Paul Skenes-Pirates-SP
Paul Skenes went 6.1 IP and gave up 1 ER on 3 H, 2 BB, and 8 K's against the Cardinals. The eight strikeouts pushed his season K rate to 28% and over 200 K's for the season. It was good to see him return to the dominant underlying profile we've seen from him in the past. His 3.82 ERA is still a bit higher than the 3.34 SIERA, and the 13% SwStr% shows the strikeout production is backed by legitimate bat-missing ability. The .292 BABIP and 70% LOB rate aren't particularly favorable either, which makes the underlying numbers even more impressive. It appears that Skenes has started to figure out what has gone wrong this year. The underlying skills are still great, but his mechanics got out of sync, leading to the decline in velocity and production. Skenes is going to be a very polarizing figure in 2027, with people pointing to 2026 as his true talent and others believing he can get back to the 24-25 version.
Pete Crow-Armstrong-Cubs-OF
Pete Crow-Armstrong went 1-for-4 with a stolen base against the Brewers. The 40 steals and 45 homers make him just the seventh player to have a 40 HR/40 SB season in MLB history. His .280 average is supported by a .327 BABIP, while a 14% Barrel rate and 49% HardHit rate show that the power isn't simply coming from a high-contact environment. He has been the most valuable player in fantasy, and it hasn't been particularly close. Crow-Armstrong enters 2027 with legitimate 40/40 upside, though his strikeout rate will determine how high his batting average can remain; regardless, he will be a top-five pick in 2027.
Miguel Vargas-White Sox-2B/OF
Miguel Vargas went 2-for-6 with 2 runs, 2 RBI, and a stolen base against the Royals. Vargas has quietly put together a strong offensive season, hitting .252 with 33 homers, 104 runs, 92 RBI, and 21 steals, while his 14% walk rate and 18% strikeout rate give him a much better plate-discipline foundation than most players with this type of production. A 13% Barrel rate and 43% HardHit rate support the power, although his .265 BABIP leaves some room for improvement in the batting average. The combination of power, speed, and on-base ability makes Vargas an intriguing 2027 fantasy option after his breakout 2026.
Alec Burleson-Cardinals-OF
Alec Burleson went 1-for-4 with a home run, 1 run and 1 RBI against the Cubs. His .279 average and 113 RBI stand out, but the underlying profile is even more interesting: a 44% ground-ball rate has helped him maintain the batting average, while a 49% HardHit rate and 11% Barrel rate provide plenty of evidence that the power is legitimate. The downside is an 8% walk rate and 40% O-Swing rate, suggesting he's more aggressive than the .279 average might indicate. Burleson's 2027 outlook looks like a potential high-average, run-producing bat, with another step forward in power possible if he improves his swing decisions.
Geraldo Perdomo-Diamondbacks-SS
Geraldo Perdomo went 3-for-5 with 3 runs and an RBI against the Rockies, continuing what has been a very different offensive season from his 2025 breakout. Perdomo is hitting .260 with 9 HR, 72 runs, 54 RBI, and 21 SB this year, but the 13% strikeout rate and 14% walk rate remain excellent, giving him a strong plate-discipline foundation despite the drop in average and power. The biggest change from 2025 is the quality of contact: after hitting .290 with 20 HR, 98 runs, 100 RBI, and 27 SB last year, his Barrel rate has fallen from 7% to just 3% and his HardHit rate from 41% to 31%, while his BABIP has also dropped from .303 to .289. The 2027 outlook still looks intriguing because the approach hasn't deteriorated; if Perdomo can recover some of the contact quality from 2025, another jump in power and batting average is possible.
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