Outlook Anthony Kay
Kay struggles with ratios as he holds onto rotation spot
Anthony Kay has struggled lately for the second-place White Sox, posting a dismal 8.31 ERA and 1.62 WHIP over his last 13 innings of work. Despite these performance issues, he remains locked into a back-end starter role in the Chicago rotation, particularly with rotation-mate Noah Schultz currently sidelined on the injured list.
While his recent stretch is highly concerning, our models expect him to stabilize closer to his season projection of a 4.60 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. However, his high career walk rates and a 1.49 WHIP this season indicate he will continue to battle traffic, making him more of a risky streaming option than a reliable roster hold.
Kay already took the loss in his lone start of the week on June 17 against the Yankees, lasting just four innings and allowing four earned runs. With no remaining games scheduled for him this week, fantasy managers should look elsewhere for pitching help. Verdict: Sit.
Updated 2 days ago
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Outlook Javier Assad
Assad shines with microscopic ratios over his last few outings, though regression and schedule limitations cap his immediate weekly ceiling.
Assad has been outstanding recently, delivering a stellar 1.04 ERA and a minuscule 0.64 WHIP over his last 17.3 innings. He has stepped up for the third-place Cubs (39-36), who are currently navigating a depleted rotation with Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd on the injured list. With Edward Cabrera also dealing with a hand cramp, Assad's role as a rotation staple is extremely secure.
While Assad's recent dominance has been a massive boon, a direct comparison to our season projection of a 3.80 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP suggests some regression is on the horizon. His low strikeout rate (just 11 strikeouts in his last 17.3 innings) means he relies heavily on batted-ball luck, indicating his current run is unsustainable over the long haul.
Because today is June 18 and Assad already completed his scheduled start on June 17—earning a win against Colorado while posting a 3.18 ERA for the week—he has no remaining appearances before this weekly matchup period ends. Consequently, fantasy managers can safely bench him for the weekend series against Toronto. Weekly Verdict: Hold.
Updated 2 days ago
