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Yordan Álvarez, OF, Astros: He leads the majors in home runs and BB/K rate, which reminds us that there is no good way to pitch to the Houston slugger. If he can get past even 130 games, he will likely surpass his March ADP (low 40s).
Mason Miller, SP, Parents: I don’t remember a closer television to watch than Miller is now. He has allowed just two hits and has struck out 27 of the 38 batters he has faced. He’s currently on pace to strike out 199 men, for God’s sake.
I think relief pitchers rarely merit Cy Young consideration, but Miller, who was also unhittable after joining the Padres last summer, might be a rare exception.
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Kevin McGonigle, SS/3B, Tigers: The grade juice may take a while, but a .312/.411/.481 start has quickly vaulted McGonigle to the top of Detroit’s batting order. He has more walks than strikeouts and doesn’t seem bothered by left-handed pitching either. Note that he also quickly acquired third base eligibility for Yahoo leagues. The large extension was beneficial for both the player and the organization.
Nolan McLean, SP, Mets: New York is in a tailspin, but McLean isn’t to blame, with a clean 2.28 ERA and a league-best 0.761 WHIP. McLean sits in the mid-90s and is seeing positive results with four different pitches; Good luck against this guy.
Dillon Dingler, C, Tigers: His contact profile is excellent and his hard-hitting sliders are gloriously set to the right, the bright side. Dingler also marks his territory with the Gold Glove defense. He will remain in the middle of Detroit’s lineup all year and will likely make his All-Star Game debut in July.
Dalton Rushing, C, Dodgers: He’s MLB’s Isaiah Likely, a ready-made talent blocked by other stars: in this case, catcher Will Smith and the incomparable Shohei Ohtani. I’ve seen some clever managers hide Rushing in deeper leagues, highlighting his five home runs and his absurd .455/.478/1.227 in 22 at-bats. It’s also possible Rushing could be a trade candidate if the Dodgers have other needs. I’m curious to see more.
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Garrett Crochet, SP, Red Sox: It’s off to a great start, one good and three bad. It doesn’t have to mean the sky is falling, but Crochet deserves a bump from his lofty spring draft position. We need to remember that he only has one elite season on the bench, and Fenway Park is never an easy place to pitch.
Aaron Nola, SP, Phillies: Since the start of the 2023 season, he has had a 4.38 ERA and a 1.213 WHIP. Never forget that our game is about numbers, not names. Nola’s Cy Young contention days are probably over for good.
Roki Sasaki, SP, Dodgers: I’m not sure how much longer the Dodgers can get Sasaki, who has been roughed up by the Rockies, Rangers and Nationals in his last three at-bats. I suspect we’ll soon see him in a non-leveraged relief role, making him irrelevant to fantasy leagues. Maybe all of this seems obvious, but somehow it’s still included in about a third of Yahoo leagues.
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Spencer Arrighetti, SP, Astros: He dominated the visiting Rockies as expected, and the 10-strikeout rule made him a mandatory addition in several leagues. We’ll learn a lot more this week, against the Guardians and the Yankees. Boston comes calling after that. A possible upgrade is at stake here, but Arrighetti is not yet offering any floors.
Ceddanne Rafaela, 2B/OF, Red Sox: The robberies have not appeared, although he has been caught twice. But it’s encouraging that he’s chasing less and walking a little more; It’s still below code in both columns, but it’s improving. I still see a player who could be at least neutral in batting average while flirting with 15-20 home runs and 15-20 steals.