Ozzie Albies, 2B, Braves
Ozzie Albies was removed from Monday's game with a fractured hamate bone in his left hand. After being one of the larger busts in fantasy this season, it was hard to imagine a scenario where things got even worse, but here we are. It doesn't change much for this season with less than one week left, but this adds yet another concern to his profile for 2026. The recovery time isn't anywhere close to that of Tommy John surgery or an ACL tear, so Albies should be ready for the start of 2026. However, hamate bone surgeries have become notorious for sapping power in the months following recovery. Albies slashed .240/.306/.365 this season with 74 runs, 16 home runs, 74 RBI, and 14 stolen bases. Those 16 homers were a far cry from the 33 he hit in 2023 and the 30 he hit in 2021. His .375 xSLG ranked in the 20th percentile, along with a 30.9% hard-hit rate (10th percentile) and 69 mph bat speed (11th percentile). The recovery from his broken hamate bone surgery has a chance to hurt that minimal power even more, which could potentially leave him outside of the top 12 at the position for 2026 fantasy drafts.
MacKenzie Gore, SP, Nationals
MacKenzie Gore only lasted two innings Monday against the Braves, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches in the outing. This was the sixth time this season that he walked at least four batters in a single start, as his control issues continue to hurt him. He looked like a true breakout pitcher in the first couple of months of the season before gradually declining as time went on. It ultimately leaves him with a 4.17 ERA with 185 strikeouts and 64 walks in 159.2 innings. His xERA sits at an almost identical 4.15, and his xBA is .247, which ranks in the 51st percentile. Combine that with his 8.9% walk rate and a 10.2% barrel rate (18th percentile), and that is ultimately too much for his strikeout stuff to overcome. He'll always have the potential to punch out double digits on any given night, but it comes far too inconsistently to be a fantasy difference maker.
Ivan Herrera, C, Cardinals
Ivan Herrera went 1-for-3 with two walks and a two-run home run in Monday's win against the Giants. This was his 18th home run of the season in his 102nd game, and he's now slashing .281/.372/.462 with 51 runs, 62 RBI, and 8 stolen bases. He was one of the most popular breakout picks headed into the season, and he delivered every bit of that, outside of missing some time due to injuries. His underlying metrics look just as good if not better, with a .378 xwOBA (90th percentile), .284 xBA (87th), and .499 xSLG (83rd). These all paint him as an elite hitter in general, not just as an elite catcher. In past years, you could easily envision him going into next year as a top-three fantasy catcher, although so many young catchers exploded onto the scene in 2025 that he'll likely fall into the 8-10 range at the position.
Ronald Acuna Jr., OF, Braves
Ronald Acuna launched a solo home run and walked three times in Monday's win against the Nationals. It was his 19th homer of the season, and he's now slashing .286/.416/.509 with 71 runs and 39 RBI in 90 games. However, the one part of his game that has seen a huge decrease in production is his speed, as he has eight stolen bases on nine attempts this season. What made him such a sensational player, specifically for fantasy, was the combination of outlier power and speed. He hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases in 2023, but those days seem to be over after recovering from a second ACL tear. It makes him especially hard to rank for 2026, because it's impossible to know if he will regain some of that intent to steal bases next season. He is still one of the best hitters in the sport with a .398 xwOBA (96th percentile), .534 xSLG (92nd percentile), and 51.4% hard-hit rate (93rd percentile). He is still an elite option no matter how you look at it, but he may be more of a late first-round pick than an early first-round pick with the recent lack of steals.
Nick Pivetta, SP, Padres
Nick Pivetta was one out away from recording a quality start on Monday against the Brewers, as he allowed three runs on four hits and five walks while striking out five over 5.2 innings. This was the most walks he's allowed in a start all season, with his previous high being four in a start against the Yankees on May 5. He's enjoyed a huge breakout year in 2025, posting a 2.87 ERA, 190 strikeouts, and 50 walks in 181.2 innings. However, his underlying metrics do cause some concern. His xERA is a much worse 3.95, to go along with a 33.5% ground ball rate that ranks in the 10th percentile and a 44.7% hard-hit rate that ranks in the 16th percentile. That's a lot of hard contact going into the air, which is typically not a recipe for success. While his 26.6% strikeout rate is good, it's not so elite that you'd expect it to offset all of the hard-hit balls. He'll still come off the board around the 20th-best starting pitcher in 2026 fantasy drafts, but there will likely be more downside at that price than upside.
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