HOT
Mark Buehrle
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle put together such a good June that his earned run average dropped by more than a run.
Entering June, Buehrle owned a 4.97 ERA. Now, his mark is 3.81. However, although he’s 8-4 on the season, he notched only two wins in five starts in June, despite not allowing more than two earned runs in this outings.
During his last five starts, he has a 1.75 ERA and is allowing opponents to hit .220, while amassing a 0.97 WHIP.
Buehrle has never been known to provide strikeouts and even with his recent tear, his biggest strikeout total is five. But he’s keeping the Blue Jays in games and limiting earned runs.
The key with Buehrle is that he pitches for the Blue Jays, which means he should get plenty of run support going forward. Toronto has 427 runs on the season. The next-best mark in Major League Baseball is 365 by the New York Yankees.
If Buehrle can avoid a setback in July, he may be worth ownership based on his ability to be in play for wins, a low ERA and WHIP.
NOT
Josh Donaldson
There’s no way fantasy baseball owners are going to drop Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson.
However, in the last month, he hasn’t kept up with his hot start.
Donaldson is batting .269 during his last 26 games, hitting three home runs with 10 RBIs.
His RBI total ranks 16th among third basemen during that period. Donaldson is expected to produce at a far better rate, and despite the recent downturn, he still ranks toward the top in most of fantasy baseball categories among third basemen.
