FAAB Week 14: Between The Rockies And A Hard Place

A little insight into me and my analysis – I keep a Colorado Rockies schedule saved to my desktop. And not because I’m some Rockies superfan. It’s exclusively to find the best pockets to either roster Colorado bats or stream their opponents throughout the season because a few years ago, MLB started scheduling home games in the altitude over longer stretches to allow the Rockies to adjust to and from the environment. This created spots where the Rox would have week-long stretches at home that, when streamed correctly, could turn a fantasy roster spot from a nothing burger to a useful piece on the cheap.

My friends, we have reached the zenith of the Colorado Rockies schedule in July. These are the weeks in which you can find many free cracks at big offensive production stretches for relatively cheap compared to standard draft/FAAB dollar cost. Here is the July schedule for our (yes, you are reading this piece, I’m roping you into this squad) beloved Rox:

• July 1-3: home against Houston
• July 4-6: home against Chicago (AL) … this is about to be a fireworks show.
• July 7-9: away at Boston … still a hitter’s park in the summer heat
• July 11-13: away at Cincinnati … the only stadium that comes close to rivaling Coors Field (non-minor league park edition)
• July 14-16: All-Star Break … Hunter Goodman is about to enjoy the festivities in Atlanta
• July 18-20: home against Minnesota
• July 21-23: home against St. Louis
• July 25-27: away at Baltimore … another stadium that plays super hitter friendly in the summer heat with the possibility the broken O’s have dealt away any useful pieces
• July 28-30: away at Cleveland … the end of our Rockies-centric fun until September

I went through and listed every matchup because not only should one seek to roster Colorado bats but also their opponents, because you know which pitching staff has the worst ERA (5.59) second-worst FIP (4.82) in MLB? That’s right, our Colorado Rockies.

So get adjusted to lots of purple and pinstripes throughout this piece over July along with some Coors Field visitors (hello, Chicago White Sox starting bats this week) that can be scooped up cheaply to boost those offensive categories while we round the halfway mark on our fantasy season. And not only add the Colorado hitters that are available, feel free to shoot offers to leaguemates that have been rostering Hunter Goodman and Ryan McMahon (pretty much the only two Rockies bats not widely available in shallow leagues) to see if they can be acquired on the cheap.

Alright, breathe deep, let that Rocky Mountain air permeate your lungs. Here we go.

The stats and roster rates below are updated as of noon central time on 6/27.

As always, if you want advice on specific roster decisions you might have, feel free to leave a comment. You can also find me on BlueSky (@mcouill7.bsky.social).

CATCHERS

10/12 Team Adds

Drake Baldwin (ATL, 46% CBS Rostership) – Welp, my bad, y’all. Last week, I spent this space to talk about how deep the catcher pool had been and the lack of needing to find help on the wire. Since that time, we’ve lost Adley Rutschman, Ivan Herrera, Gabriel Moreno, and Keibert Ruiz to the IL and Francisco Alvarez to Syracuse, making backstops a hot commodity on the waiver this weekend and boosting the cost. The rookie Baldwin has overtaken Sean Murphy as the primary catcher now in Atlanta thanks to a .240/.406/.480 slash line with a pair of homers over the past two weeks. He’s up to a 10.8% barrel rate and 50.8% HardHit rate on the season, as the 24-year-old is likely forcing the Braves front office to make some hard decisions on what to do with Murphy and the $15 million he’s owed per annum through 2028. (5-7% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Kyle Teel (CHW, 27% CBS Rostership, 3-5% FAAB), Ryan Jeffers (MIN, 46% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Jonah Heim (TEX, 20% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB)

15 Team Adds

Miguel Amaya (CHC, 9% CBS Rostership) – Okay, I get. You are desperate for a catcher to plug into your lineup, you come here, and I’m suggesting someone actively on the injured list. But that’s how much I believe in Amaya’s bat, which has been shelved since May 24 due to an oblique injury. He’s working his way back and should be in Wrigleyville soon after the Fourth of July weekend. Amaya was absolutely crushing with a .280/.313/.505 line prior to his injury and was slowly eating away at Carson Kelly’s playing time. In Amaya’s absence, Kelly cooled to an icy .210/.258/.290 (56 wRC+) slash line, all but clearing the way for Miguel to overtake as the main Cubs backstop. The 26-year-old could be a significant bat to plug any catcher gap out there, so he’s well worth stashing for the next week or two. Feel free to grab any of the other options – they are all getting what amounts to full at-bats for a catcher – below to bridge the gap while you wait for Amaya to round out his rehab. (3-5% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Gary Sanchez (BAL, 12% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Edgar Quero (CHW, 10% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Danny Jansen (TBR, 7% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Victor Caratini (C/1B, HOU, 7% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Pedro Pages (STL, 6% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Liam Hicks (C/1B, MIA, 5% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB)

INFIELDERS

10/12 Team Adds

Michael Toglia (1B, COL, 31% CBS Rostership) – I acknowledge that Michael Toglia is a truly awful baseball player. He has a career -1.9 fWAR over 256 games. Dick Monfort delusionally thinks he is a “great defensive first baseman” (he’s not and never has been, sporting a -6 OAA in 1,745 career innings at the cold corner). Toglia has whiffed at a 38.2% rate this season. Unfortunately, we have to throw all of that to the side in the hope he pops a homer or two per week with the upcoming Colorado schedule this month. We fantasy players are chasing discrete stats (homers, runs, RBI, steals), and regrettably, it forces us to play the volume game at times like this. With the Rockies set to score plenty of July runs, the volume will be there, and one month of Toglia isn’t likely to sink your roto batting average. Welcome to the madness of the waiver wire world, my friends. I just hope that you drafted well enough you don’t have to ride this roller coaster, but at times, we must strap in accordingly. I’ll be right next to you in the ride’s line (hell no, I ain’t buying no fast pass – suck it, capitalist pigs!), as my declining investments in Paul Goldschmidt have sunk me down into the depths of the underworld to rely upon Toglia on several rosters… ugh. (5-7% FAAB)

Tyler Freeman (2B/SS/OF, COL, 22% CBS Rostership) – Freeman, thanks tohis blushing Savant page, remains the man to target on the Rockies squad. He’s recently moved into the leadoff spot and could be a major run machine throughout July. I have a high bid here because I believe Freeman can easily produce what would be a .280 average with a 12-ish homer/25 steal pace that all of the projections pegged him to be. He could likely cost less because leaguemates might remember him for his soft hitting ways in Cleveland, which yes, he still has, but his contact-heavy profile will shine in Coors Field. (5-7% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Ernie Clement (1B/2B/3B/SS, TOR, 35% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Nathaniel Lowe (1B, WSN, 49% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Willi Castro (2B/3B/SS/OF, MIN, 48% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Zach McKinstry (3B/SS/OF, DET, 46% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), J.P. Crawford (SS, SEA, 45% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Brooks Lee (2B/3B/SS, MIN, 34% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Gavin Lux (2B/3B/OF, CIN, 30% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Christian Moore (2B, LAA, 30% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Carlos Santana (1B, CLE, 28% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Otto Lopez (2B/SS, MIA, 24% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Luis Rengifo (2B/3B, LAA, 21% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB)

15 Team Adds

Nick Gonzales (2B, PIT, 9% CBS Rostership) – The Pittsburgh second baseman has been a hot schmotato in June with a .300/.329/.463 slash line and two homers. He even picked up a five-hit game this week at Milwaukee. He hits the ball with just enough pop (8.8% barrel rate and 42.6% HardHit rate) to be viable, but his bloated 42.6% Sweet-Spot rate and 31.2% Squared-Up rate (Trust me, bro, those are good! How do I know? Oh, they’re red on Baseball Savant – that means good.) scream that he’s running hot right now. He deserves what he’s produced recently, so roster him while he’s in a groove but don’t feel bad if you have to cut bait amidst a slump later in the season. Gonzales is that classic middle infielder on a second-division team that you can cycle on/off the back end of a roster when he’s running hot. (3-5% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Casey Schmitt (1B/2B/3B, SFG, 14% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Spencer Horwitz (1B/2B, PIT, 7% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Lenyn Sosa (1B/2B/3B, CHW, 5% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Eric Wagaman (1B/3B/OF, MIA, 11% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Max Muncy (2B/3B/SS, ATH, 9% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Luis Urias (2B/3B, ATH, 6% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB)

Only Team Adds

Ryan Ritter (SS, COL, 5% CBS Rostership) – Ezequiel Tovar has been fully cast to the shadowlands and is still without a return timeline. The last update on his oblique injury is from two weeks ago when he was “jogging.” Yep, that’s right, not even running, just jogging. In the surprise of century, Ritter has continued to play shortstop despite Orlando Arcia and Kyle Farmer being on the roster (Dick Monfort, from the Coors Field party deck: “See! Our organization can change and grow!”). I’m not going to act like Ritter’s line through 17 games is sexy, he’s slashing .228/.274/.333 with a 36.5% K-rate without a barrel. But if there’s ever a stretch to try and turn the corner for the rookie, who posted a .305/.413/.635 (145 wRC+) slash line at Triple-A before promotion, this is it. (9-11% FAAB in NL-Only, 3-5% in 15-teamers)

Brooks Baldwin (2B/SS/OF, CHW, 3% CBS Rostership) – Since his demotion back to Triple-A on June 16, Baldwin has done nothing but show he’s mastered the level by slashing .355/.429/.806 with four taters in eight games. Ryan Noda (54 wRC+ and 48.1% K-rate through 27 plate appearances) has no business being a major leaguer. Between Noda’s pending DFA and the upcoming deadline move of Mike Tauchman, Baldwin looks set to return to a prominent spot in the White Sox lineup soon, warranting a stash in all AL-Only leagues. (3-5% FAAB)

OUTFIELDERS

10/12 Team Adds

Jordan Beck (COL, 47% CBS Rostership) – It’s pretty confounding at this point that Beck is available anywhere. In June, he’s corrected his biggest bugaboo, strikeouts, by dropping his K-rate to a very palatable 25.0%, which has paired with a .282/.337/.435 slash line. Even without the Coors of it all in July, Beck needs to be universally rostered. At this point, he’s only set to become more expensive as July rolls on when folks realize what the Rockies schedule has in store. (5-7% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Jake Meyers (HOU, 33% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Pavin Smith (1B/OF, ARI, 22% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Austin Hays (CIN, 48% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Mike Yastrzemski (SFG, 46% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Trevor Larnach (MIN, 41% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Parker Meadows (DET, 31% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Matt Wallner (MIN, 30% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Chase DeLauter (CLE, 23% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Jake Mangum (TBR, 21% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB)

15 Team Adds

Isaac Collins (MIL, 9% CBS Rostership) – Collins is the main beneficiary of the recent news regarding Garrett Mitchell being slated for another shoulder injury. The switch-hitting outfielder has flashed enough talent over his 180 plate appearances so far that he should be able to fend off Blake Perkins when the latter returns from a broken leg. Collins is currently on pace for a 12 homer, 24 steal season if you stretch out those 180 PA’s by multiplying his line by three. He’s got a great eye (13.9% BB-rate and 91st percentile Chase-rate) that can allow the speed to play up. (3-5% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Mickey Moniak (COL, 16% CBS Rostership, 3-5% FAAB), Wenceel Perez (DET, 20% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Luke Raley (1B/OF, SEA, 16% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Dane Myers (MIA, 15% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Mike Tauchman (CHW, 4% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Andrew Benintendi (CHW, 18% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Brandon Marsh (PHI, 10% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB)

Only Team Adds

Daylen Lile (WSN, 1% CBS Rostership) – Lile appears to be taking hold of the ever-churning right field spot in Washington, as he’s riding a five-game hit streak over which he’s batted .278 (5-for-18). But most importantly over that stretch, the 22-year-old rookie has also reached base at a .350 clip, which is crucial if he wants to flash his main tool, speed. He swiped 25 bases in 2024 across 130 minor-league games before racking up 12 over 47 Triple-A contests this season. With the Nats falling behind in the standings, there isn’t much reason why they can’t just let Lile, a 2021 second round pick, try and find his footing in the majors for the rest of 2025. (5% FAAB in NL-Only leagues, 1% FAAB in 15-teamers)

LaMonte Wade (1B/OF, LAA, 1% CBS Rostership) – With Jorge Soler landing on the injured list with his latest ailment (lower back issues), the Angels have called Wade into service at right field, where he has already logged more innings in 2025 than he did in the previous two seasons. That’s more of a warning for those Angels pitchers you might be holding, because woof, the 31-year-old Wade was already a below-average defender at first and is now manning a corner spot. This is admittedly a pure volume play as Wade gets regular run because the results have been tough this year (54 wRC+ over 199 plate appearances), so you are dreaming that he can find his 2024 form (119 wRC+) in some fashion. (3% FAAB)

STARTING PITCHERS

10/12 Team Adds

Chase Burns (CIN, 90% CBS Rostership) – I’m not sure I’ve ever included a player with such a high roster rate on this piece, but since Burns debuted just Tuesday, he’s eligible for FAAB bidding in the NFBC format this weekend if he wasn’t drafted. The Wake Forest product looked really sharp in a tough debut against the Yankees, fanning eight with no walks over five frames. The control Burns displays is elite – he walked only 1.8 per nine with a 43.5% groundball rate at Triple-A. OOPSY has him projected for a 3.48 ERA, which I buy into given the arsenal (96-mph heater, wicked slider, useful change). If you missed out on Misiorowski and have dollars holstered for an upper tier arm, Burns is likely the last shot all season (sorry, Bubba Chandler). (25-30% FAAB if available, but need to be willing to go up to 40-45%)

Edward Cabrera (MIA, 40% CBS Rostership) – Okay, back to the realm of my normal talent level for piece – guys barely being rosterable because of a flaw here and there (or being an “oops, all flaws” situation… I’m looking at you, Michael Toglia). The free passes have returned for Cabrera, as he’s made consecutive starts conceding three BBs, but it’s continuing to work because he has found an extra tick of Stuff on his entire arsenal this season (he entered with a career 99 Stuff+, which has been 105 in 2025 with improvements on his pitches from last year across the board except for his slider). It has all added up to a 3.78 ERA and 4.04 FIP with a 9.7 K/9, which is viable if you can withstand the 1.37 WHIP. Cabrera has a two-start week with both coming in pitcher-friendly Miami against two of the Midwest’s most mediocre offenses, Minnesota (102 team wRC+) and Milwaukee (96 team wRC+). I, a perpetual sucker for two-start pitchers, am weak in the knees. (5-7% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Emmet Sheehan (LAD, 40% CBS Rostership, 5% FAAB), Charlie Morton (BAL, 45% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Slade Cecconi (CLE, 27% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Kumar Rocker (TEX, 27% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Ryne Nelson (ARI, 40% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Michael Soroka (WSN, 37% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Andre Pallante (STL, 32% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Eric Lauer (TOR, 24% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB)

15 Team Adds

Emerson Hancock (SEA, 14% CBS Rostership) – I’ll readily admit that Hancock is not a great pitcher, as evidenced by his 5.30 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with just 52 Ks in 71.1 innings this season. You know what is great about former Georgia Bulldog though? His upcoming two-start week at pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park against two of MLB’s weakest offenses, Kansas City and Pittsburgh. (3-5% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Didier Fuentes (ATL, 11% CBS Rostership, 3-5% FAAB), Brandon Walter (HOU, 17% CBS Rostership, 3-5% FAAB), Richard Fitts (BOS, 8% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN, 6% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Adrian Houser (CHW, 16% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Trevor Rogers (BAL, 14% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Randy Vasquez (SDP, 12% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Justin Wrobleski (LAD, 8% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB)

Only Team Adds

Cal Quantrill (MIA, 3% CBS Rostership) – This is a pure one-week match up play. Quantrill, like Cabrera above, lines up for a home start against that subpar Brewers offense. At the risk of sounding like Wally Holland, Quantrill has pitched to a decent 4.20 ERA and at home against teams with a collective wRC+ less than 100 (against Colorado, San Francisco, and Washington), giving you a decent shot at a win for a Marlins squad that is 9-4 while averaging 5.1 runs a contest over its last four series. Eat your heart out, stat heads! (3% FAAB)

Cam Schlittler (NYY, 3% CBS Rostership) – Allan Winans floundered in his recent opportunity, allowing four runs over 4.1 frames at Cincy. I have no faith in Marcus Stroman, who should return soon, being what the Yankees rotation needs. Schlittler looked brilliant again this week with six shutout innings with nine Ks and one walk against a stacked Worchester squad, lowering his Triple-A ERA to 1.69 over 21.1 innings with a 0.98 WHIP and 30.5% K-BB. All of that adds up to what I believe lines up for Schlittler to debut post-All-Star break with a Winans DFA. Prepare yourselves accordingly. (3-5% FAAB)

RELIEVERS

10/12 Team Adds

Grant Taylor (CHW, 13% CBS Rostership) – Hell yeah, it’s happening. Taylor secured his first career save this week, and no one in the White Sox bullpen will even come close to pushing him out of the seat if he’s steady. His electric fastball-heavy approach has pumped out a 2.25 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 8:1 K:BB over eight innings so far. This is lower than most ownership rates I suggest here, but given the talent and poor bullpen around him, the only mitigating factor to Taylor’s value is how many save opportunities the White Sox can put together down the stretch. As a floor, he’s at least a solid reliever for ratios help. (5% FAAB)

Robert Garcia (TEX, 26% CBS Rostership) – After tallying the latest Texas save during a contest in which Chris Martin imploded and Luke Jackson set him up, Garcia is probably just another save from fully taking the reins to the closer job. (3-5% FAAB)

Calvin Faucher (MIA, 22% CBS Rostership) – SAGNOF, baby, SAGNOF. (3% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Orion Kerkering (PHI, 34% CBS Rostership, 3% FAAB), Jordan Romano (PHI, 41% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Tommy Kahnle (DET, 38% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Jason Adam (SDP, 36% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Cade Smith (CLE, 32% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Randy Rodriguez (SFG, 29% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Abner Uribe (MIL, 24% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Bryan Abreu (HOU, 22% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB)

15 Team Adds

Dylan Lee (ATL, 17% CBS Rostership) – We’ve got a full-blown committee in Atlanta, as both Lee and Raisel Iglesias picked up saves this past week. The left-handed Lee has been far sharper with a 1.77 ERA and 22.0% K-BB while limiting right-handed batters to a .193 wOBA. Lee has the superior skills to Iglesias right now but likely continues to split to the role in deference to Iglesias’ past work. (5% FAAB)

QUICK HITS: Porter Hodge (CHC, 17% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Griffin Jax (MIN, 16% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Reid Detmers (LAA, 16% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Fernando Cruz (NYY, 9% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB) Greg Weissert (BOS, 7% CBS Rostership, 1-3% FAAB), Phil Maton (STL, 6% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Yariel Rodriguez (TOR, 5% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB), Braydon Fisher (TOR, 1% CBS Rostership, 1% FAAB)