Reese Olson, SP (DET)
Olson was absolutely dominant on Wednesday. The young right-hander threw 7.1 scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and one walk while striking out seven. Olson's slider/changeup were spectacular, generating 17 swinging strikes on those two pitches alone. He finished the game with a phenomenal 41% CSW rate. Through five starts Olson has been a completely different pitcher at home than on the road. He has allowed two runs in 18.1 innings at Comerica Park while giving up eight runs in nine innings away from Detroit. It's way too small of a sample size to allow that to play into lineup decisions, and it's worth noting his home/road splits were negligible last year. The bigger factor is that when he has his changeup going, he can be one of the best pitchers in the game.
Francisco Lindor, SS (NYM)
Lindor continued his hot streak with his fourth straight multi-hit game. The superstar shortstop was 2-for-4 with a walk, raising his batting average to .309. After a slow start to the season, Lindor is once again trending toward another superb fantasy campaign, although he only has two stolen bases, his last coming nearly three weeks ago on Apr. 4. His sprint is down a bit, which explains why he is attempting a steal less than one percent of the time. That's a career low. It's still very early in the season, but while the Mets' addition of Juan Soto seemingly helps Lindor in four fantasy categories, it will probably limit his stolen base attempts so as not to run out of run-scoring opportunities.
Austin Wynns, C (CIN)
Wynns followed up his six-hit outburst on Sunday with a three-hit performance against the Marlins on Wednesday. He hit a home run in each of those games. A career .238 hitter with 15 home runs in seven major league seasons coming into Wednesday's game, it's hard to believe the 34 year old is now hitting .500 with a 1.421 OPS. What's with these 30+ year-old catchers like Wynns and Carson Kelly this year?! Wynns' homer on Wednesday was hit 106 miles per hour, his third 106+ mph batted ball in his last two games. It's all flowing for the journeyman backstop right now, but Tyler Stephenson is making his way back from injury and will reclaim the starting catcher role. Meanwhile, Jose Trevino is putting up solid numbers as the No. 2 option behind Stephenson. Enjoy the unexpected production while it lasts. This too shall pass.
Emilio Pagan, RP (CIN)
Pagan induced three straight flyouts to retire the side in order in the 9th for his fifth save of the season. Although he continues to be the frontrunner for saves in Cincinnati, there are some concerning trends that could cause problems down the road. While he is excellent at limiting walks, his penchant for allowing home runs could spell trouble. Right now opposing hitters have a 79% flyball rate with a 54% hard-hit rate and 15.4% barrel rate. In a park as hitter-friendly as Great American Ball Park, those numbers are far too dangerous. He is going to continue giving up home runs, which just doesn't work for a closer often working in high-leverage situations. Saves are a valuable commodity in standard leagues, but Pagan is far from a sure thing in a crowded bullpen.
Cedric Mullins, OF (BAL)
Mullins had a pair of hits on Wednesday and stole his fourth base of the season. The 30-year-old has solidified his spot as the Orioles' leadoff hitter, and is hitting as well as he has since his 30/30 seasons in 2021. His current 38% sweet-spot rate is a career high, as is his 89.6-mph average exit velocity. Meanwhile, the improved quality of contact isn't hampering his plate discipline: Mullins has a 17/17 K/BB rate. The Orioles have some issues up and down their lineup right now, but Mullins certainly isn't one of them. It's a contract year and Mullins is playing like it.
This is just a small sample our daily analysis, join our member area for tools that will help you win your fantasy championship. Click here for details: http://www.insiderbaseball.
