MLB Today: Colorado’s Collapse

This week, USA was shocked by Italy in the WBC; despite being teammates in the bigs, tension is brewing between WBC opponents Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh; and Francisco Lindor (hamate surgery) assured us that he’ll be good to go on Opening Day. Other Fantasy baseball related news items we’re following include…

Michael Lorenzen Plays the Hero

The Colorado Rockies made a bit of progress in 2024 (if you can call losing “just” 101 games progress), but last season the bottom really fell out. Colorado barely avoided becoming just the third team since 1900 to lose 120 games. Yikes.

The Rox didn’t exactly try to spend their way out of this hole this winter. On offense, they added the versatile Willi Castro, but other than leadership, we’re not sure how much he moves the needle.

However, the rotation may be less bad (calling it better seems like a bit of a stretch) with the additions of Michael Lorenzen, Jose Quintana and Tomoyuki Sugano.

Lorenzen was expected to get battered by Team USA on Tuesday as Team Italy’s starter, but was splendid in tossing 4 2/3 shutout frames to earn the win, allowing just two hits and a walk while fanning a pair. Sure, Italy’s bullpen almost blew an 8-0 lead, but Lorenzen really delivered one of the top performances in WBC pool play.

This is a dude who headlined our waiver wire picks in mid-June 2023, and while he justified our faith with a huge July, things got worse and worse down the stretch. Lorenzen split 2024 between KC and Texas, and while he enjoyed his best ERA as a starter, injuries cut into his inning count. Last year, despite better command than usual, things went downhill in KC thanks to long ball issues (career-worst 1.59 HR/9).

Lorenzen is a true journeyman, now with his seventh team in a 12-year career. We’re not exactly bullish on his chances of success in Coors Field (like virtually every single Rockie starter), but as a groundball hurler, perhaps he won’t completely crater. But honestly, we can’t see him being Fantasy worthy other than a periodic streamer on the road (assuming he can duplicate his WBC form).

Last season notwithstanding, Lorenzen has always walked a few too many, and generally not been a reliable source of Ks, so even at his absolute best (especially since returning to starting in 2022), he’s been a fringe Fantasy asset. Really, the most optimistic thing we can say about him at this point is that he’ll almost assuredly hold a rotation spot all year, if healthy. Oh, and not that it matters much anymore in the bigs, but he can hit: you may recall he spanked four homers in just 31 at-bats in 2018 and hasn’t lost his sweet stroke, judging by this…

A’s Loaded With Lefties

In 2023, the Athletics won just 50 games, enduring their worst season since 1919 when they were located in Philadelphia. In 2024, the they improved to 69 wins and last season upped that total to 76, exclusively driven by dramatic offensive gains (from 20th in OPS in 2024 to eighth).

How much that had to do with playing in a Triple-A park is a reasonable question, but the increase in wins proves this club was better.

While the Athletics remain a long shot to win the AL Championship (+4000 as per FanDuel), enjoying their first non-losing season since 2021 seems within reach.

The team also has a trio of highly touted prospects (shortstop Leo De Vries, who could arrive as soon as this season; lefty Jamie Arnold, who will likely reach the bigs next year; and lefty Gage Jump, who should be ready to contribute this season), but there’s a third southpaw who also deserves some attention.

Taiwanese born Wei-En Lin, 20, was in camp as a non-roster invite, and while his command was spotty in his very brief action this spring before being reassigned (and heading off to pitch in the WBC), his work in his first pro season was eye opening.

Scouts had been flocking to Taiwan to see him by the time he was a sophomore in high school, so it wasn’t a surprise when he was signed as an international free agent in 2024. Lin was used mostly as a starter at Class-A last year, earning a promotion in late-June to High-A, where he didn’t log as many frames as he pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen. In September, he got bumped up to Double-A, where his K rate regressed in two late-season starts.

Still, all told it was a very impressive pro debut. Disregard Lin’s less than stellar record and focus on the strikeouts (12.1/9), excellent command, and tremendous underlying numbers (2.90 xFIP). His slider doesn’t look like it will develop into a strong offering, but his changeup could be a real weapon in time.

Lin will need at least another full year in the minors, but is probably a top 400 prospect heading into 2026.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Cade Cavalli, SP, Washington Nationals (ESPN: 1.6 per cent; CBS: 29 per cent): Cavalli was a top prospect a few years ago, dropping off our Top 100 Prospects list in 2024 thanks to major injuries in 2022 and 2023 that sidelined him for all of 2023 and most of 2024. This is a dude who’s been through a lot, but has come back strong to post 10 solid starts last year and earn Opening Day starter honours this spring based on his stellar play. Cavalli has taken a long time to become Fantasy relevant, and while he may never become the star we envisioned, he’s poised to deliver some nice value this season.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

Massive Attack was formed in Bristol, England in the late ’80s, releasing their debut album Blue Lines in 1991. Here’s the 2012 Mix/Master version of the title track, featuring Tricky on vocals.