The Cut List - Time to Let Go? Who to Consider Dropping for Fantasy Baseball (Week 19)

August 5, 2025

The Cut List for Week 19 of 2025. Jamie analyzes potential fantasy baseball busts, overvalued players, and injured players who you may want to consider dropping.

Welcome back to The Cut List as we head into Week 19 of the 2025 season. For every add, there is usually also a drop. For those unfamiliar, this is our weekly article examining players whom fantasy managers might consider cutting from their teams and struggling players who warrant a closer look.

We'll examine players worthy of a drop, those worth monitoring for potential replacements, and individuals on the hot seat who are worth holding onto ... for now. Those of you experienced Cut List readers will know I'm a strong advocate for not making knee-jerk reactions. A bad week or two shouldn't be a reason to push the panic button and dump someone.

As the season rolls on, there will be stronger cases to drop underperforming players. If there's ever someone you want me to take a look at, drop their name on Reddit, the RotoBaller Discord chat rooms, or reach out to me on X (@Baseball_Jimbo). Maybe you'll see them included next week. All stats and rostered rates (taken from Yahoo!) reflect when this piece was written.

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Worth Dropping and Replacing?

Zac Gallen - SP, Arizona Diamondbacks - 85% rostered

The expectation was that Gallen would be traded this week. He wasn't. Any hopes fantasy managers had that a new team could fix Gallen were dashed, and after the season he's been having, Gallen could certainly use some fixing.

After 23 starts, Gallen has an 8-12 W-L record, 5.48 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 124 Ks (133 innings). Gallen had a 3.20 ERA in 542 innings across the three previous seasons. So, 2025 is set to be a massive down year as he heads into free agency.

The frustration with Gallen has been his inability to get a consistent run going. Only twice has Gallen managed back-to-back quality starts this year. The first time was in early May. Gallen followed them by giving up 19 earned runs in his next four starts (21 1/3 innings).

Gallen started July with consecutive quality starts. They were followed by three clunkers, in which he was tagged for 16 earned runs in 17 innings. Gallen righted the ship a bit last night. He limited the Athletics to two runs over six innings. However, he did allow nine hits and only struck out three.

There is an element of bad luck with Gallen's ERA this year. He has a 4.01 xFIP and 4.15 SIERA. Still, neither would be an ideal ERA for someone drafted as an SP3. Gallen's inconsistency also has an element of misfortune about it. As shown below, Gallen has maintained a consistent xFIP in recent weeks.

Again, even if his ERA matched the underlying numbers, you expect better than a ~4.00 ERA from Gallen. I wouldn't be completely shocked if Gallen reeled off a run of nine more starts with a 3.50 ERA to end the season. But there's little to suggest he will do that.

Yesterday was a step in the right direction. But we've seen a few of those already, and Gallen keeps hurting fantasy managers as soon as they buy into him again. Now, hopes of his finding a new home and rediscovering his previous self have gone; what's left to hope for?

Verdict: I understand the reluctance to drop Gallen. But at this stage of the season, he's offered little that is worth rostering. The Diamondbacks' offense has gotten worse, so wins will be tougher to come by as well. In shallower leagues, moving on from Gallen seems like the best idea.

Emmanuel Clase - RP, Cleveland Guardians - 84% rostered

Even with a flurry of activity this past week, the biggest news may not have even been a trade. Clase was put on the restricted list as part of MLB's investigation into betting. His Guardians teammate, Luis L. Ortiz, was placed on the restricted list earlier in July as part of the investigation, too.

BREAKING: Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of MLB's sports-betting investigation, sources tell ESPN.

Clase is the second Guardians pitcher on leave tied to the investigation, joining right-hander Luis Ortiz.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2025

Clase's fantasy managers may see that he's eligible to be reinstated after August 31 and think they'll still get a month of saves. Don't be so sure. Ortiz was originally placed on the restricted list on July 3. That was extended until August 31 also.

Unless MLB manages to complete its investigation and clear Clase of any wrongdoing within a month, he won't be returning on September 1. It's highly unlikely we'll see Clase pitch again in 2025. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, we may not see him pitch in MLB again.

The lockers for Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been cleared out in the Guardians’ clubhouse.

— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) August 1, 2025

I'm not going to try to determine if Clase is guilty. All I can do is try to determine if Clase has any fantasy value for the remainder of 2025. Given the severity of the investigation, I don't see how Clase is going to have any more fantasy value in 2025.

Verdict: Unlike injured players who can be put on the IL (injured list), Clase would have to burn a bench spot. At this stage of the season, using a bench spot on a pitcher who is highly doubtful to pitch again this year isn't something I'd entertain.

Hold For Now Trade Fallout

The observant among you will notice we have a change this week. Rather than the usual 'Hold For Now' section, we'll be taking a look at players whose fantasy value dropped following the trade deadline passing on Thursday. Just because their value has dropped, it doesn't necessarily mean they should be dropped.

It's been a week that has mainly impacted relievers. So we're going to take a quick look at a handful of players who will see a change in their fantasy value for the final two months of the season. Some are still worth holding. Others can be sent packing.

There were simply too many trades to cover all of them. So we're just going to focus on the most impactful in terms of fantasy and the most rostered players affected by moves. for more in-depth analysis and news on all the trades that took place, make sure to check out our:

• Fantasy baseball fallout from MLB trade deadline
• MLB trade deadline tracker and updates
• Dynasty fantasy baseball outlooks after trade deadline
• Fantasy baseball closers and saves depth charts 

Mason Miller - RP, San Diego Padres - 97% rostered
Robert Suarez - RP, San Diego Padres - 95% rostered

Given what the Padres gave up to acquire Miller from the Athletics, it seemed like a lock that he would be closing games in San Diego. However, that may not be the case. There's every chance the Padres use Miller in high-leverage spots before the ninth inning, given how electric his stuff is.

Miller's 38.7% K% is in the 100th percentile. While he does walk too many batters, Miller has no trouble preventing free passes from scoring with his elite fastball/slider combination. Miller's Statcast Profile (below) encapsulates his dominance.

That may mean the Padres utilize Miller to get out of big spots or against the tougher parts of lineups later in games, leaving Suarez to close them out, and Suarez has been a solid closer for the Padres. His 31 saves lead MLB, and he's only got four blown saves to his name this year.

This is a bullpen that we need to see for a week or two before getting a full understanding of things. We got a first glimpse of it on Friday. Miller was tasked with the eighth inning and worked around two singles to maintain the Padres' three-run lead.

Suarez then worked around a leadoff single himself, ending the game for his 31st save of the season. If that remains the order of things, Suarez will still be one of the best relief options in fantasy. For Miller, it will be a big hit to his value in leagues that don't count holds.

Even if Miller isn't the closer, his strikeouts will still provide value. I wouldn't go dropping him. But if you need saves, you will likely have to find them elsewhere if Friday is anything to go by.

Ryan Helsley - RP, New York Mets - 91% rostered

Helsley had no shortage of admirers this deadline. Ultimately, it was the Mets who acquired the Cardinals' closer. Unfortunately, that almost completely tanked Helsley's fantasy value.

The Cardinals are receiving shortstop Jesus Baez, right-hander Nate Dohm and right-hander Frank Elissalt from the Mets for Ryan Helsley, sources tell ESPN.

The Mets used six players today to get two high-end relievers to put in front of Edwin Díaz. @JonHeyman had the return.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 30, 2025

Edwin Diaz is locked in as the Mets' closer, and Helsley will be acting as a setup man. Diaz has accounted for 23 of the 34 saves by Mets relievers. No one else has more than three saves. While Helsley could still pick up the odd save when Diaz is unavailable, he won't tally enough to be worth rostering.

On Friday, we got our first clue as to how the Mets will use the pair. Helsley pitched the ninth inning of a tie game. He struck out three but did give up two singles. Diaz then pitched the 10th inning and was ultimately tagged with the loss. He walked one and gave up a single, as the Mets lost to the Giants.

It is worth noting that the run Diaz allowed was unearned, as it was the placed runner on second that came around to score. If the roles were reversed, Diaz would have pitched a scoreless ninth inning, and Helsley would have given up the winning run in extras.

In leagues counting holds, Helsley is still well worth hanging onto. He could easily lead the league in holds over the final two months of the season. But if you are only interested in saves, there will be better options available to you following this week's fallout.

David Bednar - RP, New York Yankees - 72% rostered
Camilo Doval - RP, New York Yankees - 57% rostered

The Yankees got some much-needed help for their beleaguered bullpen on Thursday. In addition to Jake Bird, Bednar, and Doval were traded to the Bronx. We'll start with Bednar. On the surface, it seems like he is no longer worth holding in fantasy and is an easy drop.

While that may still be the case, I wouldn't jump the gun. After a troubled start to 2025, in which Bednar was demoted in April, he has bounced back in style. The earned run Bednar allowed on Monday was his first since May 23 (23 appearances).

After having difficulties of his own to start the season, Devin Williams appeared to have reverted to his old self. However, he has allowed an earned run in four of his last six appearances. Luke Weaver had a 7.15 ERA in July.

While I fully expect Bednar to be involved in high-leverage spots, holding him for a couple of weeks as an insurance policy makes sense. Provided Williams can steady things again, he will retain the closer role. Otherwise, Bednar could hold value in more than just leagues that count holds.

The Yankees plan to keep Devin Williams in the closer’s role, Aaron Boone said. They intend to have the new acquisitions fit in around him.

— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) July 31, 2025

Doval was also traded to the Yankees to join what now looks like one of the best relief corps in baseball. As we've already mentioned, the Yankees needed to reinforce their bullpen. Doval will help with that. Like Bednar, Doval is likely to be used in a setup role, removing his fantasy value.

The Yankees bullpen is yielding a 6.29 ERA since July 1.
The acquisition of David Bednar will help A LOT.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 31, 2025

If Williams and Weaver experience ongoing struggles in August, Doval could factor in for saves. But Bednar seems to be the more likely option to factor into closing duties. Like Bednar, Doval might be worth holding for a week or two. Following Friday's performances, neither might be worth holding.

After fellow debutant Bird gave up four runs and retired just one batter in the seventh, Bednar was called upon. He retired the first batter he faced, then allowed the tying home run. That was followed by three more hits as Bednar got hit around before eventually ending the seventh inning.

Bednar then pitched a clean eighth inning after the Yankees tied the game in the top half of the inning. The Yankees then took a two-run lead in the ninth inning. Doval was called upon to secure his first save in pinstripes, with Williams given the evening off. Doval failed to do so.

Doval was tagged for three runs (one earned), following an error by fellow newcomer Jose Caballero. While two of the runs were unearned, Doval still allowed two hits and a walk while recording just one out. Even without the Caballero error, there's no guarantee Doval would've secured the save.

I'm not putting too much into Friday's game, given that the players had been with their new team for less than 24 hours. The only crumb of comfort was Bednar's clean eighth inning. Otherwise, it is still Williams' job to lose with Bednar's and Doval's fantasy value plummeting.

Kyle Finnegan - RP, Detroit Tigers - 67% rostered
Will Vest - RP, Detroit Tigers - 63% rostered

Finnegan was always set to be traded. Fortunately, he's found himself on a team where he may still get to close games. Vest has been one of the best relievers in baseball for some time. Since 2023, he's sporting a 2.87 ERA (166 innings) and is on track for a third straight year with a sub-3.00 ERA.

Finnegan has experienced some troubles lately. He allowed 10 earned runs in his last six outings (4 2/3 innings) before the trade. But Finnegan ended his tenure with the Nationals with back-to-back scoreless outings. While Finnegan didn't pitch on Friday, Vest did.

In the seventh inning. He was tasked with getting the final out of the inning, with runners on first and second (and a two-run lead). Two hits later, and the game was tied with Vest being charged with his fifth blown save of the season. Vest didn't allow an earned run.

Yesterday, Vest was once again called upon early. He came in to pitch the eighth inning and face the 9-1-2 hitters with a four-run lead. That lead was cut in half following Bryce Harper's two-run homer. Vest then allowed a two-out single before being replaced by Finnegan.

Finnegan ended the eighth inning without any more drama. He then pitched a clean ninth inning to record his first save with his new team. This looks like it may be one of the more fluid bullpen situations, and both Vest and Finnegan will factor in for saves. Both take a hit to their fantasy value.

Chase Burns - SP, Cincinnati Reds - 55% rostered
Zack Littell - SP, Cincinnati Reds - 51% rostered

Littell being traded to the Reds was one of the stranger moves this week. Littell had just pitched five shutout innings against the Yankees before being sent to Cincinnati, and he joins what is a congested rotation. The congestion eased with Nick Martinez being moved to the bullpen.

Reds trade for Littell official. Nick Martinez will move to bullpen/swingman role as Littell joins rotation.

— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubMLB) July 31, 2025

The Reds already have Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, and Burns starting for them, with Hunter Greene set to return from the IL soon. When Greene is activated, the Reds will need to make another big decision about their rotation.

For Littell, the move to a more hitter-friendly ballpark isn't ideal. Littell has had troubles with homers this year. His 14.9% HR/FB is the sixth-highest among 60 qualified pitchers. According to Statcast Park Factors, Great American Ball Park is the second most homer-friendly ballpark in baseball.

That's not an ideal combination. Littell does have elite control. His 3.9% BB% ranks in the 99th percentile. But with a 16.6% K% (12th percentile), Littell lacks much upside in fantasy and is only a streaming option or someone worth holding in deeper leagues.

For Burns, the imminent return of Greene could hurt his fantasy value. Given this is his first year as a professional, the Reds may opt to manage Burns' workload carefully. He's only thrown 94 1/3 innings across all levels this year, but that's still a lot for a first-year player at this stage of the season.

Burns only completed one inning in yesterday's game before the Speedway Classic was suspended due to rain. It will be completed today, but Burns won't pitch when it resumes. Greene is making his final rehab start today, so he can be lined up to take Burns' spot.

If they do want to stick to a five-man rotation, Burns could find himself in the bullpen or back in Triple-A. The Reds could move to a six-man rotation, which would hurt all of their starters' fantasy value. Unless they opt to keep Burns starting in the Majors, he would only be worth rostering in dynasty leagues.

Cam Smith - 3B/OF, Houston Astros - 33% rostered

The Astros acquired Jesus Sanchez from the Marlins on Thursday. Sanchez has spent the majority of his time playing in right field, which is where Smith has played all season. Given that Smith is a right-handed hitter (RHH) and Sanchez is a left-handed hitter (LHH), a platoon seems possible.

Friday's game saw Sanchez start in left field with Smith continuing in right field, against a right-handed pitcher. It was the same for yesterday's game. Smith did move down to eighth in the batting order, having spent most of July hitting leadoff or cleanup.

If that continues, it would harm Smith's value. Smith had been showing some positive signs at the plate until recently. After hitting .305/.370/.451 in May and June, Smith had a .214/.278/.286 slash line in July. His 0-for-5 performance yesterday wasn't ideal either.

The return of Carlos Correa muddles things a bit, with Jeremy Pena also returning from the IL. Ramon Urias will also play regularly. There may not be as many at-bats for Smith moving forward, and he's been struggling in recent weeks. Smith is someone only worth holding onto in dynasty leagues.

On the Hot Seat

Chris Bassitt - SP, Toronto Blue Jays - 80% rostered

At first glance, it may seem strange that I'm holding on to Bassitt while dropping Gallen. While Bassitt does have slightly better numbers, he's been equally frustrating. In 23 appearances (22 starts), Bassitt has an 11-5 W-L record, 4.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 121 Ks (123 innings).

Bassitt has been unlucky this season. His 3.61 xFIP and 3.65 SIERA are both career bests. Bassitt also has a career-low 5.6% BB% this year. A big part of why Bassitt's numbers aren't too appealing is what AL East teams have done against him.

The table below shows Bassitt's numbers against AL East opponents and everyone else.

Given that this is Bassitt's third season with the Blue Jays, there is a chance that familiarity isn't helping the pitcher. The reason why this could be important for Bassitt's fantasy value is that he's not set to face another AL East opponent until mid-September.

The Blue Jays don't face a divisional rival in August. As things currently stand, Bassitt won't face the Yankees in their early September series. As long as he's healthy, Bassitt should make 10 more starts this year, and only two of them would be against AL East sides.

At the very least, Bassitt is worth holding onto for his upcoming schedule. Provided he continues his dominance against non-divisional opponents, Bassitt is set to have a big August. However, even if he does manage to get his ERA under 4.00 this month, he's not a lock to hold in September.

We should have a clearer picture of who Bassitt will face off against in the season's final month as we near it. There is a possibility that one of Toronto's starters has five starts all against AL East teams. If Bassitt is lined up for that schedule, then it might be time to wave him goodbye.

Reader Requests

As always, we're keen to hear who you want us to analyze. If there is anyone you want to include on next week's Cut List, drop their names on the Reddit thread or in the RotoBaller Discord chat rooms. Alternatively, you can reach out to me on X, and we'll endeavor to cover some requests each week.

Jarren Duran - OF, Boston Red Sox - 98% rostered

The case of Duran is one that covers many other players. Although he isn't going to meet expectations or provide value on his ADP (average draft position), he's not someone you should drop.

After 110 games, Duran has 11 homers, 60 RBI, 62 runs, and 18 steals with a .262/.329/.457 slash line. Although he's not going to match last year's numbers, Duran is still ranked 22nd among outfielders (according to Yahoo!).

Duran did have a rough June, hitting .210/.301/.400. But he turned things around in July with a .317/.411/.683 slash line. Even more recently, Duran has been on an absolute tear.

Since last Saturday, he's hitting .379/.419/.897. Nine of his 11 hits have been for extra bases, he's driven in seven runs, scored five runs, and stolen two bases for good measure. Duran has also been hitting third against RHP, which will help his RBI tally moving forward.

Although it is unlikely that Duran will match his 2024 numbers, he's not someone to consider dropping. Even before this week, Duran had been doing enough to warrant rostering in all formats. With his disappointing June well and truly in the rearview mirror, Duran could have a big second half.

Lawrence Butler - OF, Athletics - 93% rostered

It feels like Butler hasn't quite managed to live up to his preseason hype. After 108 games, he's got 15 home runs, 44 RBI, 61 runs, and 17 stolen bases. The disappointment has been Butler's .234/.305/.407 slash line.

Given Butler has a .232 xBA (expected batting average) and .388 xSLG, it's fair to say his numbers are what they should be. The issue has been Butler's recent regression. He hit .174/.260/.326, leaving some fantasy managers looking to move on from the Athletics outfielder.

Even after his recent struggles, Butler still ranks 33rd among all outfielders in 5x5 rotisserie scoring (according to Yahoo!). Even over the last 30 days, Butler ranks 58th at the position. That's down to the counting stats he has continued to provide all season.

If we compare Butler's numbers to his preseason projections, we can see that he's close to matching them. ATC projections had Butler hitting .250/.309/.445 with 24 homers, 69 RBI, 77 runs, and 19 steals in 142 games. Butler's current 142-game pace is for 20 home runs, 58 RBI, 80 runs, and 22 stolen bases.

Butler is set to fall short of expectations and projections. Even playing in a hitter-friendly ballpark. However, he's still been worth rostering and has contributed in all four counting stats despite his struggles. For now, Butler is worth hanging onto.

Jordan Westburg - 2B/3B, Baltimore Orioles - 83% rostered

Westburg is another young hitter who hasn't been able to live up to his preseason hype. In Westburg's defense, he missed more than six weeks with a hamstring injury earlier in the season. Since returning in June, Westburg has also dealt with a hand injury, but he has performed well.

The table below shows Westburg's numbers before his IL stint and since his return.

Since coming off the IL, Westburg has been pacing to improve on his breakout season last year. Even after his disappointing start to 2025, Westburg's 162-game pace this year is for 33 homers, 74 RBI, 124 runs, and three steals. Anyone would have taken those numbers when drafting Westburg.

It may seem strange that Westburg was even asked about, given those numbers. But it is worth noting that he had a huge series against Toronto to start the week. Westburg was hitting .250/.300/.452 as of Monday. Three games later, and Westburg had a .272/.318/.482 slash line.

Westburg's missed time means his season numbers are a smaller sample than most. So, a big series can still dramatically alter his numbers. There isn't any reason to drop Westburg. Fantasy managers should just hope he stays healthy and that Westburg continues to hit like he has been lately.

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