Daily Reminder

May 01, 2023

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Here is what we got for you today:

3 Winning waiver claims

2 Start starters

1 Story from around the league

3 Winning waiver claims

Nick Senzel has been on a tear the past 7 days hitting .476 with 2 HR’s and 9 RBI’s. The 27 year old outfielder has been quiet at the plate for the first few years of his career. However, he was a top ranked prospect before making it to the bigs so patient fantasy owners hope this is the start of the breakout they have been waiting for. Rostered in only 2.8% of ESPN leagues, Senzel can be a worthy pick up even if it just to ride out the hot wave.

Logan Allen has had a fairly successful start to his MLB career. The 24 year old is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA and 16 K’s through 11 IP in his first two career starts. The Guardians #8 prospect has proved that he can get hitters out, now we will see if he can start going a bit deeper into games. Allen is rostered in 17.4% of ESPN leagues and is worth adding for the chance at a high ceiling fantasy pitcher.

Shea Langeliers is rostered in 11.3% of ESPN leagues but ranks among the top 10 fantasy catchers. He’s hitting .222 with 6 HR’s and 16 RBI’s which doesn’t sound like much but as we have talked about in the past is quite serviceable for a thin fantasy position. Last year was his first season in the majors and he has already managed to match his 2022 HR total so he may be in the beginning of a breakout season.

2 Start starters

In order to get the most from your fantasy week it is important to map out your lineup. This can help ensure you are using all of your starts/innings in points leagues and maximizing your stats in category leagues. If a pitcher is making two starts in a week it can give your team an extra boost by giving you the flexibility of an extra roster spot or by being able to punish your opponent by starting a hot pitcher twice in a week. Here are all pitchers who are double dipping this week.

1 Story from around the league

Perhaps the biggest surprise of this season has been the success of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have gone from being one of the worst teams in the league over the last handful of years, to being the first team in the NL to 20 wins. With trade rumors of Bryan Reynolds swirling and no major acquisitions this offseason there wasn't much hope for the Pirates to break their trend of mediocracy. However, the Pirates had other plans, as they have started off to a blazing hot 20-9 start.

The Pirates have relied on a speedy, scrappy offense who produces runs in many different ways. The Pirates are top 5 in many offensive categories as they are getting contributions in almost all categories from almost every player.

League rankings by stat:

  • 4th in RBI’s (148)

  • 3rd in doubles (62)

  • 1st in triples (8)

  • 1st in stolen bases (41)

  • 5th in team average (.264)

  • 3rd in OPS (.792)

The Pirates have built an extremely athletic and well rounded team that flies under the radar. They have taken advantage of the bigger bases and new rules by stealing bases at a 82% rate. Even Carlos Santana has joined in on the fun as he is 3-3 this year in steal attempts, which is more than his years 2020-2022 seasons combined. They also may not be hitting the most home runs but their ability to hit extra base hits has allowed them to score a ton of runs.

Their pitching has also started blossoming into the rotation they have been waiting for. Mitch Keller is starting to look like the ace they need and Roansy Contreras has looked very promising through his last few starts. They’ve also gotten great production from guys like Vince Velasquez, Johan Oviedo, and Rich Hill. With this many guys contributing productive outings one after another it is no wonder they find themselves at the top of the NL, especially with the way their offense has been swinging it.

It is also important to note how fantastic David Bednar has been. The closer leads the league in saves with 9 while only giving up 1 earned run in 13 innings pitched. Being able to close out games is one of the most important things for an organization. Having a guy like Bednar is exactly what the Pirates need to secure wins and keep them in the winning column.

High Heat 🔥:

Who has the most hits in a MLB single season?

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