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Joey discusses five well-known fantasy baseball hitters and pitchers who have not performed well heading into Week 20 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 20 (August 10 to August 16). Should fantasy baseball managers drop, hold, or sell these well-known players?
This week's edition will look at five players struggling to perform. This list will dive into three hitters and two pitchers who are not performing up to their usual fantasy standards heading into Week 20 of the fantasy baseball season. Some players that we will discuss below include a few veteran hitters slumping, a pitcher who got lit up in his last start, and another pitcher who hasn't looked sharp since returning from the injured list.
So, what should fantasy managers do with these five well-known players? Let's find out. All stats are prior to Sunday's games.
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Casey Mize, SP, San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Casey Mize has been a reliable fantasy option for the most part this season. Although he has dealt with a few soft tissue issues throughout the year, Mize has posted consistent numbers on the mound. The 29-year-old right-hander has a 3.40 ERA, 1.089 WHIP, and 86 strikeouts across 90 innings pitched.
However, there have been some concerns building for Mize recently. His velocity was down in his last start with the Detroit Tigers on July 25, and he then got rocked in his first start with his new team last week. The Padres right-hander allowed a season-high eight runs on nine hits across 3 1/3 innings. That outing against the Diamondbacks has dropped his rostership to 60% in Yahoo! leagues.
Casey Mize spoke about the process leading up to the trade deadline when his start was skipped, what his reaction was when he found out he was being traded to the Padres and how anxious he is to get back out on the mound: pic.twitter.com/0DidRJPzll
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) August 7, 2026
Despite those inconsistencies, Mize should still be held in all fantasy formats. Fantasy managers shouldn't panic drop the former All-Star because of one really poor outing on a new team. His velocity was back to normal in that start, and he should have better results on the mound with the Padres moving forward. He still owns a 3.32 expected ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, and a 26.5% whiff rate this season.
It's best to hold Mize in all leagues.
Verdict: Hold in all leagues
Ian Happ, OF, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ was one of the best all-around fantasy contributors from 2023 to 2025. Happ hit at least 20 home runs, hit at least 30 doubles, drove in over 75 runs, scored above 85 runs, and drew at least 80 walks in each of those three seasons. Those numbers made him a consistent fantasy option.
Unfortunately, that consistency has not been present this year. Happ is in the midst of a career-worst season at the plate. He is slashing .212/.322/.411 with 19 home runs, 22 doubles, 49 RBI, 67 runs scored, 62 walks, and 153 strikeouts across 114 games. His numbers have also been really poor since the beginning of June, as he is batting .192 with six home runs, 18 RBI, and a 31.3% strikeout rate over his last 58 contests.
Etched a little deeper into Cubs history.
Ian Happ now ranks 11th on the franchise home run list. pic.twitter.com/zmdDPsRTlq
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 21, 2026
It has really been tough to trust Happ for most of the last two months. His strikeout numbers continue to rise, and he's just not hitting the ball well. With a second percentile expected batting average (.199), 39th percentile in xwOBA (.310), 32nd percentile launch angle sweet-spot rate (32.6%), ninth percentile squared-up rate (19.5%), and a 14th percentile whiff rate (31.2%), it's time to move on from the veteran outfielder.
See what you can get for Happ in a trade. Some fantasy manager in your league might be willing to take a chance on him, given his prior track record.
Verdict: Sell Low in 12+ team league
Christian Yelich, OF/DH, Milwaukee Brewers
Things have taken a turn for the worse for Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich. The former National League MVP posted some solid numbers in the first few months of the season. He slashed .287/.354/.434 with four home runs, seven doubles, one triple, 21 RBI, and five stolen bases in his first 36 games.
But Yelich has really struggled at the plate since mid-June. He is slashing just .187/.284/.316 with three home runs, 17 RBI, and five stolen bases over his last 44 games. This stretch has been so bad for the veteran slugger that manager Pat Murphy has moved him down in the lineup. After hitting in the leadoff spot for most of the year, Yelich is now batting in the seventh spot in hopes of turning things around.
The problem with Yelich, though, is that there isn't a ton of optimism that he can return to being that All-Star hitter at the plate. The 34-year-old currently owns a 22nd percentile xwOBA (.300), 13th percentile expected batting average (.221), 27th percentile expected slugging percentage (.370), eighth percentile launch angle sweet-spot rate (28.6%), 15th percentile squared-up rate (20.5%), and 16th percentile strikeout rate (27.2%).
That's enough to get rid of him in most 12+ team leagues. Like Happ, someone in your league might still believe in him, given his prior track record. Trade him to them because there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Yelich's offensive game right now.
Verdict: Sell Low in 12+ team league
Taylor Ward, OF, Seattle Mariners
It's been pretty crazy how different a hitter Taylor Ward has been this year compared to last year. In 2025, Ward was one of the best power hitters in the sport. He launched a career-high 36 home runs with a personal-best 103 RBI. In 2026, he has substituted that power for a more conservative approach at the plate. Ward is batting .243 with seven home runs, 30 RBI, and a career-high 87 walks across 116 games.
A lot of fantasy managers drafted Ward with the expectation that he would be that 25-30+ home run hitter. That just hasn't been the case this year. His barrel rate has dropped from 13.7% to 5.3%, and his current slugging percentage (.339) is 136 points lower than last season (.475). On top of his lack of power, he will now play the remaining of his home games at one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in baseball.
Ward was traded from the Orioles to the Mariners at the deadline. This move could actually hurt his fantasy numbers down the stretch, as the Mariners have the worst offense in baseball in terms of runs scored per game. It might be hard to give up on a hitter with a 95th percentile squared-up rate and a high walk rate, but those numbers won't help you win a fantasy championship.
Ward is a fine drop in some 12-team formats.
Verdict: Drop in some 12-team formats
Edwin Diaz, RP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz finally returned to the mound after a multi-month absence. Diaz underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow in April and faced a long road to recovery. After 2 1/2 months on the injured list, the Dodgers officially activated the three-time All-Star off the IL on July 29.
However, things haven't been smooth sailing for Diaz in his return. He has allowed at least one run in four of his five appearances and has blown back-to-back save opportunities for Los Angeles on Friday and Saturday. The Dodgers right-hander has given up five runs across four innings with one save and two blown saves since returning from the IL.
THE @DBACKS TIE IT!
Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll with back-to-back triples in the bottom of the 9th! pic.twitter.com/cj11TtFx6F
— MLB (@MLB) August 9, 2026
While Diaz has certainly struggled on the mound following his elbow injury, he is a must-hold in all fantasy formats. It will take him some time to get back into a rhythm. Once he does, he will return to being that elite fantasy closer. Fantasy managers shouldn't be dropping the top closer on a Dodgers team that has one of the best records in baseball.
Verdict: Hold in all formats
