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Eric Carabelle
multiple authors
Each week in MLB has its own story – full of surprises, both positive and negative – and imaginary manager Moving forward we will have to decide what to believe and what not. Maybe we can help. Don’t be surprised if any of these ideas come true…!
Don’t be surprised… If Los Angeles Angels Of mike trout Remained a top 10 fantasy hitter throughout the season
It’s certainly fair to be concerned about whether generational talent Trout, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer heading into his age-34 season, will be able to stay healthy enough to assist fantasy managers for all six months of this and future regular seasons. After all, he has shown a worrying lack of durability since 2021, although Trout was eligible for 130 games in 2025. However, when doing so last season, Trout only hit .232 and struck out at a career-worst 32% rate. Looking back, sustainability wasn’t Trout’s biggest concern.
The first four weeks of 2026 have been notable for a number of reasons for Trout, one of them being him appearing in all but one of his team’s games. He returned to playing (though not particularly well) in center field after spending a single game in this position the previous season. We also can’t help but notice significant changes at the plate. Trout entered Wednesday with a career-best 22.9% walk rate and an impressive 19.3% strikeout rate. Houston Astros Of yordan alvarez And Trout is the only one of the current home run leaders to have more walks than strikeouts.
Are Trout’s investors looking to trade him for safer, more reliable alternatives? We can’t argue with that fair viewpoint, but what if Trout continues to hit home runs, continues to show elite plate discipline and, perhaps most importantly, manages to appear close to every box score? That would be amazing! Not only is Trout on pace for 47 home runs – a figure he has yet to reach among his myriad accomplishments – but he is also 5 for 5 on stolen bases, followed by by trying Only 16 steals over the last six seasons. Mocker if you want, but Trout last swiped more than 11 bases during the 2018 season!
Let’s be optimistic and grateful that this topic is justified after so many years of disappointment. Trout’s barrel rate of 25.6% has never been higher (19.7% is his best mark in 2022). His average exit velocity mark of 92.7 mph would be the second highest mark of his career. The power and plate discipline are elite — and not just when he hits at Yankee Stadium (five home runs in a set of first four games in April). The .248 batting average (up 16 points from Sunday) isn’t great, but Trout’s .246 BABIP is unfortunate. Last season it was .310. Frankly, trout numbers could really improve!
Perhaps expecting top-10 production isn’t bold enough. What a gift for angels and fantasy managers!
Don’t be surprised… If cincinnati reds 1b sal stewart Won the NL Rookie of the Year award.
The pool of newcomers to the National League appears to be quite full, and most people probably expected it to be pittsburgh pirates ss Connor Griffin To run away with this prize. Maybe he will, but Griffin (.226, 29.3% K rate) is not off to a good start. However, New York Mets rhp nolan mclean is flourishing and St. Louis Cardinals 2B/SS JJ Weatherholt Definitely impressed.
Stewart entered fourth on Wednesday all hitters In imaginary points, only behind los angeles dodgers DH/P shohei ohtaniAlvarez and Trout. That’s it! The 22-year-old Stewart started last season with five home runs in 18 September games, albeit with only three walks (5.2%) and a high K rate (25.9%). He did not attempt to steal any bases. He always hit in the minor leagues, but, as usual, the Reds seemed loaded with young hitters, and there was no guarantee that Stewart would play regularly. Many of us hoped he would find a way, but we can’t pretend to be hopeful this number.
Stewart, the No. 32 pick in the 2022 draft, is one of the leaders in home runs with nine, he has knocked in one run per game and his .979 OPS ranks sixth, slightly behind Trout. He is a cleanup hitter for a high-achieving, competitive club, and has stolen seven bases in as many chances. Unlike Trout, Stewart does not possess even remotely notable speed. Stewart had a breakout minor league season in 2025, when he hit .309/.383/.524 with 20 home runs and 17 steals in Double- and Triple-A. He could achieve these figures before this year’s All-Star break.
There is nothing incomplete behind any of these numbers. Like Trout, Stewart is hitting everything hard and over the barrel without much swing-and-miss. Five of his home runs have also been hit to right-center field. This combination of power and plate discipline is truly amazing to watch. Stewart is no ordinary novice. Griffin may have received more attention, but here we have a mature rookie on pace for 50 home runs, 162 RBI and 38 stolen bases. No amateur had ever come close to doing this before!
Don’t be surprised… If New York Yankees rhp cam schlitler joins lhp max fried As a top-10 fantasy hurler
The 25-year-old Schlitzer posted a 2.96 ERA (3.73 FIP) and 27% strikeout rate in 14 starts as a rookie last season, and he thrived during two stressful, elimination playoff starts, allowing just two earned runs in 14⅓ innings (1.26 ERA). Equipped with a hard cutter and hard sinker, the 2022 seventh-round pick has allowed three or fewer runs in 21 of his 23 career starts, including the playoffs. Some considered Schlitler close to the top prospect entering last season, but he suddenly entered Wednesday just two fantasy points behind the Angels’ ace RHP. jose soriano For most fantasy pitching points.
Expected showdown with Tuesday night Texas Rangers Ace RHP jacob degrom It was all Schlitzer, as he allowed three hits in six shutout innings, causing his ERA to drop to 1.51 and his WHIP to 0.74. Right-handers are just 7-for-62 (.113) against him. There’s a little BABIP love here, but Schlitzer’s swinging-strike percentage has increased from 12.1% to 16.2%. He leads baseball with a 1.52 FIP. Fried (2.72 FIP) and RHP Will Warren (2.77 FIP) is also among the FIP leaders. maybe lhp carlos rodon and rhp gerrit cole Will join them there soon.
After winning 19 games last season and finishing ninth in fantasy pitching points, Fried is enjoying another great season. Rodan was seventh. How many Yankees can finish in the top 10 this year? Rodon and Cole may not get there due to injuries that started their respective seasons late, but Schtler and Fried are on their way. This is a typical rotation, with a strong defense behind it. Whatever Schlitler is doing doesn’t seem the least bit shaky.
