Fantasy Baseball: What you missed after football started, from unlikely risers to prospect call-ups

Welcome to February and the primary weekend with out NFL football since … nicely, since baseball season was nonetheless occurring.

Baseball season … do not forget that?

Maybe not. Maybe you dove headfirst into football as quickly because it began, and solely now, throughout this longest look ahead to a very powerful sport of the season, have you come up for air.

If so, you’re in for a shock. You missed a couple of quarter of the MLB season, after all. Not the whole lot is as you keep in mind it.

But concern not. I’m right here to cater to your fleeting consideration span, recapping all probably the most notable Fantasy Baseball developments from the ultimate two months of the 2025 season.

I’ll warn you: It is lengthy, but in addition critically necessary. So buckle up and drink it in.

Players who gained probably the most

• You in all probability know Emmet Sheehan to be a pitcher of some promise, however what you missed was him making good on that promise in spectacular style. The line between begins and reduction appearances was blurred for him, given the Dodgers’ frequent use of openers, however in 4 of the ultimate six outings by which he was the majority pitcher, he lasted six innings or extra, going seven innings in three of them. And he backed it up along with his efficiency, placing collectively a 1.93 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 11.8 Ok/9, in addition to a 19 % swinging-strike charge that may have tied the file for highest ever by a qualifying beginning pitcher (Spencer Strider in 2023). I’d say the promise has been fulfilled.
• If you have not heard of Jakob Marsee, you have been like most everybody else when the Marlins referred to as him up on Aug. 1. He had some attention-grabbing minor league numbers and received a second of notoriety when the Padres included him within the Luis Arraez commerce in 2024, however he by no means projected to be an affect participant. That’s precisely what he grew to become, although, batting .292 with 5 homers, 14 steals and an .842 OPS in 55 video games. His August was significantly better than his September, however on steadiness, his 3.33 Head-to-Head factors per sport have been the Thirteenth-most amongst all outfielders in 2025.
• Nolan McLean was maybe the least identified of the Mets’ three beginning pitcher call-ups (extra on the opposite two later), however he arrived the earliest and made the most important affect, going 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 10.7 Ok/9 in eight begins. His swinging-strike charge was nothing to write house about, however his 61.1 % floor ball charge would have ranked second amongst qualifiers.
• Yet one other New York call-up who someway wasn’t hyped sufficient, Cam Schlittler claimed a spot within the Yankees rotation simply earlier than the All-Star break, which you might keep in mind. He did not actually discover his footing till mid-August, although, occurring to ship a 2.23 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 11.2 Ok/9 in his closing 9 begins, with 5 of them lasting six innings or extra. The key to his arsenal was a four-seamer that averaged 98.0 mph, trailing solely Hunter Greene, Jacob Misiorowski and Paul Skenes amongst beginning pitchers with not less than 65 innings.
• Brice Turang was, in fact, identified to you already, however in all probability as a slap-hitting speedster. If you ever ventured over to his Baseball Savant web page, although, you would have observed that his exit velocity readings, each common and max, had improved by about 4 mph from the yr earlier than. That put him within the higher 25-30 % of the league for contact high quality, making energy hitting potential, and he delivered on it lastly in August, hitting 10 of his 18 house runs total. Seeing as he additionally has a 50-steal season in his previous, the upside right here is far greater than anybody realized.
• Though a classy breakout choose coming into the yr, Gavin Williams in all probability left a foul style in your mouth along with his first-half efficiency, however he went on to ship a 2.18 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 10.0 Ok/9 within the second half and, specifically, turned the nook over his closing 5 begins with a 1.74 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 11.0 Ok//9. He had a 66 % strike charge and 14 % swinging-strike charge in these 5 begins in contrast to 61 % and 11 % beforehand.
• To the diploma you knew Hurston Waldrep, he was a former prospect who had fallen out of favor with a depressing 2024 and subsequent minor league struggles. But the 23-year-old put collectively a pleasant run for a resurgent Braves group and certain has a leg up for a rotation spot coming into 2026. There have been some management points, however he allowed one earned run or fewer in seven of his 10 outings for a 2.88 ERA, having broadened out his arsenal with a brand new sinker and cutter.
• One of probably the most wonderful statistics of the complete second half was rookie Cade Horton’s 1.03 ERA in 12 begins. Those begins have been totally on the shorter aspect, with him averaging simply 7.9 Ok/9 between them, however he additionally threw strikes and induced tons of weak contact within the air. He definitely overperformed to an extent, however there’s additionally untapped upside, judging from the whiff charges on his (underutilized) secondary pitches. Definitely an attention-grabbing case for 2026.
• Few might have heard of Jakob Marsee prior to his August promotion, however I’ll admit that even I hadn’t heard of Daylen Lile till a pair weeks after that, by which level he had already grow to be a fixture within the Nationals lineup. It was in September, although, that he confirmed he may need one thing to supply in Fantasy, hitting .391 (36 for 92) with six homers, seven triples, three doubles and a 1.212 OPS. His profile is not the most secure for Fantasy since his energy outlook is questionable, however he makes contact at a pleasant charge and will be taught to make higher use of his 92nd percentile dash pace.
• To the diploma you might have thought of Lenyn Sosa, it was alongside the strains of “how long before the White Sox find someone to replace this guy?” Hopefully not for some time, as a result of he looks as if a fairly useful participant after hitting 13 house runs in his closing 50 video games. He’s no stud within the making or something, and his low stroll charge might stop him from ever amounting to a lot in factors leagues. But Statcast suggests he deserved even higher than his .264 batting common and .434 slugging share for the yr, along with his .275 xBA and .484 xSLG each rating within the higher quarter of the league.
• Shane Smith generated some curiosity early within the yr, however you in all probability figured we have been completed with him when he put collectively a 7.28 ERA in June and July. Fortunately, there was additionally August and September, and in his closing 10 begins, he had a 3.09 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 9.8 Ok/9. Suffice it to say he is a sleeper of mine for 2026.

Others who got here on robust

• Kyle Bradish returned from Tommy John surgical procedure wanting roughly just like the high-end pitcher he was earlier than it, placing collectively a 2.53 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 13.2 Ok/9 in six begins.
• You might have already chalked up George Springer’s season as successful on the time you tuned out, seeing as he was having some type of affect after a 2024 season by which he appeared to age out of Fantasy relevance, however you don’t know how good it grew to become. He hit .369 with a 1.121 OPS within the second half, displaying not simply that he has extra left within the tank at age 35 but in addition that he is pretty much as good as he is ever been, rating because the fifth-best outfielder in Head-to-Head factors per sport for the season.
• While Springer was hitting .369 within the second half, new Mets third baseman Bo Bichette was hitting .370, bringing his full-season stat line in settlement with the place we’re used to seeing it. He has now hit .290 or higher with an OPS over .800 in yearly however one.
• Seeing as he was having to construct up on the fly because the Dodgers, on account of his bat, could not precisely ship him on a rehab task, you might surprise if Shohei Ohtani ever received stretched out sufficient to quantity to one thing as a pitcher, and the reply is … sure. Three of his closing 4 outings noticed him go 5 innings or extra with only one earned run between them for a 0.46 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 12.4 Ok/9. He broke out a curveball to go along with his already deep arsenal of swing-and-miss pitches and had a 14.2 % swinging-strike charge total. There aren’t any superlatives nice sufficient.
• In the Year of the Catcher, Gabriel Moreno wasn’t prepared to forfeit the highlight. He returned from a fractured finger in late August wanting higher than ever, totally on account of him lastly elevating the ball to faucet into his latent energy. He hit .311 (32 for 103) with 4 homers and an .863 OPS in these 30 video games, placing him within the top-12 dialogue on the hottest place.
• When final you regarded, Kevin Gausman might have appeared like he was barely hanging on as a Fantasy asset, however he was a real ace within the second half, going seven innings or extra in six of his 13 begins for a 2.81 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 9.2 Ok/9. His 69 % strike charge and 13 % swinging-strike charge throughout that point have been each elite, and his splitter appeared to regain the vertical break it misplaced in 2024. Prudence is warranted for a participant in his mid-30s, however you ought to count on him to go pretty excessive in drafts.
• Depending on precisely when you tuned out, you could also be shocked to be taught that the previous Athletics nearer Mason Miller received solely two saves with the Padres, working in additional of a setup capability — and dominating. His 0.77 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 17.4 Ok/9 in these 22 appearances confirmed him to be probably the most gifted reliever in baseball and the apparent selection to exchange Robert Suarez, who has since signed with the Braves.

Concerning developments

• Perhaps probably the most devastating damage of the season was one you might have missed if you had your nostril elsewhere. Zack Wheeler, who appeared to be on observe for his first Cy Young award, was identified with a blood clot in his proper shoulder in mid-August and prescribed thoracic outlet surgical procedure a couple of week later. His thoracic outlet surgical procedure, which was meant to decompress a vein in his shoulder, usually has extra favorable outcomes than the kind that Matt Harvey had, which was meant to alleviate a nerve. It nonetheless introduces important danger for a pitcher in his late 30s and will find yourself sidelining Wheeler for the primary few weeks of 2026. Initial experiences are promising, although.
• I’m obliged to level out that Oneil Cruz hit .140 (16 for 114) with two homers and a .462 OPS over his closing 37 video games, however actually, issues went off the rails for him a lot sooner than that. From May 1 on, he hit .185 (69 for 372) with a .614 OPS. It’s simply that his April was so productive that it took some time for us to discover how dangerous the scenario had gotten. The largest underlying change is that he started hitting the ball on the bottom extra, and between that and his bloated strikeout charge … woof.
• Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz are so usually linked for a wide range of causes, and sadly, a type of causes is that they have been each horrible for the ultimate two months of 2025. De La Cruz wasn’t fairly as dangerous, batting .221 (46 for 208) with three homers and a .621 OPS, and there could also be a clearer rationalization for his struggles in that he was enjoying by means of a quad damage, which supervisor Terry Francona revealed in August. He’s nonetheless being drafted in Round 1 this yr, not less than in leagues that use commonplace 5×5 scoring, whereas Cruz, minus the “De La,” has seen his inventory plummet.
• Kodai Senga has been thought to be a Fantasy standout since he had a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts as a rookie in 2023, and if you simply look at his 3.02 ERA to finish 2025, you’ll assume the whole lot was hunky-dory then as nicely. Remember, although, he had a 1.47 ERA when he strained his hamstring in mid-June. It appeared unsustainable, however no matter, we have been all having too good of a time to care. Thing is, he was so dangerous after returning from the hamstring damage that he had to be despatched to the minors twice. He had a 5.90 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in his closing 9 main league begins, issuing 5.4 BB/9, and his numbers within the minors, to the diploma that he pitched there, weren’t significantly better. It’s exhausting to say what sort of future he has within the majors at this level — which is not to say he has none, however what does it appear to be?
• If the season had ended every week earlier, Ozzie Albies would have slotted into the “sighs of relief” class (see beneath). He was batting .272 (65 for 239) with 9 homers, seven steals and a .769 OPS within the second half, wanting each bit just like the Albies we keep in mind, and a report got here out throughout that point that confirmed his earlier struggles have been associated to the fractured wrist he suffered in 2024. So all appeared nicely … after which he broke the hamate bone in his left hand Sept. 22. That fracture is infamous for sapping hitters’ energy, typically for months after they return. It’s not a common trait, so perhaps Albies will probably be no worse for put on when he experiences this spring. But capping off an already tumultuous season with such an damage is bound to invite nice skepticism in 2026.
• At the purpose when you logged off, Framber Valdez in all probability appeared as bankable as aces get, placing collectively a 2.62 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 9.5 Ok/9 by means of the primary 4 months. Unfortunately, he then had a 6.05 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and seven.1 Ok/9 within the two months that adopted, combating a curveball that is more and more grow to be a make-or-break pitch for him. He did rediscover it in his closing begin, permitting one run whereas placing out 10 over seven innings, which ought to relieve considerations that he is merely misplaced it. Still, his draft inventory has taken a success, significantly now that he is the final marquee free agent to signal on with a membership.
• My considerations for Shota Imanaga are extra important. From the beginning of 2025, the 32-year-old wasn’t lacking bats at practically the identical charge he did throughout his stunning rookie season, and his already excessive fly ball charge had sharply elevated. But as a result of he carried an ERA as little as 3.08 right through August, it did not increase a lot alarm. Only in his closing six begins did his vulnerability to the lengthy ball come house to roost. He allowed 12 house runs throughout that point for a charge of three.1 per 9 innings, which is double what could be thought-about a excessive charge. His ERA in these six begins was 5.97, elevating his season mark to 3.73.
• If you’re questioning why not everybody within the Fantasy Baseball orbit is shifting heaven and earth to draft Eury Perez, who appeared to be again on an ace trajectory 10 begins into his return from Tommy John surgical procedure, it is as a result of issues went type of sideways within the 10 begins thereafter. He nonetheless missed bats at a terrific charge, however he had a 5.96 ERA, largely by the use of the lengthy ball. There have been some indications that he might have been tipping his pitches throughout this time, however these stay unconfirmed.
• Evidence of Mike Trout’s decline, which had been obscured by accidents lately, had already been substantiated by the point you tuned out, but it surely grew to become all of the extra obvious down the stretch, along with his strikeout charge going from a manageable 26.8 % within the first half to an untenable 38.1 % within the second half. The final time a qualifying batter had a strikeout charge as excessive as 38.1 % for a full season was … nicely, by no means.
• Yeah, Rafael Devers started the yr 0 for 19 with 15 strikeouts, however the whole lot was wonderful thereafter, proper? Actually, May was the one month when he had a strikeout charge decrease than 27 %, which is notable for a participant whose finest years noticed him strike out lower than 20 % of the time. The impact on his batting common was palpable. He hit simply .236 throughout his 3 1/2 months with the Giants. His house run output remained wonderful throughout that point, which might have appeared like the most important concern for a left-handed hitter going to Oracle Park, however the escalating strikeout charge mixed with the downward park shift has me extra frightened about Devers’ capability for batting common shifting ahead.
• You might have thought issues have been trending up for Sean Manaea when your consideration shifted elsewhere, as a result of for his first month again from an indirect damage, they have been. His 4 outings have been on the shorter aspect, however he had a 2.08 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 11.4 Ok/9 between them, persevering with the outrageous success of the decrease arm angle he launched late in 2024. But he was dreadful in 11 appearances thereafter, placing collectively a 7.06 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and … nicely, 11.0 Ok/9. Yeah, the strikeouts and walks remained nice, which provides me some hope for him shifting ahead, however he received knocked round each time he took the mound. Not even a shift to the bullpen late within the yr may appropriate it.

Sighs of reduction

• Don’t be fooled by Sandy Alcantara’s full-season 5.36 ERA, which is so dangerous that it would persuade you nothing modified for him down the stretch, however one thing did. He was each bit the front-line starter we knew him to be prior to Tommy John surgical procedure, throwing 6-7 innings in every of his closing eight begins for a 2.68 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and eight.7 Ok/9. He threw 71 % of his pitches for strikes throughout that stretch in contrast to 64 % beforehand. His swinging-strike charge was 11 % in contrast to 9 % beforehand, and his floor ball charge was 49 % in contrast to 46 % beforehand. He’s again, child!
• There was no salvaging Jackson Merrill’s sophomore season, which was tormented by accidents from the beginning, however the consensus third-round choose coming into the yr did what he may to enhance his 2026 standing in September, homering seven instances in his closing 20 video games.
• You might have seen the primary indicators of Michael Harris turning his disastrous season round, which started instantly after the All-Star break, and I’m happy to report that it roughly continued by means of season’s finish, with some peaks and valleys alongside the best way. His .299 batting common, 14 homers, eight steals and .845 OPS within the second half have been about in step with our biggest hopes for him, and he went on to ship his first ever 20/20 marketing campaign.
• Other outfielders who upset total however loved second-half turnarounds embody Bryan Reynolds (a .225 batting common and .656 OPS within the first half in contrast to .276 and .816 within the second) and Brenton Doyle (a .202 batting common and .576 OPS within the first half in contrast to .287 and .779 within the second).
• For the primary 4 months, Mookie Betts appeared like a shell of his former self, and the one query was whether or not to blame it on his early-season abdomen sickness or his 32 years of age. But he mainly righted the ship in his closing 47 video games, batting .317 (59 for 186) with 9 house runs, an .892 OPS and extra walks (19) than strikeouts (17). The most telling half was that his common exit velocity was 90.7 mph throughout that point, comparable to his prime years, in contrast to 88.3 mph beforehand.
• Another ageing Dodgers hitter who struggled to ship his former energy numbers many of the yr was Freddie Freeman, however he likewise turned issues round over the ultimate two months, hitting 13 of his 24 house runs.
• If you thought Jurickson Profar’s PED suspension was the ultimate phrase on his breakthrough 2024, then you clearly missed his large August by which he slashed .295/.428/.598 with 9 house runs. He ended the yr in a 3-for-29 droop, which dragged down his batting common a bit, however his 3.46 Head-to-Head factors per sport positioned ninth amongst outfielders in 2025, which was even greater than in 2024.
• An early-season shoulder damage restricted Spencer Steer to DH duties and certain hindered his manufacturing, however he was mainly the participant we all the time knew him to be from May 1 on, batting .252 with 19 homers and a .767 OPS. He was in such an early gap statistically, although, that his turnaround did not grow to be clear till the tip of the yr, when a late surge noticed him end with a greater batting common (.238), house run whole (21) and OPS (.723) than in 2024. He did not run as a lot, which can even be why his 2025 felt like such a disappointment, however his dash pace rated equally, making a return to the 20-steal threshold this yr a chance.
• While it is technically true that Jesus Luzardo had a 10-start stretch midseason by which he delivered an 8.04 ERA, many of the blame for that falls on the primary two of these begins, when he was confirmed to be tipping his pitches and allowed 20 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. Because he was nonetheless somewhat shaky within the eight begins that adopted, although, the entire episode in all probability left a foul style in your mouth. Well, I’m happy to report that he redeemed himself over his closing 11 begins, delivering a 2.84 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 10.3 Ok/9. And if you take away simply the 2 begins by which he was tipping his pitches, his season numbers look fairly comparable: a 3.03 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 10.6 Ok/9.
• There have been indicators of Christian Walker turning his season round as early as July, but when you ducked out in August, you in all probability nonetheless got here away with the impression that he would not have a lot left to supply at age 34. I’ll have you know that greater than half of his house runs, 14 of 27, got here in August and September, and in all, he hit .264 with 17 homers and an .807 OPS within the closing three months — typical Walker numbers, really. That’s in contrast to .213 with 10 house runs and a .635 OPS within the first three months.
• You might not have taken observe of Chris Sale’s return from a fractured rib because it did not occur till Aug. 30, but it surely occurred and occurred gloriously. He recorded precisely 9 strikeouts in 5 of his six outings, placing collectively a 2.72 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 12.6 Ok/9 and choosing up proper the place he left off earlier than the damage. In truth, from April 25 on, spanning 16 begins in all, he had a 1.76 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 11.7 Ok/9. He’s within the dialogue to be one of many first 5 beginning pitchers drafted in 2026.
• Compared to Sale, Cole Ragans was out even longer (strained rotator cuff) and returned even later, however he likewise regarded each bit just like the ace we remembered in his three begins, placing collectively a 2.77 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 15.2 Ok/9. That he ended the yr with a 4.67 ERA is a fluke of happenstance, as his 2.63 xERA and a pair of.50 FIP display plainly sufficient. 
• Jonathan Aranda, who was misplaced July 31 to a fractured wrist, solely returned for the Rays’ closing collection on the Blue Jays, however he nonetheless managed to put an exclamation level on his breakout season by going 4 for 12 with two house runs. He completed with a .316 batting common and .883 OPS.
• Turns out Zac Gallen wasn’t completely a misplaced trigger. After placing collectively a 5.60 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and eight.6 Ok/9 over the primary 4 months, he delivered a 3.32 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and seven.5 Ok/9 over the ultimate two. He did not throw strikes at the next charge or miss any extra bats, however he allowed weaker contact, with extra of it approaching the bottom.

Psych!

• If your final impression of Pete Crow-Armstrong was that he is an rising MVP candidate along with his superlative protection and large house run and stolen base totals, then yeah, you clearly tuned out for the ultimate two months. He hit .188 with a .533 OPS throughout that point in contrast to .272 with an .868 beforehand, displaying the volatility that is inherent to having such poor plate self-discipline.
• Ceddanne Rafaela has the identical profile as Crow-Armstrong — dynamic heart fielder with playable energy however modest exit velocities and a swings-at-anything method — so it is becoming that his 2025 performed out a lot the identical means. The highs weren’t as excessive and the lows weren’t as low, however after hitting .271 with 14 homers and a .796 OPS within the first half, he hit .218 with simply two homers and a .587 OPS within the second half.
• Crow-Armstrong’s collapse was so front-and-center that it overshadowed James Wood’s. The Nationals standout, who additionally gave the looks of a budding first-rounder along with his first-half efficiency, crashed simply as exhausting, going from hitting .294 with a .958 OPS in his first 87 video games to .210 with a .660 OPS in his closing 70. Perhaps much more regarding is that his strikeout charge jumped from 26.4 % in that first stretch to 39.4 % within the second.
• MacKenzie Gore was just like the pitching equal of Wood, going from being a breakout ace within the first half with a 3.02 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 11.3 Ok/9 to completely unusable within the second half with a 6.75 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and eight.7 Ok/9. His new group, the Rangers, might have the option to do one thing with him, however he isn’t among the many the primary 50 beginning pitchers being drafted proper now.
• The Nationals’ second-half distress continued with C.J. Abrams, who went from hitting .287 with an .836 OPS earlier than the All-Star break to .217 with a .633 OPS afterward. His 2024 broke down equally, and at a place as deep as shortstop, it would not take a lot of a misstep to ship a participant plummeting down the rankings.
• Called up in mid-June, Jacob Misiorowski grew to become an instantaneous sensation, even making the All-Star group after simply 5 begins. You in all probability keep in mind him occurring the IL with a bruised tibia in early August. You might even keep in mind him having a bumpy return in mid-August. What could possibly be information to you, although, is that the return did not get any smoother thereafter. Five of his closing eight appearances have been lower than 5 innings, making them nearly unusable in Fantasy, and contemplating he had a 6.06 ERA between them, we will in all probability blot out the “virtually.” Walks have been a problem, unsurprisingly, however his 11 % swinging-strike charge throughout that point was shockingly peculiar for a pitcher along with his stuff.
• Matthew Boyd and Andrew Abbott have been two early-season successes who continued to defy expectations all the best way to the tip, proper? The total numbers may lead you to imagine so, however issues received fairly rocky for them late, with Boyd placing collectively a 5.66 ERA over his closing eight begins and Abbott placing collectively a 4.95 ERA over his closing seven. For Boyd, I can not less than level out that his slider appeared to lose its chunk throughout that point, however I’m unsure the reason issues a lot. Both have been sure to regress — it was proper there within the ERA estimators — and whereas I do not assume both is as dangerous as his closing two months, I additionally would not worth both by his full-season numbers.
• Robbie Ray and David Peterson have been two different pitchers who completed the yr a lot worse than they began it. Ray is especially disappointing as a result of he has ace upside, however between his intensive damage historical past and his 34 years of age, it will be exhausting not to take his 8.13 ERA and 1.77 WHIP over his closing six begins as a warning signal. Peterson, however, was by no means broadly embraced in Fantasy due to his poor strikeout charges and shaky management, so in a sure means, his 8.42 ERA over his closing 9 begins got here as a reduction. (It means up is not down after all.) His ground-ball expertise deserve higher than a 4.22 ERA, although, which is the place it ended up.
• What appeared like two of the most important breakouts at third base, Noelvi Marte and Addison Barger, cratered on the finish of 2025, which is one motive why the place seems to be so weak proper now. Marte, who retains his third base eligibility regardless of transitioning to proper discipline midseason, hit .192 with a .560 OPS over his closing 32 video games. His strikeout charge, which had as soon as been a power, jumped to 30.2 % throughout that point. Barger’s collapse was much more full. He not solely hit .205 (33 for 161) with a .630 OPS over the ultimate two months but in addition had a mean exit velocity of simply 88.6 mph. That’s in contrast to 93.4 mph beforehand.

Lingering questions

• Is Spencer Strider nonetheless good in his present kind? Chances are you tuned out at his lowest level, a depressing three-start stretch to start August, however he had a 2.91 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 11.6 Ok/9 within the 9 begins that preceded it and a 2.50 ERA (albeit with a 1.31 WHIP and seven.3 Ok/9) within the six begins that adopted. Moreover, his 13.9 % swinging-strike charge for the yr would have ranked seventh amongst qualifiers. While it is true his fastball would not have the identical form as earlier than his 2024 elbow process — a truth he has acknowledged and tried to tackle in season by working with an area pitching lab — his slider nonetheless charges as an elite pitch. So there are tweaks he may make to recapture a few of his outdated kind, but when he would not, can we nonetheless get some use out of him simply as he’s?
• Will Ben Rice get an opportunity to be the Yankees’ full-time first baseman? His .298 batting common and .918 OPS over the ultimate two months could seem too good to be true, however they’re nearly lifeless in step with what Statcast thinks he ought to have been doing all alongside. The query is whether or not he’ll get an opportunity to proceed them on an on a regular basis foundation. While he did see a while at catcher in 2025 — one thing we’ll all respect in 2026 — first base makes probably the most sense. Manager Aaron Boone has all the time been reluctant to begin Rice in opposition to left-handers, although, and with Cody Bellinger coming again to an already full outfield, it is potential Rice will want to share nonetheless.
• Will unlikely speedsters Juan Soto and Josh Naylor be as motivated to run this yr? Their dash speeds are Thirteenth and 2nd percentile, respectively, but they stole 38 and 30 bases, respectively. You learn these numbers accurately. While you might have observed earlier than tuning out that they have been forward of their normal steals tempo, you could also be shocked to be taught that they picked up that tempo down the stretch, with Soto amassing 23 of his stolen bases over the ultimate two months and Naylor amassing 19 of his after being traded to the Mariners. Because these performances have been so out of character, as a result of what these gamers do with the bat is a lot extra beneficial than what they do with their legs, and since stolen bases are largely a matter of intent, nobody must be shocked in the event that they return to their normal base-stealing habits this yr. But what if they do not?
• How will Brandon Woodruff navigate one other shoulder damage? The lat pressure that ended his 2025 is not as critical because the capsule surgical procedure that threatened to wreck him beforehand, but it surely was already one thing of a miracle that he got here again so dominant after shedding practically 3 mph off his fastball. We have motive to imagine he is as high-end as ever after he put collectively a 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 11.6 Ok/9 in 12 begins, however any additional erosion of his stuff could possibly be the straw that breaks the camel’s again.
• Will Sean Murphy proceed to take at-bats from Drake Baldwin? Season-ending hip surgical procedure for Sean Murphy opened the door for Drake Baldwin to be the on a regular basis catcher in September, and the 24-year-old possible cemented his NL Rookie of the Year standing throughout that point, significantly by batting .346 (18 for 52) with 4 homers, two triples, three doubles and a 1.143 OPS over his closing 13 video games. He has top-five upside at catcher, even with all of the rising bats on the place, however the Braves are closely invested in Murphy, who may see some enchancment after lastly remedying the torn labrum that had plagued him for years. Sounds like Murphy will not be again till some level in May, although, which may give Baldwin an opportunity to settle in.
• Does Eugenio Suarez merely want to get out of Seattle? He went from batting .248 with an .897 OPS and 26.8 % strikeout charge earlier than being traded to the Mariners to batting .189 with a .682 OPS and 35.9 % strikeout charge afterward, which could possibly be taken as a warning signal for a 34-year-old. But T-Mobile Park is a type of venues that provides sure hitters matches, as Suarez himself can attest from his earlier stint with the Mariners. After becoming a member of them this time, he really hit .280 with a .921 OPS in his 24 street video games, albeit with a 36.0 % strikeout charge, so chances are high he’ll be wonderful once more after signing with the Reds this offseason.
• How a lot catching will Ivan Herrera do in 2026? The 25-year-old did not make a single look at catcher after June 19, leaving him wanting the quantity wanted to retain eligibility there this yr. But our assumption then was that his transfer out from behind the plate was by selection. Turns out it was by necessity. We’ve since realized that he had surgical procedure within the offseason to appropriate an elbow situation that prevented him from making all of the throws required of a catcher, and thus, he’ll return to catching this yr, if solely on a part-time foundation. He seems to be to be lots beneficial in Fantasy whilst a DH, having simply slashed .276/.394/.575 with eight house runs in September, however regaining catcher eligibility would in fact bolster his draft inventory. 
• What are the Dodgers’ intentions for Roki Sasaki shifting ahead? One of the most important busts of 2025 managed to salvage one thing within the closing week of the season, returning as purely a reliever and searching electrical, his fastball having picked up 3-4 mph in these one-inning appearances. So is that this the higher position for him? Even in Japan, his fastball velocity was a degree of competition, and it might be that he can now not put sufficient juice on it in a beginning position. Or it might be that no matter he unlocked throughout his stint as a reliever may also translate to a beginning position, which is how the Dodgers meant to use him within the first place. So far, they’ve stated that is “absolutely” nonetheless the plan for him.
• Will the Diamondbacks ever give Jordan Lawlar an trustworthy look? Dealing away Eugenio Suarez on the deadline seemingly freed up third base for the long-awaited prospect, however as a result of he was contending with a hamstring damage on the time, he did not rejoin the large membership till Aug. 29. He began 4 of 5 video games proper out of the gate after which much less and fewer, in the end beginning simply two of the ultimate 12. And now the Diamondbacks have acquired Nolan Arenado to play third base, which means Lawlar’s solely probability of creating the group is by studying left discipline on the fly. It’s a daft means to deal with such a extremely regarded prospect, but it surely’s occurred sufficient instances already that you have to surprise if the Diamondbacks’ inner evaluation of Lawlar paints a much less promising image.
• Can Max Muncy be trusted to play sufficient? The excellent news is that after being fitted for glasses April 30, he went on to slash .268/.406/.563 with 19 homers in simply 72 video games, displaying he has lots left to contribute at age 35. The dangerous information is that he would continuously sit in opposition to left-handers, even at his absolute hottest, and when he returned from a strained indirect in September, he was solely beginning about half the time. Apparently, he was nonetheless fairly banged up then, additionally contending with a “lower body” damage, no matter which means, however the truth is that the participant pool may use one other stud bat at third base. Given his age and the Dodgers’ lineup building tendencies, we could also be fooling ourselves by pondering Muncy can meet the necessity.
• Do the Mets have room for each Brett Baty and Mark Vientos? Mostly, that is my means of stating that Baty, a former high prospect with nothing extra to show at Triple-A, lastly started to ship on his potential over the ultimate two months of 2025, batting .308 (41 for 133) with seven homers and an .866 OPS. Vientos had a making an attempt yr total and was significantly dangerous in September, batting .184 (14 for 76) with a .565 OPS. The Mets finally landed on enjoying Vientos at DH as a means to get each within the lineup, however now that they’ve introduced in Bo Bichette to play third base and Jorge Polanco to play first base, they’re down to solely the DH spot for each Baty and Vientos.
• What occurs to Isaac Paredes now that Carlos Correa is entrenched at third base? The Astros solely acquired Correa on the deadline as a result of Paredes was sidelined by a hamstring damage, however Correa carried out fairly nicely with the Astros, batting .290 with a .785 OPS, and remains to be owed a number of cash. Paredes, although, ended up being an ideal match at Daikin Park, giving the Astros about what they misplaced in Alex Bregman, not less than offensively. So the place does he play? Presumably, they will need to maintain the DH spot open for Yordan Alvarez, and Christian Walker did sufficient to retain the primary base job (see above). Years in the past, Paredes performed some second base. Would the Astros be prepared to attempt him there now, or would they be higher served having him discover left discipline? He’s one of many few palatable third base choices for Fantasy this yr, so we’d like him within the Astros lineup someplace.
• Did Tanner Bibee determine one thing out in his closing three begins? Anyone who drafted Bibee certainly got here to remorse it when he put collectively a 4.69 ERA, 1.30 ERA and seven.8 Ok/9 in his first 28 begins, but it surely’s the ultimate three, after most everybody had tuned out, that ought to give us pause. He regarded like a distinct pitcher — placing collectively a 0.86 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 9.9 Ok/9 — and in reality pitched otherwise, specifically by throwing his cutter 1.5-2 mph tougher. It’s too small of a pattern to declare it a repair or belief in its sturdiness, but it surely’s an attention-grabbing growth for a pitcher who we all know must be higher than he was.

Late-season call-ups

• Bubba Chandler’s baffling minor-league struggles compelled the Pirates to introduce him as a reliever at first, and whereas his first huge league begin Sept. 7 was disastrous, the subsequent three have been unimaginable. He had a 4.02 ERA total, however a 1.08 ERA, 0.42 WHIP and 10.3 Ok/9 in these three begins, strolling 19 and placing out zero.
• Trey Yesavage, who was probably the most prolific strikeout pitcher within the higher minors with 14.7 Ok/9, had a nine-strikeout debut on Sept. 15, adopted by one shaky begin and one stable begin. His splitter was particularly efficient with a 57 % whiff charge.
• Samuel Basallo, a top-flight catcher prospect possible destined to wind up at first base, received an opportunity to fill in for an injured Adley Rutschman from Aug. 17 on, however he did not fare nicely, batting .165 with a .559 OPS and 25 % strikeout charge. He’ll be competing for DH at-bats this spring.
• Connelly Early broke by means of within the minors with a 2.60 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 11.8 Ok/9 after which arrived within the majors Sept. 9 to do extra of the identical, placing collectively a 2.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 13.5 Ok/9 throughout 5 begins. He flashed a deep six-pitch arsenal and issued simply 1.9 BB/9.
• Payton Tolle preceded Early within the majors and scintillated in his debut, giving up two runs on three hits whereas placing out eight over 5 1/3 innings, however he struggled thereafter and ended up shifting to the bullpen. His elite fastball traits and three.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 13.1 Ok/9  within the minors give explanation for optimism.
• Carter Jensen slashed .290/.377/.501 between Double- and Triple-A after which slashed .300/.391/.550 upon reaching the majors in September. He additionally performed nearly daily, alternating with Salvador Perez between catcher and DH.
• Sal Stewart surged to the majors at age 21 with a large displaying at Triple-A after which throttled the ball upon arrival as nicely, homering 5 instances in 18 video games with a 95.4 mph common exit velocity and 112.6 mph max. Just when it appeared like he was taking on at first base, although, he ceded the job again to Spencer Steer, elevating confusion about his 2026 standing.
• Jonah Tong arrived to a lot fanfare because the yr’s high minor league pitcher, however the fastball that contributed to his 1.43 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 14.2 Ok/9 down there wasn’t practically as efficient within the majors, yielding a 7.71 ERA in 5 begins.
• Bryce Eldridge got here in mid-September to give the Giants a lift for his or her playoff push, and the 20-year-old, who has large energy but in addition contact points, predictably struggled, going 3 for 28 with 13 strikeouts. He had surgical procedure to take away a bone spur from his wrist after the season ended, but it surely should not hinder his probabilities of competing for a job this spring.
• Parker Messick was some of the efficient late-season call-ups, placing collectively a 2.72 ERA in seven begins, 4 of which lasted six innings or extra. He averaged just below a strikeout per inning however hardly walked anybody and put the ball on the bottom 48 % of the time.
• Moises Ballesteros grew to become the Cubs’ main DH with Kyle Tucker banged up for a two-week interval in September and confirmed the identical spectacular hitting instincts that outlined his time within the minors, batting .333 (13 for 39) with two house runs. He solely made two appearances, together with one begin, at catcher, so he’ll have to regain that eligibility in 2026.
• Dylan Beavers arrived with Samuel Basallo (who I discussed beforehand), however he did not get the identical fanfare regardless of slashing .304/.420/.515 with 18 homers and 23 steals at Triple-A. The Orioles began him extra usually than Basallo, although, and whereas he hit simply .227 (25 for 110), he had wonderful stroll and pull-air charges.
• Carson Williams is likely one of the largest the explanation why the Rays noticed match to waive Ha-seong Kim, arriving in late August as probably the most excessive model of the participant he was all the time touted to be. He homered 5 instances in 32 video games but in addition struck out 41.5 % of the time, which may have to enhance for him to quantity to something.
• Brandon Sproat rallied at Triple-A with a 2.44 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 10.7 Ok/9 in his closing 11 appearances, however he was largely unimpressive in his 4 main league begins, placing collectively a 4.79 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and seven.4 Ok/9. The Mets have since traded him to the Brewers.
• Harry Ford arrived firstly of September however largely performed spectator, going simply 1 for six over the course of the month. He’s a top quality catcher prospect — one who slashed .283/.408/.460 with 16 homers in 97 video games at Triple-A — but it surely’s exhausting to think about him enjoying a significant position for the Mariners with Cal Raleigh there.
• Ian Seymour, like different Rays pitchers earlier than him, put up enormous numbers within the minors however did not get a lot prospect love as a result of his velocities weren’t in step with trendy benchmarks. He was largely wonderful throughout his time with the large membership, although his ERA jumped from 2.85 to 3.63 in his closing outing.Zach Cole had simply begun to appeal to consideration as one of many largest gainers in exit velocity when he was promoted in mid-September. He began practically each sport for the Astros thereafter and continued to do precisely what he was doing within the minors, batting .255 (12 for 47) with 4 homers and three steals, but in addition a 38.5 % strikeout charge.
• George Valera, a former high prospect who had fallen out of favor due to accidents and underachievement, received the decision in September and finally grew to become the No. 2 hitter in opposition to righties. His precise manufacturing was unremarkable, however his 91.1 mph common exit velocity and 111.1 mph max, not to point out his 14.6 % stroll charge, give him one thing to work with.
• Blaine Crim is not a lot of a prospect at age 28, however his delayed arrival was much less about efficiency than the truth that he is a right-handed-hitting first baseman, giving him probably the most slim path to the majors. The Rockies put in him as their first baseman for the ultimate two weeks, and he did sufficient in his 15 video games with them, batting .241 (13 for 54) with 5 homers and an .851 OPS, to get an trustworthy look in 2026.