Small samples remaining in the seasonal calendar means big chances need to be taken. Yes, there’s still time to make up
ground in your league’s championship race, but for it to happen, you’ll need bigger-than-usual performances from
your players. Going merely for players’ usual expectations, or strictly by their projections, isn’t going to cut it.
That’s why a player’s upside, as well as his historical track record at this critical stage of the MLB season, is every bit as
important as are rankings or projections. We need those surging stars — the and
types, to steal 2023’s best examples — in order to put us over the top.
Let’s identify the nine players with whom I’m going all-in on my fantasy
teams. Every one of them seems primed for a strong finish, so it’s wise to do whatever you can to roster them in your
league. That might mean trading for the player, if your league’s deadline hasn’t yet passed (such as in custom leagues),
picking him up if available via free agency, or locking him into your starting lineup if you have him already.
Woo has pitched excellently around two injured list stints this season. He has averaged 13.6 fantasy points across his 15 starts. Only 18 pitchers have averaged
more while making at least as many starts. Woo’s absences have diminished
the worry about his seasonal workload — he totaled 131⅔ innings last year, compared to 94⅔ this season — and he’s
an essential player in the Mariners’ hopes to reverse their recent swoon. He’s a near-equal talent to fellow rotation
