My record across the last three weeks in my dynasty league is 24-9-3. I’ve gained just two games on the first-place team during that stretch. In my big-money redraft league, I’m 19-6-3 in the last two weeks, yet the second-place team in that league has gained two games on me during that span. Isn’t fantasy baseball fun? Just make the playoffs, I suppose.
Here are this week’s fantasy baseball risers and fallers.
Three Up:
Arizona Diamondbacks 2B Ketel Marte — Marte has quietly been one of the most consistent fantasy contributors in all of baseball this season. He has failed to reach base safely in just one start since the beginning of May. Only Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Juan Soto have more combined hits and walks than Marte’s 86 in that span. In his last seven games, Marte is slashing .345/.441/.793 with four home runs, nine runs scored and 12 runs batted in. He’s right up there with Marcus Semien and Ozzie Albies among the best fantasy second basemen.
San Diego Padres OF Juan Soto — The aforementioned Soto has reached base safely more often than not over the past week, with 12 hits and seven walks in his last 32 plate appearances, including a trio of home runs. That’s good for a .480/.594/.920 slash line. Soto, who got off to a slow start by any standards after a disappointing finish to the 2022 season, has looked like himself again for an extended period of time. He’s a surefire top-10 fantasy outfielder and a top-five dynasty outfielder.
Atlanta Braves RHP Spencer Strider — After a little bump in the road, Strider again looks like himself. He’s thrown 13 innings in his last two starts, allowing just two earned runs while striking out 19 opposing batters with a WHIP of 1.00. He comfortably leads MLB in strikeouts, with 19 more than his closest competition. He has nine wins, good for a tie for second in baseball, and nine quality starts on the season.
Three Down:
New York Mets 2B/OF Jeff McNeil — Since recording a pair of knocks in Houston on June 19, McNeil is hitless in his last 19 plate appearances. After leading the majors last season with a .326 batting average, he is down to .257 this year, a far cry from what we’ve come to expect from McNeil as one of the league’s best pure hitters of the last half-decade. He’s on pace for a career-worst OPS and his down year has contributed to the Mets being one of baseball’s biggest disappointments.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Jack Flaherty — Flaherty has allowed ten hits and six earned runs apiece in each of his last two starts. His season ERA has ballooned to 4.95 and his WHIP to 1.60. He’s now apparently dealing with hip discomfort, which caused him to be scratched from his most recent scheduled start on June 25. He might still be a dynasty stash if you can afford it, but he’s been droppable in redraft leagues, and I see no reason to reverse course on that opinion now.
Milwaukee Brewers RHP Corbin Burnes — This is Burnes’ second appearance on this list, which breaks my heart as a dynasty owner. Last season, Burnes had just five starts in which he allowed more than three earned runs while striking out fewer than six opposing hitters. He has already matched that total this season in less than half the starts. His two most recent outings are the latest culprits, as Burnes has surrendered 11 runs (all earned) in 10.2 innings, walking four and striking out just six. Please be Corbin Burnes again, Corbin Burnes.