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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Noelvi Marte, Colson Montgomery, and Ronny Mauricio
With the All-Star break in the rearview mirror, it's time to start positioning ourselves for the championship push. Whether you're trying to hold onto a top spot, pushing the leader, desperately trying to play catchup, or positioning yourself for the playoffs, reinforcements and upside are vital this time of year. Most waiver wires have been picked over though and it's difficult to find impact players readily available in most leagues at this point in the season. Fear not, because there are still a handful of available players that have the chance to be difference makers that help push us towards glory. MLB Power Rankings: Blue Jays soar to the top, streaking Mets gain momentum as trade deadline looms The Blue Jays move into the top spot after taking three out of four from the Tigers. D.J. Short , Here are three players that are under 40% rostered on Yahoo leagues that you should strongly consider adding. If you want a larger list, Eric Samulski wrote his extended waiver wire piece on Sunday. Noelvi Marte, 3B Reds (25% Rostered on Yahoo) Marte is this exact type of lightning in a bottle player that's being overlooked. It makes sense why he would be though, coming off a disastrous sophomore season where he missed the first 80 games due to a PED suspension and then struck out over 30% of the time after he returned. It was ugly. He didn't make the team out of camp and spent his first week of his year down in Triple-A. After being promoted, he hit three homers and stole four bases in 19 games and it felt like a breakout was happening. Then, he strained his oblique amidst that hot streak and spent two months on the injured list. Now, he's been back for nearly a month and while the production has been pedestrian – three homers, two stolen bases, and a .759 OPS – he's doing a lot of things well. His raw power is fantastic with a 116.7 max exit velocity – top 98th percentile in the league – and high-end bat speed. It's translated to game power with three homers already hit at least 420 feet. Also, his swing decisions have been solid. He's in the 69th percentile of SEAGER, a metric built by Baseball Prospectus' Robert Orr to assess swing decisions. It takes into account how often a player swings at pitches out of the zone, something Marte struggles with, but also how often they go after pitches in the zone they can do damage on. Marte is great at the latter. With that, he's blessed to play in Great American Ballpark, one of the best hitter's parks in the league. He's also started 19 of 20 games since coming off the injured list and 17 in a row. Most of those starts have come at third base and the Reds' have begun floating the idea of giving him some time in the outfield. An everyday job with a great home park, good swing decisionsn and great raw power make Marte a fine bet to go on a serious hot streak over these next two months. Colson Montgomery, SS/3B White Sox (16% Rostered on Yahoo) Montgomery has gotten off to an incredible start in his major league career. Through just 20 games, he's already hit four homers and driven in 16 runs. All four of those home runs have come in his last six starts and his power is very real. Of all hitters who have taken at least 50 swings this season, Montgomery's bat speed ranks 17th. That's right around sluggers like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Yordan Alvarez. Also, Montgomery's max exit velocity of 112.2 mph is in the 78th percentile of all big leaguers. He set that max exit velocity in a game against the Rays last Wednesday where he hit three batted balls at least 107 mph, a rare feat in a single game. He hits the ball hard, he pulls it, and he lifts it. There is no question or concern about his raw power potential. Yet, there may be some concern as to how consistently he'll be able to access that raw power in the short term. Considered a consensus top-15 prospect heading into the 2024 season, Montgomery lost a lot of his shine due to dramatic swing-and-miss issues in the upper minors. He had a 34% strikeout rate at Triple-A this season before being promoted and while that number has sunk to a more palatable 25% through his first 20 career games, his 18% swinging strike rate is in Joey Gallo territory and tells us regression is likely coming. To make matters worse, he has a 54% whiff rate against breaking balls despite being thrown them less often than league average. Of the same ilk, his chase rate is well below league average while he's seeing more pitches in the zone than most hitters. These numbers are a bit skewed though because of how aggressive he's been so far. In terms of first-pitch swing rate and overall swing rate he's been one of the most aggressive hitters in the league lately and seems to know he's at his best when hunting fastballs. Right now, it's working. We'll see if the league adjusts back within the next few weeks. Regardless, he's added some needed pop and flash to a White Sox lineup that desperately seeks both of those things. Also, he's graded out as a plus defender at both shortstop and third base over these last few weeks. At worst, he will have plenty of chances to work through any growing pains that may arise through the rest of the season and will likely hit plenty of home runs along the way as a dual-eligible player. Ronny Mauricio, 2B/3B Mets (6% Rostered on Yahoo) This is my second time featuring Mauricio in this column so far this season. Mostly, because I'm a sucker for flashy tools, but this is the time of year to bet on those tools and hope we can catch lightning in a bottle. I highlighted him last after a monster series against the Rockies where he had five hits, a 450 foot home run, and two stolen bases. It was those same tools that caught my eye and the potential to seize playing time in a Mets' infield that was for the taking. In 28 games after that series, Mauricio slashed .209/.277/.349 with three homers and just one stolen base. His approach was frenetic with a high chase rate, low contact rate, and he spent a few weeks more as a part-time than full-time player. The tides may be turning again though. He's hit dramatic, late-inning, game-tying home runs off high profile relievers – Randy Rodríguez and Robert Suárez – in consecutive games. That homer of Rodríguez also came in the midst of the first four-hit game of Mauricio's career where he fell just one base short of a cycle. Again, we've already seen some significant peaks and valleys in his production. It's still translated to something like a 25-homer, 12-steal pace over a full season with a .250 batting average and 119 wRC+. If he can smooth out those cold streaks, there's a quiet stud here waiting in the wings. Ironically, Mauricio playing closer to his peak more consistently may come at the expense of some playing time. While being a free-swinging switch-hitter, he's much more in control as a lefty than righty. Handedness PA Chase Rate Whiff Rate xwOBA As L 96 34.4% 30.1% .358 As R 30 50.0% 32.8% .215 The Mets have faced a rash of left-handed starters recently and Mauricio has only started against two of the last eight, ignoring a couple bullpen games started by left-handed relievers. On the flip side, he's started against nine of the last 10 righties they've seen. The last variable here is Mark Vientos' status. His name has swirled in trade rumors all week as the Mets seem willing to use him as a chip to clear their glut of young infielders while adding talent to their major league team. If he moves, there isn't another player to take those reps against lefty pitchers. Complications aside, Mauricio has unbelievable potential and is on the strong-side of a platoon in a great offense with the possibility for more – albeit less valuable playing time – through the rest of the season.
NBC Sports
3 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Noelvi Marte, Colson Montgomery, and Ronny Mauricio
With the All-Star break in the rearview mirror, it's time to start positioning ourselves for the championship push. Whether you're trying to hold onto a top spot, pushing the leader, desperately trying to play catchup, or positioning yourself for the playoffs, reinforcements and upside are vital this time of year. Most waiver wires have been picked over though and it's difficult to find impact players readily available in most leagues at this point in the season. Fear not, because there are still a handful of available players that have the chance to be difference makers that help push us towards glory. D.J. Short, If you want a larger list, Eric Samulski wrote his extended waiver wire piece on Sunday. Noelvi Marte, 3B Reds Marte is this exact type of lightning in a bottle player that's being overlooked. It makes sense why he would be though, coming off a disastrous sophomore season where he missed the first 80 games due to a PED suspension and then struck out over 30% of the time after he returned. It was ugly. He didn't make the team out of camp and spent his first week of his year down in Triple-A. After being promoted, he hit three homers and stole four bases in 19 games and it felt like a breakout was happening. Then, he strained his oblique amidst that hot streak and spent two months on the injured list. Now, he's been back for nearly a month and while the production has been pedestrian – three homers, two stolen bases, and a .759 OPS – he's doing a lot of things well. His raw power is fantastic with a 116.7 max exit velocity – top 98th percentile in the league – and high-end bat speed. It's translated to game power with three homers already hit at least 420 feet. CIN - Noelvi Marte 2-run HR (4) 📏 Distance: 421 ft 💨 EV: 106.1 mph 📐 LA: 25° ⚾️ 85.8 mph curveball (MIA - RHP Sandy Alcantara) 🏟️ Would be out in 30/30 MLB parks MIA (0) @ CIN (5) 🔻 4th#ATOBTTR Also, his swing decisions have been solid. He's in the 69th percentile of SEAGER, a metric built by Baseball Prospectus' Robert Orr to assess swing decisions. It takes into account how often a player swings at pitches out of the zone, something Marte struggles with, but also how often they go after pitches in the zone they can do damage on. Marte is great at the latter. With that, he's blessed to play in Great American Ballpark, one of the best hitter's parks in the league. He's also started 19 of 20 games since coming off the injured list and 17 in a row. Most of those starts have come at third base and the Reds' have begun floating the idea of giving him some time in the outfield. An everyday job with a great home park, good swing decisionsn and great raw power make Marte a fine bet to go on a serious hot streak over these next two months. Colson Montgomery, SS/3B White Sox Montgomery has gotten off to an incredible start in his major league career. Through just 20 games, he's already hit four homers and driven in 16 runs. All four of those home runs have come in his last six starts and his power is very real. Since reaching the majors, Colson Montgomery has caught fire 🔥 The White Sox infielder launched his fourth homer in six games and is slashing 273/.333/.515. (📽️: @whitesox) Of all hitters who have taken at least 50 swings this season, Montgomery's bat speed ranks 17th. That's right around sluggers like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Yordan Alvarez. Also, Montgomery's max exit velocity of 112.2 mph is in the 78th percentile of all big leaguers. He set that max exit velocity in a game against the Rays last Wednesday where he hit three batted balls at least 107 mph, a rare feat in a single game. Colson Montgomery is one of 37 players to have three batted balls hit harder than 107 MPH in the same game this season. Real-life power. He hits the ball hard, he pulls it, and he lifts it. There is no question or concern about his raw power potential. Yet, there may be some concern as to how consistently he'll be able to access that raw power in the short term. Considered a consensus top-15 prospect heading into the 2024 season, Montgomery lost a lot of his shine due to dramatic swing-and-miss issues in the upper minors. He had a 34% strikeout rate at Triple-A this season before being promoted and while that number has sunk to a more palatable 25% through his first 20 career games, his 18% swinging strike rate is in Joey Gallo territory and tells us regression is likely coming. To make matters worse, he has a 54% whiff rate against breaking balls despite being thrown them less often than league average. Of the same ilk, his chase rate is well below league average while he's seeing more pitches in the zone than most hitters. These numbers are a bit skewed though because of how aggressive he's been so far. In terms of first-pitch swing rate and overall swing rate he's been one of the most aggressive hitters in the league lately and seems to know he's at his best when hunting fastballs. Right now, it's working. We'll see if the league adjusts back within the next few weeks. Regardless, he's added some needed pop and flash to a White Sox lineup that desperately seeks both of those things. Also, he's graded out as a plus defender at both shortstop and third base over these last few weeks. At worst, he will have plenty of chances to work through any growing pains that may arise through the rest of the season and will likely hit plenty of home runs along the way as a dual-eligible player. Ronny Mauricio, 2B/3B Mets This is my second time featuring Mauricio in this column so far this season. Mostly, because I'm a sucker for flashy tools, but this is the time of year to bet on those tools and hope we can catch lightning in a bottle. I highlighted him last after a monster series against the Rockies where he had five hits, a 450 foot home run, and two stolen bases. It was those same tools that caught my eye and the potential to seize playing time in a Mets' infield that was for the taking. In 28 games after that series, Mauricio slashed .209/.277/.349 with three homers and just one stolen base. His approach was frenetic with a high chase rate, low contact rate, and he spent a few weeks more as a part-time than full-time player. The tides may be turning again though. He's hit dramatic, late-inning, game-tying home runs off high profile relievers – Randy Rodríguez and Robert Suárez – in consecutive games. That homer of Rodríguez also came in the midst of the first four-hit game of Mauricio's career where he fell just one base short of a cycle. RONNY MAURICIO GAME-TYING HOMERUN SPLASH SHOT AHHHHHHHH Again, we've already seen some significant peaks and valleys in his production. It's still translated to something like a 25-homer, 12-steal pace over a full season with a .250 batting average and 119 wRC+. If he can smooth out those cold streaks, there's a quiet stud here waiting in the wings. Ironically, Mauricio playing closer to his peak more consistently may come at the expense of some playing time. While being a free-swinging switch-hitter, he's much more in control as a lefty than righty. The Mets have faced a rash of left-handed starters recently and Mauricio has only started against two of the last eight, ignoring a couple bullpen games started by left-handed relievers. On the flip side, he's started against nine of the last 10 righties they've seen. The last variable here is Mark Vientos' status. His name has swirled in trade rumors all week as the Mets seem willing to use him as a chip to clear their glut of young infielders while adding talent to their major league team. If he moves, there isn't another player to take those reps against lefty pitchers. Complications aside, Mauricio has unbelievable potential and is on the strong-side of a platoon in a great offense with the possibility for more – albeit less valuable playing time – through the rest of the season.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB Trade Rumors Roundup: Latest on Mets, Cubs, Astros, Dodgers and More
The MLB trade deadline is on Thursday at 6:00 PM ET and we've already seen several playoff contenders strike big deals in order to make a postseason run. The hot stove is burning, with the latest MLB trade rumors shedding light on what's going on around the league. Today, we're taking a look at some of the latest MLB rumors for buyers and some sellers across baseball. New York Mets' Starling Marte drawing trade interest The New York Mets are buyers at the MLB trade deadline, having already demonstrated that with the Gregory Soto trade. However, that hasn't stopped rival clubs from inquiring about outfielder Starling Marte, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. Marte, age 36, is in a contract year with a $20.75 million salary this season. Not only has he been a very productive hitter in the Mets lineup this season (.788 OPS), but he's also beloved in the clubhouse. Unless moving Marte helps the Mets shed payroll to take on another big salary, while also addressing an area of need, it seems unlikely that Marte will be moved. Related: Minnesota Twins' standout relievers viewed as 'gettable' High-end relievers are some of the most coveted assets at the MLB trade deadline since every contender would love to strengthen its bullpen. The Minnesota Twins recognize that, which is why they've listened to inquiries on Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Brock Stewart. What's notable is that a deal involving one of these pitchers is viewed as possible. Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports that teams believe 'one or more' of the trio is 'gettable.' Duran is the crown jewel (1.86 ERA), but Jax and Stewart (2.45 ERA) are also highly sought after. Related: Chicago Cubs targeting MacKenzie Gore The Chicago Cubs have already been linked to several starting pitchers in MLB trade rumors, and it now appears an even bigger name is on their radar. Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic report that Chicago is 'very interested' in Washington Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore. While the Nationals are reportedly 'reluctant' to move their 26-year-old ace, especially following his first All-Star selection, the Cubs are monitoring the situation closely. The left-hander has excelled this season with a 3.52 ERA and a 29.3 percent strikeout rate. Gore is under team control through 2027 (arbitration-eligible), and acquiring him would likely cost the Cubs multiple top prospects, with the Nationals asking for a 'sky-high' return. Related: Houston Astros explored Eugenio Suarez trade, likes Willi Castro Adding a left-handed hitter has been one of the Houston Astros' top priorities in the weeks leading up to the MLB trade deadline. Now, following the long-term injury suffered by Isaac Paredes (hamstring), the club also needs to find a third baseman. Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports that the Astros have checked in on Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.898 OPS). Houston also reportedly has interest in Twins' infielder Willi Castro (.769 OPS), a switch-hitter who can play second, shortstop, third base and the corner outfield. Related: Los Angeles Dodgers eyeing outfielders, interested in 2 targets While the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen is a glaring weakness right now, it's not the only position they'd like to address at the MLB trade deadline. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Los Angeles is in the market for an outfielder. More specifically, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Dodgers are interested in Twins outfielder Harrison Bader and St. Louis Cardinals' utility man Brendan Donovan. Bader, a former Gold Glove Award winner, ranks in the 86th percentile of Baseball Savant's Fielding Run Value, and he's in the 93rd percentile for Outs Above Average (five). Donovan, a Gold Glove winner (2022) and recent All-Star selection, has a .780 OPS this season and could play second base or left field for Los Angeles. Related: Odds of Sandy Alcantara trade increasing Sandy Alcantara's up-and-down season in his first year back from Tommy John surgery has complicated his trade value. Fortunately for the Miami Marlins, it appears Alcantara's recent start helped a lot. The 29-year-old righty allowed one unearned run over seven innings against the San Diego Padres on July 23. It helped teams envision what he could look like if they get the former Cy Young Award winner back on track. Now, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Alcantara's trade stock is on the rise, and teams are 'convinced' he'll be moved ahead of Thursday's MLB trade deadline. Related: Arizona Diamondbacks willing to move both top starters A few weeks ago, the Diamondbacks' front office seemed a bit undecided on whether they would operate as sellers at the deadline. Now, it appears the organization has the green light to offload a lot of talent. Suárez is expected to be moved this week, becoming the second key hitter in the Diamondbacks' lineup to be dealt. Furthermore, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Arizona is willing to move both Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen. Both starters are free agents this winter, and while one was always expected to be traded, it now seems possible that both could be pitching for new teams. Related: New York Mets eyeing pair of center fielders While Tyrone Taylor has been great defensively for the Mets this season, he's essentially become the equivalent of an automatic out (.298 OBP) at the plate. So, New York is scouring the trade market for potential replacements in center field. Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported that the Mets are interested in Baltimore Orioles' center fielder Cedric Mullins and Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert. Mullins, a free agent this winter, is likely to be dealt this week. However, there's growing uncertainty about Robert being dealt. Texas Rangers now prepared to buy at MLB trade deadline Coming into July, the Texas Rangers were three games below .500 and 3.5 games back of the final wild card spot in the American League. Selling at the deadline seemed to be a legitimate possibility. A lot can change in a few weeks. Specifically, Texas posting the second-best record (15-6) in baseball this month. Entering play on Monday, the Rangers are tied with the Seattle Mariners for the third WC spot. As a result, per Buster Olney of ESPN, the Rangers are expected to be aggressive buyers. Related Headlines Trouble Brewing? Browns GM Calls Shedeur Sanders' Speeding Tickets 'Not Smart' Top 5 Must-Watch MLB Games This Week (July 28–August 3, 2025) Report: Why the NASCAR Playoff Format is Unlikely to Change in 2026 NASCAR Predictions for Iowa Corn 350: Winner, 7 Things to Watch
New York Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Mets' Starling Marte ‘didn't miss a beat' in return from injury
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free SAN FRANCISCO — Starling Marte was contributing offensively for the Mets before he hit the injured list in early July, and since his return, he has regained that momentum. The veteran DH now has six hits in his 10 at-bats since his activation from the IL last week after going 2-for-3 with a walk in the Mets' 5-3 win over the Giants on Sunday. Marte missed two weeks after receiving a gel injection for discomfort in his right knee. 'He's been huge,' manager Carlos Mendoza said before the victory. 'He continues to give us solid at-bats against lefties, righties. He goes down and missed a few days, and then he comes back and seems like he didn't miss a beat.' 3 Starling Marte #6 of the New York Mets reacts after hitting a double in the top of the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on July 26, 2025 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images Marte entered play with a .262/.364/.412 slash line with four homers and 20 RBIs. In the starting lineup again Sunday, Marte reached base three times for the second straight day. Mendoza's other option would have been to start Mark Vientos as the DH. 'I am going to try to keep [Marte] in the lineup, but at the same time, I am going to continue to monitor him,' Mendoza said. 'I'm going to continue to give him days off and get his feedback. He's usually pretty honest with us, so we'll go game by game and series by series.' 3 Starling Marte #6, Juan Soto #22 and Ronny Mauricio #10 of the New York Mets celebrates in the dugout after Soto hit a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on July 27, 2025 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images Paul Blackburn was sharp in a potential final rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse. The right-hander allowed one earned run on five hits with six strikeouts and one walk over 6 ¹/₃ innings. Blackburn, who is rehabbing a shoulder impingement, could next rejoin the team as a long reliever/sixth starter, but Mendoza indicated a decision won't be reached until at least Monday. Delivering insights on all things Amazin's Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Edwin Díaz extended his scoreless streak to 17 innings since June 6 by pitching a scoreless ninth Sunday. He loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter but pitched out of trouble to earn his 23rd save in 25 chances this season. 3 Mets pitcher Edwin Díaz celebrates against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, July 27, 2025. AP The All-Star closer has allowed only one earned run over his past 32 appearances, owning a 4-0 record with 17 saves since April 23. Jose Siri, who has been sidelined since April with a fractured left tibia, still isn't close to resuming baseball activities, but it's still expected he will play again this season, according to Mendoza. Siri's workouts have consisted of running in a pool to strengthen the leg.
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Mets hold off Giants 2-1 for 6th consecutive win
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mark Vientos laced a two-run double, All-Star lefty David Peterson pitched out of trouble for six effective innings and the New York Mets held off the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Saturday night for their sixth consecutive victory. First baseman Pete Alonso robbed Patrick Bailey of a tying double with a leaping catch for the final out. Alonso, never known for his defense, also made several terrific plays in the field early in Friday night's series-opening win. Starling Marte doubled twice and walked as the Mets maintained their half-game lead in the NL East over Philadelphia. Jung Hoo Lee had three hits for the Giants, who have lost eight of 10. New York stranded four runners in scoring position before Vientos came through with a two-out hit off starter Robbie Ray (9-5) to give the Mets a 2-1 lead in the sixth. The double scored Juan Soto and Marte, both of whom walked. Peterson (7-4) pitched with runners in scoring position in four of his six innings. He allowed eight hits and one run with four strikeouts and three walks. Ray gave up two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Rafael Devers made his third start at first base for the Giants since being acquired from Boston on June 15. He had a rough night on defense and committed an error in the seventh. Key moment Wilmer Flores singled leading off the bottom of the sixth but was thrown out stretching by Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo. Key stat After throwing 26 pitches in the first, Ray found a groove and needed only 44 to get through the next three innings. Up next Mets RHP Kodai Senga (7-3, 1.79 ERA) pitches the series finale Sunday. San Francisco had not announced a scheduled starter. ___
