Chase Burns, SP, Reds
Chase Burns got a rude awakening in his second start in the major leagues, allowing seven runs (5 earned) on five hits and two walks in one-third of an inning against the Red Sox on Monday. This was a huge letdown after the eight-strikeout performance in his MLB debut last week. There are rumors speculating that he could have been tipping his pitches, as several Red Sox players were seen whispering something before coming up to the plate, and video suggests that Burns may have been raising his leg to different heights depending on which type of pitch he was throwing. That's the type of thing you might be able to sneak by in the minor leagues, but major league clubs will notice and capitalize quickly. His elite prospect pedigree should earn him more time in the rotation, but his next start will be a crucial one to see if he can bounce back.
Wilyer Abreu, OF, Red Sox
Wilyer Abreu had a monster day at the plate, going 2 for 5 with two home runs, two runs scored, and five RBI. Both of his home runs were more unique and exciting than the usual long ball, as the first was an inside-the-park home run and the second was a grand slam. Abreu has been getting hot again as of late, with four multi-hit games over his last 10 contests. During that span, he has three home runs and two doubles. His underlying metrics back up the performance, as he has posted a .507 xSLG (82nd percentile) and 12.6% barrel rate (79th percentile). The 26-year-old is now slashing .256/.323/.496 with a career-high 16 home runs through only 73 games.
Ryne Nelson, SP, Diamondbacks
Ryne Nelson turned in a solid performance against the Giants on Monday, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks while striking out seven over 6.2 innings. He was actually throwing a shutout through the first six frames, and was pulled with the shutout intact with two outs and runners on second and third in the seventh. However, the reliever gave up a two-run double that charged both of those runs to Nelson. This was his fourth very good start in a row, as he allowed one earned run or less in his previous three outings. This also marked his second consecutive seven-strikeout performance. He had great swing-and-miss stuff on the night, as he induced 15 whiffs. 13 of them came on his fastball, which posted a 34% whiff rate and 31% CSW%. As a pitcher who is so heavily reliant on his fastball, it can lead to some inconsistency and blowup outings. However, when everything is working, he has the potential to completely stifle offenses. He'll carry a 3.61 ERA into his next start, which is set to be against the Royals.
Colton Cowser, OF, Orioles
Colton Cowser went 1 for 6 with a solo home run on Monday against the Rangers. After spending the majority of the season on the injured list, he is sneakily putting up a truly elite home run pace. Through 26 games this season, he has seven home runs, which would be a 43-homer pace over 162 games. His 91.4 mph average exit velocity and 11.5% barrel rate are both good marks to have, but the main question surrounding the legitimacy of his performance is his 29.3% strikeout rate. That, along with his 32% whiff rate and 5.1% walk rate, are all extremely bad metrics that will make it tough to sustain this pace. However, he had a similarly bad 30.7% strikeout rate in 2024 and still managed to hit 24 home runs and tally 77 runs and 69 RBI, despite a .233 batting average and .303 on-base percentage. If you view that as his floor, he makes an intriguing option for fantasy if he can cut the strikeout rate and take an additional step forward. After all, he could just need time to shake off some rust after missing two months with a fractured thumb. That rust might be just shaking off as he is only a few games removed from a 3 for 4 performance where he hit three doubles.
Andrew Heaney, SP, Pirates
Andrew Heaney pitched 6.2 shutout innings against the Cardinals on Monday, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out seven. This type of start was desperately needed, as he was coming off two straight starts of allowing seven runs in four innings. Despite the seven strikeouts, he only got eight total whiffs on the night, which were pretty evenly spread out across his arsenal. The lack of swing-and-miss stuff suggests that this start was more luck than skill. It's incredibly hard to get away with a 90 mph average velocity fastball, which ranks in the 4th percentile of major league pitchers. You essentially need to be perfect everywhere else, which Heaney is not. His 17.6% strikeout rate, 9.0% barrel rate, and 43.2% hard-hit rate all fall below the league average. It's best to view Heaney as a streaming option at best for fantasy, and only when he is facing very weak lineups.
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