Mr. George Bissell made me take a shine to Shane Baz and Drew Thorpe this weekso here are my three remaining favorite pickups at the moment.
Spencer Arrighetti – SP Astros – Included in 13 percent of Yahoo leagues
Arrighetti’s ERA had nowhere to go but down after giving up seven runs in three innings in his Major League debut on April 10, and it has been steadily doing so even though it still stands at 5.33. In his last three starts, he gave up two runs in 14 2/3 innings.
Arrighetti was needed earlier than expected this year due to Houston’s injury problems and likely wasn’t quite ready to begin with. Even now, he’s still held back by a staggeringly high .359 BABIP and a 12 percent walk rate. The latter is a real concern, while the former seems like a fluke. Arrighetti’s output velocity numbers are all average or slightly better. Statcast thinks the league should hit .243 against him, which is a lot lower than the .269 he actually has. His .359 BABIP is 76 points higher than the Astros’ team mark.
Tune in to the Rotoworld Baseball Show all season long for the latest player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts. click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Walks have long been a problem for Arrighetti, so while he’ll probably get a little better there in the short term, he won’t quickly turn into the type of starter who works deep into games. Still, his strong breaking ball range has led to a 26% strikeout rate so far, and barring a likely start against the Orioles next week, he should benefit from a pretty forgiving schedule in the coming weeks. He rates at least a short-term pickup.
Noelvi Marte – 3B Reds – Included in 19 percent of Yahoo leagues
Before receiving an 80-game PED suspension this spring, Marte was a very intriguing fantasy pick facing a logjam in Cincinnati. Of course, that all disappeared after that as Matt McLain had to have shoulder surgery and Christian Encarnacion-Strand injured his wrist. Marte’s return, scheduled for June 27, could see him installed as the regular third baseman, with Jeimer Candelario moving to first base and Spencer Steer returning to left field.
A long-time standout, Marte thrived in his major league debut last season, hitting .316/.366/.456 with three home runs and six steals in 35 games. He’s still growing into his strength — and he was apparently trying to speed up the process — but he could have something to offer in all five fantasy categories, especially if he can carve out a spot in the top half of the Reds lineup next. return. There’s a chance he’ll struggle during his minor league assignment after all this time away and end up being optioned for a stint instead of being reinstated to the active roster once his suspension ends, but that’s not how the Reds want this to play. out. If all goes well, he should provide quite a bit of fantasy value over the last three months.
Jeffrey Springs – SP Rays – Listed in 16 percent of Yahoo leagues
Springs has already had one setback in his return from Tommy John surgery, leaving him in his second rehab start last month with shoulder issues, but he’s now back to pitching after working two scoreless innings and striking out three on Wednesday for Triple-A Durham. With the Rays slowly bringing him back, he likely won’t be a candidate for the Major League rotation until just after the All-Star break. Still, he could make a significant impact again. After all, this is a pitcher who went 11-6 with a 2.26 ERA and a 168/35 K/BB ratio in 151 1/3 innings from 2022 through early 2023 (he made three starts in April before getting injured).
Obviously, Springs, like everyone else returning from Tommy John surgery, is hardly a sure thing at this point. Any kind of significant setback could cause the Rays to shift their focus and concentrate on preparing him for next year. Even if all goes as hoped, Springs will likely face some quick issues upon his return and will often be given extra days off between starts. Still, this is a pitcher who looked like one of the best in the league in 2022 and early last year. Now is the time to put it away and hope it pays off next month.
