SP DJ Herz, Washington Nationals (49%)
While Herz’s most recent performance was nowhere near as good as the one prior, Herz notably did not allow any walks for the second game in a row, which is the most important thing moving forward for the young hurler. There will certainly be ups and downs for the rest of the year for Herz, but his strikeout upside is tantalizing, and if he can continue to keep the walks down, that will greatly increase his chances of having useful fantasy outings.
He likely won’t net you many wins pitching for the Nats and still needs to greatly improve his efficiency (last game, he threw 76 pitches and went just 3.2 innings), but Herz’s upside, coupled with the improved control he has been showing lately, makes him worth scooping.
SP Jonathan Cannon, Chicago White Sox (43%)
I have been watching Cannon’s most recent starts, and he looks very good. Other people have been watching, too, as Cannon’s ownership has shot up over 30 percentage points from last week. He can throw 95 mph but primarily uses a sinker, which he throws over 30% of the time and has gotten mixed results.
It’s his secondaries, however, that I am most intrigued by. His sweeper is an absolute monster with exceptional horizontal movement, and his changeup is occasionally filthy as well; he just needs to command it more consistently, as it gets hit hard when he doesn’t execute the pitch. As a Red Sox fan, the way he pitches reminds me a bit of Tanner Houck, and I can see him finding similar success if everything breaks right.
Cannon’s numbers are skewed by his first three starts this year, which were not very good. He reportedly worked on things in the minors after getting sent back down and has been excellent in his three appearances since getting called back up.
He has already done enough to convince the White Sox to keep him in their rotation and plans for the future. It’ll be interesting to see how his start today against Detroit goes, but unless he gets absolutely shelled, I think he is definitely worth considering.
SP Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta Braves (43%)
Schwellenbach’s last two outings have been quality starts, with his most recent being his best so far (six innings, one run, two walks, seven strikeouts). His current ERA (4.98) is about a full run higher than it likely should/will be. Schwellenbach hasn’t been striking out too many batters.
He is rocking an impressive 13.7% swinging strike rate. This suggests that Schwellenbach does have what it takes to get more strikeouts, and since he’s currently locked into Atlanta’s starting rotation, he makes for a good gamble for those in need of starting pitching.
RP Chad Green, Toronto Blue Jays (29%)
At first glance, Green might not look like he is worth the addition this week, as his last save was back on April 9th. However, news just came out that Jordan Romano was shut down from throwing after experiencing soreness in his elbow, and Yimi Garcia is dealing with ulnar nerve symptoms, which can be really tricky to deal with.
Manager John Schneider confirmed that Green will be the interim closer for the team, and with both of the other relievers dealing with elbow soreness and no return dates in sight, picking Green up now could pay dividends for fantasy owners in need of saves.
OF/UT Hunter Goodman, Colorado Rockies (28%)
With Elias Diaz and Charlie Blackmon both out currently, Goodman has been one of the primary beneficiaries of playing time. He has played every day since June 15th and has hit five of his seven home runs. He is also very close to gaining catcher eligibility, as he already has six starts behind the dish.
His batted ball data supports the power, but it would be unwise to expect much improvement in batting average or on-base percentage. He makes for a sneaky pickup in deeper leagues for those needing help at outfield or catcher.
UT Spencer Horwitz, Toronto Blue Jays (26%)
Horwitz has exhibited phenomenal plate discipline while starting against righties for the Blue Jays. His upside is severely capped since he has shown no power or speed, but he has been racking up the hits and had a .514 slugging rate (mostly due to 22 doubles) at AAA before his callup.
He just needs one more start at second base to gain eligibility there, and he has three starts so far at first base. He could be worth scooping in deeper leagues for his utility, knowing he likely won’t hurt you in whichever position you plug him into.
Honorable Mentions
OF James Wood, Washington Nationals (71%)
He’s back! This is likely your last call if he hasn’t been picked up.
C Ben Rice, New York Yankees (41%)
Hasn’t done much yet but is showing good patience at the plate. He was hitting well in the minors.
3B/SS Daniel Schneemann, Cleveland Guardians (17%)
Hitting with a little pop, speed and great plate discipline.
RP Colten Brewer, Chicago Cubs (2%)
A solid reliever who could become closer due to the failures of Hector Neris and Mark Leiter Jr.
