The Cut List - Time to Let Go? Who To Consider Dropping for Fantasy Baseball (Week 2)

April 8, 2025

The Cut List for Week 2 of 2025. Jamie analyzes potential fantasy baseball busts, overvalued players, and injured players who you may want to consider dropping.

Welcome back to a new season of The Cut List as we head into Week 2 of the 2025 season. For every add, there is usually also a drop. For those who are not familiar, this is our weekly article looking at players whom fantasy managers might be considering cutting from their teams and struggling players who need a closer look.

We'll look at players who are worthy of a drop, players who are worth monitoring for replacing, and someone on the hot seat who is worth holding on to... 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, especially this early in the season.

As the year progresses, 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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Introduction

Experienced Cut List readers will be aware of these things already. But, for any new readers (and as a reminder to returning readers), here are a few pointers before we begin.

Firstly, at this stage of the season, you shouldn't be dropping players based on performance. We should be looking at roles and playing time trends in the early going to determine someone's fantasy value moving forward. You're not dropping Tarik Skubal because he has a 5.91 ERA after two starts.

Tarik Skubal “Feels Good” about his first two starts of the season. pic.twitter.com/3BA4SgvlT8

— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) April 4, 2025

This isn't a hard-and-fast list. Every drop means you're adding someone. The size and type of league will determine who is on waivers to replace a drop candidate. The article will highlight particular things you should look at with each player to help you decide whether to drop or hold them.

Every week, there are dozens of players who could be included. Some may be slumping but you shouldn't be too concerned. Some may be stuttering and will have red flags when looking at their numbers. There are simply too many to be included each week.

We will generally try to include players at least 40% rostered. However, in certain cases, we will delve a little deeper into the player pool for some of the more interesting cases. Especially if their situation is translatable for other players.

Just because one of your players isn't listed doesn't mean you shouldn't be thinking about them as drop candidates. For each player included here, there will be reasons that cover other players. Whether it's a role change or an underlying number, things will be covered that apply to more than one player.

Which brings us to the final point. It's your fantasy team and you ultimately have to make the decisions. Don't drop a player just because someone suggests it. Take the information on board, but if you think a player is worth dropping despite the suggestion being to hold them, then drop them.

As mentioned, it's entirely dependent on who is available to you as a replacement anyway. Without further ado, here is the first Cut List for Week 2 of the 2025 MLB season.

Worth Dropping and Replacing?

Kirby Yates - RP, Los Angeles Dodgers - 69% rostered

At one point this offseason, it looked like Yates would be the Dodgers' closer. The addition of Tanner Scott clouded things somewhat. But given Scott is a left-handed pitcher (LHP) and Yates a RHP, there was still a good chance that Yates would get plenty of ninth-inning work.

One week into the regular season and that no longer appears to be the case. Scott got the first save of the season against the Cubs. In game two of the Tokyo series, Alex Vesia was called on to get the save. The Dodgers were seemingly reluctant to use relievers on consecutive days so early in the season.

Fast forward to Opening Day and the Dodgers used Vesia and Scott in the seventh and eighth innings respectively. Instead of turning to Yates for the save, Blake Treinen pitched the ninth inning. He sealed the win while Yates was left waiting for the call in the bullpen.

Blake Treinen Earns Save On Thursday https://t.co/a3lp1Hxv01

— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) March 28, 2025

Given Yates then pitched on back-to-back days after this, there weren't any health reasons preventing him from being used. In last Friday's game, Yates was used in the seventh inning and Scott blew the save in the ninth. But Scott picked up his second save of the season on Tuesday.

Then this past Friday, Yates was called upon to pitch the seventh inning again. This time, the Dodgers were trailing by a run. By the time Yates left the game, it was a three-run deficit. Yates was charged with both runs on a walk and two hits. Not ideal when you're competing for higher leverage work.

Last night provided further clarity. Vesia pitched the eighth inning with the Dodgers leading by two runs. Scott then took the ninth. They both faced a more lefty-dominant lineup than most teams but Scott still looks the clear front-runner for saves. Yates is on the outside looking in.

Verdict: With so many mouths to feed, someone was bound to go hungry. Yates could pick up some saves as the season progresses. But it looks like Scott is the number one closer option with Treinen next in line with matchups factoring in. Yates is dropable in all but deep leagues or that count holds.

David Bednar - RP, Pittsburgh Pirates - 57% rostered

Bednar went from being the Pirates closer to a demotion in less than a week. It may seem like a bit of a knee-jerk reaction, but it really wasn't. Bednar did actually secure a save in the Pirates second game of the season. But it came 24 hours after he allowed the Marlins to walk off on Opening Day.

And the save was an ugly one. Bednar allowed two earned runs on one walk and one hit (a home run). Two days later, Bednar took his second loss of the season. After walking the leadoff hitter in a tied game, an errant throw on a steal attempt let Derek Hill reach third base. Hill then scored on a wild pitch.

As I mentioned, demoting your closer after three outings may seem harsh. But if we go back to last season, Bednar has struggled for a long time. He missed almost a month with an oblique strain last year, before getting back on the mound on July 12. Things did not go well after Bednar's return.

David Bednar in his last 25 appearances dating back to late July:

7.66 ERA, 19 earned runs in 22.1 innings pitched

— Dan Zangrilli (@DanZangrilli) March 28, 2025

Following his IL stint, Bednar had an 0-5 W-L record, 6.49 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 26 Ks, and seven saves (26.1 IP). Bednar's control let him down, walking 21 batters. With a 5.65 xFIP and 5.23 SIERA as well, it was clear Bednar was struggling and wasn't just a victim of misfortune.

Verdict: It remains to be seen when (or if) Bednar will return to the Majors. Even if he does get back to Pittsburgh, the likelihood of Bednar closing isn't great. The Pirates don't have many options in their bullpen but Bednar will need a lot to go his way to regain fantasy relevancy. He's a drop.

Jurickson Profar - OF, Atlanta Braves - 37% rostered

Among the top reasons to drop a player this early in the season, a suspension for using a banned substance is up there. That's exactly what we're dealing with here. After having a career year in 2024 and getting paid this offseason, the Braves' new leadoff hitter is not eligible to return until late June.

Breaking: Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar is being suspended 80 games for violating MLB's PED policy, sources confirmed to @JeffPassan.

Get breaking news alerts from Jeff Passan through the ESPN app: https://t.co/9M8v00i5Nh pic.twitter.com/nvSB87kea9

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 31, 2025

The problem for fantasy managers is that you can't put Profar on the IL (injured list) to stash him. Instead, he'll have to burn a bench spot which becomes more valuable as the season progresses. Then there's the unknown of what we get when Profar returns.

It may just be coincidental that Profar has been banned for using PEDs (performing enhancing drugs) months after putting the finishing touches on his best year in the Majors at 31 years old. It's doubtful that Profar was able to use PEDs undetected for the entirety of 2024 or before then.

Still, we don't know what version of Profar we'll be getting for the second half of the season. The lengthy layoff alone will not help. By the point in the season Profar can return, the Braves may have found a replacement that has helped them get out of their sluggish start to the season.

Verdict: Unless you have a spot for suspended players, there's little point wasting a bench spot on someone who can't play for almost three months. Profar is already being dropped en masse and there are very few situations in which I'd consider holding him.

Hold For Now

Colton Cowser - OF, Baltimore Orioles - 82% rostered

Remember when the Orioles had a crowded roster? Cowser eased some of that congestion before we even reached April. A head-first slide into first base resulted in a fractured thumb. The Orioles outfielder is now set to be sidelined for a couple of months.

Orioles’ Brandon Hyde on losing Colton Cowser for at least 6-8 weeks:

“It’s a blow. Colton is a really good player.” pic.twitter.com/mdyD3vj1xl

— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) March 31, 2025

The severity of the injury is frustrating enough. But the nature of how Cowser got hurt will wrangle fantasy managers. After emerging as a very good hitter in 2024, it's a huge disappointment. In 153 games last year, Cowser had 24 homers, 69 RBI, 77 runs, and nine steals while hitting .242/.321/.447.

Those numbers are why it's worth holding onto Cowser for now. At this stage of the season, you probably shouldn't have your IL spots clogged up. So sticking Cowser on there makes sense. If you do experience more injuries and need to decide who to stash on the IL, make a decision then.

For now, I'd be putting Cowser on the IL and hoping you get lucky enough to not need to pick who to drop until he nears a return. That likely won't be until late May. Provided Cowser can perform as we know he can on his return, the stash could very well pay off handsomely.

Jared Jones - SP, Pittsburgh Pirates - 64% rostered

There were high hopes for Jones entering 2025. After experiencing elbow discomfort in mid-March, fantasy managers feared the worst. Jones was subsequently diagnosed with a UCL sprain. Thankfully, he doesn't appear to need surgery and will likely return well before the All-Star Game.

Sources: No torn ligaments, no surgery for Jared Jones. He will go six weeks without throwing. Overall encouraging news for the Pirates.

— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) March 25, 2025

We don't have an exact timetable to work off. Jones isn't set to throw a baseball until early May. He'll then need to build up and avoid any setbacks before possibly rejoining the Pirates rotation in June. There are still some hurdles to overcome but the news was positive given the alternatives.

The reason for so much optimism this year was down to what Jones did in his Major League debut last season. In 22 starts (121.2 IP), Jones had a 6-8 W-L record, 4.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 132 Ks. His 3.78 xFIP and 3.72 SIERA suggested Jones should have had even better numbers.

In a similar vein to Cowser, Jones displayed enough in 2024 to warrant stashing him on your IL for now. Again, you just have to hope your IL doesn't become crowded before Jones' return. Until such time you need to decide who to hold and who to drop, I'll be keeping Jones on my rosters.

Chris Martin - RP, Texas Rangers - 54% rostered

Much mystery surrounded the Rangers closer role coming into the season. The expectation was that Martin would be the preferred option for saves in Texas. Instead, the role has been taken by Luke Jackson. That's after Jackson allowed three earned runs on Opening Day in the ninth inning of a tie game.

Since then, Jackson has secured four saves in four appearances without giving up a run. Martin does look like he's next in line for the closer role. He picked up the save for the Rangers in their third game of the season. That was after Jackson had appeared in back-to-back games to begin the year.

On Friday, Martin was called upon in the seventh inning to stop a Rays rally. A single was sandwiched between Martin recording the final two outs of the inning, maintaining the Rangers' lead. That ultimately led to Jackson picking up his fourth save of the season.

Last night, it was a similar story. Martin pitched a clean eighth for his fourth hold of the year after the Rangers took a two-run lead in the seventh inning. Jackson then locked down the ninth inning, working around a two-out hit for his fifth save of the season.

Martin has yet to give up a run and has been one of the best relievers in baseball over the previous three years. Between 2022 and 2024, he had a 2.49 ERA, 2.49 xFIP, 2.44 SIERA, 28.1% K%, and 2.6% BB% (151.2 IP). Meanwhile, Jackson had a 5.09 ERA (53.0 IP) in 2024.

Jackson did have success on the mound prior to 2024. He missed the entire 2022 season following Tommy John Surgery (TJS). In 2021, Jackson had a 1.98 ERA (63.2 IP). He put up a 2.97 ERA in 2023 (33.1 IP) following his return from TJS. But last year's numbers still loom large for Jackson.

That's why I'd look to hold on to Martin for now. Jackson will need to continue pitching like he has done over the last seven days. In his first six years in the Majors, Jackson had a 4.92 ERA (208.1 IP). His successful seasons are overshadowed by the disappointing ones.

Martin will continue to pick up the odd save. He will likely have the better numbers this season. It might only be a matter of time until Martin becomes the Rangers' closer. For now, Martin is worth holding on to with the hope he usurps Jackson sooner rather than later.

On the Hot Seat

Luis Garcia Jr. - 2B, Washington Nationals - 88% rostered

Garcia Jr. has gotten off to a cold start. He's hitting just .143/.143/.333 (six games). Garcia Jr.'s first homer of the season came on Friday, sending a Brandon Pfaadt fastball 392 feet. It was much needed after a sluggish first week of the season.

That's not why the Nationals' second baseman is the first occupant of the Hot Seat this year. He is featured because the early goings suggest Garcia Jr. is locked into a platoon role with Amed Rosario.

Garcia Jr. hadn't shown much offensive prowess in the early goings of his MLB career. He's still only 24 years old so it may not have been a complete shock that Garcia Jr. had a breakout season last year. He hit .282/.318/.444 with 18 homers, 70 RBI, 58 runs, and 22 steals in 140 games in 2024.

If we compare Garcia Jr.'s splits with Rosario's last year, the fact the Nationals are platooning the pair shouldn't come as a complete shock either.

Yesterday was the third time this season the Nationals have faced a left-handed starting pitcher. And for the third time, Rosario got the start at second base with Garcia Jr. left on the bench. We're still in the early days of the season so it remains to be seen if this platoon persists throughout 2025.

Garcia Jr. hasn't hit well enough so far to warrant more at-bats against lefties. But Rosario has been hitting LHP well enough to justify consideration for more playing time. It's only a 12 at-bat sample, but Rosario is hitting .417/.417/.750 following his 2-for-4 performance on Saturday.

The positive for Garcia Jr.'s fantasy managers is that he's on the strong side of a platoon. Unless the Nationals decide to move away from a strict platoon and give Rosario more playing time at the expense of Garcia Jr., fantasy managers don't need to panic.

Garcia Jr. hit 17 home runs and stole 17 bases against RHP last season. He can still provide value even if he barely faces southpaws. But Garcia Jr. will need to pick things up at the plate to avoid losing more playing time.

For now, just monitor how the Nationals utilize the duo. As long as Garcia Jr.'s struggles don't persist throughout April and he starts ceding more starts to Rosario against RHP, he's someone you hold on to. Just make sure to keep an eye on the situation over the coming weeks.

Reader Requests

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

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