FantasyPros Baseball Podcast

Bobby Sylvester hosts a lively discussion with our network of 100+ experts that will keep you both informed and entertained. Find out which hidden gems to pick up before your league-mates while receiving analysis of the latest news from around the diamond. We’ll also share DFS picks for the upcoming slate of games. Got a question that you want answered on the show? Shoot us a message for our listener mailbag.

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Bryce Harper’s Future + Dynasty Baseball Draft Tips (Ep. 127)

Paul Sporer of Rotographs joins the show to discuss which players you should be watching in dynasty leagues. One of the big questions on people’s minds is which clubs are the mystery teams linked to Bryce Harper (2:33), is Jo Adell (21:48) currently being undervalued in dynasty formats, and is Kyle Tucker (29:25) the next best fantasy prospect to hold on to after Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? Shohei Ohtani (37:01) has a chance to get back on the mound in 2020, Freddy Peralta’s (48:53) stellar fastball is a huge boon to his value, and it would be a mistake to forget about Franklin Barreto’s (1:06:08) potential.

Early Rankings Standouts w/ Nick Pollack (Ep. 126)

Nick Pollack from Pitcher List is on today’s show to discuss which players appear to be under or overvalued based on their spot in our rankings. Does Franmil Reyes’ (10:44) crazy power justify his current price considering that he may struggle to find playing time, should Juan Soto (19:53) be taken ahead of Alex Bregman, and how much upside does Kyle Freeland (25:08) have pitching at Coors Field? Are people far too high on Chris Archer (39:30) and what exactly is Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s (45:04) potential in 2019 if he plays a full season?

Rookies & Dynasty Prospects (Ep. 125)

Steve Gardner from USA Today joins the show as we offer insight into which rookies should see fantasy relevance this year and who dynasty leaguers should consider stashing long-term. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1:30) is expected to be a real difference-maker in both fantasy and reality this season and Alex Reyes’ (20:24) immense talent should get him a spot in the Cardinals rotation. Can Peter Alonso’s (26:48) powerful bat get him into the Big Leagues sooner rather than later, what should fantasy owners who decide to stash Forrest Whitley or Fernando Tatis Jr. (38:26) expect from them this season, and would it be surprising for Wander Franco (50:08) to become the league’s top prospect in 2020?

Early 2019 Rankings + Free Agency Predictions (Ep. 124)

2019 is upon us and our very own Dan Harris joins us for our first offseason baseball podcast of the year! We dive into our early fantasy rankings to examine players in new situations. Josh Donaldson (6:51) can produce well in Atlanta, but can he stay healthy and should he be taken over a high-upside player like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (8:22)? How do Andrew McCutchen (13:45) and Yasiel Puig (15:39) compare, what should we expect from Billy Hamilton (27:47) in Kansas City, and can Charlie Morton (37:24) continue his success after going to Tampa Bay? The crew ends things with some predictions on where top free agents, like Bryce Harper (48:33) and Manny Machado (53:09), may end up.

Playoff Run Pickups + Mailbag (Ep. 123)

It’s been a great season, but it’s not over yet. We’ve got Paul Sporer of RotoGraphs joining us on the show to chat about a few recent news items including Luis Urias’s promotion (2:42) and Trevor Bauer’s health (5:43). Like most at this time of the year, who you pick up depends on your team’s situation, but we’re discussing some popular names out there that have been hot as of late (e.g. Melky Cabrera – 9:20), as well as some youngsters who are getting their opportunities like Billy McKinney (13:49) and Tyler White (20:14). Despite it being late in the season, we like a couple pitchers who should be available on waivers (23:10). Find out why you should pick up Jace Fry (31:19), who the next Jose Ramirez could be (36:34), and whether you should trust your slumping veterans during these final weeks (45:41) as we answer mailbag questions (36:20).

MLB Playoff Race Predictions + Daniel Murphy Trade Analysis w/ Eno Sarris (Ep. 122)

Eno Sarris from The Athletic joins us to share his thoughts on us how Daniel Murphy will fit in with the Cubs (4:33) and which teams can come out on top in the MLB playoff hunt (11:47). With the fantasy playoffs also coming soon, Bobby and Eno also discuss which fantasy free agents can push you to the playoffs or help your title chances. Nick Williams is showing a lot of promise (17:31), but is Luis Castillo’s strikeout potential worth taking a chance on, or will he end up disappointing you (20:22)? We finish off the show by answering your listener mailbag questions (29:42), two of which ask about how highly we should value Kris Bryant (33:19) and Mike Trout (35:38) in dynasty leagues.

Exciting Prospects & Waiver Pickups w/ Steve Gardner (Ep. 121)

It’s crunch time for many of you who are still actively competing in your fantasy baseball leagues and as we reach these final weeks, there are a handful of topics to discuss. Steve Gardner of USA Today joins us on the show to chat about the current crop of prospects and what we’re witnessing in Ronald Acuna (1:16), Juan Soto (3:09), and what we’re waiting for with Vlad Guerrero Jr., Eloy Jimenez (4:11) and Michael Kopech (10:06). We then shift gears to name our favorite waiver pickups including a trio of youngsters in Willy Adames (16:28), Harrison Bader (19:11) and David Dahl (20:56) before jumping to pitchers (25:13). To end the show, we’re providing answers to some tough decisions on whether it’s time to move on from some big names such as Adrian Beltre (35:32), Tommy Pham (36:00), Adam Eaton (37:23), Jon Lester (40:28), and Chris Archer (41:14).

Second Half Surprises + Waiver Targets w/ Mike Podhorzer (Ep. 120)

We’re back with guest Mike Podhorzer of RotoGraphs to catch up on all the latest news and performances around the league since our last show. Robert Stephenson was called back up (3:03), Eloy Jimenez is supposedly nearing a call-up (5:33), Rougned Odor may have finally figured it out (8:03), and Matt Carpenter is somehow an MVP candidate (11:18). There’s a lot to discuss including hitters worth adding that should be available in your league (17:54) and which available pitchers are quality adds versus streaming options (31:41). If you’re wondering if it’s time to drop one of your struggling bigger names, listen in as we run through a list of players that many owners may have to move on from (43:52).

Dropping Darvish, Max Muncy’s Breakout + Waiver Pickups (Ep. 119)

With 4th of July in the rearview and the second-half of baseball in front of us, Paul Sporer of RotoGraphs came on our show to discuss all the pertinent fantasy topics including whether or not it’s time to move on from Yu Darvish (1:47). And with the trade deadline looming, we’re chatting about potential landing spots for Manny Machado (4:12) and if Bryce Harper could be moved this season (36:24). Of course, it’s also only right for us to give Max Muncy some love (10:33) and discuss J.D. Martinez’s MVP standing (13:56). We’ve got lots to cover so listen in as we name our favorite hitters (17:32) and pitchers (27:04) to pick up before wrapping things up by answering your listener mailbag questions (36:10).

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Weekly Waiver Pickups + Listener Mailbag (Ep. 118)

With 13 weeks of baseball complete, Justin Mason joins us to discuss the latest news that transpired during the week including Sandy Alcantara’s call-up (8:06) and the latest in baseball innovation (9:31). Bobby and Justin are also chatting about Mike Trout’s season and how it’s being wasted with the Angels (14:24). If you’re in need of waiver wire help, get our thoughts on hitters like Enrique Hernandez (18:19), Jason Kipnis (19:09), Randall Grichuk (23:38) and many more along with pitchers such as Mike Minor (35:13), Ervin Santana (39:28) and a trio of Giants (40:32). Listen in as we answer your questions from the mailbag to close out the show (46:57).

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Week 13 Waiver Pickups + Drop Candidates (Ep. 117)

Joining us to wrap up the week and help you improve your team is Brandon Warne of Zone Coverage. To get started, we’re talking about the latest news and happenings around the league including the Royals closer situation (2:17), Michael Wacha’s oblique (5:51), and Madison Bumgarner’s latest outing (7:39). We’re also discussing Andrelton Simmons’s breakout (9:11) which leads us into everyone’s favorite midseason topic, the waiver wire (12:24). The first hitter we’re covering is Jon Jay, but listen in as you’ll want to hear why Jorje Polanco needs to be on your add list today (17:05). If you’re in need of pitching help, we’re covering multiple players that should be available in your league from Michael Kopech (26:29) to Matt Strahm (29:32). Listen all the way through the show as we wrap up with a lightning round of who to keep or drop (40:44).

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Waiver Pickups + Daniel Descalso’s Surprising Season (Ep. 116)

FantasyPros expert Dan Marcus joins host Bobby Sylvester to discuss some fantasy free agents, but first, the duo breaks down major injury news surrounding some big name players, like Miguel Cabrera (1:08), Shohei Ohtani (2:12), and Stephen Strasburg (5:25). Once we jump to free agents, our guys take a stab at deciding if there’s still any reason to believe in Scott Kingery becoming an impactful player this season (13:25), analyzing how Daniel Descalaco suddenly became a power hitter (20:34), and projecting what fantasy owners can expect from Freddy Peralta now that he’s been called back up (32:30). We then conclude the show by tackling a few very interesting Listener Mailbag questions (33:18).

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Ross Stripling’s Dominance & Daniel Palka’s Power + Listener Mailbag (Ep. 115)

Bobby is joined by fellow FantasyPros expert Dan Harris to go over the latest MLB news, like Alex Reyes being done for the season (3:59), Ross Stripling’s unbelievable May (9:27), the Rays calling up 1B Jake Bauers (13:14), and Kyle Barraclough stealing the Marlins closer job (17:57). The duo also analyzes a slew of waiver wire options to give you the skinny on whether you should pick up powerful mashers Max Muncy (27:29) and Daniel Palka (28:53), among others, and they also attempt to predict when Tyler Glasnow might get a chance in the rotation (24:23). The guys later answer your Listener Mailbag questions (40:13), which feature some intriguing MLB Draft topics, like who are Bobby’s and Dan’s favorite dynasty players from this MLB Draft class (47:00) and which teams had the best draft (55:35).

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Alex Reyes Expectations + Waiver Wire Options w/ Mike Podhorzor (Ep. 114)

Bobby is joined by the 2015 FSTA Baseball Writer of the Year, RotoGraphs’ very own Mike Podhorzor, to discuss the latest news around the league and which players on the waiver wire fantasy owners should consider scooping up or leaving alone. The guys first share their thoughts on whether Anthony Rizzo’s slide was just good baseball or had malicious intent (8:20) before delving into some pressing fantasy baseball questions. A few of the more important topics we try to tackle are whether Jonny Venters is the closer to own in Tampa Bay (10:03), if Gorkys Hernandez’s power is a fluke or for real (19:32), whether Austin Meadows can stick around in the majors and become a viable fantasy option (25:20), predict just how good will Alex Reyes be this season (33:48), and project what fantasy owners should expect from call-up Shane Bieber (35:27)? To close, Bobby and Mike team up to answer your Listener Mailbag questions (41:10).

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Free Agent Finds + Prospect Analysis w/ Al Melchior (Ep. 113)

Al Melchior, host of the Fantasy Baseball Hour on the FNTSY Sports Radio Network and writer for Fangraphs and Fantrax, joins us today to discuss a plethora of waiver pickups and examine expectations for a few top prospects. Some of the many questions Bobby and Al answer are who they would prefer to own between Jack Flaherty, Alex Reyes, and Zach Britton (10:05), whether Tyler O’Neill (21:35) has a shot at receiving regular playing time, and which unowned catchers are good stopgap options for Welington Castillo owners (42:53). We also spend time predicting when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (16:49) will finally get called up, share our thoughts on recent Pirates’ call-up, Austin Meadows (26:53), and figure out if Willy Adames (39:20) has been called up for good, or is just having a cup of coffee in the majors. To conclude, the duo digs into the Listener Mailbag (44:20) to answer your questions.

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Juan Soto’s Call-up + Pitching Talk w/ Eno Sarris (Ep. 112)

Today we are joined by Eno Sarris from The Athletic to help us break down the Juan Soto call-up (0:48), examine whether Alex Reyes will rejoin the rotation once he returns (8:04), and deduce when Robbie Ray might come back from his injury (21:47). We also cover whether Blake Parker (27:11) owns the Angels’ closer job, Jordan Hicks’ (15:36) incredible fastball, and if Josh Hader (31:41) has any realistic shot at the Cy Young Award. We then finish up by answering your listener mailbag questions (35:26).

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Waiver Pickups + Injury Updates w/ Jason Collette (Ep. 111)

Jason Collette from ESPN, Rotowire, and FanGraphs joins us to chat about which players fantasy owners should be on the prowl for when searching through waivers. Jedd Gyorko’s (10:32) performance so far seems legitimate, Franchy Cordero’s (26:08) power and speed can’t be ignored, Nick Pivetta (41:39) is showing stud-potential, and we’re mentioning a trio of Cardinals hurlers who have had early success (46:11). We also went over numerous injury updates, like how the Cardinals may plan on responding to A.J. Pollock’s (1:10) thumb injury, as well as an exciting hypothetical trade involving Trevor Story and Manny Machado (13:44).

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Closer Updates, Who’s Freddy Peralta & Listener Mailbag (Ep. 110)

There are a handful of things to discuss with the latest events around the league and joining us to do so is Jake Ciely of RotoExperts. Roberto Osuna may be out for the long haul (1:24), Keynan Middleton has major elbow issues (21:13), and Hector Neris is on shaky ground (22:52) making the closer landscape a bit fuzzy for all three teams. There were also a pair of intriguing call-ups with Franmil Reyes (13:22) and Freddy Peralta (16:20) that have owners wondering what to expect. Lastly, we’re answering your mailbag questions so listen up to see if your question made it onto the show (18:54).

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Injury Stashes + Waiver Wire Pickups (Ep. 109)

We’re in week six of the fantasy season, but there are a surprising number of useful players still readily available on the waiver wire. Derek Carty, creator of The Bat projections, is joining us to talk about the latest news such as Yadier Molina’s injury (1:53), Johnny Cueto’s arm (3:06), Clayton Kershaw’s tendinitis (4:06), and Matt Harvey’s demotion (5:22). We’re also covering which players on the DL you should be stashing right now (10:12), before moving onto which pitchers (22:51) and hitters (37:16) should be on your radar.

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Ichiro’s Legacy, Replacing Seager & Trades to Make (Ep. 108)

Ichiro is calling it a career and it’s been a great one (2:31). Joining us this episode is FantasyPros writer, Dan Harris, and we’ve got a lot to discuss including Corey Seager’s season-ending injury (5:39), Walker Buehler’s upside (9:23), what to make of the Angels’ closer situation (11:50), how long Robbie Ray may be out (13:58), and interesting prospect call-ups in Kingham and Soroka. These are just a few things we’re discussing before we move onto our favorite buy-low and sell-high targets (33:48). We’re also answering questions from the mailbag so be sure to listen up to see if your’s made it on the show (49:14).

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Ronald Acuna Expectations + Waiver Pickups (Ep. 107)

Ronald Acuna is getting his shot to live up to the hype and Paul Sporer of FanGraphs is joining us to tell us what we can realistically expect from the No. 1 prospect (3:23). As the title says, we’re also covering the waiver wire as we touch on over 20 hitters and pitchers including Domingo Santana (15:51), a pari of Padres in Manny Margot and Franchy Cordero (18:00), a pair of speedsters in Delino DeShields and Mallex Smith (21:44), Danny Salazar (44:38), and Trevor Cahill (55:05) to name a few.

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Manaea’s Hot Start, Prospect Call-ups + Listener Mailbag (Ep. 106)

Sean Manaea threw a no-hitter (3:10), Gleyber Torres got called up (5:30), and the Red Sox (18:56) and Astros (21:16) are still electric after three weeks of baseball. More importantly, we’ve got Jim Sannes of numberFire joining us to talk about all the latest news like Manaea’s hot start to the season, what to make of the prospect call-ups like David Dahl (8:21), Walker Buehler (11:21), and Jack Flaherty’s (14:16), and then we’re answering your listener mailbag questions (32:18).

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Waiver Wire Pickups + Keep or Drop (Ep. 105)

It’s episode 105 and we’re covering all the latest injuries including Taijuan Walker’s surgery (1:32), Shohei Ohtani’s blister (9:37), and Byron Buxton’s migraines (11:04). We’ve got 16 hitters and pitchers to discuss that are worth picking up. Joining us in this episode to chat is Chris Meaney, host of FNTSY Sports Network and FNTSY Sports Radio. We’re starting with 8 hitters (14:08) before moving onto 8 pitchers (28:23). Make sure to listen all the way through as we wrap up the show discussing players who are on the border of keeping versus dropping (41:56).

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Buy Low/Sell High Trades to Make (Ep. 104)

We’ve got a buy low, sell high episode for you and Brandon Warne of Zone Coverage Minnesota is joining us to discuss our favorite trade candidates. We’re starting with pitchers to target as buy low options such as Jose Quintana (14:43), Marcus Stroman (15:49) and Chris Archer (19:47). Listen in as to why you should also be targeting hitters such as Trea Turner (29:02), Byron Buxton, or Yoan Moncada (29:55). If you’re more interested in who you should sell high, we’re breaking that down by pitchers (36:03) and hitters (46:48) as well.

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Injury Replacements, Early Breakouts, and Slumps (Ep. 103)

With the second week of baseball nearly complete and injuries already taking a toll, we’re chatting with Dalton Del Don of Yahoo! Sports to help you navigate the waiver wire as well discuss what to make of a few breakouts and slumps. We’re covering Elvis Andrus (3:01), catcher replacements for Travis d’Arnaud (4:51), hot pitchers on the wire like Joey Lucchesi (8:49), Yonny Chirinos (10:49), and Nick Pivetta (12:53). Naturally, we’re discussing hitters to consider picking up as well like Jed Lowrie (19:05), Yangervis Solarte (20:02), Nick Senzel (20:59), and many others. We’re wrapping the show up with closers who could lose their job soon and who you should stash (35:26).

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Welcome to Fantasy Baseball + Early Season Questions (Ep. 102)

It’s early in the season and often times, that’s when there are a ton of questions whether you’re new to the game or an experienced fantasy player. With the first week complete, we’ve got a special guest on the show, our very own NFL expert Mike Tagliere, who is just as new to fantasy baseball as many of our listeners. Chances are, we’re answering questions you may have yourself (2:59). Get Bobby’s thoughts on Shohei Ohtani (14:41), what would be different if we were drafting today (22:08), when it’s okay to begin panicking on a player (24:25), which pitcher’s early success is real (43:56), plus a bunch of other topics.

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Corey Knebel Hurt, Listener Mailbag + Waiver Wire Pickups (Ep. 101)

It’s been a busy first week of baseball and there’s plenty to discuss with FantasyPros analyst, Dan Harris. We’re kicking things off with the latest injuries and signings including Greg Holland (2:16) and Corey Knebel (5:38). Find out why Jack Flaherty (10:28) is a must-add right now and what our thoughts are on Michael Conforto’s return (12:23). More importantly, we’re answering a bunch of your questions from our listener mailbag including what to make of Kenley Jansen (21:09), Ohtani’s hot start (23:31), and Arizona’s humidor (30:25) for starters. Of course, we’ve got waiver wire talk too so find out why we love as adds including keeping an eye on Willie Calhoun (39:54), Michael Brantley (42:38), Jake Junis (45:04), Tyler Mahle (46:18), and Tyler Skaggs (47:16) to name a few.

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Opening Day FanDuel Advice (Ep. 100)

The season is upon us and we’ve got a full rundown for Opening Day FanDuel players. There are a lot of names to cover so we’ve got Dan Harris, featured writer at FantasyPros joining us to discuss our favorite plays at each position for cash and tournament games. We’re starting things off at the most expensive position at pitcher and despite there being multiple aces, listen in to why Chris Sale should be in your lineups (5:12). If you’re searching for some upside GPP plays, consider Chase Anderson (14:00) or Patrick Corbin (15:05). There are too many players to list, but we’re naming our top two locks to wrap up the show if you’re trying to figure out who to build your lineup around (1:03:42).

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Over & Undervalued Players (Ep. 99)

We’re days away from the season starting and if you’re still preparing for your draft, we’ve got Derek Carty of RotoGrinders here to help provide advice. We’re running through a handful of players that we feel are over and undervalued. Find out what we like and dislike about Zack Greinke (1:00), why Derek is really high on Justin Verlander (2:08), why we love Jose Quintana (6:00), and why Giancarlo Stanton deserves to be the #2 pick in fantasy drafts (20:10). We’re also discussing a pair of catchers (33:49), Jake Lamb (36:34), Delino DeShields (37:28), and many other players.

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Listener Mailbag & Bold Predictions (Ep. 98)

One of the most fun things to do is make bold fantasy predictions and we asked our good friend Jim Sannes of numberFire to join us in doing so. Before we get bold though, we’re answering some of your questions from our mailbag. Get our thoughts on Mariners first baseman Dan Vogelbach (3:31), which players we find ourselves drafting a lot (6:12), and who our early World Series picks are (11:01). Then we’re giving our top five bold prediction countdown with Jim kicking things off about Ozzie Albies (20:05), Bobby making a bold claim about Trea Turner (22:56), and then we discuss other players like Greg Bird (27:09), Zack Godley (29:38), Miguel Sano (32:57), Lucas Giolito (35:03), Mike Clevinger (39:34), Joey Gallo (41:36), and Miguel Cabrera (46:37).

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Late-Round Stashes & Deep Sleepers (Ep. 97)

We’re talking players to stash with Steve Gardner of USA Today and this episode is packed with goodies, but before getting into that, we’re discussing Jorge Polanco’s suspension (2:15), Justin Turner’s wrist (4:31), and Daniel Murphy’s knee (6:08). As you plan for your draft, listen in as we discuss stash candidates in Michael Conforto (17:11), Danny Salazar (20:40), Ryan McMahon (27:33), Gleyber Torres (31:49), Nick Senzel (34:08), among many others.

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