Outlook Grant Taylor
Grant Taylor's electric strikeout stuff and rising high-leverage role make him a must-start reliever.
Taylor has been virtually unhittable recently, posting a flawless 0.00 ERA, a microscopic 0.33 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts over his last seven innings of work. His dominance comes at a perfect time for the second-place White Sox (34-31), who are currently missing key bullpen pieces Jordan Hicks and Jordan Leasure to the injured list. This has thrust Taylor into a critical late-inning role, highlighted by a dominant three-strikeout save against Philadelphia on June 6.
With a stellar 2.09 ERA and 50 strikeouts across 30.1 innings this year, Taylor is drastically improving upon his 4.91 ERA from last season. Our models project a rest-of-season 3.32 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, suggesting some minor regression may be on the horizon. However, his elite 14.95 K/9 rate and newly added pitch variety suggest his breakout is entirely legitimate.
The White Sox face a demanding six-game home stretch this week, playing three games against the Braves before welcoming the Dodgers. While these matchups against lineups featuring elite arms like Chris Sale and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will limit Chicago's win opportunities, Taylor's high-leverage status should yield plenty of hold and save chances. Our weekly model projects him for 5.3 strikeouts over 3.2 innings of elite ratio relief, making him an easy choice to insert into lineups. Verdict: Start.
Updated 1 day ago
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Outlook Rico Garcia
Rico Garcia continues to thrive in high-leverage spots for the Orioles
Rico Garcia has been spectacular for the fourth-place Orioles (31-35), pitching to a 1.73 ERA and 0.96 WHIP over his last five appearances. With Ryan Helsley currently sidelined on the injured list, Garcia has stepped up as the primary option in the ninth inning, cementing his high-leverage role in Baltimore's bullpen.
While our season projection expects regression toward a 4.50 ERA and 1.36 WHIP, Garcia's actual 2026 performance is stellar, boasting a 1.12 ERA and 0.70 WHIP with 31 strikeouts over 24.2 innings. His elite high-leverage success makes him an excellent source of ratios and holds even if his save opportunities decrease later on.
The Orioles play seven home games this week, facing Seattle for four contests before a three-game series against San Diego. Matchups against tough Seattle arms like Logan Gilbert and George Kirby suggest plenty of close games, maximizing Garcia's opportunities for saves or holds, making him a solid weekly Start.
Updated 1 day ago
