There are few things worse than your favorite late-round picks heating up after you drafted them and held through early cold streaks. Carson Benge and Dominic Canzone are two examples from this season that are grinding my gears.
Canzone actually started the season with two HR on Opening Day, then proceeded to hit just two from March 27 to May 24! Any logical manager in a typical league would have dropped him at some point in this stretch.
Meanwhile, what does Canzone do to repay us? He shows up to hit eight HR from May 25 to June 21, with a .354 batting average! This guy is one of the best hitters in baseball over the past month, but pure fodder in my lineup.
The same goes for Benge. He teased us with a home run on Opening Day, then hit just two from March 28 to May 30. Benge now has six HR since then, with a .270 average and two SB as a cherry on top.
Anyway, here are this week’s cases for Fact or Fiction.
2B/OF Samad Taylor (SD)
Samad Taylor is racking up hits. He has a .362 average through 13 games, with one HR, 11 runs, eight RBI, and four SB. He is also running a .516 BABIP and has a .331 xwOBA backing his .389 wOBA.
This is as fugazi a run as there is for a journeyman-type. He has the speed to run a high BABIP, but higher than .340-.350 is absurd. Unless you are in a crazy deep league and need speed, this is an avoid/drop/
FICTION
2B/3B Colt Keith (DET)
There is nothing more Colt Keith than hitting three home runs in a single game earlier this week, then missing the following day due to wrist soreness. Keith is a talented hitter who posted strong peripheral numbers in 2025 but could not translate them into consistent fantasy production.
He is slightly underperforming his expected stats in 2026, but they have been heating up over the past month. All four of his home runs this season are from the past two weeks, yet he has just one double since April 12. Keith has hit two triples and no doubles since May 26!
Unfortunately, Keith still cannot hit against LHP (-16 wRC+ in 11 PA). He is a deeper-league platoon bat who may cool down as quickly as he heats up.
FICTION
3B Caleb Durbin (BOS)
The Boston Red Sox are hilarious. Their starters and bullpen have been excellent this season, yet they sit last in the AL East with a 31-44 record due to their putrid offense.
However, this putrid offense has some recent contributions from offseason acquisition Caleb Durbin. Durbin switched from Driveline to Gradium Gswing several weeks ago. He has hit very well since returning from a short break on May 28.
Durbin is slashing .304/.315/.594 in this span, with four HR, 11 runs, 13 RBI, and three SB. All four of Durbin’s HR have come since June 10! He is hitting closer to the middle of the order now, rather than at the bottom, and could continue climbing. There is no need to roster him in OBP leagues, but 12+ team AVG and points leagues should at least stream him in Coors this week.
FACT (for now)
SP Walker Buehler (SD)
Walker Beuhler’s ERA is below 4.00…this is not a drill. The former fantasy ace is dealing in recent weeks with the San Diego Padres (a sentence that burns my Dodgers-loving soul).
Buehler’s peripherals on the season are solid, but unspectacular: 4.38 xERA, 3.64 xFIP, and a 3.93 SIERA. Nevertheless, his past four starts are eye-opening. His 1.71 ERA in 21 IP this June is backed by a 3.39 xERA and 2.79 xFIP! He is cooking, albeit against the Orioles, Phillies, Rangers, and Reds (in San Diego).
Buehler will likely never reach the heights of his pre-second TJ highs, but he can still be a valuable fantasy SP. Unfortunately, his next two starts may both line up against the Dodgers. As of now, he is scheduled against the Dodgers, then the Cubs in Chicago. If that stays the course, he is a fine grab in all formats.
FICTION (for now)
SP Robert Gasser (MIL)
The Gass-man is hot?? The Brewers’ most recent SP development has three excellent starts in his past four outings.
June 3 – 5 IP, 5 hits, 1 BB, 1 ER, 5 K vs SFG
June 16 – 5.2 IP, 2 hits, 2 BB, 0 ER, 5 K vs CLE
June 21 – 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 BB, 2 ER, 7 K at ATL
His only poor start in June came against the Athletics in Sutter Park’s minor league dimensions. Gasser still posted a 3.68 xERA and 4.49 xFIP, despite allowing six ER in five IP.
Unfortunately, many of us missed out on his excellent two-start performance this past week, but his coming starts are against the Cubs and Reds at home. Neither is a cakewalk, but his recent stretch is worth tailing.
FACT (for now)
SP Peter Lambert (HOU)
Between injuries and performance, the Astros have not had much consistency from their rotation. Peter Lambert is the only semblance of reliability for Houston, and he is pitching better in recent starts. He has given up more than three runs in just two starts this season, while throwing at least six innings in six of eleven starts.
Lambert has a 2.28 ERA since May 30, with an impressive 2.94 xERA. However, Lambert is doing this despite an average 11.7% K-BB in this span. This was 0% in the first two starts of this run, but 22.9% in the last two starts. Lambert has not allowed a walk since June 5, although this is against the Tigers and Angels.
His next start in Toronto will be more of a test, but Lambert is worth adding as his two following starts are at home against the Twins and Rays.
FACT
RP Jacob Webb (CHC)
Webb has been a revelation for the Cubs this season…up until the past two weeks. He had an impeccable 1.46 ERA, backed by a 2.83 xERA and 2.71 xFIP from April 7 to June 7. He has a 15.75 ERA in five outings since then, with an earned run in all but one game.
Webb’s two-month stretch is impressive, but it came after a brutal start to the season with two HR, four walks, and two ER allowed in his first four outings. Occasional “bust” stretches for Webb are to be expected, yet with Daniel Palencia diagnosed with a flexor strain, impressive highs and two saves this season, we can assume Webb is the primary closer (unless this cold stretch persists).
FACT
Drop Roupp for either Rocker or Gasser?
Hold Roupp