Fantasy Baseball Manager Everyday we face questions: Should we believe in a player's hot start or are we mi-pira doomed to fade?
Two players illuminating box scores earlier this year – Tigers' Spencer Taughterson and Yankees' Ben Rice, provide a compelling case to consider. Both changed their heads this April, but the underlying profile and team context could potentially drive a variety of passes forward.
Former No. 1-Overall draft pick Torkelson has a long-awaited fantasy manager with the potential of his incredible power. After an uneven season, he has got off to a fierce start, already launching bombs at a pace that has sparked 30 home run campaigns since 2023.
Yes, the strikeout rate remains high – hovering around 30% – but Torkelson has made concrete changes to his mechanisms and approach at the plate, and we are not overly worried as the results are shown.
This is not just blind optimism. His hit ball data backs up breakouts. Tolkelson's average exit speed and hard hit rate have skyrocketed, and he's pulling the ball into the air more consistently. A recipe for successful home runs at Comerica Park and Beyond.
The adjustments he reportedly made unlocked the raw power that made him the best prospect by flattening his swing path and staying more selectively early in the count. Certainly, whimsical is a red flag of batting average, but in a fantasy landscape that is increasingly prioritizing power, .240 batters with over 35 homer upsides are gold. If he maintains 80% of this production, he is the top 10 base move by the end of the season. We buy a hot start – strikeouts are cursed.
Meanwhile, in the Bronx, Rookie Rice emerged as the beloved of the stats cast, posting numbers that drool sabermetric enthusiasts. His exit speed, barrel rate and expected slugging rate are all in the elite percentile.
Rice has seized his way into the Yankees lineup and is taking advantage of the injuries of Giancarlo Stanton and DJ Lemahieu to get a barrage of extra-based hits. For a fantasy manager who hooked him up from the exemption wire, he was great, but is this sustainable?
You can trust bats in rice. The underlying metric is too pristine to dismiss as a fluke. He went 40-20, averaged over 152 minor league batters, and wasn't really late in the majors yet. His plate discipline – a low tracking rate paired with tricks for hard contacts – also suggests a high floor.
The biggest question mark is not talent, but opportunity. With Stanton and Lemahuey back, the Yankees' busy lineup was able to narrow Rice's playing time. But as he continues to rake, the bomber may have no choice but to find him to hit him. For now, get on a hot hand – he's too good for the bench.
Hot Start is tricky, but Torkelson's mechanical overhaul and Rice's elite statistical profile give us confidence. Trust both – turn to the Yankees depth chart.
Howard Vendor is Head of Content fantasyalarm.com. Follow him with x @rotobuzzguy And catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Program” on the siriusxm Fantasy Sports Channel on the weekday from 6pm to 8pm fantasyalarm.com For all fantasy baseball news and advice.
