We like themes after we focus on our prime fantasy baseball pickups of the week and we’ve got an apparent one getting into Week 9: left-handed beginning pitchers from the NL Central! We don’t make this up, as every of those deserving fellows is among the many most-added gamers in ESPN commonplace leagues. These are usually not dart throws. These pitchers are good.
Andrew Abbott, SP, Cincinnati Reds (accessible in 58.6% of ESPN leagues): Abbott tossed 5 shutout innings on Sunday in opposition to the group’s in-state rivals, the Cleveland Guardians, incomes himself his third win. Abbott has made seven begins this season and he has allowed a couple of earned run in solely considered one of them, a late-April outing within the excessive altitude of Denver. Abbott, 26, shouldn’t be identified for his sturdiness. Each his strikeout charge and management have been inconsistent throughout three seasons with the Reds, however issues are going nicely in the present day. He comes beneficial even along with his subsequent two outings scheduled to be in opposition to the division-leading Chicago Cubs.
Matthew Boyd, SP, Chicago Cubs (accessible in 61.2%): Talking of the Cubs, Boyd beat the rival Chicago White Sox on Saturday, incomes himself his fourth win in six choices. He tossed six innings for the sixth time in 9 begins. Boyd stunned with Cleveland final season, posting a 2.72 ERA over eight largely shortened begins. The strikeout charge wasn’t too shocking as Boyd did whiff 238 hitters for the Detroit Tigers in 2019, albeit with a 4.56 ERA. Accidents have plagued him since. This model of Boyd, 34, seems reliable, with a 2.98 ERA and sufficient run assist to doubtless win double-digit video games for the primary time. Up subsequent are the Reds and a tasty residence matchup with the Colorado Rockies.
Matthew Liberatore, RP/SP, St. Louis Cardinals (accessible in 52.0%): Liberatore tossed six innings of one-run ball on the cross-state rival Kansas Metropolis Royals on Sunday, reducing his ERA to a pristine 2.92. He has permitted two or fewer earned runs in every of his previous seven begins, with just one residence run allowed in that magical span. Liberatore, 25, is lastly thriving with a set function within the rotation, after a number of years of beginning and relieving. He’s delivering a career-best strikeout and floor ball charge. All of it appears to be like professional. Liberatore ought to face the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers in his subsequent two outings.
We couldn’t exit this part with out mentioning one different left-handed beginning pitcher who took the mound this weekend, albeit within the NL West. Los Angeles Dodgers future Corridor of Famer Clayton Kershaw (accessible in 65.3%) made his 2025 debut in opposition to the crosstown Los Angeles Angels on Saturday, and it didn’t go nicely. Kershaw, 37, is coming back from offseason knee and toe surgical procedures. He allowed 5 runs over 4 innings, strolling three versus two strikeouts. That is, after all, not a typical Kershaw efficiency. His profession ERA is 2.51. You could not need him energetic this week at Citi Discipline in opposition to the New York Mets, however Kershaw figures to excel this season, when absolutely wholesome.
Nearer so as to add
Jordan Romano, RP, Philadelphia Phillies (accessible in 86.9%): Maybe the largest information from the weekend was the 80-game suspension levied upon LHP nearer Jose Alvarado (2.70 ERA, 7 saves). Romano dealt with the ninth inning in opposition to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday and struck out OF Bryan Reynolds, 1B Spencer Horwitz and 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes — the center of the order, as it’s — all on 11 pitches.
The slow-starting Romano had an unlucky 13.50 ERA simply eight outings in the past. Since then, he has permitted nary a run in eight innings, on three hits and with 11 strikeouts. He and LHP Matt Strahm might share saves, however Romano is pitching just like the top-five nearer he as soon as was for Toronto. As for Alvarado, drop him.
Rotisserie-style participant so as to add
Andy Pages, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (accessible in 65.3%): Pages is a extra engaging roto choice than a points-league asset as a result of he’s an aggressive hitter not susceptible to many walks. In actual fact, Pages boasts 69 plate appearances in Could, and he has reached first base through free cross in solely considered one of them. He has, nonetheless, homered 3 times over the previous 5 video games, and moved up within the group’s lineup due to the IL stint of Teoscar Hernandez. Pages has 9 residence runs and 5 stolen bases and, whereas we do not like his stroll charge shrinking some from his rookie marketing campaign, he has develop into a greater fantasy choice.
Two-start worth pickup
Ben Brown, SP/RP, Chicago Cubs (accessible in 89.4%): Yep, extra Cubs. Nevertheless, whenever you begin the week with a street tilt in South Florida in opposition to the feeble Miami Marlins after which face the inconsistent Reds, it needs to be a constructive week. Brown, 25, nonetheless has a 4.75 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP, which are not nice. Nonetheless, his 15 strikeouts in opposition to two walks over his previous two outings (masking 10 1/3 innings) is a superb signal of enchancment. Brown is probably not a budding ace, however there’s apparent strikeout upside, particularly versus the Reds (fourth in MLB in strikeouts).
Deeper-league pickups
Logan Henderson, SP, Milwaukee Brewers (accessible in 91.8%): Henderson made his MLB debut on April 20, beating the Athletics, however then he was despatched again to Triple-A Nashville. The group introduced him again final week and Henderson received at Cleveland. He ought to stick round for the Brewers at this level, with 16 strikeouts in opposition to two walks over 11 strong innings. Henderson, 23, is scheduled to face the beleaguered Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. After that, who is aware of? Add him anyway in case he continues thriving.
Chris Paddack, SP, Minnesota Twins (accessible in 94.6%): Paddack struggled in his first 2025 outing, allowing 9 earned runs to the lowly White Sox, however he has lowered his ugly ERA in each look since. Paddack’s finest outings are his most-recent ones, as he lastly earned his first two wins, reaching seven innings in each contests. The Twins are on a roll, thanks largely to their pitching, and Paddack, who hasn’t aided fantasy managers a lot since his rookie marketing campaign with the Padres in 2019, deserves some credit score. He faces the Guardians on Tuesday, then the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners.
