
Joey discusses five well-known fantasy baseball hitters and pitchers who have not performed well heading into Week 13 of the 2025 season. Is it time to drop, sell, or hold?
Welcome, RotoBallers, to our weekly article about well-known fantasy baseball players. Every week of the fantasy season, we dive into several players who might be struggling. These players could be a hitter amid a slump at the plate or a pitcher coming off multiple poor outings in a row.
After determining which players fit into this category, we will then analyze whether we should drop, hold, or sell them heading into the next week. Every player featured in this week's edition is rostered in over 65% of Yahoo! leagues.
So, what should fantasy managers do with these five well-known players? Should they drop, hold, or sell them entering Week 13 (June 23 to June 29) of the fantasy baseball season? Let's dive in and find out.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:- Fantasy baseball trade analyzer
- BvP matchups data (Batter vs. Pitcher)
- PvB matchups data (Pitcher vs. Batter)
- Who should I start? Fantasy baseball comparisons
- Daily MLB starting lineups
- Fantasy baseball closer depth charts
- Fantasy Baseball live scoreboard
- Fantasy baseball injury reports
Bailey Ober, SP, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober was a solid pick in fantasy drafts this past spring. He finished the 2024 season with a 3.98 ERA and 191 strikeouts across 178 2/3 innings pitched. Although he struggled to end that campaign, the right-hander was set to be a reliable pitcher option for fantasy managers once again in 2025.
However, Ober hasn't quite been that consistent fantasy pitcher this season. He currently owns a 4.54 ERA through his first 15 starts and has allowed at least four runs in three straight outings. As a result, the 29-year-old continues to be dropped in a bunch of fantasy leagues.
Bailey Ober made an adjustment in the middle of the game and it led to improved command, ie no longer sitting in the middle of the plate. You can see it in his pitch location chart inning by inning (1st to 6th from upper L to upper R). #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/SbcZjeSw6p
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) June 19, 2025
It has been a rough season so far for Ober. He has supposedly been battling a hip issue since spring training, which could be a reason why his metrics are down across the board. His strikeout rate (17.8%), hard-hit rate (40.8%), whiff rate (25.1%), and expected batting average against (.263) all rank poorly through the first few months.
Even though Ober's metrics suggest things might not improve, he is someone fantasy managers should hold through Week 13. He has a two-start week upcoming against the Seattle Mariners (Monday) and Detroit Tigers (Saturday). So, let's see how he fares in those two matchups before dropping him.
His chase rate (32.9%) is a good sign that things could eventually turn around for him in the next few weeks. We also shouldn't completely overreact to this poor stretch from the right-hander. Before these three straight rough outings, Ober had a 2.43 ERA and 47 strikeouts across 11 starts in April and May. During that span, he allowed only one run in eight of those 11 outings.
Verdict: Hold in all formats
Zach Eflin, SP, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin's ERA has risen over the past week. After allowing one run across 6 2/3 innings against the Tigers on June 11, the 31-year-old has gotten rocked in back-to-back starts. He allowed seven runs on 12 hits across five innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 16 and six runs on 10 hits in his most recent outing on Saturday against the New York Yankees.
It's not a surprise to see many fantasy managers drop Eflin following those two starts. He has now allowed at least four earned runs in four of his past seven outings, and his 5.46 ERA ranks toward the bottom of the league among all starting pitchers. As a result, the Orioles pitcher is a fine drop in some 12-team leagues.
His stuff just isn't there, and it's going to be hard to trust him in fantasy moving forward. His strikeout rate (16.1%), whiff rate (21.1%), barrel rate (8.7%), and average exit velocity (89.7 mph) all rank in the 47th percentile or worse this season. You are better off streaming a pitcher each week than rolling with the risky Eflin.
Verdict: Drop in some 12-team leagues
Jung Hoo Lee, OF, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee got off to a blazing start in 2025. He had a .319 batting average with three home runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 18 RBI, and three stolen bases across his first 30 games. Unfortunately, Lee has cooled off significantly in recent months since the calendar has flipped to May.
He is batting just .206 with three home runs, six doubles, 16 RBI, and three stolen bases over his last 45 games dating back to May 1. This stretch has dropped his batting average from .319 to .252. Nevertheless, fantasy managers shouldn't drop Lee in most formats right now, especially if you need to up your team batting average in Roto leagues.
Grandson of the Wind 🌬️ pic.twitter.com/hH8ODPFWOr
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) April 6, 2025
Lee won't hit many home runs or total many RBI this season, but he should finish with a solid batting average and upward of 12 stolen bases. The Japanese native ranks in the top half of the league in both expected batting average (.290) and sprint speed (28 ft/sec). Given that he also has an above-average strikeout rate (11.2%), it's best to keep him in most formats.
Verdict: Hold in 12-plus team leagues
Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Detroit Tigers
The potential has always been there for Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson to be a strong fantasy option. We saw that during his breakout campaign in 2023, in which he hit 31 home runs and drove in 94 runs across 159 games. After struggling offensively in 2024, Torkelson is back to showcasing his power in the big leagues.
He has 16 home runs and 49 RBI in his first 73 games this season, meaning another 30-home run, 90-RBI campaign is a real possibility for him. However, the Tigers first baseman has been struggling at the plate in recent weeks. Torkelson is batting just .179 with three home runs and nine RBI over his last 21 games.
Greeney & Tork 🫶
⭐️ https://t.co/JrsIBeU1cG ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/g10aaDSiKs
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 22, 2025
Despite his recent offensive numbers, this is not a player you should be dropping at this point in the season. He's on pace for around 30 home runs, and we should expect his bat to heat up again. His expected slugging (.514), barrel rate (14.3%), launch angle sweet spot rate (40.7%), and chase rate (20.6%) all rank in the 83rd percentile or better in 2025.
That makes Torkelson a prime hold candidate in Week 13 of the fantasy baseball season. There are going to be ups and downs with the young first baseman throughout the season, but when he's hot at the plate, fantasy managers are going to reap the benefits of his power.
Verdict: Hold in all formats
Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
It has been a disappointing season for Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds. He is batting just .226 with eight home runs, 39 RBI, and three stolen bases in his first 72 games this year. Those numbers are not up to Reynolds' standards, considering he has hit over .260 with at least 24 home runs, 80 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in consecutive campaigns.
More importantly, Reynolds is currently in a slump at the plate. He is batting just .179 with one home run, two doubles, five RBI, and 17 strikeouts across his past 15 contests. The 30-year-old also spent some time on the paternity list last week, which could be another reason why his roster percentage dropped 7% in Yahoo! leagues last week.
This has no doubt been a season to forget for the two-time All-Star. He is on pace to finish with his worst power numbers since his rookie season in 2019, and the strikeouts continue to be a problem for him. Therefore, fantasy managers should be looking to trade away Reynolds for cheap.
His overall numbers are down across the board, and hitting in that Pirates lineup could lead to fewer runs scored and RBI opportunities. So, see what someone in your league would be willing to offer for him. While you likely won't get much in return, you could get someone of value just based on name value alone.
Verdict: Sell for cheap
More Fantasy Baseball Advice
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
