Fantasy Baseball Notebook: A slugger’s strange season, an emerging MLB star and pickups to target

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Luis Robert Jr.’s strange season

Robert is hitting just .188 and on pace to record only 72 RBI. His K% (31.4) is in the bottom 6% of the league. Robert is also somehow on pace to finish with 24 homers and 72 stolen bases, as he’s been a borderline top 50 fantasy player despite the ugly BA. Robert leads the league in steals (despite a .302 OBP), as he’s running more than ever during a contract year (while sporting a Sprint Speed in the 85th percentile).

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Robert’s SB pace is sure to slow down, but he’s one season removed from totaling 58 homers/steals in fewer than 550 ABs (with a 128 wRC+). Projection systems remained extremely bullish before the season despite Robert coming off a down 2024, and he’s plenty capable of hitting much better moving forward. Robert’s expected stats suggest he’s been unlucky, and he’s more than doubled his career BB% (14.7) this season. His Bat Speed is up while his max exit velocity is in the top 2% of the league. OOPSY projects Robert to record a 123 wRC+ rest of season.

Robert remains a heightened injury risk, but a potential trade could help boost his counting stats (and possibly improve his home park). Robert also leads the league in being caught stealing (five), and his extreme aggressiveness on the base paths is big fantasy news. Robert looks like a steal (no pun intended) as the OF30 in Yahoo drafts.

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakout

PCA was the OF37 and had an ADP of 140.2 in Yahoo drafts, but he’s been the No. 3 fantasy player so far in 2025. He’s batting .343 with nine homers and six steals over the last 18 games. He had 10 home runs over 372 at bats last season. Crow-Armstrong is on pace to go 42-120-120-56! Right around now is likely the time fantasy writers like me write about Crow-Armstrong just before the inevitable cold streak after such a hot run, but it’s clear PCA is going to be a huge fantasy win.

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Crow-Armstong sports a 31:6 K:BB ratio, but he also has a .275 expected batting average and has lowered his K% (20.5). He also just turned 23 years old and is likely the best defensive player in baseball, so it’s no surprise he’s among the league leaders in WAR. PCA has 96th percentile Sprint Speed and ran wild throughout the minors, so he’s going to remain incredibly valuable even when his performance at the plate regresses.

[Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all]

Waiver Wire Options

Bubba Chandler, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates (27% rostered)

Chandler owns a 1.42 ERA with a 31.9 K-BB% over six starts in Triple-A. He’s one of baseball’s best pitching prospects and appears ready to be called up by Pittsburgh. Chandler is dominating the minors, while the Pirates’ No. 5 starter Carmen Mlodzinski has a 6.16 ERA and a 9.8 K-BB%. Chandler will be a coveted fantasy add as soon as he gets called up, which should happen soon.

J.P. Crawford, SS, Seattle Mariners (19%)

Crawford isn’t a big power/speed contributor, but he’s hitting .296 and on pace to score 84 runs and record 84 RBI (with 15 homers). He’s one season removed from posting a 136 wRC+ before injuries ruined his 2024, and Crawford’s hot start has resulted in a move back to the leadoff spot. The Mariners’ offense has surprisingly been the second best in baseball so far, so the counting stats should remain healthy. Crawford is a sneaky add if you need middle infield help.

Lance McCullers Jr., SP, Houston Astros (24%)

McCullers made his first MLB start Sunday since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series. He’s undergone multiple arm surgeries over the last few years, but McCullers has real upside if he’s healthy again. He used to have one of the best curveballs in baseball, and McCullers posted a 2.84 ERA with a 30.2 K% and a 14.7 SwStr% over four rehab starts in the minors. The former first-round pick is locked in Houston’s rotation, and he’s worth adding given the SP landscape.

Speed Round

• Mason Miller has the league’s wildest Statcast card. He’s in the 100th percentile in K% but in the first percentile in Hard-Hit%. Miller’s 4.61 ERA comes with an MLB-low 1.02 SIERA.

• It hasn’t been a great year for the high-priority waiver wire adds so far (Chandler Simpson excluded), with Nick Kurtz and Agustín Ramírez the latest examples. Kurtz has a 45.0% K% and is still searching for his first Barrel, while Ramírez had recorded just one hit over the last eight days before hitting a three-run homer off the bench Monday.

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