After US coaching journey, Jimmy Alapag gets his big break in PBA

Jimmy Alapag admitted that returning to the Philippines wasn’t an option six years ago when, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he and his family left for the United States to pursue better opportunities. “At the time, maybe not,” Alapag told the Inquirer on Tuesday, when asked if this homecoming was in any way

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Getting ‘strong’ backing, grassroots volley league targets massive field

The National Grassroots Volleyball League (NGVL) is looking to double its reach in its second season, targeting 200 teams as it continues its push to give young Filipino players a structured pathway to national competition. After opening with nearly 100 teams and around 2,500 players and coaches, the league hopes to bring in more school-

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Germany dumped out by Paraguay in seismic World Cup shock

Germany crashed out of the World Cup at the hands of Paraguay in the last 32 after losing 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Foxborough on Monday. It marks the first time that Germany has ever lost a penalty shootout at a World Cup. Julio Enciso headed Paraguay into a shock lead before

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Alapag returns, signaling coaching change at NLEX camp

The PBA Governors’ Cup opens July 10 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, with Jimmy Alapag making his return to the league as NLEX coach. Alapag met with management and signed his contract on Monday. The Road Warriors face guest team Macau in the second game of the opening doubleheader, and Alapag is expected to

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Top men, women pros focus on precision in Baguio tilt

BAGUIO CITY—Power may create birdie chances at Pinewoods Golf and Country Club, but players believe precision, patience and smart decision-making will determine the champions as the Philippine Golf Tour and Ladies Philippine Golf Tour resume on Tuesday. The demanding mountain layout hosts the ICTSI Pinewoods Challenge, where the men’s field will compete for a P2.5

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5150 series travels to Bohol

Fresh from successful inaugural races in Guimaras and Camiguin, the 5150 Triathlon Islands of the Philippines Series heads to Bohol on July 12 for the pivotal third leg of the four-stop circuit showcasing Olympic-distance racing across some of the country’s most breathtaking island destinations. More than just the penultimate stop of the inter-island series, the

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Cunningham’s 22-second point now a trending meme

INDIANAPOLIS—Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham was already a social media star. Now she’s gone to another level after pointing at Phoenix’s DeWanna Bonner. The point lasted 22 seconds. The internet noticed. Memes of Cunningham—who came to the defense of teammate Caitlin Clark—pointing at and staring at Bonner on Monday night while being ushered away by

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Amigas upset Brazilians in Croatia

Team Philippines stunned three-time world champion Brazil, 2-1, at the start on Thursday night of main round action in the International Handball Federation men’s and women’s championships in Zagreb, Croatia. Nicknamed the Amigas, the Filipino women are seeing action in the beach competitions where they trailed early against the bigger, heftier Brazilians, 26-14, after the

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Grades & Start/Sit Advice (Week 14)

Welcome to our fantasy baseball Quick Grades. Or Start/Sit Grades. Whatever you want to call it. This is our weekly article where we provide rankings and grades for all fantasy baseball-relevant players to help you set your weekly lineups. By leveraging our industry-leading projections and rankings from some of the most accurate fantasy baseball experts, we’re able to provide these custom player grades each week. We continue to tweak our process for this series each season to ensure the grades are as predictive and accurate as possible, and this has become an invaluable resource for fantasy managers who have to make difficult start/sit decisions each and every week. Check back each week for updated grades that take each player’s matchups and projected stats into consideration. Here are the grades for the upcoming Fantasy Baseball Week.

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If you want to dive deeper into fantasy baseball, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Baseball Tools as you navigate your season. From our Lineup Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy baseball season.

 

Fantasy Baseball Weekly Player Rankings & Grades (6/29-7/5)

Let’s take a look at our weekly rankings and grades for all fantasy-relevant players.

Name	Team	Position	Score	Grade
James Wood	WSH	OF,DH	100	A
Byron Buxton	MIN	OF,DH	100	A
Jackson Chourio	MIL	OF	100	A
Yordan Alvarez	HOU	OF,DH	100	A
Pete Crow-Armstrong	CHC	OF	100	A
Trea Turner	PHI	SS	100	A
Shohei Ohtani	LAD	DH	100	A
Wyatt Langford	TEX	OF	100	A
Ben Rice	NYY	1B,DH,C	100	A
Bryce Harper	PHI	1B,DH	100	A
Ceddanne Rafaela	BOS	2B,OF	99	A
Yandy Diaz	TB	1B,DH	99	A
Juan Soto	NYM	OF,DH	98	A
Jose Caballero	NYY	2B,3B,SS,OF	97	A
Zach Neto	LAA	SS	95	A
Shea Langeliers	ATH	DH,C	95	A
Willson Contreras	BOS	1B	94	A
Carter Jensen	KC	DH,C	93	A
Corbin Carroll	ARI	OF	91	A
Kyle Schwarber	PHI	OF,DH	90	A
William Contreras	MIL	DH,C	90	A
Nasim Nunez	WSH	2B,SS	90	A
Carson Benge	NYM	OF	90	A
Junior Caminero	TB	3B	89	B
Jac Caglianone	KC	1B,OF,DH	89	B
Sal Stewart	CIN	1B,2B,3B,DH	89	B
Andy Pages	LAD	OF	88	B
Paul Goldschmidt	NYY	1B,DH	88	B
Dillon Dingler	DET	DH,C	88	B
Jasson Dominguez	NYY	OF,DH	88	B
Dylan Crews	WSH	OF	87	B
Josh Naylor	SEA	1B,DH	87	B
Gunnar Henderson	BAL	SS,DH	86	B
Cody Bellinger	NYY	OF	85	B
Casey Schmitt	SF	1B,2B,3B,OF,DH	85	B
Jazz Chisholm Jr.	NYY	2B,3B	85	B
Brandon Marsh	PHI	OF	83	B
Elly De La Cruz	CIN	SS	83	B
Brice Turang	MIL	2B	83	B
Jake McCarthy	COL	OF	83	B
Jorge Soler	LAA	OF,DH	83	B
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	TOR	1B,DH	82	B
Jake Bauers	MIL	1B,OF	82	B
Christian Yelich	MIL	OF,DH	81	B
Hunter Goodman	COL	DH,C	81	B
Kazuma Okamoto	TOR	1B,3B	81	B
Chandler Simpson	TB	OF	81	B
Jarren Duran	BOS	OF,DH	81	B
George Springer	TOR	OF,DH	81	B
Wilyer Abreu	BOS	OF	81	B
Cal Raleigh	SEA	DH,C	80	B
Jose Altuve	HOU	2B,OF,DH	80	B
Jordan Walker	STL	OF	80	B
Ezequiel Duran	TEX	1B,2B,3B,SS,OF	80	B
Riley Greene	DET	OF,DH	80	B
JJ Bleday	CIN	OF,DH	79	C
Kerry Carpenter	DET	OF,DH	79	C
Henry Bolte	ATH	OF	79	C
Pete Alonso	BAL	1B,DH	79	C
Jorge Mateo	ATL	2B,SS,OF,DH	78	C
Jeremy Pena	HOU	SS	78	C
J.T. Realmuto	PHI	C	78	C
Randy Arozarena	SEA	OF	78	C
Seiya Suzuki	CHC	OF,DH	78	C
Isaac Paredes	HOU	1B,3B,DH	77	C
A.J. Ewing	NYM	2B,OF	77	C
Ketel Marte	ARI	2B,DH	77	C
Ivan Herrera	STL	DH,C	76	C
Ryan O’Hearn	PIT	1B,OF,DH	76	C
Jonathan Aranda	TB	1B	76	C
Julio Rodriguez	SEA	OF	75	C
CJ Abrams	WSH	SS	75	C
Caleb Durbin	BOS	2B,3B	75	C
Bryan Reynolds	PIT	OF,DH	75	C
Fernando Tatis Jr.	SD	2B,OF	75	C
Alec Burleson	STL	1B,OF,DH	74	C
Jake Mangum	PIT	OF	74	C
Bryce Eldridge	SF	1B,DH	74	C
Heriberto Hernandez	MIA	OF,DH	74	C
Manny Machado	SD	3B,DH	74	C
Jonny DeLuca	TB	OF	74	C
Kevin McGonigle	DET	3B,SS	73	C
Michael Harris II	ATL	OF	73	C
Gavin Sheets	SD	1B,OF,DH	73	C
Josh Bell	MIN	1B,DH	73	C
Brandon Lowe	PIT	2B	72	C
Bo Bichette	NYM	3B,SS	72	C
Gabriel Moreno	ARI	C	72	C
Miguel Vargas	CWS	1B,3B	72	C
Matt Shaw	CHC	2B,3B,OF,DH	72	C
Drake Baldwin	ATL	DH,C	72	C
TJ Rumfield	COL	1B,DH	71	C
JJ Wetherholt	STL	2B,3B,SS	71	C
Keibert Ruiz	WSH	C	71	C
Sam Antonacci	CWS	2B,3B,OF	71	C
Daylen Lile	WSH	OF,DH	71	C
Francisco Alvarez	NYM	DH,C	71	C
Samad Taylor	SD	2B,OF	70	C
Samuel Basallo	BAL	1B,DH,C	70	C
Ian Happ	CHC	OF	70	C
Bryson Stott	PHI	2B,SS	70	C
Cole Carrigg	COL	OF	70	C
Brandon Nimmo	TEX	OF,DH	70	C
Curtis Mead	WSH	1B,2B,3B	70	C
Jesus Sanchez	TOR	OF,DH	69	D
Richie Palacios	TB	2B,OF	69	D
Anthony Volpe	NYY	SS	69	D
Joc Pederson	TEX	DH	69	D
Michael Massey	KC	2B,OF	69	D
Trevor Larnach	MIN	OF,DH	69	D
Cedric Mullins II	TB	OF	69	D
Eugenio Suarez	CIN	3B,DH	69	D
Salvador Perez	KC	1B,DH,C	68	D
Lane Thomas	KC	OF	68	D
Daulton Varsho	TOR	OF	68	D
Andrew Benintendi	CWS	OF,DH	68	D
Mookie Betts	LAD	SS	68	D
Tyler Freeman	COL	2B,OF,DH	68	D
Kyle Stowers	MIA	1B,OF,DH	68	D
Luis Garcia	WSH	1B,2B,DH	68	D
Rafael Devers	SF	1B,DH	68	D
Blake Dunn	CIN	OF	67	D
Coby Mayo	BAL	1B,3B,DH	67	D
Endy Rodriguez	PIT	1B,C	67	D
Nathaniel Lowe	CIN	1B,DH	67	D
Otto Lopez	MIA	2B,SS	67	D
Willi Castro	COL	1B,2B,3B,SS,OF	67	D
Kyle Manzardo	CLE	1B,DH	67	D
Mickey Moniak	COL	OF,DH	67	D
Luke Raley	SEA	1B,OF	67	D
Jackson Merrill	SD	OF	67	D
Kyle Teel	CWS	C	66	D
Owen Caissie	MIA	OF,DH	66	D
Leody Taveras	BAL	OF	66	D
Rhys Hoskins	CLE	1B,DH	66	D
Dansby Swanson	CHC	SS	66	D
Yainer Diaz	HOU	DH,C	66	D
Nick Loftin	KC	2B,3B,OF	66	D
Alec Bohm	PHI	1B,3B	66	D
Alex Bregman	CHC	3B,DH	66	D
Nathan Lukes	TOR	OF	66	D
Victor Caratini	MIN	1B,DH,C	66	D
Kody Clemens	MIN	1B,2B,OF	66	D
Colson Montgomery	CWS	3B,SS	66	D
Jacob Young	WSH	OF	65	D
Andruw Monasterio	BOS	1B,2B,3B,SS,DH	65	D
Dominic Canzone	SEA	OF,DH	65	D
Nick Kurtz	ATH	1B	65	D
Garrett Mitchell	MIL	OF	65	D
Connor Wong	BOS	C	65	D
Jared Young	NYM	1B,OF,DH	65	D
Alejandro Osuna	TEX	OF	65	D
Brayan Rocchio	CLE	2B,SS	65	D
Kyle Tucker	LAD	OF,DH	65	D
Taylor Ward	BAL	OF	65	D
Colt Keith	DET	1B,2B,3B,DH	65	D
Anthony Seigler	BOS	2B,3B	65	D
Jo Adell	LAA	OF	64	D
Taylor Walls	TB	SS	64	D
Jung Hoo Lee	SF	OF	64	D
Christian Walker	HOU	1B	64	D
Mark Vientos	NYM	1B,3B,DH	64	D
Max Muncy	LAD	3B	64	D
Ryan Kreidler	MIN	3B,SS,OF	64	D
Kyle Higashioka	TEX	DH,C	64	D
Tyler Soderstrom	ATH	1B,OF	64	D
Matt Olson	ATL	1B	64	D
Jakob Marsee	MIA	OF	63	D
Troy Johnston	COL	1B,OF,DH	63	D
Luis Arraez	SF	1B,2B,DH	63	D
Colton Cowser	BAL	OF	63	D
Freddie Freeman	LAD	1B	63	D
Gabriel Rincones	PHI	OF	63	D
Tyler Tolbert	KC	OF	63	D
Brooks Lee	MIN	2B,3B,SS	63	D
Lars Nootbaar	STL	OF	63	D
Logan O’Hoppe	LAA	C	63	D
Royce Lewis	MIN	1B,3B	63	D
Brett Baty	NYM	1B,2B,3B,OF	62	D
Andres Gimenez	TOR	2B,SS	62	D
Noelvi Marte	CIN	3B,OF	62	D
Travis Bazzana	CLE	2B	62	D
Carson Kelly	CHC	C	62	D
MJ Melendez	NYM	OF,DH	62	D
Esteury Ruiz	MIA	OF	62	D
Dominic Smith	ATL	1B,DH	62	D
Kahlil Watson	CLE	OF	62	D
Starling Marte	KC	OF,DH	62	D
Dalton Rushing	LAD	1B,C	62	D
Spencer Steer	CIN	1B,2B,OF	62	D
Mauricio Dubon	ATL	2B,3B,SS,OF	61	D
Cam Smith	HOU	OF	61	D
Ozzie Albies	ATL	2B	61	D
Braxton Fulford	COL	DH,C	61	D
Bobby Witt Jr.	KC	SS	61	D
Masataka Yoshida	BOS	OF,DH	61	D
Nate Eaton	BOS	3B,OF	61	D
Jake Burger	TEX	1B	61	D
Wade Meckler	LAA	OF	61	D
Justin Crawford	PHI	OF	61	D
Austin Wells	NYY	C	61	D
Gary Sanchez	MIL	1B,DH,C	61	D
Zach McKinstry	DET	2B,3B,SS,OF	61	D
Mickey Gasper	BOS	DH,C	61	D
Willy Adames	SF	SS	61	D
Griffin Conine	MIA	OF	60	D
Marcell Ozuna	PIT	DH	60	D
Isaac Collins	KC	OF	60	D
Daniel Susac	SF	C	60	D
Josh Jung	TEX	3B	60	D
Jose Tena	WSH	2B,3B,OF,DH	60	D
James Outman	DET	OF	60	D
J.P. Crawford	SEA	3B,SS	60	D
Edmundo Sosa	PHI	2B,3B,SS,OF	60	D
Pavin Smith	ARI	1B,DH	60	D
Alejandro Kirk	TOR	C	60	D
Daniel Schneemann	CLE	2B,3B,SS,OF	60	D
Braden Montgomery	CWS	OF	60	D
Nelson Velazquez	STL	OF,DH	60	D
Denzer Guzman	LAA	3B,SS	60	D
Michael Conforto	CHC	OF,DH	60	D
John Rave	KC	OF	59	F
Joe Mack	MIA	C	59	F
Miguel Amaya	CHC	DH,C	59	F
Tommy Edman	LAD	2B,3B,OF	59	F
David Hamilton	MIL	2B,3B,SS	59	F
Spencer Jones	NYY	OF,DH	59	F
Ryan Ward	LAD	1B,OF	59	F
Colt Emerson	SEA	3B,SS	59	F
Blaze Alexander	BAL	2B,3B,SS,OF	59	F
Tommy Troy	ARI	2B,OF	59	F
Rodolfo Duran	SD	C	59	F
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.	ARI	OF	59	F
Victor Robles	SEA	OF	59	F
Edouard Julien	COL	1B,2B,DH	59	F
Jonah Heim	ATH	DH,C	59	F
Xander Bogaerts	SD	SS	59	F
Sal Frelick	MIL	OF	59	F
Carlos Narvaez	BOS	C	59	F
Michael Busch	CHC	1B	59	F
Tristan Peters	CWS	OF	58	F
Jeremiah Jackson	BAL	2B,3B,OF	58	F
Justin Foscue	TEX	1B,2B,DH	58	F
Petey Halpin	CLE	OF	58	F
Max Muncy	ATH	2B,3B,SS	58	F
Hunter Feduccia	TB	C	58	F
Amed Rosario	NYY	2B,3B,OF	58	F
Tyler Callihan	PIT	2B,OF	58	F
David Fry	CLE	OF,DH,C	58	F
Victor Mesa Jr.	TB	OF	58	F
Geraldo Perdomo	ARI	SS	58	F
Brice Matthews	HOU	2B,OF	58	F
Dane Myers	CIN	OF,DH	58	F
Nathan Church	STL	OF	58	F
Kameron Misner	KC	OF	57	F
Adrian Del Castillo	ARI	DH,C	57	F
Tyler Stephenson	CIN	C	57	F
Joey Loperfido	HOU	OF	57	F
Mitch Garver	SEA	DH,C	57	F
Nick Gonzales	PIT	2B,3B,SS	57	F
Matt Chapman	SF	3B	57	F
Davis Schneider	TOR	2B,OF	57	F
Josh Lowe	LAA	OF	57	F
Brandon Valenzuela	TOR	1B,C	57	F
Leo Jimenez	MIA	2B,3B,DH	57	F
Steven Kwan	CLE	OF	57	F
Rob Refsnyder	SEA	OF,DH	57	F
Taylor Trammell	HOU	OF	57	F
Randal Grichuk	CWS	OF,DH	57	F
Javier Sanoja	MIA	2B,3B,SS,OF	57	F
Connor Norby	MIA	1B,3B,DH	57	F
Luisangel Acuna	CWS	2B,SS,OF	57	F
Tyler O’Neill	BAL	OF	57	F
Spencer Torkelson	DET	1B	57	F
Mike Yastrzemski	ATL	OF	57	F
Xavier Edwards	MIA	2B,SS	57	F
Jahmai Jones	DET	OF,DH	57	F
Patrick Bailey	CLE	C	56	F
Zack Gelof	ATH	2B,3B,OF	56	F
Miguel Andujar	SD	3B,OF,DH	56	F
Myles Straw	TOR	OF	56	F
Carlos Cortes	ATH	OF,DH	56	F
Jimmy Crooks III	STL	C	56	F
Drew Gilbert	SF	OF	56	F
Colby Thomas	ATH	OF	56	F
Eli White	ATL	OF	56	F
Garrett Stubbs	PHI	DH,C	56	F
Nico Hoerner	CHC	2B,SS	56	F
Austin Hedges	CLE	C	56	F
Ryan Vilade	TB	1B,OF	56	F
Jake Meyers	HOU	OF	56	F
Lawrence Butler	ATH	OF	56	F
Elias Diaz	TEX	C	55	F
Jose Siri	LAA	OF	55	F
Alex Call	LAD	OF	55	F
Jonah Cox	SF	OF	55	F
Blake Perkins	MIL	OF	55	F
Jose Fermin	STL	2B,3B,OF	55	F
Cole Young	SEA	2B	55	F
Francisco Lindor	NYM	SS	55	F

 

For more information about Hitter vs. Pitcher matchups, head over to the FantasyPros MLB Weekly Hitting Matchups tool.

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Daddy Angelo’s other priorities haven’t stifled his game

  Angelo Que has found another gear, something not all 47-year-olds ever get to do. He swears he’s doing nothing special. As a matter of fact, his chores of late have been more than what it used to, and doing them all well has helped his mental game. The physical aspect of golf has just

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World Cup: Switzerland seals first place with 2-1 win over Canada

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Switzerland put a damper on Canada’s World Cup party. The Swiss got goals from Rubén Vargas and Johan Manzambi to beat Canada 2-1 on Wednesday and win Group B. Switzerland will get a week of rest before returning to Vancouver to face one of the eight best third-place finishers on July

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Lascuña returns to action and is fancied at Pinewoods

The best Filipino finishers in an international event over a longer, much tougher layout last week are naturally labeled as the players to beat starting on Tuesday, when the P2.5-million Pinewoods stop of the ICTSI PGT circuit tees off in chilly Baguio. But the player who owns arguably the best short game in his generation

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NBA draft: Wizards select AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick

NEW YORK — AJ Dybantsa is on his way to Washington and ready to start working as soon as he gets there. That’s not until Wednesday. Tuesday was a night for the NBA’s No. 1 draft pick to party. “Obviously, this night is just a celebration of all the hard work I’ve done in the

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First footgolf event gets going at Caliraya with 40 teams expected

Thirty-two teams have already signed up for the Philippines’ first-ever FootGolf Tournament at Caliraya Springs Golf Club in Cavinti, Laguna, which will officially be the launching pad of the new sport that’s gaining popularity abroad. Only eight slots are left to be filled for the event getting off the ground on Sunday, starting at 8

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups by Category (Week 13)

Welcome to another fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups by category column. Last week, a few recommended players really made me look good. We’ll look to keep the positive momentum rolling this week as we break down a few more potential adds.

This weekly piece covers players who can help in at least one specific category. For example, if your team is scoring plenty of runs and hitting for a strong average but struggling to steal bases, you can scroll directly to the stolen bases section for a targeted pickup.

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I have to quickly mention Hunter Greene. While he won’t meet this week’s availability threshold, if he’s still available in your league, now is the time to pounce. He could be a league winner in the second half, and he’s still left on the wire in a number of leagues. If he is rostered, there’s no need to fret, as another solid veteran duo is set to make their return. They’ve got you covered in the ERA and WHIP categories.

While most of these players will contribute across multiple categories, their primary value comes from the one they’re listed under. I also rarely repeat players week to week, so it’s not a bad idea to read previous articles to see if any of those players are still available.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups by Category

Without further delay, here are this week’s top fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups by category. All players listed are rostered in fewer than 56% of Yahoo leagues.

RBI

Bryce Eldridge (1B – SFG): 47%

Bryce Eldridge took a minute to adjust to Major League pitching, but after last week’s home run barrage, he seems to have settled in.

Eldridge is hitting just below .300 with six homers, 19 runs scored and 16 runs batted in through 36 games. More importantly, he’s hitting .364 over the last month with five homers and 14 RBI. According to Yahoo, he ranks as the 41st overall player in standard leagues during that span.

Eldridge cooled off a bit during the recent Miami series, but the team as a whole failed to produce. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Giants’ top prospect go on a hitting barrage once again as he faces off against the Braves, whom he just took deep on Wednesday and went 3-for-9 against in two games.

Runs

Samad Taylor (2B, OF – SDP): 19%

Samad Taylor has been on a roll since his call-up on June 7th, and he has now hit his way into the leadoff spot for the Padres. I briefly mentioned Taylor last week as a batting average candidate, but this week I’m placing him in the runs scored category.

Samad is 17-for-47 (.362) with a .423 on-base percentage (OBP). Since joining the club two weeks ago, the soon-to-be 28-year-old has scored 11 runs in 13 games. He also swiped four bases, hit a home run and collected eight RBI. Taylor qualifies at both second base and as an outfielder. He is useful in all league types for now.

Home Runs

Joshua Baez (OF – STL): 17%

This one’s a slightly tougher sell because Joshua Baez has yet to reach the Majors. But when he does, you’re going to wish you had him.

Baez currently leads Triple-A with 25 homers. The power-speed threat has also chipped in a solid 12 stolen bases while knocking in a whopping 64 runs. The high strikeout totals remain a concern, but as long as Baez is mashing the ball when he does make contact, the strikeouts won’t matter much.

The Cardinals currently deploy a platoon of Nathan Church and Jose Fermin in center field. While they are serviceable, they hardly bring to the table what Baez does. He’s already on the team’s 40-man roster, so his promotion won’t require anyone to be cut, making his arrival that much more imminent.

There’s a good chance Baez is brought up before his 23rd birthday on the 28th of this month, so now is the time to lock in his services.

Stolen Bases

Cooper Pratt (SS – MIL): 7%

Cooper Pratt received a nice contract earlier this month and has since joined the Brewers. Pratt does everything fairly well, but it’s been his aggressiveness on the basepaths that has really stood out so far.

In just six games, Pratt already has three steals on three attempts. The Brewers love to run, and Pratt fits in perfectly with their culture. Milwaukee’s latest shortstop is also hitting for a robust .368 average with a .409 OBP.

Pratt has a history of putting the ball in play, and as long as he continues to get on base, the steals should continue to mount. He makes for a solid middle-infield option for leagues that require it.

Batting Average

Anthony Volpe (SS – NYY): 6%

I was tempted to put Tommy Edman here. Since coming off the injured list (IL), Edman has been locked in at the dish and has started three out of four games. He is also surrounded by the Dodgers’ prolific supporting cast.

That said, Edman hasn’t hit above .240 the last two seasons and really hasn’t produced a solid batting average since his rookie campaign in 2019. Still, Edman is a clutch hitter, qualifies all over the field and is 5-for-13 to begin his 2026 season. He’s not a bad option in 15+ team leagues.

Edman aside, I’m pretty excited about what I’ve seen from Anthony Volpe lately. The Yankees’ polarizing shortstop has started six of the past seven games and has amassed 10 hits during that span. He seems to be aiming more for solid contact rather than selling out for the home run ball, and it’s paying dividends.

The 25-year-old and former first-round draft pick has cut his strikeout rate this year to below 20% while upping his free passes to nearly 15%. Those numbers are a vast improvement on his career norms. If he continues to be a solid contact hitter, Volpe could produce across the board.

It’s still a bit early to board the ship in shallow leagues, but in deeper ones, Volpe could be worth keeping an eye on in the coming days.

ERA

Matt Boyd (SP – CHC): 55%

Matt Boyd suffered a slight setback in his ramp-up but is once again set to rejoin the Cubs in the coming days. Boyd’s been nursing a shoulder injury for quite some time, and while the organization slow-played his recovery timeline a bit, he should be set to go later this week.

Boyd has been excellent these past two seasons, posting 2.72 and 3.21 ERAs. He had some trouble to begin this season, but I wouldn’t hold these two bad starts against him.

Boyd is as consistent as you’re going to find on the waiver wire right now, and while he may not be the flashiest, his numbers across the board should be beneficial. He’s worth adding in most leagues where he’s still available.

Strikeouts

Joey Cantillo (SP, RP – CLE): 27%

Joey Cantillo has had an up-and-down season so far, but appears to be on an upswing. Coming off back-to-back impressive outings, Cantillo will look to keep the good times rolling against a Seattle team striking out an average of 8.5 times per game.

The 26-year-old lefty held Houston and Detroit to one run apiece last week while striking out 13 and earning the victory in both outings.

Cantillo has averaged better than a strikeout per inning over his last six starts. With one of the more devastating change-ups across the league, those numbers should continue. His curveball has also been lights out, holding opponents to a .200 batting average with a 33.3% whiff rate.

Cantillo’s a solid addition in deeper leagues to help boost those strikeout totals. He also qualifies as a reliever, which is a nice bonus in head-to-head leagues.

WHIP

Shane Bieber (SP – TOR): 50%

Shane Bieber didn’t look too sharp over his minor league rehab sessions, but I wouldn’t read too deeply into those numbers when considering a veteran of his caliber.

Bieber is still young enough (31) to be considered in his prime while having enough years under his belt to feel like a safe bet. The two-time All-Star has dealt with his fair share of injuries in the past, but is set to join the Blue Jays’ rotation as early as Tuesday this week.

The 6-foot-3 righty exhibits great control and rarely walks opposing hitters. His career 5.5% walk rate, including a 4.4% mark last season, has helped produce one of the top WHIPs in the league over the past seven years (1.08).

Bieber will likely be on a limited pitch count his first few times out, but if he can stay healthy, he could be a valuable asset from here on out.

Wins

Peter Lambert (SP – HOU): 31%

Peter Lambert just keeps winning games. I’ve been wary of Lambert because of his Colorado days, but he looks like a reborn pitcher in Houston.

Lasting deep into games, Lambert has earned six wins through 11 starts. He also now has Josh Hader and Bryan King to help secure those victories. Lambert won four of his last five starts and is sporting an impressive 1.88 ERA during that span. He’s set to take on Toronto and Minnesota over the next week and is a decent option in most leagues.

Saves

Tony Santillan (RP – CIN): 12%

Tony Santillan seems to have cleared his early-season woes by posting seven straight scoreless outings. Regaining his authority, Tony Francona has trusted him in the ninth for three straight save opportunities, all of which he has secured.

Santillan is up to five saves on the year and looks to be the sole closer in Cincinnati while Emilio Pagan remains out. The 35-year-old Pagan was hardly sharp in his 15 games before going down with a hamstring injury, so Santillan could potentially hold onto the role even after Pagan returns.

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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.

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Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers: Rankings & Pickups (Week 13)

You should be grinding fantasy baseball two-start pitchers to give you an advantage over your competition.

Each week, I will be giving you a breakdown of the two-start options for your fantasy leagues, broken up into the following tiers:

• Must Start: Pitchers you have to start because of their talent and/or matchups.
• Should Start: Pitchers that are rostered in most formats and probably should be in your lineup.
• Here We Go: Pitchers that you are probably starting in most formats, but have some level of risk to them.
• Feeling Lucky: Pitchers that are risky, but viable in deeper formats.
• Desperate Measures: Pitchers you shouldn’t use unless you have no other choice.

Make sure you are aware that when making fantasy baseball start or sit decisions, these projected two-start pitchers are subject to change.

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Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers: Week 13

Let’s explore this week’s fantasy baseball two-start pitchers, ranging from must-start options to those you should probably avoid.

Must Start

• Drew Rasmussen (SP – TBR) vs. KCR, vs. ARI
• Shane McClanahan (SP – TBR) vs. KCR, vs. ARI
• Gavin Williams (SP – CLE) at CWS, vs. SEA
• Carlos Rodon (SP – NYY) at DET, at BOS
• Hunter Brown (SP – HOU) at TOR, at DET
• Brandon Woodruff (SP – MIL) at CIN, vs. CHC
• Jesus Luzardo (SP – PHI) at WHS, at NYM
• Nolan McLean (SP – NYM) vs. CHC, vs. PHI
• Michael King (SP – SDP) vs. ATL, vs. LAD

Should Start

Foster Griffin (SP – WSH) vs. PHI, at BAL

Foster Griffin has quietly been fantastic this season, throwing 84 innings with a 3.32 ERA and 80 strikeouts. He is due for some regression as he has a 4.36 xERA and a home run problem.

However, Griffin does a great job of mixing and matching his deep arsenal, and these aren’t matchups you are running from.

Anthony Kay (SP, RP – CWS) vs. CLE, vs. KCR

Anthony Kay’s overall line does not look great — 4.61 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 70.1 innings. However, much of the damage came in two starts at Philadelphia and Arizona, which accounted for 14 of his 36 earned runs this season.

Kay has been a lot more stable in his other 11 starts. He has great matchups this week and is a fantastic under-the-radar streamer.

Andre Pallante (SP – STL) vs. ARI, vs. MIA

Andre Pallante is not an overly talented pitcher, but he has a full arsenal and mixes and matches well to keep hitters off balance. He has been great over his last six starts, throwing 34.1 innings with a 2.88 ERA, 29 strikeouts and four wins.

There is a risk that Pallante regresses and gets blown up, but the Marlins and Diamondbacks have struggled offensively over the last month. Pallante is worth streaming while he is hot.

Kyle Bradish (SP – BAL) at LAA, vs. WSH

Kyle Bradish has been one of the most frustrating pitchers to roster this season. He will get destroyed in what seems like a great matchup and then go out and dominate like he just did against the Mariners — one run, two walks, one hit and 12 strikeouts in 7.2 innings. The upside is why you are starting him, but there is always risk.

Here We Go

Ryan Weathers (SP – NYY) at DET, at BOS

Ryan Weathers has been up and down lately, throwing two gems and having three disaster outings in his last five starts. He has decent matchups this week as both the Red Sox and Tigers have been poor offensively over the last 30 days.

Both starts are on the road, where Weathers has struggled. There is a strikeout and win upside here, but also risk.

Framber Valdez (SP – NYM) vs. NYY, vs. HOU

Framber Valdez has been alternating good starts with bad ones over the last two months, which has made rostering him frustrating.

Valdez has a good matchup to end the week versus the Rangers, but a tough one against a good Astros offense. He did just shut down the Astros in his last start, so he could bounce back and have a nice week.

Michael Wacha (SP – KCR) at TBR, at CWS

Michael Wacha is a boring pitcher who doesn’t offer much in the way of strikeouts and wins, but he can give solid ratios week in and week out.

Wacha is facing a struggling Rays offense in a good park to pitch in and a powerful White Sox team that can be dangerous. You should be starting him if you are looking for help with ratios. But you may want to look elsewhere if wins or strikeouts are what you seek.

Grant Holmes (SP – ATL) at SDP, at SFG

Grant Holmes has been up and down most of the season, throwing 68.2 innings with a 4.33 ERA and 61 strikeouts. He struggles with command and control, but has good win potential on the Braves. These are two poachable games against a struggling Padres offense and a 31-44 Giants team.

Feeling Lucky

Edward Cabrera (SP – CHC) at NYM, at MIL

Edward Cabrera has been up and down this season and has been battered in two of his last three outings. You still get strikeouts and win potential. With a good matchup to start the week and a bad one to end it, he is a risky play.

Kodai Senga (SP – NYM) vs. CHC, vs. PHI

Kodai Senga came off the injured list (IL) last week and pitched poorly, walking four in four innings, but also notching five strikeouts.

Senga has a tough matchup to start the week versus the Cubs, but then gets to face a Phillies offense that has the worst wOBA in baseball over the last 30 days.

Shane Bieber (SP – TOR) vs. HOU, vs. TEX

Shane Bieber is making his season debut this week with a bad and good matchup. He wasn’t great while on his rehab assignment, but he went five innings in each of his last two AAA starts. Bieber has the ability to go deep enough to qualify for wins, but it’s risky starting pitchers off the IL.

Desperate Measures

• Jake Bennett (SP – BOS) at COL, vs. NYY
• Luinder Avila (SP, RP – KCR) at TBR, at CWS
• Sam Aldegheri (SP – LAA) vs. BAL, vs. ATH
• Kumar Rocker (SP – TEX) at MIA, at TOR
• Tyler Phillips (SP, RP – MIA) vs. TEX, at STL
• Alan Rangel (SP, RP – PHI) at WSH, at NYM
• Brady Singer (SP – CIN) vs. MIL, at PIT
• Ryan Feltner (SP – COL) vs. BOS, at MIN
• Adrian Houser (SP – SFG) vs. ATH, vs. ATL
• Merrill Kelly (SP – ARI) at STL, at TBR
• Mitch Keller (SP – PIT) vs. SEA, vs. CIN
• Kyle Leahy (SP, RP – STL) vs. ARI, vs. MIA

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups & FAAB Advice (Week 12)

Welcome to our weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and FAAB (free agent acquisition budget) report. In this article, I’ll provide fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and recommendations for players to target. Suggested bids will include an explanation of where to target them.

The focus is on 12- and 15-team National Fantasy Baseball Championship (NFBC) leagues. If you’re in shallower formats, bid less than my recommendations below. The best way to use this column is to bid on the high end for your targets. I’ve scoured the waiver wire for three targets at each position to make it easier for you. Note that the recommendations are for a $1,000 budget.

With that in mind, let’s dive into my Week 12 fantasy baseball FAAB recommendations.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups & FAAB Targets

Catchers

Dalton Rushing (C – LAD)

• $26 in 15-team leagues; $13 in 12-team leagues.
• More playing time with Will Smith sidelined.

Francisco Alvarez (C – NYM)

• $26 in 15-team leagues; $13 in 12-team leagues.
• Back in action for the Mets.

Jimmy Crooks (C – STL)

• $10 in 15-team leagues; $5 in 12-team leagues.
• Prospect pedigree; heating up at the plate.

First Basemen

Blaze Jordan (1B – STL)

• $16 in 15-team leagues; $8 in 12-team leagues.
• Decent prospect with a path to playing time.

TJ Rumfield (1B – COL)

• $10 in 15-team leagues; $5 in 12-team leagues.
• Great matchups this week.

Spencer Horwitz (1B – PIT)

• $4 in 15-team leagues; $2 in 12-team leagues.
• Hits at the top of the lineup; good plate discipline.

Second Basemen

Angel Martinez (2B, OF – CLE)

• $10 in 15-team leagues; $5 in 12-team leagues.
• Home run/stolen bases threat who is heating up again.

Willi Castro (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF – COL)

• $4 in 15-team leagues; $2 in 12-team leagues.
• Positional versatility with good matchups.

Oswald Peraza (2B, 3B – LAA)

• $2 in 15-team leagues; $1 in 15-team leagues.
• One-week streamer.

Shortstops

Jacob Wilson (SS – ATH)

• $22 in 15-team leagues; $11 in 12-team leagues.
• Can stick on your roster.

Ezequiel Tovar (SS – COL)

• $10 in 15-team leagues; $5 in 12-team leagues.
• Great matchups ahead.

Masyn Winn (SS – STL)

• $2 in 15-team leagues; $1 in 12-team leagues.
• Just a bet on volume.

Third Basemen

Caleb Durbin (3B – BOS)

• $12 in 15-team leagues; $6 in 12-team leagues.
• Heating up at the plate.

Kyle Karros (3B – COL)

• $8 in 15-team leagues; $4 in 12-team leagues.
• Good matchups for the Rockies.

Nolan Arenado (3B – ARI)

• $2 in 15-team leagues; $1 in 12-team leagues.
• One-week streamer due to matchups.

Outfielders

Braden Montgomery (OF – CWS)

• $30 in 15-team leagues; $15 in 12-team leagues.
• Prospect pedigree; looking good so far.

Jung Hoo Lee (OF – SFG)

• $12 in 15-team leagues; $6 in 12-team leagues.
• Red-hot at the plate.

Cole Carrigg (OF – COL)

• $6 in 15-team leagues; $3 in 12-team leagues.
• Great schedule; decent prospect.

Starting Pitchers

Edward Cabrera (SP – CHC)

• $16 in 15-team leagues; $8 in 12-team leagues.
• Great matchup versus the Rockies ahead.

Luis Castillo (SP – SEA)

• $16 in 15-team leagues; $8 in 12-team leagues.
• Good matchup against the Red Sox coming up.

Walbert Urena (SP – LAA)

• $4 in 15-team leagues; $2 in 12-team leagues.
• Worth a look to ride the hot streak.

Relief Pitchers

Caleb Kilian (RP – SFG)

• $24 in 15-team leagues; $12 in 12-team leagues.
• Named the new closer for the Giants.

Garrett Whitlock (RP – BOS)

• $4 in 15-team leagues; $2 in 12-team leagues.
• Stash him because Aroldis Chapman will eventually be traded.

Yoendrys Gomez (RP – MIN)

• $2 in 15-team leagues; $1 in 12-team leagues.
• The closer for the Twins.

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