up with an even better 2023 in which he was 23-for-30 stealing bases, even though he missed nearly a quarter of the season. Last year, though, everything came crashing down for Estrada. He hit just .217/.247/.343 and was 2-for-4 stealing bases in 96 games before finishing the year in the minors.
The two reasons for optimism now is that Estrada's exit velocity numbers last year were basically the same as the previous two seasons, and he's gone from a tough park for hitters to the best in baseball in Coors Field. He's still probably not going to make more than modest contributions in the non-SB categories, but if he gets back to doing some running -- and there's really no reason for him not to on a team as bad as the Rockies are -- he'll probably be helpful as an MI in 12-team leagues.
Waiver Wire Quick Hits
- Camilo Doval remains available in 46% of Yahoo leagues after being returned to the closer's role by the Giants this week. He's probably going to be a top-20 and maybe a top-10 RP the rest of the way.
- Gavin Lux probably isn't a long-term guy in mixed leagues, but the Reds have six home games next week, with at least five of those coming against righties, and Lux is hitting in the cleanup spot with Austin Hays on the IL. As a one-week option, he makes plenty of sense.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Miguel Vargas is heating up, Cole Young makes his debut
Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season. The premise is pretty straightforward. I'll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I'll list the category where I think he'll be helpful or the quick reason he's listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs. For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, 'These players aren't available in my league,' and I can't help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they're available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types. Matthew Pouliot, Waiver Wire Hitters Jordan Beck - OF, COL: 35% rostered (HOME PARK BONUS, PROSPECT GROWTH) The Rockies are coming back to Coors Field for the three games next week and are on the road in Miami for their other three, so now may be the time to add Beck back if he was dropped this week. He's a young hitter with some power and speed who has a 15.3% barrel rate on the season. His exit velocities aren't great, but he's pulling and lifting the ball more this year, which is going to help him get to his power. He still has just a 70% contact rate and 14.4% swinging strike rate, so the batting average will likely regress, but the power is intriguing, and you can slot him into your lineup every time the Rockies are at home. Another outfielder to add for recent production and a strong schedule is Jesus Sanchez - OF, MIA (3% rostered). He gets five right-handed pitchers this week, including two starts against the Rockies' staff, so that puts Sanchez firmly on the radar. The got a late start to the season due to injury, but is hitting .275/.366/.425 in May with three home runs, 12 runs scored, 11 RBI, and four steals in 22 games. He still hits the ball on the ground far too much for my liking, but he has taken a more passive approach this season, cutting his chase rate and swing rate by a good deal, which makes me think this solid average with modest speed/power profile could be real. Max Muncy - 3B, LAD: 34% rostered (HOT STREAK, RBI UPSIDE) At the beginning of May, Muncy started wearing glasses during games to help with an astigmatism in his right eye. He didn't know if it would help him at all, but he said he was willing to try anything if it might help his game. Well, since May 5th, Muncy is hitting .250/.370/.422 with five home runs, 24 RBI, two steals and a 12/13 K/BB ratio in 21 games. We've seen Muncy has good stretches before and even the batting average during this hot streak isn't great, but he's putting the ball in play and driving in runs. That kind of power and RBI production is useful in any format. If you're looking for a third baseman in deeper formats, Jose Tena - 2B/3B, WAS (0% rostered) has been posting a solid batting average of late, hitting .286/.368/.429 over his last 15 games with nine runs scored, four RBI and one steal. He is among the leaders on Statcast's Rolling wOBA Leaderboard and has a 7/7 K/BB ratio over that stretch which highlights his strong swing decisions. As you can tell from the numbers above, he's not bringing you tons of value, but in really deep formats, a player who is playing regularly and making good swing decisions and getting on base can be valuable. Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS: 32% rostered (EVERY DAY JOB, MODEST STEALS UPSIDE) In 23 games in May, Meidroth is hitting .290/.365/.366 with 13 runs scored, seven steals, and a 12/11 K/BB ratio, so he's another hitter I'm highlighting on here who is making good swing decisions and succeeding due to a strong understanding of the strike zone. He had never stolen more than 13 bases in a season at the minor league level, so that number is a bit shocking to me, but he can run a bit and is a smart baseball player on a bad team that has no problem taking chances on the bases. Meidroth is also hitting leadoff and playing every day, so he could accumulate runs and steals while hitting for a solid batting average. That works in a lot of leagues. If you were interested in a more volatile option for speed, you could turn to Connor Norby - 2B/3B, MIA (12% rostered). The Marlins infielder has been working with hitting coaches on some swing modifications and that has led to a .282/.322/.435 slash line in 22 games in May with two home runs, 13 RBI, and two steals. He stole 16 bases last season between the minors and MLB, so he's not a burner, but he will swipe some bags. The issue is that, even in this strong stretch, he has a 27% strikeout rate, so the swing and miss will likely always be in his game and lead to some cold streaks. Alec Burleson - 1B/OF, STL: 29% rostered (PLAYING TIME REGAINED, POWER UPSIDE) After losing playing time early in the season to Jordan Walker, Burleson got back to a point where he was starting essentially every day against right-handed pitching. Then Walker started working himself back into playing time and the Cardinals have started to play Ivan Herrera at DH. On Saturday, the Cardinals put Walker on the IL, so we should see Burleson back into a full-time role. He has done his part too. In 18 games in May, Burleson is hitting .328/.371/.608 with four home runs, 10 RBI, and one steal. The Cardinals have been a solid offense so far this season, and Burleson can be a big component of that. He won't play versus lefties, which makes him a better fit in daily moves leagues, but he can be solid in NFBC-type formats when you can change your lineup mid-week as well. We just have to keep an eye on the playing time and ensure it remains. Gavin Sheets - 1B/OF, SD (20% rostered) had been in a similar boat, but he has started playing against some lefties recently as well. Sheets is hitting .285/.331/.510 on the season with nine home runs, so he has been productive for the Padres this year. He's hitting in the middle of a lineup that features a lot of strong bats, which means he has a good chance for RBI upside. His multi-position eligibility also makes him a bit more valuable, and he's an add I like in daily moves leagues. Roman Anthony - OF, BOS: 29% rostered (TOP PROSPECT, POTENTIAL CALL-UP) The screams for the Red Sox to promote Roman Anthony are only getting louder as the big league team struggles to find any offense without both Alex Bergman and Triston Casas. The issue is that the Red Sox still don't have space in the outfield for Anthony, and Rafael Devers has not yet agreed to take reps at 1B. It's coming to a point where Boston may have no choice but to move Gold Glove CF Ceddanne Rafaela back to the infield just to get Anthony's bat up. You simply can't be in a big market like Boston and have your big league team playing this poorly while the top prospect in ball of baseball is hitting .309/.441.514 with eight home runs, 40 runs scored, and 23 RBI in 50 games at Triple-A. Anthony has never posted a swinging strike rate above 9% at any step in the minors other than 50 games at High-A in 2023, so he should be a solid batting average asset upon being called up with good power potential and the ability to swipe 5-10 bases. Once he's up, Boston is HIGHLY unlikely to send him back down. Another big money stash option would be Jac Caglianone - 1B, KC (13% rostered), who the team promoted to Triple-A recently. He's gone 12-for-37 at the level with five home runs and 10 RBI in nine games. The Royals have also been playing him in the outfield to expedite his path to the big leagues, and with the team waiving Hunter Renfroe, we may see Caglianone get a shot in the coming weeks. Keep in mind that he has played only 43 games above High-A and had a nearly 13% swinging strike rate in Double-A, so this may be a similar situation to Nick Kurtz as well, where we see good power but some stretches where the swing-and-miss takes over as he adjusts to MLB pitching. Ryan O'Hearn - 1B/OF, BAL: 22% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, POWER UPSIDE) Ryan O'Hearn is a boring veteran who has also been criticized because he was 'blocking' the path of many of the Orioles' top prospects for the last couple of years. However, at this point, Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby are gone, Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser play every day when healthy, Heston Kjerstad has not hit at the MLB level, and the team clearly doesn't trust Coby Mayo as a defender, so maybe we should just embrace O'Hearn for the value that he does bring. Much like Burleson, O'Hearn isn't going to play against lefties, but unlike Burleson, we know for certain O'Hearn will be in there against right-handed pitching. He hits clean-up for the Orioles and is having one of his best seasons by trading a little but of contact for a slightly more pull-happy approach. He's more of a line drive hitter, so the home run production will come and go, but the quality of contact has been really good, and this lineup should improve when Cowser and Westburg return soon. Marcelo Mayer - SS, BOS: 21% rostered (RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) With Alex Bregman suffering a 'significant' quad strain, the path for Mayer to finally reach Boston became clear, and he was called up last Saturday for his MLB debut. Since then, he has started every game at third base and gone 5-for-19 with two extra base hits and on run scored. In Triple-A, Mayer hit .271/.347/.471 in 43 games at with nine home runs and 43 RBI. Just like what we discussed above with Jac Caglianone, there will be struggles for Mayer to adjust to MLB pitching, and his power is not going to immediately carry over. That being said, unlike power-first guys like Caglianone and Nick Kurtz, Mayer is an MLB-ready hitter from a plate discipline and contact perspective, and is going to be a strong fantasy add in deeper formats. In shallower leagues, he may not be as valuable this year since the power and speed numbers won't be that great. Miguel Vargas - 1B/3B/OF, CWS: 17% rostered (POST HYPE PROSPECT, EMERGING POWER) I'm not sure what more Vargas has to do to be rostered in more leagues. Three weeks ago, he appeared in my article on hitters to add based on their plate discipline and contact rates. Vargas is chasing at a super low rate, making 85% contact overall and rarely swinging and missing. He's pulling the ball slightly less this season and has focused less on lifting the ball, which is a good change. He doesn't smoke the ball, but a 90 mph average exit velocity is pretty good, and he's playing every day in Chicago. The production he's put up over the last month matches the process, with him hitting .275/.343/.604 in 24 games in May with seven home runs, 17 runs scored, and 15 RBI. The team context is not good, but the playing time and production have been solid. Another multi-position option, but one primarily for speed, is Jose Caballero - 2B/3B/SS/OF, TB (15% rostered), who has 11 steals in 21 games in May. He may lose his starting spot in two-ish weeks when Ha-Seong Kim returns, but the Rays have shown confidence in playing him basically anywhere on the field, which could help him keep making four starts a week and helping with your stolen base totals. Brett Baty - 3B, NYM: 17% rostered (PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, HOT STREAK) With Mark Vientos continuing to look lost at third base, there's a real chance for Baty to emerge as the regular third baseman for the Mets with Vientos shifting to DH. In 20 games in May, Baty is hitting .290/.333/.581 with five home runs and 16 RBI. He's also pulling the ball 45% of the time as he starts to get a little more aggressive in the batter's box. That's huge for him because a lot of his early-season struggles were connected to being too passive and getting himself into terrible counts. In deeper formats, we are going to see Shay Whitcomb - 3B, HOU (1% rostered) get a chance in Houston this year now that Chas McCormick is on the IL. Whitcomb has been tearing up AAA to the tune of 18 home runs and a .275/.357/.599 slash line. He has can play multiple positions on the infield as well as shift into the outfield, and with Zach Dezenzo also hurting his hand on Saturday, there could be a chance for Whitcomb to push for playing time here. Cam Smith - 3B/OF, HOU: 17% rostered (POWER UPSIDE, PROSPECT GROWTH IS NOT LINEAR) Cam Smith is continuing to hit, going 23-for-75 over the last month, which is a .307 average. Unfortunately, the increased batting average is coming with a huge dip in fly ball rate, so he has no home runs and just seven RBI over that stretch. Smith is a young player who jumped straight to the big leagues from High-A ball, so he's adjusting to MLB pitching and starting to have some success. I'm willing to bet on him continuing to adjust and finding the power stroke again. Matt Wallner - OF, MIN: 12% rostered (POWER UPSIDE, RETURN FROM THE IL) The Twins lineup got fully healthy this weekend with the return flor Byron Buxton and Wallner, who has been out six weeks with a hamstring strain. Wallner was crushing the ball in Triple-A and should immediately return to his everyday role against right-handed pitching. What that means for Kody Clemens - 1B/2B/3B, MIN (3% rostered) is anybody's guess. Clemens has been on fire of late and can move all over the field, so there's still reason to be adding him because he can starts 4-5 times a week in a super utility role. However, I'd keep my bids light until we know for sure what his role is. Jake Meyers - OF, HOU: 10% rostered (SPEED UPSIDE, STARTING JOB) A few weeks ago, I published an article on hitters who were being more aggressive and swinging at the first pitch more often this year than last year. Myers popped up for me on that leaderboard, and I explained in detail why I'm a fan of his new approach, so you should read that article to check out the analysis; however, I think he's a solid add for steals and something close to a .270 batting average. Another outfield speed option is Sal Frelick - OF, MIL (19% rostered) who has been a bit underrated in fantasy circles this season despite hitting .297 with 11 stolen bases. He's gone 18-for-48 over the last two weeks with three steals while driving in nine runs for a Brewers offense that is slowly waking up a little bit. He's primarily a batting average and stolen base asset, but he does help a little bit everywhere and is a really solid, deep league player and a fine fifth OF in shallow formats. Carlos Santana - 1B, CLE: 8% rostered (BATTING AVERAGE, RBI UPSIDE) Every year, Carlos Santana has strong stretches where his batting average spikes and he drives in a bunch of runs in the middle of a batting order. We are in one of those stretches right now. Over the last month, he has gone 23-for-75 (.307) with four home runs and 21 RBIs. The batting average will likely regress in the coming weeks, and this isn't a pick up necessarily to hold for the remainder of the season, outside of deeper formats, but Santana is a solid veteran hitter, who can be helpful for you when he's riding hot streaks like this. It also seems like Eric Wagaman - 1B/3B/OF, MIA (3% rostered) is heating up again. He's hitting .286 over his last two weeks, going 14-for-49 with one home run but just five RBI since the lineup around him is not great. That limits him to just deep leagues. Addison Barger - 3B/OF, TOR: 7% rostered (PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, POWER UPSIDE) I was a fan of Addison Barger in the spring when he was all over the spring training leaderboards, and then I read about how the Blue Jays tried to change his swing upon his arrival in the big leagues and how it didn't work. He has now gone back to a more 'free' swing that he says stops him from overthinking in the box and just lets him be loose. We obviously love to hear that, and I think Barger has a profile that the Blue Jays need. So many of their hitters are contact-first bats (Bichette, Clement, Springer, Kirk). I think Barger is a nice fit as more of a pull-heavy hitter who tries to do damage when he swings. That may lead to a .250 type of hitter, but I believe in his batted ball quality and think he could push to be the Blue Jays' third baseman for the season. Barger's teammate, Ernie Clement - 2B/SS/3B - TOR (4% rostered) has only been seeing the ball well lately, going 28-for-94 (.298) over the last month with three home runs, 14 runs scored, and 12 RBI. The impending return of Andres Gimenez could make plane time a bit complicated, but Anthony Santander heading to the IL means that Barger could move to DH and allow both Clement and Gimenez to play the field every day again. Clement proved himself to be a solid batting average asset last season and his multi-position eligibility makes him valuable in deeper performance. Carlos Narvaez - C, BOS: 7% rostered (PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, TBATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) It seems as though Narvaez has emerged as the starting catcher and one of the better rookies in the AL. He was known primarily for his plus defense when he was acquired from the Yankees in a trade this off-season, but he's hitting .285/.349/.457 in 166 plate appearances with five home runs and 17 RBI. He provides top-tier defense behind the plate and is going to start about two-thirds of the games for the Red Sox while hitting near the middle of the order. He should be rostered in all two-catcher leagues. Henry Davis - C, PIT (0% rostered) has also become the starting catcher for the Pirates with Joey Bart on the concussion IL. Davis has gone 7-for-24 (.292) over that span with one home run and four RBI. It's not elite production, but he has some prospect pedigree, is showing minor improvements, and Bart has had a few concussions before, so it's unclear how long he may be out for. Cole Young - 2B/SS, SEA: 6% rostered (RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) On Saturday, the Mariners called up their 3rd-ranked prospect, Cole Young, who's the 43rd-ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. He's a high contact rate hitter who doesn't have tons of power but could push 15+ steals in an everyday role. He's seen a slight uptick in his power this season, but he's probably a 10+ HR bat right now who has a good feel for the zone and gets a slight boost in OBP leagues. The Orioles also called up Coby Mayo - 3B, BAL (6% rostered) with Ryan Mountcastle headed to the IL with a hamstring injury. Even though Jordan Westburg is returning, Mayo should be set as the near every day 1B/DH for a few weeks while Mountcastle is down. This could finally be the chance for him to get regular run in a big league lineup. The only potential concern is if Colton Cowser and Tyler O'Neill both come back and the Orioles decide to push Heston Kjerstad to DH versus righties Robert Hassell III - OF, WAS: 6% rostered (PROSPECT CALL UP, SPEED UPSIDE) The Nationals called up Hassell last week after having to place both Jacob Young and Dylan Crews on the IL. So far, the former top prospect, who is one of the players who came over in the Juan Soto trade years ago, has gone 10-for-37 (.270) with one home run, six RBI, and one steals. He was hitting .288 with four home runs, nine steals, and a .742 OPS in Triple-A this season and had made clear gains in his exit velocity and shown a little bit more pop than in years past. I don't expect him to hit for much power at the big league level, but he could be useful in deeper formats. Fantasy managers in deep leagues could also add Andrew Benintendi - OF, CWS (3% rostered). We know he's not going to set the world on fire, but he's going to play every day and had shown some solid power earlier in the season before getting hurt. It's boring but functional in deeper formats. Thairo Estrada- 2B, COL: 6% rostered (OFF THE IL, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) He's back. Estrada was a big late-round favorite of mine early in the season now that he's in Colorado. I think he hurt his fantasy value by playing through injury last year, but he's a .270 15/15 type of talent who will not be playing in Coors Field. A fractured wrist could impact some of that power, but Estrada hit a solid 7-for-23 during his rehab assignment and could be a solid source of batting average and speed while being the likely every day starter at second base for the Rockies. Dane Myers - OF, MIA: 5% rostered (OFF THE IL, SPEED UPSIDE) The Marlins brought Dane Myers off the IL this week. He had hit .337/.375/.482 with seven steals in 29 games and should play everyday, so if you're in a deeper league and need some speed, he's a solid gamble. Injuries to Anthony Santander and Daulton Varsho may have also opened up playing time chances for Alan Roden - OF, TOR (1% rostered), who started the year up in Toronto before heading back to Triple-A and lighting up the box scores with a .375/.467/.625 slash line, three home runs, and three steals in 16 games. In shallower formats, I'd want to wait to see what Toronto is doing a bit more, but in deeper leagues, I'd gamble and add Roden this weekend. Ha-Seong Kim - SS, TB: 4% rostered) (IL STASH, SPEED UPSIDE) If you have space for a bench stash, Kim is another possible option if you need speed. He's currently in Triple-A on a rehab assignment, so it feels like maybe two more weeks until we see Kim back up, but he should play every day for the Rays, who may also then ship him away at the trade deadline. Even if that happens, Kim would have value wherever he winds up, so now may be the time to stash him. Another middle infield option primarily for speed is Otto Lopez - 2B/SS, MIA (8% rostered), who stole 20 bases for Miami last season. He has hit just .237 since coming off the IL and has just five steals on the season, but I think his true talent is as a 20-25 steal middle infielder, and so that has value if you're OK with the counting stats being pretty modest. Waiver Wire Pitchers Ryan Weathers - SP, MIA: 38% rostered I'm surprised that Weathers still makes the cut for this list. He has come back off the IL and faced the Cubs twice and Padres once and allowed just three runs in 15/2 innings while striking out 15. His spring training velocity has held, and his command has been tremendous early on. I like him as an upside play and think he needs to be rostered in all formats. Daniel Palencia - RP, CHC: 37% rostered Palencia has seen his roster rate shoot up almost 30% after securing five of his last five save opportunities. The right-hander has limited experience and some previous control concerns, but he throws hard and has a 1.74 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 20.2 innings this season. At this point, it's hard to see him losing the closer role to either Ryan Presley or Porter Hodge when he returns. However, I do expect the Cubs to go out and trade for a veteran reliever at some point. That still gives Palencia a few weeks as the unquestioned closer on one of the best teams in baseball. Eury Perez - SP, MIA: 36% rostered Eury Perez looks set to make his season debut this week after throwing five shutout innings in his final Triple-A start on Wednesday. During his rehab starts, he has showed off a new sinker that should help him as a second fastball variation and a pitch to attack righties with inside. He's a young arm with the upside to be a 30% strikeout rate pitcher with a low 3.00 ERA; however, we have to remember that he missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery, so his command figures to be inconsistent this year, and the Marlins are going to be cautious with his innings. His potential for wins is also capped on Miami, so while I like adding Perez, I just want you to do it with some caution. Bubba Chandler - SP, PIT: 32% rostered Is Tuesday the day? Mike Burrows' spot in the rotation comes up on Tuesday at home, and there are some rumblings that Bubba Chandler could make that start. We have no idea if it's true, but it seems like it's only a matter of time before Chandler is up in the Pirates rotation. He has dominated the level this year, and has nothing left to prove. I know waiting is hard, but if you have the bench space for a stash, I think Chandler is the one. Shelby Miller - RP, ARI: 24% rostered Justin Martinez is back and throwing 100 mph, but I think it's premature to assume that he will simply be given the closer's role. There's a good chance they use Miller to help lessen some of Martinez's workload after coming back, by using him in the eighth inning or mixing in Miller for some save opportunities as well. If somebody in your league has dropped Miller, I'd put in a small bid just until we see how this situation plays out. Edward Cabrera - SP, MIA: 22% rostered Cabrera has long tantalized with his upside and disappointed with his command, but he is making some pitch mix changes that caught my attention. I dug into him for my starting pitcher news column this week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for a more detailed breakdown. Zebby Matthews - SP, MIN: 19% rostered We waited for months to get Zebby in the Twins rotation, and then he pitched seven combined innings in his first two starts. Well, the Twins let him go seven innings in just his last start alone, and while the overall stat line isn't great, Matthew's struck out seven and pitched deep into the game. He also really only got dinged up in the first inning when both Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena got him for home runs. He settled down after that, and if I'm getting Zebby with the ability to go six or more innings then I'm in. Landen Roupp - SP, SF: 17% rostered Last week, everybody was talking about Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison moving into the rotation, but Roupp just keeps chugging along. He threw four great innings against the Tigers on Wednesday, but the fifth inning was a mess of errors and some hits, and he was chased from the game early. Still, over his last 26 innings, he has just a 1.73 ERA, 11.19 WHIP and 21 strikeouts. With the exception of his last start, he's been going five innings or deeper pretty consistently, and I think he's a pretty safe option. Richard Fitts - SP, BOS: 8% rostered Fitts was added back to the rotation last week instead of continuing his rehab assignment, and while he was limited to just three innings, we should expect him to build back up in the coming weeks. With Tanner Houck on the IL, I expect Fitts to officially take Hunter Dobbins' place in the rotation for the foreseeable future. Before straining his pec in April, he showed off improved velocity and a much deeper pitch mix that features a new fastball variation and sweeper. I'm a believer in Fitts. Slade Cecconi - SP, CLE: 3% rostered Cecconi was not great on Saturday against the Angels, but he was also pitching on nine days rest due to a groin injury, and I often think added rest like that can backfire on a starter. I covered Cecconi's increased velocity and new pitch mix in my starting pitcher column for last week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for my thoughts. Sawyer Gipson-Long, SP: 1% rostered Is in a similar situation to Fitts. He's likely to come up this week to take Jackson Jobe's spot in the rotation, but could likely still use some more rehab stints. I like Gipson-Long as an arm, so I wanted to highlight him here, but I'd be trying to just watch him this week rather then add him since he missed all of last season after elbow surgery. STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order) Week of 6/2 Strong Preference Fairly Confident Some Hesitation If I'm Desperate
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Cubs vs. Reds MLB player props and odds - Sunday, June 1
Cubs vs. Reds MLB player props and odds - Sunday, June 1 Sportsbooks have set player props for Elly De La Cruz and others when the Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field on Sunday at 2:20 p.m. ET. The Cubs (-160), according to sportsbooks, are moneyline favorites in this matchup against the Reds (+135) Oddsmakers have set the total for this matchup at 7.5 runs. Watch Cubs vs. Reds on Fubo! Chicago Cubs prop bets today Cincinnati Reds prop bets today Elly De La Cruz player props Hits prop: Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: -182, under odds: +140) Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: -182, under odds: +140) Runs prop: Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +150, under odds: -208) Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +150, under odds: -208) Home runs prop: Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +575, under odds: -909) Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +575, under odds: -909) RBI prop: Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +200, under odds: -278) De La Cruz has a slash line of .252/.324/.439 this season for the Reds. He has 11 home runs and 40 RBI, 43 runs scored, a strikeout rate of 28.1% and a walk rate of 9%, plus 17 steals on 22 attempts. Elly De La Cruz recent game stats at Cubs on May 31: 0-for-3, 1 K 0-for-3, 1 K at Cubs on May 30: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 K 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 K at Royals on May 28: 1-for-4, 1 R 1-for-4, 1 R at Royals on May 27: 2-for-4, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 BB 2-for-4, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 BB at Royals on May 26: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 K, 1 BB TJ Friedl player props Hits prop: Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: -175, under odds: +135) Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: -175, under odds: +135) Runs prop: Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +155, Under odds: -222) Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +155, Under odds: -222) Home runs prop: Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +950, under odds: -2000) Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +950, under odds: -2000) RBI prop: Over/under 0.5 (Over odds: +270, under odds: -385) The Reds' TJ Friedl has slashed .305/.388/.427, with four homers and 20 RBI, plus nine steals on 12 attempts. He has 34 runs scored, a strikeout rate of 15.9%, and a walk rate of 11.4%. TJ Friedl recent game stats at Cubs on May 31: 1-for-4, 1 K 1-for-4, 1 K at Cubs on May 30: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB at Royals on May 28: 2-for-5, 2 K 2-for-5, 2 K at Royals on May 27: 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 BB 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 BB at Royals on May 26: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB Cubs vs. Reds how to watch, starters When: Sunday, June 1, 2025 at 2:20 p.m. ET Sunday, June 1, 2025 at 2:20 p.m. ET Where: Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois How to watch on TV: MARQ and FDSOH MARQ and FDSOH Livestream: Watch on Fubo! (Regional restrictions may apply) Watch on Fubo! Cubs starter: Jameson Taillon (4-3) Jameson Taillon (4-3) Reds starter: Nick Martinez (3-5) Watch Cubs vs. Reds on Fubo!
USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
Royals vs. Rays Tickets, First Pitch Time for Tuesday, June 24
Royals vs. Rays Tickets, First Pitch Time for Tuesday, June 24 A pair of hot hitters, Bobby Witt Jr. and Junior Caminero, will try to keep it going when the Kansas City Royals face the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, June 24 at 7:40 p.m. ET, at Kauffman Stadium (broadcast on FDSKC and FDSSUN). Buy Royals Tickets on SeatGeek Buy Royals Tickets on StubHub Royals vs. Rays Game Info Game day: Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Game time: 7:40 p.m. ET 7:40 p.m. ET TV channel: FDSKC and FDSSUN FDSKC and FDSSUN Live Stream: Watch LIVE with Fubo! (Regional restrictions may apply) Watch LIVE with Fubo! Location: Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri Stadium: Kauffman Stadium Kauffman Stadium Royals Starter: TBA TBA Rays Starter: TBA Royals vs. Rays Tickets For Sale Royals vs. Rays offensive insights The Royals have hit just 34 homers this season, which ranks last in the league. Hitters for Kansas City have combined to rank 26th in the majors with a .361 team slugging percentage. The Royals have a team batting average of .246 this season, which ranks 17th among MLB teams. The Rays are 15th in baseball with 60 home runs. They average 1.0 per game. This season, Tampa Bay is 17th in the majors, slugging .391. The Rays rank 13th in MLB with a .248 batting average. Watch MLB on Fubo Royals' top hitters Witt's batting average this year is .284, and he has a .342 on-base percentage and a .480 slugging percentage. He has six homers and 31 RBI, plus 30 runs scored and 20 stolen bases on 25 attempts. His strikeout rate is 17.9%, and his walk rate is 7.8%. So far this year, Maikel Garcia is batting .316, with a .378 on-base percentage and a .474 slugging percentage. His strikeout rate is 15.4%, and his walk rate is 9%. He has five home runs and 25 RBI, plus 24 runs scored and 10 steals on 16 attempts. Vinnie Pasquantino's current batting average is .253, and he has eight home runs and 31 RBI, plus 22 runs scored. He has a .307 on-base percentage, and a .396 slugging percentage. His strikeout rate is 18%, and his walk rate is 6.1%. Also for the Royals, Jonathan India's batting average is .240, with a .333 on-base percentage and a .306 slugging percentage. His strikeout rate is 15.1%, and his walk rate is 11.1%. He has one homer and 13 RBI, plus 19 runs scored. Rays' top hitters Caminero is hitting .265/.291/.512 this season with 13 home runs, 37 RBI and 30 runs, with three stolen bases on three attempts. He's striking out 19.3% of the time and walking at a 4% clip. In 238 plate appearances, Yandy Diaz has put up a batting average of .241 with an OPS of .690 (.286 OBP; .405 SLG) this season, while belting eight dingers with 22 runs and 34 RBI. He's drawing free passes at a 5.9% clip and fanning 14.7% of the time. On the bases, he's pilfered three bags on three attempts. This season, Jonathan Aranda, who has a .320/.407/.506 triple slash line, has piled up 28 runs, 31 RBI, and seven dingers in 199 plate appearances. His walk rate is 11.1%, while his strikeout rate is 24.6%. At the plate, Brandon Lowe is hitting .246/.300/.438 with 11 homers, 31 RBI and 30 runs scored. He's fanning 25.9% of the time and walking at a 6.8% rate. Royals' injuries Hunter Harvey: 15 Day IL (Shoulder), Sam Long: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Lucas Erceg: 15 Day IL (Back), Kyle Wright: 15 Day IL (Shoulder), Cole Ragans: 15 Day IL (Groin), Alec Marsh: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), James McArthur: 60 Day IL (Elbow) Rays' injuries Richie Palacios: 10 Day IL (Knee), Travis Jankowski: 10 Day IL (Groin), Hunter Bigge: 15 Day IL (Lat), Ha-Seong Kim: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Shane McClanahan: 60 Day IL (Tricep), Nathan Lavender: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Alex Faedo: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jonny Deluca: 60 Day IL (Shoulder) Buy Royals Tickets on SeatGeek Buy Royals Tickets on StubHub
