Outlook Jake Mangum
Red-Hot Jake Mangum Capitalizes on Playing Time with Speed and Elite Contact
Jake Mangum is red-hot, batting .441 (15-for-34) with five stolen bases over his last 14 days. The third-place Pirates (35-33) have leaned on him heavily in the outfield, especially with key starter Oneil Cruz sidelined with hand fractures. Since returning from a hamstring injury, Mangum has locked down everyday reps, recently slotting in as the starter in center field.
While his current .441 surge is a clear outlier, Mangum's baseline profile as a high-average, high-speed threat is legitimate. He hit .296 with 27 steals last year for Tampa Bay and is carrying a .310 average with 11 swiped bags in 2026. He won't provide much power—our projection pegs him for just three homers—but his elite contact and speed should keep him rostered in deep leagues.
For the rest of this weekly matchup, the Pirates finish their series against the Dodgers before hosting Miami. While tonight's matchup against Justin Wrobleski (2.62 ERA) is tough, facing Sandy Alcantara (4.43 ERA) and a weak Marlins staff offers a prime streaming window. With daily volume guaranteed, he is a viable starting option.
Updated 2 days ago
Latest News Jake Mangum
Outlook Braden Montgomery
Rookie sensation Braden Montgomery makes historic splash to boost first-place White Sox
Braden Montgomery made a dream MLB debut this week, becoming only the fifth player in major league history to hit a walk-off home run in his first game. Over his first two contests, the highly touted outfielder is batting .444 with a home run and three RBI. He has been thrust into an everyday outfield role for the first-place White Sox (36-31), especially with fellow outfielders Austin Hays and Everson Pereira sidelined on the injured list.
While his initial 1.444 OPS is obviously a small-sample anomaly, our models project a highly productive rest of the season, including 13 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and a respectable .265 batting average. Expect some rookie adjustment periods and swing-and-miss regression as league pitchers adjust, but his raw power and speed tools suggest he can maintain mixed-league viability.
For the remainder of the week, Montgomery faces a challenging pitching slate, starting with Atlanta's Martin Perez (3.02 ERA) today, followed by a weekend series against the Dodgers featuring Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.68 ERA). Despite these tough matchups, his current momentum makes him a must-start option while he is locked in. Verdict: Start.
Updated 2 days ago
