- Even after firing six innings of one-run ball with 12 strikeouts against the Chicago Cubsin his last outing, Aaron Ashby is still rostered in only 27% of ESPN leagues. A 12-K performance is enough to get most fantasy managers excited, but there's reason to believe he can enjoy continued success. In addition to a wipeout slider, Ashby has a sinker that touches 98 mph and a changeup that at times looks like his best swing-and-miss offering. The fact that he gets a Saturday matchup against the San Diego Padres, who put up the worst wRC+ (83) in the National League over the last month, is just a bonus. The 24-year-old southpaw is an easy pickup right now.
- If Ashby isn't available in your league, Roansy Contreras (9%) makes for a fine consolation prize. Through his first five big-league appearances (two starts), he sports a 2.55 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP and a 9.2 K/9. While he had some control issues at Triple-A, walks haven't been a problem over the course of his professional career. As with any Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, wins will be hard to find. Still, Contreras can still provide value by missing bats and posting strong ratios at pitcher-friendly PNC Park. He's a quality streamer against the Arizona Diamondbacks, a below-average offense against right-handed pitching.
- Spencer Strider (13%) surrendered five runs in just 4 1/3 innings in his first major-league start on Monday, and now he heads to Coors Field for Saturday's outing. Needless to say, he's not necessarily a recommended streaming option this week. That said, the young right-hander might still be worth grabbing as a long-term option given his upside. In 24 1/3 innings as a reliever this season, Strider has a 2.22 ERA and a tantalizing 13.7 K/9 rate. He even showed that strikeout potential in his first start, fanning seven in 4 1/3 frames. Armed with a high-90s heater to go along with a slider and changeup (all pitches that get a significant number of whiffs), Strider has the repertoire to succeed as a starter. Skip this outing in Colorado, but keep him in mind next week for a potential start against Pittsburgh.
- After disappointing in his rookie season, Andrew Vaughn (39%) is quietly putting together a productive sophomore campaign for the Chicago White Sox. The 24-year-old is batting .283/.336/.496 on the season -- including .327/.359/.510 with two homers and nine RBI over his last 13 games. Those numbers are backed up by a 47.6% hard-hit rate that ranks him just outside the top 10% in baseball. Most importantly, Vaughn is now playing every day while frequently hitting second in the batting order. The former No. 3-overall pick deserves to be rostered in more leagues.
- Consistent catcher production can be hard to find, but Alejandro Kirk (23%) is a backstop worth rostering, even in one-catcher leagues. Not only is he hitting .292/.369/.415 for the season, but he's produced .338/.400/.563 with three bombs, 11 RBI and 16 runs in his last 22 games. Those 16 runs, in particular, shouldn't be overlooked, as they're second-most among catchers (behind only Willson Contreras) over the last 30 days. On Saturday, Kirk should get his licks in against Dylan Bundy, who allowed a bloated .338/.379/.538 line to opposing hitters in May.
What you need to know for Saturday
- Thread starter biggins
- Start date
