Baseball and our realm, fantasy baseball, is a game of constant adjustments. If you aren’t re-evaluating your approach and the environments around you, it’s easy to fall behind. Hell, just ask John Mozeliak.
Well, we aren’t planning to stagnate into a certain way of being here around Razzball (unless that involves hammering you to death with puns). It’s time to update some of our prior understandings of the league as shifts have already occurred just two-ish months in.
Here are a couple of items I’m updating mentally:
In 2023, we all got used to the reprieve of streamable starters with ERAs ranging from 4.00 up to 4.20. Although a four at the beginning looked unsightly to some of us remembering the low-scoring environment during Jacob deGrom’s debut year a decade ago (yep… 2014 was ten years ago), it was below the league average of 4.33 in 2023. That number has shifted down significantly thanks to a slightly cooler spring and a degradation of the home run rate (1.0 per 9 right now compared to 1.2 last year). The league ERA sits at 3.97 right now, so take note when considering pickups. As a Pablo Lopez owner in multiple leagues, I now know why I’m struggling in ERA thanks to his grody 4.72 mark.
This is a bit more dicey because there’s a lot of noise in ballpark factors, but here is the current list of 2024 factors alone. Yep, that is Anaheim, Kansas City, and Cleveland playing above Coors right now.
Kansas City, I believe, as it has been the third-best hitters park on a three-year rolling average thanks to the warm, spacious park allowing extra hits, just not homers. I’ve been avoiding streaming against the Royals this year because of the park factor and just the general up-and-up nature of the Royals team.
Cleveland is also easy to believe as they ripped the upper deck off Progressive Field, which has clearly changed the wind pattern to push more balls out of the park this year. Just watch a few Guardians home games, and you will see what I mean. I was watching the game Tuesday night and noticed how easily those homers, five in total, were leaving the park. As a stadium that usually plays cold in the early months, it won’t be surprising to see things get truly Coors Field-level out of hand scoring-wise at Progressive throughout the summer. I’m definitely acquiring Cleveland bats and quickly fading/moving any pitchers despite the club’s development factory notoriety.
I’ll admit, I don’t know what’s up with Anaheim, but it has also been the seventh most hitter friendly park on a three-year rolling average. I wonder if it’s a factor of SoCal being warmer than other stadiums at the beginning of the year, and it will normalize a bit over the coming months. Still, it’s clearly a hitter’s park, maybe just not quite to the level of Colorado or Cleveland.
Okay, Razzballers, with those updates in mind, let’s get to this week’s pickup suggestions!
The stats and ownership percentages below are updated as of noon central time on 5/24.
As always, if you want advice on specific roster decisions you might have, feel free to leave a comment. You can also find me on twitter (X) (@mcouill7) and bluesky (@mcouill7.bsky.social).
CATCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Tyler Stephenson (CIN, 48% CBS Ownership) – Since we met last weekend, Stephenson has continued painting his Savant page with red tones befitting of King Charles III’s portrait while hitting .312 (5-for-16) with a homer in the past seven days. This upcoming week, he gets a weak Cardinals pitching staff at home before visiting a warming Wrigley Field. Stephenson is currently slotted as the 11th best catcher in our rest-of-season projections, making him a top ten backstop considering Willson Contreras is seventh. That warrants universal ownership except for you weirdos in four-team leagues. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Elias Diaz (COL, 48% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Connor Wong (BOS, 46% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Danny Jansen (TOR, 40% CBS Ownership, 3-5% FAAB), Mitch Garver (SEA, 37% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), David Fry (C/1B/OF, CLE, 37% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Ivan Herrera (STL, 23% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Gary Sanchez (MIL, 8% CBS Ownership) – Remember last week when we covered the Brew Crew having an easy schedule for pitching matchups over the next month-ish? Well, some of that glee for Milwaukee players applies to their bats too as the schedule isn’t just against weak offensive opponents, but just poor teams overall. The Brewers have a juicy seven-game home week with three against Chicago (North) before four against Chicago (South). That White Sox pitching staff allows a league-worst 1.38 HR/9, making a perfect feast for our resident Kraken. (3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Patrick Bailey (SFG, 17% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Tyler Soderstrom (OAK, 13% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Korey Lee (CHW, 9% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Joey Bart (PIT, 4% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB)
INFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Tyler Freeman (3B/MI/OF, CLE, 33% CBS Ownership) – You had to know that with the enthusiasm above for new Coors Field East, a Guardian bat was coming up for suggestion. This is particularly necessary because Cleveland gets two Coors Field-level series next week thanks to three games in Colorado followed by three at home against the Nats. Freeman has taken over the leadoff Guardians spot, batting there in his last 10 games. Over that stretch, he’s slashing .297.409/.405 (143 wRC+) with 10 runs and two steals in 44 plate appearances. That is pure gold given that the newly minted center fielder owns enough positional eligibilities to fit on any team. Are you lamenting missing out on the Luis Rengifo show? Well, here’s the chance to redeem yourself with a player offering similar counting stats but with more like a .240-.250 batting average. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Cedanne Rafaela (2B/SS/OF, BOS, 47% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Davis Schneider (2B/OF, TOR, 39% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Ty France (1B, SEA, 37% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Orlando Arcia (SS, ATL, 37% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Masyn Winn (SS, STL, 34% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Wenceel Perez (2B/OF, DET, 33% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Josh Rojas (2B/3B/OF, SEA, 29% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Dylan Moore (2B/SS/CI/OF, SEA, 26% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), DJ LeMahieu (1B/3B, NYY, 24% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Jake Bauers (1B/OF, MIL, 11% CBS Ownership) – I swear that this column isn’t just a weekly Brew Crew report. Part of the reason so many Brewers players are available is thanks to the team’s mix-and-match roster philosophy that lends itself to constant opportunity for fantasy players. Bauers continues to occupy a strong-side platoon in Milwaukee at first, which is good news for us because it protects from the damage facing lefties could do present to our roto batting averages. Over his last 384 plate appearances dating to last year, Bauers has blasted 17 homers thanks to a 17.1% barrel-rate and 48.1% HardHit. See the Gary Sanchez note again above to remember what Milwaukee schedule holds, and don’t be surprised if we get a couple of round-trippers this week from Jake the Snake. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Brendan Rodgers (2B, COL, 15% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Gavin Lux (2B, LAD, 15% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Michael Massey (2B, KCR, 15% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Nick Gonzales (2B, PIT, 12% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Jon Singleton (1B, HOU, 11% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Paul DeJong (SS, CHW, 10% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Mark Vientos (3B, NYM, 9% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jose Miranda (3B, MIN, 8% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
Otto Lopez (2B/3B, MIA, 4% CBS Ownership) – Laura did a fantastic job of outlining Lopez’s profile in last week’s Rolling in the Deep while leveraging his name for an all-time pun. The one thing that held me back from suggesting Lopez here last week was his playing time future as Tim Anderson was due back from the IL. Well, it appears that Lopez has beaten out Vidal Brujan for the Marlins second base job right now as he’s started both games post-Anderson’s return, including against one lefty and one righty. (5-7% FAAB)
Max Schuemann (2B/SS/OF, OAK, 2% CBS Ownership) – The 26-year-old rookie has taken over the Oakland everyday shortstop role out of nowhere and looks like he could stick. Schuemann is currently rocking a .262 average with two homers and three steals in his first 96 plate appearances, but don’t expect that to stick. He’s seen 60% fastballs as the league hasn’t respected his bat, which will give way to more breaking stuff in the future. However, if you are hard up for some positional depth or flexibility, Schuemann can play enough to let his best skill, plate discipline (14.3% BB-rate in Triple-A last year) bring walks, runs and just raw playing time. (1-3% FAAB)
OUTFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Tommy Pham (OF, CHW, 28% CBS Ownership) – If Pham remains on your league waiver wire, I guarantee you that there is a player you can drop for him. The 36-year-old continues to lead off every game for the White Sox, fueled by pure rage en route to a .333/.377/.495 slash line over 106 plate appearances. He’s right on pace for his 15-20 homers and steals apiece just like old times. (5-7% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Ryan O’Hearn (1B/OF, BAL, 47% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Chas McCormick (HOU, 44% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jacob Young (WSN, 40% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Jake Fraley (CIN, 36% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Luke Raley (1B/OF, SEA, 29% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Joc Pederson (ARI, 28% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Alec Burleson (STL, 25% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jonny DeLuca (TBR, 20% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Gavin Sheets (1B/OF, CHW, 9% CBS Ownership) – Eloy’s Play-Doh muscles provide a chance for us fantasy mavens to capitalize again. With Jimenez being shelved, Sheets should step into a near full-time role. The 28-year-old’s batted-ball profile improvement from the early in the season fully hasn’t stuck, but his control of the strike zone has become elite as he’s running nearly equal walk and strikeout rates (13.7% and 16.7%, respectively). Add in that the White Sox are facing two pitching staffs this upcoming week that are bottom five in HR/9, Toronto (1.29) and Milwaukee (1.20), and there’s a nice chance to make up some ground in deep league power categories. (1-3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Jordan Beck (COL, 20% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Eddie Rosario (WSN, 16% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Harrison Bader (NYM, 14% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Richie Palacios (2B/OF, TBR, 14% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Heliot Ramos (SFG, 5% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Ji-Hwan Bae (2B/OF, PIT, 5% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Hunter Goodman (COL, 4% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Andrew McCutchen (PIT, 4% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
David Peralta (SDP, 0% CBS Ownership) – Yes, this is that weird poor man’s Michael Brantley, former D-back David Peralta. Thanks to the “Oops, all middle infielders” approach AJ Preller has taken to roster management, Peralta is oddly the biggest beneficiary of Xander Bogaerts’ shoulder injury. The veteran outfielder is a career .279 hitter, and while no longer in his prime, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him to hit .260 while providing useful counting stats production in a strong-side platoon role with San Diego. (5-7% FAAB)
Johnathan Rodriguez (CLE, 3% CBS Ownership) – The 24-year-old Rodriguez made his major-league debut this week, receiving the call after Cleveland cut bait on Ramon Laureano. It’s easy to dream big on the tools here as FanGraphs handed him a 65 grade on the raw power, which he flashed with 29 bombs over two minor league stops in 2023. There’s a pretty easy story to tell where Rodriguez enters the Guardians lineup full-time to hit .240 with a mid-20’s home run pace because there are not stalwarts (Will Brennan, Kyle Manzardo, and Estevan Florial) blocking his way. (3-5% FAAB)
STARTING PITCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Robert Gasser (MIL, 43% CBS Ownership) – We aren’t leaving Milwaukee until you finish that six pack of High Life, dems da rules. My love fest for Robert Gasser continues as he now sports a 2.65 ERA (3.14 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP over his first 17 career innings. Yes, the strikeouts have been extremely light at 3.2 K/9, but he’s also issued only one walk. However, maybe he can get closer to double-digits with this week’s K output as he’s slated for a juicy two-start against both Chicago teams at home. The Sox (74) and Cubs (95) both rank in the bottom nine of offenses based on team wRC+. (5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Taijuan Walker (PHI, 46% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Trevor Williams (WSN, 44% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Alec Marsh (KCR, 40% CBS Ownership, 3-5% FAAB), Patrick Sandoval (LAA, 36% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Michael Lorenzen (TEX, 35% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Ben Lively (CLE, 35% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Mitchell Parker (WSN, 32% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN, 29% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Ryan Weathers (MIA, 28% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Griffin Canning (LAA, 24% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Matt Waldron (SDP, 12% CBS Ownership) – Wow, things got extremely thin out there for 15-team leagues as you can see by the limited Quick Hits here below. We are starting to get to prime territory where it starts to make sense rostering one of the suggested relievers over the starters occupying waiver wires. What’s available in most leagues is an ugly mix of Rockies, A’s, and White Sox pitchers or other ticking ratio timebombs. Waldron has continued to be a useful fantasy pitcher thanks to a solid skill base (3.84 FIP and 9.4 K/9) that has been done in by weak contact falling between fielders. I like his chances to produce a great outing against a ghastly Marlins offense this week. (3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Cooper Criswell (BOS, 18% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Cade Povich (BAL, 14% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Bryse Wilson (MIL, 11% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Ben Brown (CHC, 11% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
Tobias Myers (MIL, 2% CBS Ownership) – Listen, you think I like writing about Brewers this and Brewers that constantly? It’s difficult to work around my brain screaming, “BEER AND CHEESE PUNS” at me while analyzing the dregs of prospect zombies like Jake Bauers. Just like Gasser, Myers also is lined up for a two-start week against those weak Chicago offenses. If you can risk the ratios damage (the projection systems have Myers pegged for an ERA in the high fours), there could be a sneaky two wins and double-digits Ks here. (3-5% FAAB)
Osvaldo Bido (OAK, 0% CBS Ownership) – Speaking of the A’s rotation from above, woof… what a mess. Thanks to a litany of injuries, Oakland has been skating by with a four-man rotation that includes the likes of Joey Estes (career 7.36 ERA) and Aaron Brooks (career 6.39 ERA). Bido should be the next person up from Triple-A, where he has steadily pitched to the tune of a 3.31 ERA and 10.7 K/9. This is a guy that was able to string together 15.2 innings of a 3.45 ERA with 18:5 K:BB in his first three starts last year. Given the state of the pitching landscape this week, that sounds like a godsend. (1% FAAB)
RELIEVERS
10/12 Team Adds
Jeff Hoffman (PHI, 22% CBS Ownership) – Things have really settled in bullpens across the league with no significant movement outside of the Edwin Diaz demotion in New York. Hoffman has been fantastically brilliant this season, tossing a 1.25 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 29 Ks over 21.2 innings with four saves and two wins. On a solid Phillies team, he’s going to continue getting plenty of spot saves and is on pace to end up with a total somewhere in the teens. Along with the ratio help Hoffman provides, he’s turning into a universal must-roster despite the setup role a la prime Andrew Miller. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Reed Garrett (NYM, 49% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Michael Kopech (CHW, 36% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Yennier Cano (BAL, 33% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), A.J. Minter (ATL, 31% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Griffin Jax (MIN, 29% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jason Adam (TBR, 26% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Jalen Beeks (COL, 15% CBS Ownership) – It was a rough week for Beeks as he blew saves on back-to-back days against the lowly Athletics. Such is the life when looking to the Colorado bullpen for saves. If anything, maybe we can take comfort in seeing that Beeks got both save chances? (1-3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Yimi Garcia (TOR, 15% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), John Schreiber (KCR, 12% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Justin Lawrence (COL, 7% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Blake Treinen (LAD, 10% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Mark Leiter Jr. (CHC, 8% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Lucas Erceg (OAK, 6% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jordan Leasure (CHW, 6% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jeremiah Estrada (SDP, 3% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
