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Welcome RotoBallers to the first edition of our fantasy baseball frauds and buys/sells for Week 1 of the 2025 season. In this weekly article, we will look at the biggest standout performances each week and determine if we should buy or sell these players. Most of the players featured on this list throughout the season will be rostered in less than 55 percent of Yahoo leagues.
In the first week of the MLB season, there were plenty of surprising performances from around the league. Those players have become hot commodities on the waiver wire in the early part of the year and have seen their roster rates increase across every platform.
But should fantasy managers be picking up these players and buying them? Let's dive in and analyze what to do with those players off to strong starts.
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Wilyer Abreu, OF, Boston Red Sox
Rostered 53% of Yahoo leagues
Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu has been the most added player in fantasy since the season started. That's because Abreu is off to a fantastic start at the plate. He went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI on Opening Day and followed that up by going 2-for-3 with one RBI and one walk in Friday's contest.
As a result, he is someone fantasy managers should be looking to buy amid his hot start.
Wilyer Abreu had 12 batted balls hit 108.7 mph or harder last year. He missed a month this spring due to GI issues. Today he posted batted balls of:
108.7 mph (HR)
110.7 mph (HR)
110.8 mph (1B)
What a way to start your season 🔥pic.twitter.com/kJoYakVzXX— Chris Clegg (@ChrisCleggMiLB) March 28, 2025
We saw glimpses of Abreu's potential last year, and there's a good chance he will put it all together in his second full major league season. The 25-year-old had a 50.5 percent hard-hit rate, 91.6 mph average exit velocity, and 11.1 percent barrel rate in 2024. Those three metics all ranked in the 75th percentile or better.
That makes him an add in all fantasy leagues. His bat speed continues to rank well, and we could see a breakout season from him at the plate. Given that he will see most of the starts in right field versus right-handed pitching, Abreu could hit upward of 20 home runs in 2025.
He went 7-for-10 with two home runs, six RBI, one stolen base, and five walks across the first series.
Jeffrey Springs, SP, Athletics
Rostered 48% of Yahoo leagues
Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs hasn't made many starts in recent years after he underwent Tommy John surgery early in the 2023 season. He started just three games for the Tampa Bay Rays during that campaign and made just seven starts last year. When healthy, though, Springs has shown that he can be a strong fantasy option for managers.
Back in 2022, Springs had a 2.46 ERA and 144 strikeouts across 135 1/3 innings pitched. The left-hander is also off to a great start in 2025 following his six shutout innings against the Seattle Mariners on Friday. He allowed just three hits and one walk to go with nine strikeouts in his first start of the season.
That performance makes him a buy in most fantasy leagues.
The key for Springs in 2025 will be staying healthy. If he can, this could be one of the bigger steals on the waiver wire to begin the year. He looked fantastic against the Mariners and always produces solid numbers on the mound when healthy. So, pick him up before his next start, which is set for Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs.
Tyler Soderstrom, 1B, Athletics
Rostered 35% of Yahoo leagues
Athletics first baseman Tyler Soderstrom didn't get many opportunities to showcase his potential last year. He appeared in 61 contests, and only 12 of those games came in the second half of the season. However, Soderstrom has put together some encouraging at-bats in his first couple of plate appearances in 2025.
He went 2-for-3 with two home runs and two RBI on Opening Day and then had two more hits with one RBI in Friday's game. Therefore, Soderstrom could be on some fantasy managers' radars. He had nine home runs across 189 at-bats last season, and his 14.6 percent barrel rate was a positive sign heading into this year. The 23-year-old will also be playing half of his games at a minor league stadium.
That all could help Soderstrom break out this season. He is a former top-40 prospect and has the tools to hit over 22 home runs. In addition, the former first-round pick could get catcher eligibility in 2025. All he has to do is appear in five games behind the plate to get that eligibility. So, he could be worth a shot in some leagues. He went 7-for-15 with three home runs and four RBI in the first series.
Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
Rostered 30% of Yahoo leagues
Cleveland Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo is another player who didn't see many opportunities last season. He hit just .234 with five home runs and 15 RBI across 53 games. But after Manzardo had a strong Opening Day performance, fantasy managers ran to the waiver wire to pick him up. The left-handed slugger went 3-for-4 with one home run and four RBI in that game.
Then on Sunday, he went 2-for-5 with one home run and two RBI. With two home runs and six RBI through the first three games, Manzardo has been one of the most added players in all leagues to start the season. However, fantasy managers should take a wait-and-see approach with him heading into Week 2.
In his 53 games last season, Manzardo really struggled at the plate. His whiff rate (27.6 percent), strikeout rate (26.3 percent), and expected batting average (.197) all ranked extremely poor, and he wasn't exactly hitting the ball hard either. While this could be a new year for the 24-year-old, he isn't a must-add just yet.
Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Detroit Tigers
Rostered 30% of Yahoo leagues
Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson struggled mightily at the plate in 2024. He hit just .219 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI in 92 games. That led to Torkelson spending all of June and July in the minors, working on improving his swing. His woes at the plate were definitely concerning and made him a questionable selection in 2025 fantasy drafts.
Nevertheless, he should be added in most 12-plus team leagues.
Spencer Torkelson gets a run back for the @Tigers! #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/DhxsDabZYL
— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2025
Following an impressive spring in which he hit .340 (17-for-50) with five home runs and 11 RBI across 19 spring games, Torkelson has carried that into the regular season. He is 4-for-9 with one home run, one RBI, and five walks in his first three games. The potential has always been there for the former 2020 first-overall pick, and he has shown in his career that he can be a 30-home run hitter.
Back in 2023, Torkelson hit 31 home runs with 94 RBI across 159 games. Although he finished with a mere .233 batting average and a 25% strikeout rate that season, it's hard to ignore those big home run and RBI numbers. With the Tigers first baseman off to a great start, he is a buy in most leagues right now because of his home run potential.
Otto Lopez, 2B/SS, Miami Marlins
Rostered 27% of Yahoo leagues
Miami Marlins infielder Otto Lopez was one of the more overlooked players in the later rounds of drafts this season. Despite hitting .344 with three home runs, 14 RBI, and four stolen bases in September to end the 2024 campaign, he went undrafted in plenty of fantasy leagues. His low home run and RBI numbers could have been why.
Lopez, though, could be a nice pickup heading into Week 2. He went 5-for-15 with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base in the first series of the season and could finish the year with solid overall numbers. If you need some steals and/or a high batting average, the Marlins infielder should be a buy.
He had an expected .274 batting average and a sprint speed of 28.7 ft/sec in 2024, which both ranked in the 86th percentile. So, Lopez is a sneaky buy in 15-plus team leagues right now. He is only rostered in 27 percent of Yahoo leagues and should be available in most leagues, even after his strong start.
Other Standout Performers
- Jose Soriano (sell)
- Justin Slaten (sell)
- Jesus Luzardo (buy)
- Lars Nootbaar (buy)
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