X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

The Cut List - Time to Let Go? Week 13

Michael Harris - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, MLB Injury News, DFS and Betting Picks

Jamie's list of busts, overvalued, and injured players who fantasy baseball managers may want to consider cutting and dropping for Week 13 of the 2024 MLB season.

Welcome back to The Cut List for Week 13 of the 2024 fantasy baseball season -- June 17 through June 23. This is our weekly article looking at players whom fantasy managers might be considering cutting from their teams and struggling players who need a closer look. We'll look at players who are worthy of a drop, players who are worth monitoring for replacing, and someone on the hot seat who is worth holding on to... for now.

Those of you experienced Cut List readers will know I'm a strong advocate for not making knee-jerk reactions. A bad week or two shouldn't be a reason to push the panic button and dump someone. As the season rolls on, there will be stronger cases to drop underperforming players.

If there's ever someone you want me to take a look at, drop their name on Reddit, the RotoBaller Discord (which you can join by clicking here), or reach out to me on X (@Baseball_Jimbo), and maybe you'll see them included next week. All stats and rostered rates (taken from Yahoo!) reflect when this piece was written.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Worth Dropping and Replacing?

Cedric Mullins - OF, Baltimore Orioles - 55% rostered

Mullins 2021 season is looking more and more like an outlier rather than a ceiling. Maybe it was the baseballs but after hitting 30 homers in 159 games, Mullins has managed 37 homers in 335 games since. He does still possess good speed with 66 stolen bases in that period, after tallying 30 steals in 2021. That speed is about the only thing keeping Mullins rostered in 2024.

After 64 games, Mullins is hitting .188/.239/.325 with six homers, 22 RBI, 29 runs, and 13 stolen bases. He's seeing a drop in playing time, in part due to an inability to hit left-handed pitching (LHP). He's currently got a .151/.182/.245 slash line against lefties and 20 wRC+ (50 plate appearances). If we look at his hit metrics this year, Mullins isn't hitting anything effectively.

Having a .325 slugging percentage and outperforming your xSLG is a pretty big red flag in itself. Mullins' last home run came on April 26 and he's only had five extra-base hits since then. Three of them have come since last Sunday and Mullins is hitting .333/.391/.524 over the last seven days. His average exit velocity and hard-hit rate are down over the last week so it's difficult to tell whether this is the start of a resurgence or a small sample fluke.

Verdict: As is normally the situation in these cases, if you've held Mullins this long and want to see if he has turned a corner, holding him is fine. Mullins still has to earn back more regular playing time to be worthwhile rostering in anything but deeper leagues. And he's unlikely to face many LHP, further limiting his value. He's the 72nd-ranked outfielder on Yahoo! and it's tough to make a strong case to roster Mullins in shallower leagues. 

Junior Caminero - 1B, Tampa Bay Rays - 30% rostered

This could be the first time a player features on The Cut List without having played an MLB game that season. Despite the lack of a Major League at-bat in 2024, Caminero is someone I'm regularly asked about. So, I figured I'd give a definitive answer. It is perfectly fine to drop him in redraft leagues. Caminero suffered a quad strain at the end of May and isn't likely to be seen on the field until the end of June.

That's the best best-case scenario. Caminero will also need another week or two before he's considered as a candidate for a promotion to the Majors. Potentially, it'll be the end of July if the six-week estimate is more accurate. There's a reason why Caminero's inclusion this week is more pertinent. This philosophy can be more broadly applied to other prospects.

We're at a stage of the season where you will know what categories you need to focus more on. Where your team's strengths and weaknesses are. Unless you are in the small minority and your team is crushing it across the board, you will likely need to find help off waivers. So you could keep stashing a prospect who could get called up soon and could be great straight away. Or, you can go get that required help off of waivers.

Verdict: Caminero has elite power that few prospects possess. He hit eight homers in 34 games at Triple-A before the injury but it remains to be seen how soon that power translates into the Majors. Realistically, how many home runs can we expect from Caminero this year? Probably not enough to warrant stashing him instead of picking up an actual starting Major Leaguer.

 

Hold For Now

Nico Hoerner - 2B, Chicago Cubs - 87% rostered

If you roster Hoerner, you'd have likely used a pick inside the first six rounds to draft him. He's not come close to providing value on his ADP. After 62 games, Hoerner has two homers, 18 RBI, 32 runs, and 10 stolen bases with a .244/.335/.338 slash line. That's a 150-game pace (the number of games Hoerner played last year), of five homers, 44 RBI, 77 runs, and 24 stolen bases. He managed to go 0-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base yesterday. It's been that kind of season for Hoerner.

Those numbers are much more similar to his 2022 season rather than 2023. Hoerner doesn't look like he'll come close to matching last season's 43 steals. You wouldn't have drafted Hoerner for power or RBI, which probably makes him overvalued in drafts anyway. But the lack of stolen bases and the disappointing batting average will sting. The drop down the batting order to the six hole won't help with the runs either.

But there is a bit of a silver lining. Hoerner has a .267 xBA (expected batting average) which ranks in the 68th percentile. Hoerner's 0.96 BB/K is fourth-best among the 150 qualified hitters. With a bit more luck, Hoerner should raise his batting average and get more chances to steal. The Cubs rank 11th in stolen bases (57) so it's not like they aren't running. Hoerner is someone that should improve and be worth rostering still.

Kutter Crawford - SP, Boston Red Sox - 72% rostered

One of Crawford's rotation buddies will feature a little later. While they both excelled to begin the year, the Red Sox rotation has scuffled a bit since May 1. Their starters' 4.51 ERA since May 1 ranks 23rd and Crawford himself has a 4.98 ERA in that time. He's given up 17 earned runs in his last four starts (22.1 IP). That's left him with a 2-6 W-L record, 3.47 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 79 Ks in 80.1 IP (14 starts).

The above chart shows Crawford's wOBA against each pitch by month (via Baseball Savant). As we can see, his fastball has been pulverized lately. Given it's Crawford's most-thrown pitch (34.1% usage), that needs to change. The expected numbers aren't ideal either. Crawford's fastball has a .304 SLG against it but a .422 xSLG. What we've seen is some natural regression after a hot start. We may see more regression in the coming weeks.

Despite that, I'm still suggesting Crawford is worth holding on to. His 4.06 xFIP and 3.88 SIERA also hint at further regression. But if Crawford ends the season with a 3.80 to 4.00 ERA and retains his 23.4% K% (57th percentile), he'll likely be an average fantasy pitcher. And that is still worthwhile rostering. With the amount of injured starting pitchers we've seen, rostering an average starting pitcher or two will help your teams.

 

On the Hot Seat

Michael Harris II - OF, Atlanta Braves - 96% rostered

I've held off including Harris II on The Cut List for a while now. And of course, when I do decide it's time to feature him, he gets hurt. A hamstring injury has seen Harris II placed on the IL yesterday. It remains to be seen how long Harris II is sidelined with no timetable for a return offered at this early stage. The early signs are it'll be some time before we see him on the field again.

In fantasy terms, it makes things a lot easier in deciding what to do. Simply place Harris II on your IL, then await further news. Assuming he's not going to miss the entire rest of the season, you can hold him. If you don't have an IL spot, I'd still look at holding Harris II on my bench, assuming he is back with more than a couple of weeks of the regular season left. But it's a team-by-team case.

So what of his on-field performances? Well, at the time of the injury, Harris II ranked as the 62nd outfielder. Not what you want from someone routinely drafted inside the first three rounds. His .250/.295/.358 slash line is the worst since debuting in 2022 and his five homers, 20 RBI, 30 runs and eight stolen bases are below what you expected when drafting Harris II.

Harris II does have better expected numbers. He's got a .271 xBA, .398 xSLG, and .312 xwOBA (.288 wOBA). The expected batting average ranks in the 75th percentile but would still be below his career .295 batting average coming into this season. Harris II was still on course to reach 20 stolen bases, the number he tallied in each of the previous two seasons. It's been the bat that's lacking.

A comparison of his hitting metrics over the last three seasons shows us that he's just not been making as good a contact as last year. But they're not too dissimilar to 2022.

Year PA xBA xSLG xwOBA HardHit% Barrel% Exit velo Pull%
2022 441 .268 .460 .335 45.1% 10.1% 89.5 MPH 32.1%
2023 539 .304 .490 .357 48.5% 10.0% 90.9 MPH 33.3%
2024 278 .271 .398 .312 43.6% 5.9% 89.3 MPH 43.1%

Given Harris II had a .297/.339/.514 slash line and 19 homers in 2022, it looks like fortune was on his side. His .361 BABIP certainly stands out. Maybe this year is a bit of baseball karma playing out. Whatever it is, Harris II should have better numbers than he has this year. You will have also noticed the inclusion of the Pull%.

Harris II has been pulling the ball more. Generally, hitters pulling the ball more will have better power numbers. But when you have middling power like Harris II, it won't necessarily translate into more homers or better power numbers. Pulling the ball more but barrelling it less also won't turn into more homers. It remains to be seen if this trend will continue or if the results will remain the same.

For now, just leave Harris II on the IL and we'll see if he can turn things around when he returns. If you have a roster crunch with no IL space and limited bench spots, I'd have no problem dropping Harris II. I doubt he will return before early August at best and the Braves may have to do without Harris II until September. Like with stashing prospects, it's difficult to justify holding Harris II without the luxury of an empty IL spot.

 

Reader Requests

As in previous years, we're keen to hear who you want us to analyze. If there is anyone who you want to include here on next week's Cut List, drop their names on the Reddit thread. Alternatively, you can reach out to me on X and we'll endeavor to cover as many requests as we can each week.

Taylor Ward - OF, Los Angeles Angels - 80% rostered

Ward got off to a scorching start to the season. By the end of April, Ward had seven homers and a .273/.310/.496 slash line. He's slowed down since then and after a solid May, he's been dreadful in June. Ward is hitting just .105/.277/.237 this month. On Tuesday, Ward went 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBI and two runs. They were his first runs scored this month and still are his only RBI in June.

He was removed early in Tuesday's contest with back tightness and subsequently missed Wednesday's game. Ward did return as the designated hitter on Thursday and has been the DH in the subsequent games. If Ward has been dealing with a back issue, that might explain his struggles, and it's worth monitoring moving forward. What has been impressive from Ward is the fact he's been improving his on-base percentage despite his batting average taking a nosedive.

Ward had hit 37 homers in 232 games over the previous two seasons, along with a .269/.349/.451 slash line. Although that's not a huge track record, between that and the first two months of the season, there's not enough reason to drop Ward. Admittedly, in shallow leagues with three starting outfielders, Ward is not a lock for rostering. But if you've enjoyed the early weeks of the season with Ward on your roster, I'd keep it that way.

Triston McKenzie - SP, Cleveland Guardians - 56% rostered

McKenzie was featured on The Cut List (Week 5 edition) as a droppable player in shallower leagues. We had just discovered that he had been pitching with a partially torn UCL and had opted against Tommy John Surgery (TJS) in 2023. After some early struggles, McKenzie has been a solid rotation option in recent weeks.

After 13 starts, McKenzie has a 3-3 W-L record, 4.10 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 65 Ks (68.0 IP). He has improved since appearing in The Cut List, putting up a 3.78 ERA in nine starts. He's also raised his strikeout rate and lowered his walk rate in that time. All positives. Yet, my stance hasn't changed on McKenzie. His UCL is still partially torn and he's still someone you won't want to start against the better offenses, making him a streaming option in shallower leagues.

McKenzie's 4.94 xFIP and 4.79 SIERA suggest he's been lucky this year. Overall, his 22.0% K% is down on his career mark (25.9% K%). McKenzie's 12.8% BB% is up on his career 9.4% BB% and he's only completed six innings on three occasions. In deeper leagues, McKenzie is still worth holding as long as he's able to pitch. In shallower leagues, I'd hope he can have another couple of solid starts and then look to trade him away. Using him solely as a streaming option is not the worst idea.

Brayan Bello - SP, Boston Red Sox - 55% rostered

The Red Sox rotation collectively had the best ERA in baseball at the end of April. The Boston starters compiled a 2.00 ERA in the opening 30 games of the season and Bello was a big part of that. Bello had a 3.04 ERA when the calendars flipped over to May. Since then, things have gone downhill. Bello now finds himself with a 6-4 W-L record, 5.00 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 56 Ks after 12 starts (63.0 IP).

We'll address his ERA shortly but it's noticeable that Bello has only 56 strikeouts in 63.0 IP. And he's only totaled 63.0 IP in 12 starts. Like McKenzie, Bello has only completed six innings on three occasions this year. Last weekend's start was the second time Bello has given up five runs and failed to make it through the fifth inning. He repeated the feat on Friday, albeit with one run being unearned due to his error.

Bello's ERA does look inflated given he has a 3.75 xFIP and 3.95 SIERA. The thing that will continue to hold back Bello from being a good fantasy option is the lack of strikeouts. Given he had a 19.8% K% last year (157 IP), Bello's 20.3% K% this year likely won't get much better. Bello is similar to teammate Crawford but with fewer strikeouts. That makes him more of a deeper league option or a streamer in shallower leagues.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Ryan Blaney

One of the Leading DFS Contenders, but Might Be Slightly Overpriced
Ross Chastain

Has Less DFS Value than Usual Since He Qualified Better
Joey Logano

Penske Putting More Emphasis on Non-Playoff Tracks This Year, so Joey Logano Should Run Better at Michigan
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Likely to Regress to the Mean at Michigan
Carson Hocevar

After Back-to-Back Top Five Runs, Carson Hocevar Could Easily Lead Today
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing's Decline in Intermediate Speed Will Likely Override Austin Dillon's Solid Record
Daniel Suarez

Will Likely Need a Strategy Play to Contend at Michigan
Josh Berry

It's Unclear Whether Josh Berry's 1.5-Mile Oval Speed Will Transfer to Michigan, but It Looks Likely
Michael McDowell

Has Weak Michigan Record, but Will Probably Run Better than He Has in the Past
Noah Gragson

Has Little DFS Value, but Probably More than His Teammates
Justin Haley

Too Mediocre to Consider for DFS Play at Michigan
Riley Herbst

Despite 23XI Racing's Speed, Don't Expect Riley Herbst to Contend at Michigan
Cole Custer

Lackluster at Michigan
Trevor Story

has Three Hits, Drives in Five
Julio Rodríguez

Julio Rodriguez Exits With Ankle/Shin Injury After Being Hit by Line Drive
Christopher Morel

Homers Twice in Three-Hit Game
Logan Webb

Fans 10 on Saturday
Jesús Sánchez

Jesus Sanchez Shines in Victory Against Rays
Bryce Elder

Records 12 Strikeouts in No-Decision
Aaron Rodgers

Signs One-Year, $13.65 Million Deal With Steelers
Giancarlo Stanton

Could Begin Rehab Assignment Next Week
Josh Reynolds

Looking Good at OTAs
Will McDonald IV

Adds Weight in the Offseason
Stefon Diggs

Looks Good "Running Routes and Cutting"
Chris Conley

Announces his Retirement
Francisco Lindor

Returning on Saturday
Darius Garland

Available "Under the Right Circumstances"
Zach Edey

to Undergo Surgery, Expected to Miss Start of the Season
Seiya Suzuki

Slugs Two Home Runs in Win Over Tigers
Miami Dolphins

Ben Stille Reuniting with Miami
Chimere Dike

Signed by Tennessee
Dillon Gabriel

Inks Rookie Deal
James Cook

to Miss Mandatory Minicamp?
Tyler Reddick

Has Tire Issue in Practice at Michigan
Ryan Preece

Should Have Good Speed at Michigan
Brad Keselowski

a Core DFS Play at Michigan
Chase Briscoe

Continues to Find Speed in Qualifying, Wins Pole for Michigan
Chris Buescher

Looking for Another Win at Michigan
Christopher Bell

Has Puzzling History at Michigan
Ty Gibbs

a Risky but Cheap DFS Option at Michigan
Erik Jones

Has Sneaky Upside at Michigan
Luther Burden III

Still Missing From Practice
Jaquan Brisker

Feeling Better
Devaughn Vele

Turning Heads During Offseason Workouts
Carlos Correa

Back in Action on Saturday
Bryce Harper

Lands on Injured List
Sam Hauser

Possibly on the Move?
De'Aaron Fox

: "I'll be Ready for Next Year"
Evan Bouchard

Enjoys Three-Point Period In Game 2 Against Panthers
Connor McDavid

Joins Rare Company with Three-Assist Effort
Sam Bennett

Makes NHL History with Another Goal Friday
Seth Jones

Fills Stat Sheet in Game 2 Against Oilers
Anton Lundell

Notches Two Assists in Friday's Win
Brad Marchand

Leads Panthers to Victory in Game 2 Against Oilers
Tee Higgins

Trying to Prevent Injuries
Lamar Jackson

Extension for Lamar Jackson on Ravens Docket
Anthony Volpe

Leaves Early Friday With Elbow Contusion
Gabriel Moreno

Exits Early on Friday With Hand Injury
Tyreek Hill

Won't Catch Passes Until August
Shane Bieber

Shut Down From Throwing Until Next Week
Ryan Mountcastle

Out 8-12 Months With Grade 2 Hamstring Strain
Rome Odunze

Anticipates Big Year 2
Shea Langeliers

A's Place Shea Langeliers on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Keilan Robinson

Joins Eagles
Ladd McConkey

Focused on Staying Healthy
Logan O'Connor

to Miss 5-6 Months Following Hip Procedure
Ezequiel Tovar

Rockies Place Ezequiel Tovar on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Francisco Lindor

Out Again on Friday With Toe Injury
Tyler Seguin

Nursing a Shoulder Injury
DAL

Pete DeBoer Fired by Stars
Stuart Skinner

Seeks Sixth Consecutive Win Friday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Looks to Return to Winning Ways Friday
A.J. Greer

Remains Out Friday
Corbin Burnes

to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Bryce Harper

Day-to-Day With Sore Wrist, Not Playing on Friday
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning on Friday
Gardner Minshew II

Throwing at OTAs
Rondale Moore

Active at OTAs
Colston Loveland

Could Return Soon
Sean O'Malley

Set For A Rematch
Merab Dvalishvili

Set For His Second Title Defense
Kayla Harrison

Could Become The New UFC Champion
Julianna Peña

Julianna Pena Set For Co-Main Event
Joe Pyfer

A Favorite At UFC 316
Kelvin Gastelum

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Mario Bautista

Looks For His Eighth Consecutive Win
Patchy Mix

Makes His UFC Debut
Vicente Luque

An Underdog At UFC 316
Kevin Holland

Set To Open Up UFC 316 Main Card
Alex Caruso

Shines Off the Bench in Game 1
Luguentz Dort

Knocks Down Five Triples in Game 1
Cason Wallace

Moves into the Starting Lineup in Game 1 Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Scores 38 Points in Game 1 Defeat
Obi Toppin

Drops 17 Points in Game 1
Aaron Nesmith

Posts a Double-Double in Pacers Game 1 Victory
Pascal Siakam

Leads the Pacers with 19 Points in Game 1 Win
Tyrese Haliburton

Hits Game-Winning Shot as Pacers Steal Game 1
Karl-Anthony Towns

Undergoes Treatment for Knee, Finger Issues
Kevin Durant

Knicks Reportedly Make an Offer for Kevin Durant
Nicolas Batum

Clippers Expect Nicolas Batum to Return for Next Season
Tyus Jones

Reportedly on Kings Radar
Jeff Green

Wants to Play for Two More Years
Steven Adams

Rockets Desperate to Get Steven Adams Under a New Contract
Fred VanVleet

Likely to Remain in Houston
Nate Schmidt

Logs Pair of Helpers Wednesday
Carter Verhaeghe

Registers Two Assists In Game 1 Loss Against Oilers
Sam Bennett

Establishes New Franchise Record with 12 Postseason Goals
Kasperi Kapanen

Stays Productive in Finals Opener
Connor McDavid

Records Two Assists in Wednesday's Win
Leon Draisaitl

Scores Twice in Game 1 Win Against Panthers
Kristaps Porzingis

to be Moved This Offseason?
Phoenix Suns

Jordan Ott Named Suns Head Coach
Nikita Kucherov

Takes Home Second Ted Lindsay Award
Derek Forbort

Sticking with Canucks for One More Year
Noah Cates

Lands Four-Year, $16 Million Extension
Rico Hoey

a Decent Dark-Horse Option at TPC Toronto
Harry Hall

a Decent Option at TPC Toronto
Beau Hossler

Not Appealing Ahead of RBC Canadian Open
Taylor Pendrith

Could See Success at RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox

a Solid Option at TPC Toronto
Mackenzie Hughes

is a Risky Option at TPC Toronto
Eric Cole

Not A Great Option For RBC Canadian Open
Rasmus Hojgaard

a Volatile Option at TPC Toronto
Quade Cummins

Hard to Trust at RBC Canadian Open
PGA

Matti Schmid a High-Risk, High-Reward Play at TPC Toronto
Jake Knapp

a Boom-or-Bust Option at RBC Canadian Open
Doug Ghim

a Sneaky Value Play at RBC Canadian Open
Gary Woodland

a Solid Value Play at RBC Canadian Open
Rory McIlroy

Eyes Third RBC Canadian Open Title
Wyndham Clark

Hoping to Reverse Slide at RBC Canadian Open
Erik Van Rooyen

Erik van Rooyen Continues Rocky 2025 Campaign
Sahith Theegala

Trying to Find Positives in 2025
Justin Rose

Enjoying Career Renaissance at 44
John Pak

Striving to Improve on PGA Tour
Kurt Kitayama

Roller-Coaster Season to Continue in Canada
Max Homa

Motivated for RBC Canadian Open
Ludovit Klein

Outclassed At UFC Vegas 107
Mateusz Gamrot

Bounces Back In The Win Column
Ramiz Brahimaj

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Billy Ray Goff

Gets Submitted
Bruno Lopes

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Dustin Jacoby

Scores First-Round Knockout
Ketlen Vieira

Dominates at UFC Vegas 107
Macy Chiasson

Dominated At UFC Vegas 107
Duško Todorović

Dusko Todorovic Drops Three Fights in a Row
Zachary Reese

Gets Back In The Win Column
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF