One month to go. If you’re reading this article, you’ve likely had a successful fantasy baseball season and have either locked up a playoff spot or are competing for one during the final week of the fantasy regular season. Before we leave August behind, there are some stats and performances that wise managers will be aware of, as they could impact September lineup decisions or stick in their memory when preparing for 2027 drafts.
Jacob Lopez, SP, Athletics
Still available in 66% of Yahoo leagues, Lopez should earn more attention after posting the 10th best xERA (2.68) of any qualified pitcher in August. The left-hander is incredible at inducing soft contact, and last month he held opposing batters to an 79.8 mph average exit velocity, which as 4.4 mph lower than the next hurler. The time to scoop up Lopez is now, as he has a favorable matchup at Texas this week and is a two-start pitcher in the following scoring period.
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Zack Wheeler, SP, Phillies
Things could go from bad to worse for Wheeler managers. The right-hander struggled during August, posting a 6.26 ERA and 1.72 WHIP. His 31:18 K:BB ratio shows that his lack of success was well-deserved. Looking ahead to September, Wheeler will not have a two-start week, assuming that the Phillies do not need him to take the mound on the final day of the regular season. His final-month opponents are a formidable group: Atlanta, Houston, Washington and Milwaukee. Wheeler has done too much this year and throughout his career to be waived in any league right now, but that might change in a week or two.
Kyle Bradish, SP, Orioles
It may be time to give up on Bradish, who remains rostered in 86% of Yahoo leagues. The right-hander struggled in August, finishing the month with a 5.40 ERA. He hasn’t struck out more than five batters in a game in over two months. Bradish has some favorable September matchups, including two starts against the Blue Jays and one versus the Mets. But with so many interesting waiver wire options at this time of year, it’s getting late to roster someone with a 4.03 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.
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Framber Valdez, SP, Tigers
Everything that was said about Bradish also applies to Valdez. The left-hander, who remains rostered in 83% of Yahoo leagues, started the month hot (14 IP, 2 ER) before falling apart (5.40 ERA, 1.59) in his final four outings. He had a five-walk and four-walk game during that stretch, as an overall lack of dominance over the strike zone continues to be a problem for him. Like Bradish, Valdez has some favorable matchups in September. But he has had plenty of those during the initial five months and still has a 4.36 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. There are better options on the waiver wire.
Tyler Mahle, SP, Braves
Rostered in 55% of Yahoo leagues, Mahle is someone for shallow-league managers to consider when they decide to pivot off an underperforming hurler. The Braves seemed to instantly unlock something in the veteran, as he has logged terrific ratios (1.48 ERA, 0.96 WHIP) with the club after posting a 5.13 ERA in 18 starts with the Giants. Mahle’s skills back up his Atlanta success, including a 32:5 K:BB ratio. His hot stretch has reminded us of the pitcher who was excellent (2.18 ERA, 1.13 WHIP) in 16 starts with the Rangers last season. The only bad news is that Mahle will not enjoy a two-start week in September.
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Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Cubs
Talk about blowing the competition out of the water. Crow-Armstrong went deep 14 times during August, which was five more than anyone other than his teammate Alex Bregman, who hit 12 long balls. PCA also led in runs scored (29), ranked 3rd in RBI (28) and placed 8th in steals (6). The center fielder has posted an OPS over 1.000 in three straight months, and with one month to go, he is the favorite for the 1.1 spot in 2027 drafts. It has been a meteoric rise for someone who was drafted late in 2024 and had an ADP of 39.3 in Yahoo leagues this season.
Steven Kwan, OF, Guardians
Managers in shallow leagues are likely considering Kwan, who remains available in 37% of Yahoo contests and hit .347 with 25 runs scored in August. I would exercise some caution, as his high batting average came with a .386 BABIP and he tallied just one homer and one stolen base. Kwan is unlikely to help managers who are looking for more than a two-category contributor.
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Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Royals
Caglianone was a fantasy superstar in August, batting .411 with six homers and 26 RBI. The advanced stats backed up his success, as his .346 xBA led all players and his .604 xSLG placed 3rd. Caglianone has been all over the map this summer, having logged a 1.036 OPS in June, .614 in July and 1.113 in August. The 23-year-old has been good more than bad in recent months, and his quality of contact has been excellent. It seems likely that Cags will not only be a fantasy star in September but will also be a coveted player with 35-homer potential in 2027 drafts.
Pete Alonso, 1B, Orioles
Death, taxes and Pete Alonso ranking among the top power producers. The slugger produced an elite level of quality contact last month, logging a 94.6 mph average exit velocity and 63.6% hard-hit rate. The end result was the best xSLG (.677) and 2nd best xBA (.332) among qualified hitters. Alonso has adapted well to his new surroundings and will top 35 homers and 100 RBI for the fourth time in the past four seasons. He has also missed just 18 games in his eight-year career. He’s among the safest fantasy options.
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Alec Burleson, 1B/OF, Cardinals
In late July, I recommended Burleson as a buy-low option, as the gap between his home runs and expected homer total was the largest in baseball. He remains atop that list, even after enjoying a spectacular August in which he hit .311 with six long balls and 29 RBI. Burleson’s quality of contact has been terrific throughout the season, including a 93.8 mph average exit velocity. He has been the No. 18 fantasy asset this season and will need to be strongly considered as an early-round 2027 draft option.
Drew Gilbert, OF, Giants
Managers in deep formats should become aware of Gilbert, who is rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues despite serving as the Giants leadoff hitter against right-handers in recent weeks. The 26-year-old has fared well against righties this season (.793 OPS) and was terrific during August (4 HR, 15 RBI, 18 R). Even better, his August stat line included healthy marks in xBA (.274) and xSLG (.528).
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