Playing fantasy baseball is like going to an ice cream shop where new flavors come out every week.
Sometimes, best-selling flavors like Rocky Road (Corbin Carroll) don’t sell well, which results in popular new flavors like Rainbow Cookies (David Frye) quickly selling off the shelves and becoming scarce.
Flavors may be out of stock depending on the season (Ronald Acuña).
Sometimes the flavor of the week (the featured player) melts away before you get a chance to try it. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest flavor additions in ESPN leagues this week and whether they’ll stick around.
Nolan Gorman had a terrible April batting average of .196 with four home runs, 12 RBIs, 38 strikeouts and a .624 OPS, but he has been in great form in his past 22 games prior to Friday.
The Cardinals second baseman went 24-for-75 (.320) with 19 RBI, 21 runs scored, two stolen bases and a 1.167 OPS while hitting 10 home runs during that span.
Since May 10, Gorman (27.5% appearance rate) has hit the second-most home runs in the major leagues and ranks seventh in runs scored, eighth in RBIs, 12th in batting average, 11th in on-base percentage and third in OPS.
He also ranked second in slugging percentage (.760) and 23rd in walk rate (12.8%).
This has been over the long term, and his batting average has risen from an awful .172 to a still-pretty-awful .230, but it’s hard to believe this is the new normal for Gorman.
We’re talking about a player with a career batting average of .232, with an xBA of .243 to back that up.
During that span, his BABIP was an unsustainable .412 and he struck out 31 times (his 36 percent strikeout rate was second-worst in the majors).
He’s not going to stay hot like this.
That being said, he strikes out a lot and will never hit at an elite level, but he is one of the best power sources at his position.
He also entered Friday with the most home runs among second basemen and was in the top five in OPS, slugging percentage, walks and RBIs. He also finished in the top 10 in on-base percentage and runs scored.
verdict: It has a strong flavor.
TJ Friedl (34% appearance rate), who has been on the disabled list for most of the season with a broken thumb, was batting .220 with a .741 OPS entering Friday’s game.
But through his first six games this month, he’s batting .300 with two home runs, seven RBIs, two stolen bases and a 1.132 OPS.
He has recorded at least one run and at least one hit in five of those games, primarily as a leadoff hitter.
verdict: A new classic flavor.
Matt Beiring (24.3%) is batting .327 with four home runs, 13 RBIs, 11 runs scored and a 1.021 OPS over his last 14 games, improving his batting average from .261 on May 19 to .281.
Despite not stealing bases (six times last year), he has good speed, good discipline at the plate (solid strikeout and chase metrics), and solid power, primarily batting in the top echelon of the Tigers’ lineup.
He is also qualified for multiple positions.
verdict: Store 1 pint in the freezer.
Former Yankees prospect Miguel Andujar (14.9 batting average) batted .311 with two home runs, 12 RBIs, an 8.7% strikeout rate and a .793 OPS in his first 46 at-bats with the Athletics.
The fact he hasn’t earned a walk since 2021 and hasn’t played more than 36 games in a season doesn’t have head coach Lot Lage all that excited about his long-term outlook, but he should get plenty of playing time, is eligible at multiple positions, has solid contact numbers and continues to bat at the top of Oakland’s lineup.
verdict: Try the free sample, but be aware that it may melt quickly.
Other names to consider include Rangers’ all-around player Josh Smith (24.2%), Baltimore’s Ryan Mountcastle (46%), Pittsburgh’s Nick Gonzalez (14.1%), the Tigers’ Riley Green (61.9%) and Francisco Alvarez (33.1%), who is set to return from the disabled list when the Mets return from London.
big hit
Christopher Sanchez SP, Phillies
He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a start since May 7 and is 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA and 30 strikeouts in his past six starts.
Nick Gonzalez, 2B/SS, Pirates
Entering Friday’s game, he had 13 RBI in his last 11 games (six in his last two games), a .357 batting average, two home runs, seven runs scored and a 1.000 OPS.
Brian Wu SP, Mariners
In his past four starts (all one-inning starts), he has allowed three runs and posted a 2-0 record with a 1.13 ERA and a 0.145 ERA.
Mark Vientos 3B, Mets
In his first 17 games since being called up, he is 19-for-59 (.322) with four home runs, 10 RBIs, 11 runs scored and a .981 OPS.
Since Brett Batey’s demotion, he’s batting .353 with two home runs and a 1.135 OPS in five games.
A big miss
Jordan Montgomery SP, Diamondbacks
In his past two starts, he has allowed 17 hits, 14 earned runs and walked six. Opponents are batting .486 in those games.
Luis Campasino C, Padres
Entering Friday’s game, he had just two hits in his last 36 at-bats (.056 batting average), no home runs or RBIs and a .206 OPS. Since May 11, he has just six hits in 21 games.
Triston McKenzie SP, Guardians
In his past four starts, he has allowed nine home runs and issued 12 walks, but has a 5.32 ERA and a .262 ERA. In his seven starts since May 1, he has allowed 11 home runs.
Everything you need to know about MLB betting
Luis Matos, outfielder, Giants
After striking out twice in his first 12 games, he went 5-for-35 (.143 batting average) with eight strikeouts and a .327 OPS in his next nine games.
Check your swing
Astros’ Hunter Brown was 0-4 with a 9.78 ERA and a .336 batting average through his first six starts but was 1-1 with a 3.25 ERA and a .210 batting average in his past six appearances prior to Saturday’s start.
– Corbin Carroll appeared in 60 games last year and batted .301 with 13 homers, 32 RBIs, 45 runs scored and 18 stolen bases for a .949 OPS. In the first 61 games this year, the NL Rookie of the Year is batting .201 with two homers, 20 RBIs, 30 runs scored and 10 stolen bases for a .575 OPS. To say this is a sophomore slump would be an understatement.
– Guardians’ Tanner Bibby is 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA and 32-6 with a .196 strikeout rate in his last five starts, lowering his ERA from 4.91 on May 8 to 3.73 on Thursday.
– Luis Gil enters Sunday’s game against the Dodgers on a seven-game winning streak, having allowed three runs in his past 44 2/3 innings (0.60 ERA), while allowing opponents to bat .102 with a 12 percent strikeout rate.
– Griffin Jacks is 2-0 in his last 19 appearances with four saves, 24 strikeouts (18¹/₃ innings) and a 19% strikeout rate. If the league counts holds, he has nine holds in that span (11 on the year) and opponents are batting .156. He’s not the Twins’ main closer, but it’s not impossible for him to bat in double digits this season. He throws a fastball and has five different pitches (all but one of them have an xBA of .198 or lower).
This week’s team name
Call JG Wentworth at 877-Glasnow.
