Drake Baldwin’s fantasy stock jumps after three-game blast

Drake Baldwin gave fantasy managers the kind of weekend that changes waiver-room chatter fast: 10 hits, three homers, eight RBI and a steal across three games, according to CBS Sports fantasy analyst Chris Towers.

Towers wrote that the Braves catcher entered the weekend needing a statement after a rough return from an oblique injury. Baldwin had been one of fantasy baseball’s top early-season players before going on the injured list in late May, CBS Sports reported, with a .303/.389/.543 slash line and a pace that projected to 40 homers, 128 RBI and 132 runs.

That form vanished after his four-week absence. Towers said Baldwin hit .154/.252/.220 over roughly the next four weeks, while his strikeout rate climbed to 26%.

The weekend surge moved the story back in his favor. CBS Sports noted that Baldwin still owns a .386 expected weighted on-base average for the season, a mark Towers said is better than any other catcher in baseball, including Ben Rice.

Ohtani’s pitching pause changes the fantasy math

Shohei Ohtani remains available as a hitter, but his pitching schedule is now on hold because of lingering left knee soreness, according to CBS Sports and an MLB.com report cited by Towers.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani would not make his first scheduled start after the All-Star break. “I would say that it’s going to be some time,” Roberts said, adding that “it’s not going to be a day-to-day thing.”

CBS Sports reported that the soreness is in Ohtani’s left knee, the leg he lands on while pitching. His final start before the break was scratched, and he received a lubricating shot in the knee during the break, according to the report.

Towers wrote that Ohtani has a 1.79 ERA as a pitcher this season, while his hitting has been a “mild disappointment” by his standards. CBS Sports noted he has 22 homers, making another 50-homer season a long shot and a fourth straight 40-homer year a tougher climb.

The Dodgers have Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the injured list, but Towers reported that upcoming off days could allow Los Angeles to keep starters on an every-sixth-day rhythm with five pitchers. He also noted the Dodgers held an 11.5-game lead in the NL West.

Other risers and fallers

Trevor Rogers also landed on the “up” side for CBS Sports after an eight-start run with a 1.69 ERA. Towers cautioned that the underlying strikeout and walk numbers had not changed enough to make the turnaround easy to explain.

Austin Riley joined the risers after going 6 for 13 with three homers over the weekend, according to CBS Sports. Towers said Riley’s July OPS rose to .864, though he still flagged concerns about strikeouts and quality of contact.

Hunter Brown topped the down list after walking six batters in 4.2 innings and allowing four earned runs. CBS Sports reported that Brown has walked at least four batters in three straight starts and has a 16.4% walk rate in six starts since returning.

Gavin Williams also drew concern despite striking out 11 batters for a second straight start. Towers noted he allowed five runs in six innings on three homers and has given up 20 home runs this season.

Gage Jump rounded out the fallers after allowing 14 runs in 17 innings over his past four starts, according to CBS Sports. Towers wrote that three of those four outings, all the poor ones, came at home in Sacramento.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.