Hope is usually a harmful drug in fantasy baseball. You draft gamers with visions of breakout seasons, banking on projections and hype. However because the season progresses, some gamers merely fail to ship, dragging your roster into the abyss.
When the numbers scream mediocrity — or worse — it’s time to chop bait and transfer on.
Two gamers epitomizing this painful actuality in 2025 are Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia and Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker.
Their struggles are a stark reminder that clinging to preseason optimism can sink your fantasy squad.
Since Toglia’s residence park is the hitter’s paradise of Coors Subject, you’d count on a primary baseman to feast on energy alternatives.
But, his season has been a catastrophe. With simply 5 residence runs and a paltry .150 ISO, his energy output is anemic for a nook infielder.
His .205 batting common and .271 OBP are black holes in your lineup, sapping your staff’s capacity to compete in categorical codecs.
Worse, his 35-percent strikeout fee — among the many highest within the league — reveals no signal of enchancment. Toglia’s strategy on the plate is a large number, swinging by means of pitches and failing to make constant contact.
Colorado’s skinny air can’t save a participant who’s lacking the ball a 3rd of the time. At this level, holding onto Toglia is like ready for a rainstorm within the desert — optimistic, however futile. There are higher choices on the waiver wire, even in shallow leagues, who can present energy with out tanking your batting common.
Then there’s Walker, who as soon as dazzled fantasy managers along with his power-speed potential. Drafted as a breakout candidate, his season has been a crushing disappointment. With simply two residence runs and two stolen bases, he’s nowhere close to the 20-20 risk many projected.
His .196 batting common and .262 OBP are eerily just like Toglia’s, providing little worth in five-category codecs. A 31.1 p.c strikeout fee underscores his struggles, as he’s chasing pitches out of the zone and failing to capitalize on his uncooked athleticism.
As soon as heralded as a cornerstone for St. Louis, Walker appears misplaced on the plate, and his lack of manufacturing is a legal responsibility for fantasy rosters. The promise of youth and upside is tempting, however when a participant’s stats are this dismal midway by means of the season, it’s time to cease dreaming and begin appearing.
Slicing gamers reminiscent of Toglia and Walker stings, particularly in the event you invested excessive draft picks or traded for them. However fantasy baseball rewards pragmatism over sentimentality. Each roster spot is efficacious, and carrying lifeless weight in hopes of a turnaround can value you a playoff spot.
The lesson? Don’t let preseason hype blind you to current actuality. Monitor strikeout charges, batted-ball profiles and enjoying time traits. If a participant’s peripherals — like Toglia’s and Walker’s — present no indicators of life, it’s time to maneuver on.
Fantasy championships are gained by those that adapt, not those that hope. Drop the lifeless weight, scour the wire, and hold your roster lean. Your season will depend on it.
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Howard Bender is the top of content material at FantasyAlarm.com. Comply with him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports activities channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all of your fantasy baseball information and recommendation.
