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Joey discusses five well-known fantasy baseball hitters and pitchers who have not performed well heading into Week 11 of the 2026 season. Is it time to drop, sell, or hold?
Welcome, RotoBallers, to our weekly article about well-known fantasy baseball players who are currently struggling and not performing well as of Week 11 (June 8 to June 14). Should fantasy baseball managers drop, hold, or sell these well-known players?
In this week's edition, we will dive into the biggest fallers in fantasy baseball leagues. These players have not performed well recently and are trending down in most formats. This list will feature a hitter who has come back down to earth, two pitchers struggling on the mound, and a slugger who has hit just one home run since mid-April.
So, what should fantasy managers do with these five well-known players? Let's find out.
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Nick Lodolo, SP, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo has had some uneven starts since making his season debut in early May. He allowed five runs on six hits across four innings against the Nationals on May 13 and recently gave up four runs on a season-high nine hits across five innings against the Cardinals on Saturday. Outings like these make Lodolo a sell-low candidate in most fantasy formats.
Terry Francona on Nick Lodolo’s outing:
“Well, I mean he gave up a bunch of runs in the second inning so if anything, he probably threw too many strikes. He didn’t expand, which that’s not the worst thing, but I think his stuff is fine.” pic.twitter.com/d93CFEEX2U
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) May 14, 2026
While the southpaw has thrown two quality starts in his first six outings this year, there are some massive concerns surrounding Lodolo moving forward. Both his expected ERA (6.60) and expected batting average against (.283) rank in the bottom 10% of the league, and he has a poor whiff rate (22.3%), strikeout rate (17.2%), barrel rate (12.2%), and walk rate (9.7%).
Considering both his whiff rate and strikeout rate are massively down from last year, it's a smart move to part ways with the Reds left-hander. He has allowed at least three runs in five of his six starts and has walked at least three batters in three of his last five outings. Lodolo has also had a hard time staying healthy in his career, as he has pitched more than 130 innings just once in five years.
If you can get something in return for a pitcher who currently owns a 5.51 ERA, do it.
Verdict: Sell-low in all formats
Ildemaro Vargas, 1B/2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
It has been a tale of two seasons for Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas. In his first 27 games, he slashed .374/.396/.645 with six home runs, seven doubles, two triples, and 22 RBI. In his last 30 games, Vargas is slashing just .189/.230/.236 with one home run, two doubles, 15 RBI, and one stolen base.
The 10-year journeyman just hasn't been able to replicate his early-season success. He continues to be dropped in a bunch of fantasy leagues and has looked like a completely different hitter at the plate. Vargas' massive drop off in production isn't that surprising, considering he has never been a viable fantasy option for an entire season in his career. That likely wasn't going to be the case in his age-34 campaign.
Given Vargas' recent numbers at the plate and his poor metrics on the year, he is a fine drop in most 12-team leagues. The veteran infielder ranks in the 15th percentile in average exit velocity (86.7 mph), 18th percentile in barrel rate (4.1%), 16th percentile in hard-hit rate (32%), 24th percentile in launch angle sweet-spot rate (30.9%), and 6th percentile in chase rate (40.8%).
Vargas' Cinderella story has unfortunately come to an end.
Verdict: Drop in most 12-team leagues
Michael Wacha, SP, Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha has been a workhorse on the mound this season. He completed at least six innings in nine of his first 11 outings and had a 2.69 ERA in those 11 starts. Recently, though, Wacha hasn't been as sharp. The veteran has allowed 10 earned runs in his last 10 2/3 innings pitched.
Wacha gave up six runs on eight hits with four walks across five innings against the Rangers on May 31 and allowed five runs (four earned runs) on eight hits with one walk across 5 2/3 innings against the Twins on June 5. These last two outings have resulted in the Royals right-hander being dropped in a bunch of fantasy leagues. His 8.44 ERA during this stretch is a reason for that.
However, Wacha is still a hold in most 12+ team leagues at this point in the year. He has been one of the most consistent starters in the league over the past few seasons. The veteran finished with a 3.32 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 2022, a 3.22 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 2023, a 3.35 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 2024, and a 3.86 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 2025.
If you are in a category league and need a starter who carries a low ERA, Wacha should be held onto. The former All-Star has allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his 13 starts this season. In all eight of those outings, he went at least six innings.
Verdict: Hold in most 12+ team leagues
Eugenio Suarez, 3B, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez has not been the same hitter he was a season ago. After batting .228 with 49 home runs and 118 RBI in 2025, Suarez's numbers are down across the board through the first 10 weeks. The 34-year-old veteran is slashing just .209/.287/.336 with four home runs and 16 RBI across 38 games this season.
To make matters worse, Suarez's numbers have been extremely poor since returning from the injured list on May 22. Suarez landed on the IL on April 25 with an oblique strain and spent close to only a month on the shelf. In his return from that oblique strain, the Reds slugger is batting only .163 with one home run, two doubles, and five RBI in his last 13 games.
Eugenio Suárez (4) LAUNCHES ONE 🚀
102.8 mph · 387 ft · 25°
LHP Dylan Dodd · 88 mph cutter⚾ ATL 3 - CIN 6 • Bot 7th pic.twitter.com/Pa5A9lQJaG
— PlayPulse HRs (@PlayPulseHRs) May 31, 2026
Suarez has been nowhere near the power hitter he was last season. His barrel rate (8.3%) is down 6% from 2025 (14.3%), and his expected slugging (.341), hard-hit rate (25%), whiff rate (33.1%), strikeout rate (31.3%), squared-up rate (18.8%), and expected batting average (.206) all rank in the bottom 10% of the league. Those are some alarming metrics as we head into Week 11 of the fantasy baseball season.
Therefore, Suarez is a sell-low candidate at this point in the season. He isn't a drop in most leagues just yet because of his power potential. But if you can find a trade partner, he's worth moving in 12-team leagues.
Verdict: Sell-low in 12-team leagues
Jo Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell is in the midst of a rough slump at the plate. He's batting just .177 with four home runs, three doubles, 13 RBI, and one stolen base in his last 23 games since May 12, and has seen his batting average drop 36 points during this span. Adell now owns a .243 batting average and a subpar .675 OPS on the season.
However, Adell is someone fantasy managers should continue to hold onto. His expected batting average (.267) is 24 points higher than his actual batting average (.243), and his expected slugging (.450) is 58 points higher than his actual slugging (.392). That's a clear sign that better offensive days are ahead for the 27-year-old outfielder.
Now Jo Adell knows how it feels 🤣
Brandon Nimmo robs him of a home run! pic.twitter.com/aTADdKaUux
— MLB (@MLB) May 23, 2026
Adell still has an elite bat speed (77.3 mph), is pulling the ball in the air at a high clip (16.9%), and both his hard-hit rate (45.5%) and average exit velocity (90.8%) rank in the upper half of the league. His numbers should eventually tick up within the next few weeks, making a hold in 12-team leagues. His 4-for-5 day with one home run and two RBI on Sunday is exactly the type of game that can get him going at the plate.
Verdict: Hold in 12-team leagues
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