Outlook Mike Burrows
Injuries thrust Mike Burrows into a starting role, but extreme volatility limits his draft-day appeal
Mike Burrows steps into the 2026 season with a massive opportunity, slotting in as the top starter in the Houston rotation. With the Astros dealing with devastating long-term injuries to key rotation pieces like Lance McCullers Jr., Cristian Javier, and Hunter Brown, Burrows is locked into consistent turn-rotations. While this guaranteed volume is appealing on paper, fantasy managers must weigh his high-leverage opportunity against the team's wider pitching struggles.
Our projections expect Burrows to log a decent volume of innings, but his career stats suggest a rocky road for fantasy ratios. After posting a respectable 4.06 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 97 strikeouts over 93.2 innings in 2025, his metrics took a significant hit in 2026 with a bloated 5.90 ERA and 1.60 WHIP across 13 starts. Much of this regression can be attributed to poor defensive luck and a massive home run problem, as he surrendered 15 homers in just over 71 innings. While his 7.53 K/9 shows modest strikeout upside, his tendency to give up hard contact makes him a major ratio risk.
Given his current ADP around the 25th round, Burrows is best viewed as a late-round flyer or streaming option rather than a stable rotation anchor. He offers direct path to innings and potential wins with a competitive Houston club, but his vulnerability to the long ball means he is a high-risk asset who should be deployed cautiously in favorable matchups.
Updated 1 day ago
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Outlook Connor Prielipp
Prielipp's Elite Strikeout Upside Offsets Recent Ratio Speedbumps
The third-place Twins are on a two-game losing streak, but rookie Connor Prielipp remains secure as the number two starter in the rotation. Over his last three starts, the young lefty has struggled with a 7.61 ERA and 1.69 WHIP, though he continues to flash elite upside with 19 strikeouts in 14.2 innings. Minnesota will manage his workload cautiously due to his minor-league injury history, but his role is safe.
While his recent ratios are bloated, Prielipp's underlying talent suggests better days are ahead. Our models project a 4.26 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over the rest of the season, which aligns with his career 1.34 WHIP. The elite strikeout rate of over 10 K/9 is entirely sustainable, meaning his recent run of bad luck is a temporary fluke rather than a long-term trend.
Prielipp has one scheduled start on June 13th at home against the Cardinals. He is slated to face Matthew Liberatore, who carries a vulnerable 4.48 ERA and 1.51 WHIP, making this a prime matchup to exploit for strikeout upside. Verdict: Stream.
Updated 1 day ago
