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Ben Brown seems real, both in fantasy and reality. (Photo by Stacy Revere//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
Few fantasy analysts can handle the pressure (and deliver it) like Dalton Del Don. He’ll bring his fiery fantasy baseball takes here each week to help you keep the fire burning in your leagues. And speaking of fire…
Go find Ben Brown now
Ben Brown had a dominant road performance on Tuesday as he recorded 10 strikeouts while holding a top-three Brewers offense (114 wRC+) hitless through seven innings; Shota Imanaga allowed more earned runs (seven) in Milwaukee the next day than in his previous nine starts (five) to begin his MLB career.
Brown posted impressive strikeout numbers in the minors and has become one of the most intriguing pitching prospects in baseball.
Brown has a 1.80 ERA (2.49 FIP) and 0.90 WHIP in 30.0 innings as a starter this season with the Cubs compared to a 4.41 ERA and 1.35 WHIP as a reliever. Brown’s 19.3% K-BB% as a starter would put him in the top 25 among qualified SPs, and his CSW would be in the top 10. Brown’s control needs improvement like most young pitchers, but his ball percentage has shown real improvement and he ranks second in SwStr% over last month.
Brown only throws two pitches, but his knuckleball curve might legitimately be the best pitch in baseball right now. He has induced a ridiculous 50.4% Whiff% and a whopping 27% SwStr% while limiting both righties and lefties.
Brown remains available in 68% of Yahoo leagues, in part because there is no guarantee he will remain in Chicago’s rotation once Jordan Wicks returns from the injured list. But Brown will have another chance to impress in a favorable start at home against the Reds over the weekend, and he would be worth including in every fantasy league if his stay in the rotation becomes permanent. The Cubs have a terrible defense, so Chicago needs a pitcher who can miss bats.
Brown has far more fantasy upside than most pitchers available on waivers.
Don’t Lose Hope by Michael King
Michael King has had a strange year moving into a full-time starting role. He has posted a 5.06 ERA and 1.39 WHIP at home compared to a 3.43 ERA and 1.19 WHIP on the road, including starts at Coors Field and Cincinnati and an appearance during a game in Korea that totaled 26 runs. Petco Park remains very pitcher-friendly, and King’s K% has risen to 31.4 at home, so his splits seem especially unpredictable.
Matchups have also been unpredictable regardless of location, as King became one of three pitchers to hold the MLB’s best Dodgers offense scoreless for seven dominant innings (10 K) while on many fantasy benches during an opening earlier this month; In his next outing, he allowed six runs against the Rockies offense at Petco.
All in all, King’s transition to starter finally looks like a success, even if his stats don’t fully reflect it. His ERA (2.40) has actually improved dramatically as he faces lineups for the third time this season compared to the first (3.94) and second (4.29). And while his K% and BB% have taken hits with the move into the rotation, King’s CSW (31.4) ranks seventh among all qualified starters this season.
King has had some bad luck at Petco Park and is still a great candidate.
Hunter Brown’s resurgence seems real
Hunter Brown was cut in most fantasy leagues after finishing April with a 9.78 ERA and 2.22 WHIP, but he has lived up to his preseason expectations since introducing a sinker in May. Brown has posted a 3.42 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 29 K in five starts (26.1 innings) this month, and his new pitch is getting more ground balls. Brown’s 6.39 ERA comes with an MLB-high .353 BABIP and 3.96 SIERA, and his once-fragile place in Houston’s rotation is secure with Christian Javier (forearm) on the roster. of injured.
Brown looks like a different pitcher in May and is available in two-thirds of Yahoo leagues.
Patience could be a virtue with Blake Snell
Blake Snell has been a fantasy disaster so far, posting a 10.42 ERA and 2.00 WHIP without a win in five starts. He has certainly struggled without the benefit of spring training, posting a career-low CSW (25.7%). But Snell’s velocity has been good, and his inflated ERA is accompanied by a 4.04 SIERA and a .414 BABIP that’s 60+ points higher than any qualified starter this season. His career BABIP is .292, and the Giants have one of the best defenses in the league (including the game’s leading shotmaker), so Snell has had especially bad luck with balls in play.
Snell has always been streaky and should improve once he finally gets into a regular routine: He’s spent time on the injured and paternity lists after his delayed signing in San Francisco. He induced plenty of chases during his last outing which was against an elite Phillies offense, but Snell may become an even better buy-low candidate after his next start against a Yankees team that leads the MLB in wRC+ ( 122). Oracle Park is absolutely destroying power this season, slowing home runs by an MLB-high 34%, yet Snell’s HR/FB% (15.0) has been above his career mark (11.6%).
Regression is coming and fantasy managers are probably fed up with him.
Snell may be a rollercoaster, but there are still top-10 fantasy upside going forward.
MacKenzie Gore is becoming an ace
MacKenzie Gore has a 2.19 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with a 30:6 K:BB ratio over his last four starts (24.2 innings). Three of those four outings came on the road in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Fenway Park, so his advancement has been made official. Gore somehow has a 2.91 ERA despite having the highest BABIP (.353) among all qualified starters, and his 3.07 SIERA ranks in the top 15, ahead of Cole Ragans, Zack Wheeler and Shota Imanaga . Pitching for the Nationals won’t help Gore rack up wins, but the former top-three pick is developing into a full-fledged ace despite a tough schedule.
Gore is becoming one of the top fantasy starters, but is somehow available in 45% of Yahoo leagues.
BONUS – TV/Movie Talk: If you like science fiction, “3 Body Problem” is worth checking out. It’s from the same series creators as “Game of Thrones”… “Hacks” just wrapped up a solid third season, as it remains one of the best comedies on television… “Tires” has a hilariously wide (and predictable) gap ) among its critics (43%) and audience (91%) Rotten Tomatoes scores. It’s not exactly “Louie”, but I’m more on the side of the commoners… Speaking of pleasing the audience, The Beekeeper delivered exactly as promised.
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