Mick Abel, SP (PHI)
Abel was obliterated on Wednesday. In his worst start as a major leaguer, Abel gave up five runs on five walks and two hits in less than two innings. He threw only 25 strikes out of 53 pitches, although he did strike out three batters. He really struggled with his fastball. Of his 32 fastballs or sinkers, only eight were thrown in the strike zone. It's his second straight substandard appearance after giving up four runs in three innings on June 21. In that start, however, he didn't walk anyone. Recency bias is never more apparent than with young players who have a lot of hype. Don't let the panic over consume the evaluations on Abel. It's just a couple bad starts. Until it becomes more...
Zach McKinstry, 3B (DET)
There are plenty of reasons the Tigers have the best record in the American League. From breakout seasons by Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson to continued improvement from Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres to another Cy Young campaign by Tarik Skubal, Detroit has a lot of elements that are clicking. Not to be overshadowed though is the career numbers being put up by Zach McKinstry. McKinstry entered the season with his roster spot in jeopardy, but he has not only solidified his job, he has earned a starting role. His ability to play five or six positions helps, but his offensive contributions cannot be denied. With four hits on Wednesday, McKinstry is now hitting .290 with a .817 OPS. He has five home runs and 10 stolen bases while walking at a career-high 10% clip. McKinstry's swing has changed. While his average exit velocity is actually down nearly two miles per hour, his launch angle is also lower, which is leading to a career-high 30.5% line drive rate. He is driving the ball instead of hitting pop flies. That has led to a .366 BABIP, which will inevitably regress but perhaps not to his career mark. The talented cast around him creates plenty of run-producing and run-scoring opportunities, which is why McKinstry is a valuable roto asset.
Ben Rice, C (NYY)
Rice reached base three times as the Yankees leadoff hitter on Wednesday, including a double, RBI and two runs scored. Perhaps more importantly for some fantasy owners, he started at catcher, his 10th appearance at the position this season. That should qualify him as catcher-eligible in a number of fantasy formats, which instantly makes him a top-five player at the position. The Yankees slugger ranks 4th among catchers in home runs, 5th in runs and 6th in RBI's. His offensive performance has certainly taken a dive since he hit .266 with eight home runs in March and April, but his quality of contact metrics are still impressive. Since the start of June, Rice has a 12% barrel rate and 44% hard-hit rate. His contact rate during that period is 81%. A .182 BABIP and some normal regression are to blame for the poor numbers. Let it all return to the mean and then consider that Rice can now be started at catcher, his fantasy value will greatly improve and he should be owned in all formats that grant him catcher eligibility.
Jake Burger, 1B (TEX)
Burger returned from the injured list for an oblique injury, but his season-long struggles continued. In a game where the Rangers had six runs on 11 hits, Burger was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. In fairness, Burger flew out deep to right in his first plate appearance in a ball that was hit over 100 miles per hour and had a .630 expected batting average. It continues a trend of his actual numbers underperforming his expected statistics. Burger's xBA when he landed on the IL was .247. His batting average is .217. He has a 50% hard-hit rate but only a .179 ISO. The Rangers really need that to turn around and there is reason to believe his production should look a lot like it was the past few years in Chicago and Miami. Burger presents as a solid buy-low candidate.
Mitch Keller, SP (PIT)
Keller delivered one of his best performances of the season, holding the Cardinals scoreless on five hits and a walk in seven innings. He tied for his second-highest strikeout total of the season with seven. Keller exhibited a bit of extra velocity, which could explain why he relied more on his hard stuff rather than his sweeper, which he only threw 12 times in the game. He went to his 4-seam fastball 40 times in order to set up his second favorite pitch on Wednesday, his sinker. The sinker generated a 36% CSW rate and 80-mph average exit velocity. It was the right pitch mix for the slight uptick in velocity. Keller is averaging nearly six innings per start and has allowed three or fewer runs in 10 of his last 11 starts. For a pitcher that has terrorized Pirates fans and fantasy owners for several years due to inconsistency, he's been one of the more consistent starters in the league in 2025, except for his dismal 3-10 record which is a product of Pittsburgh's ineptitude more than Keller's performance.
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