The Cut List - Time to Let Go? Who to Consider Dropping for Fantasy Baseball (Week 24)

The Cut List for Week 24 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 24 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?

Kodai Senga - SP, New York Mets - 78% rostered

Even before his demotion, Senga was locked into being a drop this week. I don't think I've ever condoned dropping a pitcher with a 3.02 ERA, but that shows how badly Senga has struggled recently. Senga had a 6.56 ERA in his last eight starts before his demotion.

There was talk about the Mets demoting Senga or moving him to the bullpen to start the week. Given that Senga had to agree to any demotion, we were left in limbo for a bit as to what would happen. On Friday, we got confirmation. Senga had agreed to being optioned to Triple-A.

The Mets are sending Kodai Senga to the minor leagues pic.twitter.com/8zNlEpusad

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) September 5, 2025

There's clearly some mechanical things the Mets want Senga to work on. Considering the help they've had from rookies joining their rotation in the last few weeks, the Mets had the luxury of taking their 'ace' out of the firing line. The hope is that Senga can figure things out before a likely playoff run.

Where does that leave fantasy managers? Well, there's no point holding Senga in redraft leagues. If he remained in the Majors, Senga would have four starts remaining. Assuming they keep him on the same schedule in Triple-A, Senga will likely make three starts with Syracuse.

The Triple-A season ends on September 21. That does mean we could see Senga return to the Majors for the final week of the regular season. At that point, many fantasy leagues will have ended. For those who are still playing, would you trust Senga with your league championships potentially on the line?

Verdict: You're still holding Senga in dynasty leagues. But for 2025, he's not set to make more than one regular-season start. That's likely the best-case scenario. Even if Senga fixes his issues over the next fortnight, getting one start after his recent run isn't worth holding in redraft leagues.

Chandler Simpson - OF, Tampa Bay Rays - 35% rostered

This choice isn't so much about Simpson. However, it does encompass a broader thought process that you should be employing at this stage of the season. That is, targeting (or ignoring) specific categories. This, of course, predominantly refers to rotisserie leagues only.

Everyone is aware of how fast Simpson is. His 98th percentile sprint speed has helped Simpson to 39 stolen bases in 92 games. He's been more than just a one-category player, with a .288/.321/.337 slash line. Clearly, you're getting no power from Simpson, evidenced by his incredible Statcast Profile.

You can argue that Simpson also provides runs. He's crossed home plate 44 times this year and seven times in the last 15 days as the Rays' leadoff hitter. Given the Rays have scored the 11th most runs (66) in the last 15 days, seven runs from their leadoff hitter is slightly lower than you'd hope for.

Why then is Simpson included as a drop? Simply put, if you don't need stolen bases, he's not going to help your fantasy teams. Simpson is only hitting .231/.254/.277 over the last 15 days and .262/.291/.320 over the last 30 days. His batting average hasn't been an asset recently, and he's slowing down.

With the end of the season upon us, ratios are harder to impact from a single player. Even if Simpson does have a .290 batting average over the next three weeks, it's not going to make a huge difference to your team's overall batting average.

Verdict: If steals is a category that isn't going to make a difference to you, then Simpson simply won't provide any fantasy worth to your team. You'd be better off finding someone on waivers or streaming hitters, depending on your league's settings, who can make a difference.

Hold For Now

Spencer Torkelson - 1B, Detroit Tigers - 81% rostered

Torkelson's 2025 season has been somewhat representative of his Major League career. Ups, downs, and creating trust issues for his fantasy managers. His season stat line is solid, and it's been a good bounce-back from what was a disappointing 2024 campaign.

In 137 games, Torkelson has 28 home runs, 72 RBI, 73 runs, and two stolen bases. He's hitting .236/.329/.463 and ranks 16th among all first basemen (according to Yahoo! 5x5 rotisserie scoring). That may not sound good, but first base is a position of depth. Torkelson ranks as the 77th-best hitter.

If we narrow things down, Torkelson hasn't ranked nearly as well recently. Over the last 14 days, he's the 75th-ranked first baseman. Over the last 30 days, Torkelson ranks 42nd at the position. He has shown some signs of life this week.

Torkelson had recorded a hit in all four games this week before going 0-for-4 yesterday. Friday's double was his first extra-base hit in eight games. Torkelson also has four calendar months of hitting five or more homers this year. While that may not sound impressive, only 15 other players have achieved that.

As inconsistent as Torkelson has been, and can be, he's been a consistent source of power in 2025. Despite it being a position of depth, few first basemen routinely hit a handful of homers with double-digit RBI and runs without being in good form. Torkelson is such a hitter.

Casey Mize - SP, Detroit Tigers - 56% rostered

Mize's numbers this year have been solid, despite recent struggles. He has a 6.53 ERA in his last nine starts, but did throw five solid innings against the Mets on Wednesday, allowing just one run.

If we compare Mize's ERA and xFIP throughout the season, all we've seen is some natural regression with his results. Mize's 2.86 ERA at the end of June (14 starts) was a bit misleading, considering he had a 4.10 xFIP and 4.09 SIERA. Things have evened themselves out recently.

While we shouldn't bet on Mize having a sub-3.50 ERA over his remaining scheduled four starts, he's got a decent chance of achieving that. Mize is currently lined up to face the Yankees, Guardians, Braves, and Red Sox. While that doesn't look great on paper, it's not as bad as you might think.

Against right-handed pitching (RHP) since August 1, those four teams rank sixth, 30th, 20th, and 17th in wRC+, respectively. Although Mize isn't a big strikeout pitcher (20.7% K%), the Yankees, Guardians, and Braves all rank in the top-12 for highest K% in that period, too.

I fully understand not starting Mize against the Yankees in New York. But after that, Mize has two really nice matchups and finishes the season in Boston against a solid but not spectacular Red Sox lineup. When it comes to starting pitchers in the final month, schedule means almost everything.

Benching Mize next week makes more sense than dropping him. The Guardians and Braves games come in the same week. For many, that will be the final week of their fantasy season. Mize would be one of the most appealing pitchers for that week, making him a solid option to hold on to.

On the Hot Seat

Pete Crow-Armstrong - OF, Chicago Cubs - 96% rostered

At the end of July, Crow-Armstrong was considered a front-runner for the NL MVP Award. Roll forward one month, and some fantasy managers have been considering dropping the Cubs' outfielder. Most fantasy managers have thought about it without actually going through with it.

If we look at Crow-Armstrong's monthly numbers, it's understandable why he has recently been considered as droppable.

The most frustrating thing for fantasy managers was that Crow-Armstrong's dreadful August came on the back of such a strong July. While many expected some regression after such a hot start, Crow-Armstrong still had a solid June before his 17 extra-base hits in July.

Why did Crow-Armstrong struggle so much in August? I expected to find that he saw fewer strikes as pitchers adapted to him and gave the red-hot hitter fewer pitches to actually hit. And that led to Crow-Armstrong getting overly aggressive at the plate. That was not the case.

According to Fangraphs, 48.6% of pitches thrown to Crow-Armstrong in August were inside the strike zone. Before August, 48.1% of pitches to Crow-Armstrong were inside the strike zone. He had a higher percentage of strikes thrown to him last month than he had up until the end of July.

Crow-Armstrong actually became more passive at the plate in August. His 57.0% Swing% (percentage of pitches swung at) in August was down from his 60.8% Swing% pre-August. Even more strangely, Crow-Armstrong made more contact in August than he had done by the end of July.

As of July 31, Crow-Armstrong had a 72.3% Contact% (percentage of contact made when swinging at pitches). In August, he had a 76.4% Contact%. The issue has been that the quality of contact Crow-Armstrong has been making has fallen away.

His July numbers were better than expected, and in August, they regressed. A lot.

Even if we look at the pitches Crow-Armstrong saw in August, it raises more questions than answers. There was a notable increase in offspeed pitches thrown at Crow-Armstrong in August (20.8%).

But Crow-Armstrong's .250 batting average and .286 slugging percentage against offspeed pitches last month were better than what he did against fastballs and breaking pitches. The only answer his numbers offer up is that we just saw natural regression.

As of now, Crow-Armstrong has a .253/.291/.494 slash line. At the end of July, he had a .272/.309/.559 slash line. His current numbers are much more in line with his .253 xBA (expected batting average) and .487 xSLG (expected slugging percentage).

The final straw for some fantasy managers was last weekend's series in Colorado. Crow-Armstrong started all three games at Coors Field but went hitless in the series. So, trying to suggest his 2-for-5 performance against the Nationals on Friday could be a turning point may seem baseless.

Where does that leave fantasy managers? Playing time isn't a concern. Crow-Armstrong will win a Gold Glove this year, as he's been one of the best (if not the best) outfielders in baseball this season. The defense will keep Crow-Armstrong in the lineup throughout any slump.

The reality is, Crow-Armstrong will have carried many fantasy teams through the first half of the season. We've witnessed a breakout, and the Cubs outfielder has shown what he is capable of over a prolonged period. It wouldn't come as a surprise if he finished the season strongly.

That may not be possible as Crow-Armstrong left yesterday's game with what is being called a knee contusion. Provided that is all it is, we should see him back in the lineup early next week. If we get any news that Crow-Armstrong will miss extended time, he can be considered droppable.

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.

Robbie Ray - SP, San Francisco - 93% rostered

Following his Tommy John Surgery (TJS) in 2023, Ray was something of a wildcard coming into 2025. His numbers have surpassed expectations. After 29 starts, Ray has a 10-6 W-L record, 3.31 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 171 Ks (168 2/3 innings).

Unfortunately, he has struggled down the stretch. Ray has allowed 13 earned runs in his last three starts (14 innings) and has a 5.74 ERA over his last five starts. Ray's previous outing was in Colorado, so giving up four earned runs wasn't a complete shock. But it was indicative of recent performances.

As we mentioned earlier, we need to look at a starting pitcher's schedule at this stage of the season. Ray is set to face the Diamondbacks (twice), Dodgers, and Rockies (at home) to close out the season. Since August 1, Arizona ranks fifth in wRC+ against LHP. The Dodgers rank 13th, and Colorado ranks 17th.

My concern with Ray's recent struggles was due to his workload. Ray had totaled 34 innings in the Majors over the last two seasons due to TJS. His drop in fastball velocity highlighted those concerns. But Ray's fastball averaged 94.5 MPH against the Rockies last time out. That was a season-high.

Ray is difficult to trust at this point. With back-to-back tricky matchups against the Diamondbacks, I wouldn't be starting him next week. However, if Ray's fastball velocity is still up and he has a solid outing against Arizona, then I'd look to play him the following week when he has two starts.

Like with Mize, that may be the final week for your fantasy teams, and any two-start pitcher warrants consideration. Whether Ray is trusted enough to be used for that potentially final week comes down to how well he performs in his next appearance.

Teoscar Hernandez - OF, Los Angeles Dodgers - 92% rostered

At the end of April, Hernandez looked like one of the best picks in drafts. He hit nine homers and entered May with a .310/.325/.621 slash line. Unfortunately, Hernandez's early-season momentum was derailed. On May 6, he landed on the IL with a groin injury.

Hernandez returned on May 19 but has been nowhere near as productive as he was before the injury. Hernandez has a .211/.257/.374 slash line with 12 homers, 44 RBI, 33 runs, and two steals (84 games) since returning from the IL.

While it may be too simplistic to say Hernandez hasn't been healthy and is still dealing with health issues, the numbers don't lie. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gave Hernandez a breather last week. There was no mention of any lingering groin problem, but the rest doesn't seem to have helped.

Dave Roberts on sitting Teoscar Hernández today:

"Clearly he hasn't handled right-handed pitching (.689 OPS). I think that a two-day reset could help. He's an everyday guy, but I do think that where we're at, you've got to perform too."

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 31, 2025

Hernandez has gone 3-for-18 in the five games since his two-day reset. And as Roberts alluded to in his comments, Hernandez has struggled against RHP. He's hitting .231/.270/.413 against righties this year. Against lefties, Hernandez is hitting .278/.314/.536.

The Dodgers aren't blessed with a ton of options to replace Hernandez with in the lineup. As a result, he'll likely remain an everyday player. That doesn't mean he should remain an everyday player on your fantasy rosters.

Hernandez seems to still be hurt. Or at least unable to perform at the level he's capable of. His numbers against LHP are good enough to start him. But in weekly lineup leagues, unless the Dodgers are facing multiple lefties, Hernandez might not be worth rostering in anything but deeper leagues.

Luckily for Hernandez and his fantasy managers, the Dodgers should face a multitude of LHP. Next week, two of their opposing six starters are lefties. The week after, the Dodgers have seven games, and five of them are currently set to be against LHP. That's enough to warrant holding Hernandez for.

Luis Castillo - SP, Seattle Mariners - 91% rostered

Castillo has continued his trend of regression over recent seasons. This will be the third consecutive year his ERA has increased. Castillo's xFIP and SIERA have also increased for the third straight year. Castillo's 21.0% K% is the lowest he's had in his Major League career.

In more concerning news, Castillo's velocity has been declining as the season has progressed. But like Ray, Castillo's last start saw his fastball (and sinker) velocities improve. However, they were still slightly down on his season averages.

More telling is Castillo's home and road splits. He's got a 2.79 ERA at home (87 innings) and 5.40 ERA on the road (68 1/3 innings). It was a similar story last year, with Castillo having a 3.15 ERA at home and a 4.25 ERA on the road. That's been a feature throughout Castillo's career.

Only in his 2017 debut season has Castillo had a better ERA on the road than at home. That makes deciding what to do with Castillo difficult, given his remaining schedule. As things currently stand, Castillo is set to face the Braves (away), Angels (home), Royals (away), and Rockies (home).

You would certainly start Castillo in the two home games. And the road games aren't scary. The Angels and Rockies both rank in the bottom five for wRC+ against RHP since August 1. The Braves rank 20th, while the Royals rank ninth. Those two home matchups are too good to ignore.

As a result, I'd hold Castillo. Depending on your situation, I wouldn't start him against Kansas City. The same goes for today's game against Atlanta. You may have no choice about today's start in weekly leagues. Just for the two starts in Seattle, Castillo is worth holding onto.

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