Week 11 Fantasy Baseball Fact Or Fiction

For the first time in a while, I believe we have more FACT than FICTION! This is reason to celebrate, as it is so much easier to be pessimistic as the months of an MLB season pass. Outside of prospect call-ups, I am typically prone to doubting veteran big leaguers who are “breaking out”, as they are often on the good side of luck for a short time.

However, there is always grace for those who are younger and actively earning a role. Also, some guys happen to “figure it out” midseason after a tumultuous period to start the season. Baseball and fantasy baseball are games of adjustments…better sooner than later.

1B/2B/OF Kody Clemens (MIN)

Kody Clemens is hitting the snot out of baseballs lately. He has four home runs, three doubles, and a triple in 40 PA since May 27, with a .285 batting average in this span.

The 30-year-old Clemens is not a fresh face on the scene and had a similar stretch in 2025. He hit five HR, four doubles, and a triple in 53 PA between May 3 and May 2, with a .356 average. He proceeded to hit 14 HR in his final 318 PA, while batting .197.

Clemens is a standard platoon lefty with big power and an inconsistent bat. He also hit five HR (including a three-HR game) between September 4 and September 12 in 2025, then produced none for the rest of the month. He is what he is–a streaky hitter on a hot one.

FICTION

2B/OF Michael Massey (KC)

Michael Massey has 13 hits in his past 34 PA, with three HR, five runs, and seven RBI. He is on a tear and providing the Royals with some semblance of offense beyond MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr.

Unfortunately, this tear is just a bunch of luck. Two of Massey’s three HR were hit at Cincinnati’s bandbox stadium, and he is well outperforming his season-long xwOBA and his xwOBA over the past week. Massey’s .330 wOBA is several points higher than his .286 xwOBA, which mirrors his .265 from 2025 more than his .316 between 2023 and 2024.

Massey is a bad hitter on a hot stretch. At least Kody Clemens has the decency to be an ok hitter on a heater!

FICTION

OF Dominic Canzone (SEA)

Dominic Canzone’s name is so much fun. It reminds me of the Italian impersonation scene from Inglorious Basterds with Enzo Gorlami and the legendary Dominic DeCoco. Canzone makes me want to wave my fingers in the air and spew together incomprehensible words in a deli.

On the topic of Canzone as a fantasy asset, he is a lot less fun to roster than to pronounce. Canzone, like Clemens, is quite streaky. However, unlike Clemens, and especially Massey, Canzone is a DAMN good hitter. He has a .286/.348/.485 slashline since 2025, with a fantastic 138 wRC+.

This is a staple of any offense, but Canzone’s inconsistency makes him harder to appreciate than many other talented platoon bats. He is currently on a heater with four HR, six runs, and six RBI since May 25, with 12 hits in 28 PA.

Oftentimes, heaters are best left ignored, but Canzone has the skill to carry over production for a month or more. He was granted regular playing plate appearances for the first time in 2025. Maybe this year he can bring us a hot summer? I’m willing to find out as he hits in the heart of a fantastic Mariners lineup.

FACT (at least as a streamer but maybe more??)

UT Bryce Eldridge (SF)

The Giants are finally using their top prospect regularly. Bryce Eldridge was called up a month ago, but did not earn regular playing time, at least against RHP, until recently. The Giants’ logjammed infield/DH slots left Eldridge as the odd man out, but their decision to send Casey Schmitt to the outfield has alleviated the situation.

Eldridge is only 21, yet can produce extreme pop. His hard-hit rate (53.6%), average exit velocity (92 MPH), and max exit velocity (113.4 MPH) are among the league’s best, albeit in a smaller sample thus far. His .365 wOBA is behind his .396 xwOBA, indicating some regression on the way. Eldridge is unfortunately stuck hitting in one of baseball’s most pitcher-friendly home stadiums, but with his strength, he can potentially drive balls in the bay.

While both of Eldridge’s home runs this season are against RHP, he is getting a few at-bats against LHP. He has five hits in 15 PA, but a 40% strikeout rate as well. The key to his upside will be his performance against LHP (like with many left-handed hitters), yet with his pedigree and performance to date, we should be willing to find out.

FACT

SP Tatsuya Imai (HOU)

Tatsuya Imai was maybe the league’s worst starter in his first four starts. He had a 9.24 ERA between 12 2/3 innings from March 29 to May 12. This included a month missed in between this stretch due to “soreness”.

That time missed clearly worked in correcting something, because Imai is a new man, albeit with a rough first start back.

May 18 vs. Twins – 4 2/3 IP, 6 hits, 0 walks, 3 ER, 5 K

May 25 vs. Rangers – 6 IP, 0 hits, 4 walks, 0 ER, 2 K

May 31 vs. Brewers – 6 IP, 3 hits, 2 walks, 2 ER, 5 K

June 5 vs. Athletics – 5 IP, 5 hits, 2 walks, 2 ER, 8 K

This is not an “ace”, but Imai is a solid real-life and fantasy SP with this production. His peripherals for each start also indicate that he is not getting too lucky. Walks are still present, but to a lesser degree than his initial run of starts. If Imai can sustain this stretch, he could be a quality SP worth rostering in most leagues.

FACT (for now)

SP J.T. Ginn (ATH)

J.T Ginn since May 7

36 1/3 IP

1.49 ERA / 0.94 WHIP

37 K / 13 BB (17.3% K-BB)

3.74 xERA / 3.46 xFIP

The Athletics may have their front-line starter. Although top pitching prospect Gage Jump was called up two weeks ago, Ginn may be the ace of this staff. His recent stretch is lucky, but even with regression, there appears to be a quality SP emerging in Sacramento/Oakland/Las Vegas.

Ginn is a former top prospect who had an interesting journey to the majors. He was drafted in the first round by the Dodgers in 2018, decided to honor his college commitment, then tore his UCL as a sophomore. He was drafted again in 2022, but by the Mets in round two.

While Ginn struggled in his first two major league seasons (4.85 ERA from 2024-2025), he at least displayed good peripherals last year. His xERA, xFIP, and SIERA were all below 4.00 in 2025, yet his ERA was an inflated 5.08. He entered this year with an immense increase in velocity (average 94.5 MPH fastball) and is succeeding, even in Sacramento’s extreme hitters’ park.

Ironically, Ginn’s season-long peripherals were better in 2025 than 2026, but he could have figured out how to pitch better at home after a year in this new park. The talent is worth finding out, and at worst, he is a surefire streamer on the road (1.99 ERA).

FACT

RP Alex Lange (KC)

This week’s leaders in saves entering Sunday are top-50 consensus pick Jhoan Duran (3) and former Tigers’ closer and now Royals’ closer Alex Lange (3).

Lange takes over the closer role after Carlos Estevez lost it due to an “injury”, and more recently, Lucas Erceg lost it due to being horrible. This increases Lange’s career save total to 31, largely boosted by his 26 in 2023. The right-hander may not be the most deserving of this role, given the performance of Daniel Lynch and Matt Strahm, but he is a righty, and managers are often biased toward them for closing duties.

Lange’s season-long stats are not impressive. He has a 4.03 ERA, 4.55 xERA, 4.21 xFIP, and a 4.05 SIERA. However, he has given up just one run since May 18, with peripherals all below 3.00 in this span.

We have seen Lange succeed as a closer before. The manager appears to trust him, and the Royals are no strangers to closers getting lucky for stretches (see: Estevez, Carlos from 2024-2025).

FACT