Outlook Eric Lauer
Lauer Bolsters Dodgers Rotation Following Dominant Performance Against Minnesota
Lauer has been excellent lately, posting a 2.25 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over his last 12 innings of work, highlighted by a six-inning win against the Twins on June 22. The first-place Dodgers currently sit at 52-29 and are riding a three-game win streak, relying on Lauer to slot in as the number three starter while rotation staples like Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell remain sidelined on the 60-day injured list.
While his 5.02 season ERA is discouraging, his 2.94 ERA over the last 30 days is much more representative of our projection for his talent level and career baseline. There are minor concerns regarding his velocity, which recently dropped below 89 MPH in a start, but our data suggests that if he maintains his improved command, he can remain a solid mid-rotation asset for fantasy managers during this stretch of increased opportunity.
The Dodgers finish the week with a road series against the division-rival Padres, but since Lauer already pitched on Monday, he is not scheduled for another start before the week concludes. San Diego will send out Michael King, who owns a strong 3.23 ERA, but Lauer's fantasy contributions for this scoring period are already finalized. With no remaining appearances on the schedule, he is a clear choice to bench until his next turn. Verdict: Sit.
Updated 2 days ago
Latest News Eric Lauer
Outlook Javier Assad
Assad remains a steady presence for the Cubs amid a mounting rotation crisis
Assad has been a rock for the second-place Cubs (44-37), who enter the weekend riding a four-game win streak. Over his last 30 days, he has posted a stellar 2.02 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP across four starts, proving his worth as a mid-rotation staple. His health and consistency are more critical than ever for the Chicago rotation, which recently lost both Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown to the 15-day injured list.
While his recent dominance is encouraging, our models suggest his 2.78 ERA over the last fortnight may be slightly unsustainable given his career norms. His season-long 4.29 ERA and 1.10 WHIP align more closely with our projection of a 3.80 ERA for the remainder of the year. Because he lacks elite strikeout stuff, averaging roughly 5.8 K/9 this season, he remains vulnerable to regression if his current excellent command of the strike zone wavers.
Assad already made his lone start of the week on June 24, picking up a victory against the Mets despite surrendering three earned runs over five innings. The Cubs are currently on the road for a tough divisional series against the first-place Brewers, but Assad will not take the mound again during this scoring period. With his weekly contribution already finalized, he is a Sit for the weekend slate but remains a high-priority hold in all standard formats.
Updated 2 days ago
