Monday's Fantasy Baseball Drop Candidates Include Lars Nootbaar, Tyler Mahle and More

After checking out some fantasy baseball waiver wire options (hitters based on projections, top-added hitters and top-added pitchers), let's now go over some of the most-dropped fantasy players.

More droppable player data can be located on the waiver wire trends most dropped tab, which can be found on any fantasy baseball page here at FantasySP. 

Explore the best in-season tool to manage lineup/start decisions including waiver pickups, projections, trade suggestions, trade value charts, rest of season rankings, power rankings, and tons more with Fantasy Assistant.

Should You Drop Matt Shaw?

Shaw is now rostered in 53% of leagues after a 4.7% dropoff today.

He got the day off on Sunday after going 0-for-13 over his previous four games. Shaw has a walk and six punchouts in that span.

Shaw has been better since joining the big league team in mid-May. He has a .264 average and .304 on-base percentage over 24 games and 92 plate appearances.

The rookie has a homer and seven doubles among his 23 hits in that span. Shaw also has five RBIs, 11 runs scored, seven stolen bases, five walks and 17 strikeouts.

In his four starts before sitting on Sunday, Shaw hit either eighth or ninth in the Cubs' lineup. That's usually not a great spot for a fantasy hitter to be, but Chicago is stacked offensively, and Shaw can still be a good fantasy asset from that low in the order. 

Until he puts it all together, Shaw is a better deep-league asset. He's got enough upside to roster in standard leagues, but I'd only do that if my team was solid overall and didn't need immediate fantasy production.

He is droppable in some standard leagues, but I'd do my best to hang on to the highly-regarded prospect in deeper leagues. Of course, keep rostering him in dynasty/keeper leagues as well.

Should You Drop Lars Nootbaar?

Nootbaar is down 4% and is now at 62% overall. 

Nootbaar is 0-for-23 over his past seven games, and has reached base just once in that span. He has 13 strikeouts over that stretch.

He's down to a .226 average and .329 OBP over 69 games and 310 plate appearances this season. Nootbaar has 12 doubles and eight homers among his 60 total knocks. He also has 28 RBIs, four stolen bases, 39 runs scored and walks and 68 walks.

Nootbaar was one of the top fantasy hitters early in the season, but he's fallen off in a pretty big way. Regression was expected, but he's dropped below his marks he's posted the past couple seasons, so this is a bit alarming for a 27-year-old player who should be nearing his prime.

He ranks in the 40s for fantasy outfielders in points leagues this season. That puts him outside standard leagues now, but still very much in deeper leagues.

I'd drop Nootbaar in all standard leagues, but also keep tabs on him in case he heats back up eventually. He's worth rostering in deeper leagues still, but he should be benched until his bat heats up.

If you believe in him bouncing back, now is the time to buy him low in a trade.

Should You Drop Justin Martinez?

Martinez is down to 25% owned. We discussed him as a drop last week, but I wanted to update everyone that he's now done for the season.

Martinez can safely be dropped in all redraft leagues. 

The only leagues he should be held in are dynasty/keeper leagues with IR spots available in them. He's going to miss a big chunk of the 2026 season as well, but at least he's only 23 years old and hopefully can return and be a dominant reliever for years to come still.

Should You Drop Tyler Mahle?

Mahle is down to 87% rostered. He hit the injured list with a shoulder injury.

There's no timetable on his return yet, but he's not an elite fantasy name, so he's being dropped just by being on the 15-day IL.

Mahle has been a great fantasy asset so far in 2025. He's 6-3 with a 2.34 earned run average over 14 starts so far. Mahle has allowed 20 runs on 60 hits and 27 walks over 77 innings, while striking out 56 batters.

He's allowed over three runs in a start just twice this season. Mahle has reached at least five innings in all but his first start of the season.

He's been a reliable fantasy asset, so the fantasy owners who scooped him up are going to be hurting without him for a bit, and hopefully it's not a long-term injury.

Mahle can be stashed on the IR (if available) in all leagues - he's pitched too well to drop if you don't have to. Some of you are scrambling with starting pitchers already, and if you can't afford to stash Mahle for multiple weeks, then dropping him makes sense. It stings because he's pitched well, but you need to do what's needed to stay competitive.

Mahle could possibly be traded even after the injury news, so I'd look to make that move before dropping him outright. He should only be dropped in standard leagues, unless this injury drags on for a month or more. Mahle was pitching too well to drop in deeper leagues.

Should You Drop Addison Barger?

Barger is down 4.5% and is at 51% overall now.

Barger has slowed a bit at the plate, but still has 10 hits (three homers and two doubles included) over 12 June games so far. His .238 average and .273 OBP aren't the best, but him adding eight RBIs, seven runs scored, two walks and 15 strikeouts shows he still has some fantasy value.

He gets a little fantasy boost as he's eligible at third base and right field, and maybe left field from last season. Barger has sat against two of the three lefties the team has faced over the past five contests. He's batted second and third against the righties, but dropped to sixth against the lefty.

Barger was always a better deep-league fantasy asset anyways, and those facts I just mentioned explain why. So I'm a fan of dropping Barger if he's owned in any standard leagues, but would keep Barger around for a bit longer in deeper leagues.

Should You Drop Griffin Canning?

Canning is down to 67% rostered after a 6.8% drop today.

He's struggled over his past two starts, and they came against pretty favorable matchups. Canning allowed four runs over 5 1/3 innings against the Nationals on June 10 and then surrendered six runs over 4 1/3 frames against the Rays on Sunday. He allowed 11 hits and seven walks over those starts, while striking out six.

Canning has good season-long numbers still, with a 6-3 record and 3.80 ERA over 68 2/3 innings. He's allowed 31 runs (29 earned) on 63 hits and 33 walks, while striking out 63 batters. New York is 10-4 in his 14 appearances.

Things are trending in the wrong direction for Canning over the past several starts, but that was bound to happen after looking at his fast start and career marks. His career ERA is 4.67, so more regression is probably still coming.

I mentioned him as a sell-high trade candidate earlier this season, and you can see why now. He's lost trade value in standard leagues, and is looking like a streaming option in those leagues now. 

I'd keep Canning rostered in deeper leagues for now, but only start him in the favorable matchups. I'd like to see him deliver a good start before trusting him again too.

Matchups against the Phillies and Braves are looming. The Phillies are a very tough match, but he allowed just one run over five innings in a win against them back on April 22. If he struggles there, he might be dropped in all standard leagues for good. 

A more favorable test against the Braves awaits after that, but again, if he struggles against the Phillies like he has of late, then Canning will only be a deep-league option against Atlanta.

In time, I expect Canning to only be startable in deeper leagues in the most favorable matchups, with standard league streaming opportunities against those favorable opponents, but only if he's pitching well before that.