Ivan Herrera, C, Cardinals
Ivan Herrera had an explosive day at the plate, going 3 for 4 with three home runs, a walk, three runs, and six RBI. This is the type of performance many fantasy managers were waiting for after Herrera was one of the most popular breakout picks of the offseason. He is taking over the majority of starts behind the dish after Willson Contreras moved to first base full-time. He slashed .301/.372/.428 in 72 games in 2024 while posting a 42.1% hard-hit rate and .453 xSLG, which are both very good marks for a catcher. If he continues that type of production into full-time at-bats in 2025, he has the upside to be a top-5 fantasy catcher.
Zac Gallen, SP, Diamondbacks
Zac Gallen pitched a gem on Wednesday, striking out 13 batters over 6.2 scoreless innings against the Yankees. He allowed three hits and no walks. With all the hype around the Yankees and their torpedo bats, that is all meaningless if they can't make contact. Gallen induced 24 total whiffs on the night, posting a 57% whiff rate and 46% CSW%. His curveball was especially effective, picking up 13 whiffs on 18 swings and 30 pitches. Gallen has tumbled down the rankings in recent years from a top-10 pitcher to around SP30, but he showed he still has that ace upside.
Garrett Crochet, SP, Red Sox
Garrett Crochet made his first start since signing a six-year, $170 million extension with the Red Sox, and he showed why he was worth every penny. He threw eight scoreless innings against the Orioles, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out eight. It was especially encouraging to see how long of a leash he was given by manager Alex Cora, as he stayed in to pitch the eighth despite it pushing his pitch count to 102. Crochet was one of the best pitchers in baseball on a per-inning basis in 2024, as evidenced by his 98th percentile 35.1% strikeout rate. Now, in his second year as a full-time starter, he is one of the few pitchers with the upside to finish as SP1.
Seiya Suzuki, OF, Cubs
Seiya Suzuki had a big day at the plate, going 3 for 5 with two home runs, a walk, two runs, and five RBI. He is already up to four homers on the year to go along with a .275/.333/.625 slash line. He impacted the ball at an elite level in 2024, posting a 49.2% hard-hit rate (91st percentile). He also has exceptional plate discipline, as evidenced by his 20.7% chase rate (94th percentile) and 10.8% walk rate (80th percentile). While he hasn't stolen a base yet this season, he logged 16 of them last season. He has all the tools to be a true five-category contributor for fantasy and is a clear top-25 outfielder.
Luke Jackson, RP, Rangers
Luke Jackson picked up his third save of the season on Wednesday, tossing a scoreless ninth inning while allowing one hit and striking out one. Despite blowing his first save opportunity on Opening Day, manager Bruce Bochy has continued to stick with him, and Jackson now has three straight saves. All three have also been scoreless outings. It's hard to trust a guy who posted a 5.02 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 53 innings last season, but it's reaching a point where fantasy managers have no choice but to add him. He may not last in the closer's role all year, but he's there now for one of the best teams in baseball. He is a must add in any leagues where saves aren't readily available on the waiver wire.
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