Ryan Clark
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Articles by Ryan Clark
Is It Legit? 09/19/2026: Jackson Merrill, Victor Mesa Jr.
+ Are Jackson Merrill and Victor Mesa Jr. for real? Alright everybody, it’s the final push of the baseball season. Here are two players who have been scorching hot lately and may or may not be legit. Enjoy, as always, everybody. Jackson Merrill, OF Merrill had a bit of a rough start to the season. So did the other core members of the Padres.
Mookie Betts Hits Two Homers – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 9/18/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. There’s the Mookie Betts we know and love. Betts has been pretty underwhelming in 2026. Not at the level of players like Cal Raleigh and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.., but he’s been just an above-average offensive player who has seen a sharp decline in his baserunning value. His defense is great, but that’s not helping us in fantasy.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 25 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? There isn’t too much to say this week other than good luck. For many, this is the beginning of the finals for your fantasy baseball leagues, which is a time when the rest of your FAAB money is going to come into play. Throughout the season, this column is designed to help guide those in Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) leagues to make the best choices in who to target on the waiver wire.
Junior Caminero Walks it Off – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 9/11/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. Okay, so Junior Caminero didn’t have the best game in yesterday’s action, a day when some players were on cycle watch, some knocked in tons of RBIs, and others stuffed the stat sheet, helping in every category. With that said, Caminero had the most impactful hit of the entire night yesterday, hitting a walk-off home run that clinched the Rays’ postseason spot.
Is It Legit? 09/04/2026: Rafael Devers, Jesus Luzardo
Are Mickey Gasper and Jackson Chourio for real? There’s something super fun about September baseball! Rafael Devers, 1B, SF Remember when people were worried about Devers? Like, seriously worried. He was even featured in an April edition of Patience or Panic, and honestly, everything said there feels accurate. He was a different player, one who was struggling with virtually everything.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 24 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? Happy September, everybody! It’s crazy to say those words, as I remember when the season first began and we were picking up players like Joey Wiemer to be the saviors of our squads. Now, plenty of fantasy leagues are in their postseason, and real-life teams are gearing up to make the final push towards contention. It’s been a really fun ride everybody, and we still have a few more weeks of this article to go.
Is It Legit? 09/04/2026: Mickey Gasper, Jackson Chourio
Are Mickey Gasper and Jackson Chourio for real? It’s fantasy baseball playoff season for a lot of us, and now come the tough decisions. Plenty of players have had ups and downs this season, and it’s difficult to decide whether we should keep them or not. Today we have a player who was probably drafted really high in most leagues and finally seems to be looking like (at least on the offensive side of the ball) the player he was billed to be as a teenager.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 23 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? Wow, it really is the end of August. It feels like just yesterday when we were all drafting our teams, having that feeling of itching to make your next pick but having to wait a few more teams before you can snatch your guy. It’s also interesting at this point in the season to compare your drafted squad with your current group.
Is It Legit? 08/28/2026: Carson Benge, Spencer Jones, Reid Detmers
Are Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Noah Cameron for real? Carson Benge, OF, NYM We are all on a Benge binge right now. Carson Benge entered the season as the Mets’ number-one ranked prospect, lauded for his potential in the field, at the plate, and on the basepaths. Like most youngsters, he was a bit slow to get started in 2026. Granted, that seems to be the case for the entire Mets squad. Since the end of April, he’s been at least an above-average hitter every month.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 22 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? The crickets are really chirping, which means that the summer stretch of baseball is coming to an end. Now, we’re entering a time when it becomes extra vital to make the right fantasy decisions, as we have to clinch our playoff spots and then see our teams perform well enough to advance us further and into the finals. These players listed could help you make that final push, especially if you have the FAAB dollars to acquire them.
Is It Legit? 08/22/2026: Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Noah Cameron
+ Are Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Noah Cameron for real? Welcome back to Is It Legit?, the series where we look at players in the midst of breakouts/bounce backs to see if it’s sustainable or not. We are getting closer and closer to the fantasy baseball playoffs in a lot of leagues, which means we have to pay special attention to whether the players we acquire aren’t just flashes in the pan, but rather proper potential breakout players.
Pete Alonso Hits his 30th Homer – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 8/15/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. In August, Pete Alonso has been arguably baseball’s best hitter. He’s slashing .373/.440/.672, as he is firmly in attack mode. It’s a thirteen-game hitting streak, and one that feels like it’s truly never going to end. This hot stretch has brought the Orioles back into the postseason fold, and it’s exactly what Orioles fans and management envisioned when Alonso surprisingly joined the team.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 21 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? This week’s list of players is honestly pretty interesting, as some of them have really went under-the-radar for how high some of their potentials are. At this time of the season, keeping up with who is getting the call-up and which lesser known players are on hot streaks is vital if you want to win in the margins.
Jeff McNeil has 4 hits – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 8/15/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. It’s been a season to forget for Jeff McNeil in West Sacramento, who is slashing .263/.319/.353 in his first year in the green and gold. This honestly doesn’t seem like that bad of a statline overall, but in a ballpark where it feels like everything gets out, that’s a bit pedestrian. If you look at the Baseball Savant page for McNeil this season, it honestly looks like the fairly standard McNeil experience.
Is It Legit? 08/14/2026: Caleb Durbin, Logan Henderson
+ Are Caleb Durbin and Logan Henderson for real? I had to look up what the official definition of the “Dog Days” of summer was, and it appears that we are past those. We’ve seen the hottest weather for the most part, and now we are inching closer and closer to Fall baseball. Awards races are going to come down to the wire; we will see plenty of young players get a shot to prove they are legit, and fantasy baseball, if it wasn’t serious yet, certainly is now.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 20 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? The trade deadline is behind us, both in real life and in plenty of fantasy leagues. That means that waiver pickups will be crucial in both the next couple of months. It’s been a fun few weeks of call-ups, as players like Max Clark, George Lombard Jr. Jr., and other high-potential guys have been given the chance to help their teams down the stretch. There have also been some less heralded callups, which will also be discussed in the article here.
Angel Martinez Has a 6-RBI Game – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 7/31/2026
Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. First of all, shoutout to all ABBA fans who hopefully enjoyed this reference. Second of all, wow, what a game for Angel Martínez. His team scored eight runs. He plated six of them. And, he did it in just two swings. What I will say is that it really helps that the bases were loaded both times he got his hits. The first one was a sharply hit line drive into left field to bring in José Ramírez and Steven Kwan.
Is It Legit? 08/06/2026: Ceddanne Rafaela, Gavin Williams, Trea Turner
+ Are Ceddanne Rafaela, Gavin Williams, and Trea Turner for real? Happy August, everybody. I have to say it’s strange putting the “08” in the title of this post, as the season feels like it’s breezed by. I remember when players like Joey Wiemer were being covered in this article. Oh, how time flies. This week we have three really interesting players who have been on fire, especially as of late.
Nick Fortes Collects 4 Hits – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 7/31/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. Mangum the Roller Coaster While the title of this article is referencing the legendary Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point, honestly, last night’s Reds/Pirates game may have been an even crazier roller coaster. Both teams got two on the board early against the other squad’s heat-throwing ace. Jake Mangum struck out his first time up, but he made up for it in the second inning, coming to the plate and hitting one out of the ballpark.
Is It Legit? 07/31/2026: Gabriel Moreno & Taj Bradley
+ Are Gabriel Moreno and Taj Bradley for real? It’s the trade deadline weekend, and everything feels awfully… quiet? We’ve heard murmurs about Tarik Skubal, Luis Arraez, Mason Miller, and a host of starting pitchers who could be on the move. Yet, there haven’t been any of those big pre-deadline moves that get us excited about the rest of the season. Still, there likely will be movement coming any day now, and by Monday maybe it’ll feel like a whole new league.
Nick Fortes Collects 4 Hits – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 7/24/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. Fortessimo Nick Fortes is probably not a player you think about often unless you watch the Rays every day. He’s not fantasy-relevant and really never has been. His metrics this year are pretty fine; he has a really solid batting average for a catcher and plays on a team with an offense that has performed better than expected. The underlying numbers are a mess, though.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 17 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? We are now in the post-All-Star break part of the season, and I always feel things get most interesting now. Teams are going to have to make some pretty major decisions within the next few weeks, especially with the trade deadline coming up. Throughout the season, this column is designed to help guide those in Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) leagues make the best choices in who to target on the waiver wire.
Is It Legit? 07/17/2026: Garrett Mitchell, Dylan Cease, Sonny Gray
+ Are Garrett Mitchell, Dylan Cease, and Sean Burke for real? We are past the All-Star break, and it’s time for the latter half of the season. There will be plenty of players called up over the next little bit, which should give us more candidates to talk about in this article. Today we have three very different players experiencing very different hot stretches. But are they legit? Let’s take a look.
Drake Baldwin Drives in 5- Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 7/17/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. Release the Drake-n Think back to a time a couple of months ago. Early May, to be specific. The flowers were blooming, the butterflies were flying, and the Major League Baseball season was still in its infancy. Now think of what your answer would be if you were asked who the best fantasy catcher was at that point in time. You probably, no definitely, would’ve said Drake Baldwin.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 16 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? Happy All-Star break, everybody! We made it through what is viewed as the first half of the season. Plenty will change in the coming weeks, as there will be promotions, trades, and other factors that will affect lineups in both fantasy and real life. Throughout the season, this column is designed to help guide those in Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) leagues make the best choices in who to target on the waiver wire.
Tristan Peters Hits For the Cycle – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 7/3/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. I made it a goal to try not to repeat players for my hitter recap headlines this season. So far, so good. Of course, I didn’t realize that Tristan Peters would hit for the cycle, but here we are, talking about him again only two weeks after he last graced the cover of Batter’s Box. Here’s the incredible part: he homered and tripled in the same inning.
Is It Legit? 7/10/2026: Jake McCarthy, Heliot Ramos, Jake Bennett
Are Jake McCarthy, Heliot Ramos, and Jake Bennett for real? Happy almost All-Star week, everybody! Also, happy draft week for those who love their prospects. I have to say it will be interesting to see the order of the draft, as the waters of draft rankings have been really muddied leading up to the big event. Of course, in a few years, it’s probable that some of the players from that draft will be featured in this article series.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 15 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? We are now past the Fourth of July weekend, which means the All-Star break is getting closer and closer. Plenty will change following it in terms of rotation schedules, trade bait, bullpen roles, etc.
Is It Legit? 7/5/2026: Isaac Paredes, A.J. Ewing, Joey Cantillo
Are Isaac Paredes, A.J. Ewing, and Joey Cantillo for real? It’s the Fourth of July weekend for Major League Baseball, and it was also Canada Day earlier this week. Hope everybody has stayed safe this week, and will continue to do so while enjoying the weekend’s festivities! I also hope that everybody is having a good fantasy week.
Jake McCarthy Drives in Six – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 7/3/2026
Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. This was quite a magical week of fantasy streaming. Why? Because it was seven days of Coors. Anybody who has held on to Rockies players throughout the season was able to reap the rewards, as the runs came in bunches and everybody had their day in the sun. This includes our featured player, Jake McCarthy. McCarthy has been really hot lately and has become a player worth looking at in your leagues.
Is It Legit? 6/26/2026: Jose Siri, Drew Rasmussen, C.J. Abrams
+ Are Jose Siri, Drew Rasmussen, and CJ Abrams for real? We are a few weeks away from the All-Star break, and I’m really curious to see which players mentioned in these articles we are going to see in Philadelphia this year. Of course, the fan-vote results are a bit skewed, but in that race, previously featured players like Kazuma Okamoto, Ben Rice, and Drake Baldwin all right in the middle of the race for starting spots.
Tristan Peters Hits a Grand Slam – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 6/26/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. It was an utter beatdown in the Southside of Chicago yesterday, as the White Sox teed off on the Royals and blew them out 22-1. While a game like this is objectively pretty ridiculous, there are also plenty of takeaways you can gather from it. Mainly, just how many White Sox players have had excellent seasons by their standards.
The five best trade destinations for Elias Pettersson
The previous front office under Jim Rutherford reportedly wanted to try to acquire a centre of similar playing ability to Pettersson, a tall ask for sure. The new front office is apparently more open to differing possible returns, a good sign for a team trying to rebuild. Which teams could be in the mix for him? Here are five where he might be a fit.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Week 13 FAAB Insights: Who To Bid On And How Much
+ Which players should you spend your FAAB budget on? Good morning, afternoon, evening, or night, everybody. I’m super excited to say I will be writing these FAAB insights for you all for the rest of the season. I currently write Is It Legit? columns on Fridays and recap the Friday slate of games for Saturday morning’s batter’s box, but now I’m here to share my picks for which players are worthy of your FAAB bids.
Ty France Hits Two Home Runs – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 6/19/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. If you asked anybody who the first athlete to come to mind when they hear “France” this month is, you’d probably mostly get answers like Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele. There’s another France worth watching for though: Ty France. France has a really low rostership, and that makes sense.
Is It Legit? 6/19/2026: Jac Caglianone, Dillon Dingler, Cody Bellinger
Are Jac Caglianone, Dillon Dingler, and Cody Bellinger for real? It’s hard to believe that we are over halfway through June. It’s been an outstanding year of baseball so far, with plenty of players playing their absolute best baseball. Several of the players that have been covered in this column have continued to dominate, such as Cam Schlittler, Jordan Walker, and Kevin McGonigle.
Yordan Homers Twice in the First – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 6/12/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. Okay, so you may find the title misleading. He didn’t hit three home runs back-to-back-to-back. Yeah, but he three-peated on hits. AND more importantly, he did go back-to-back with the homers so… We try not to feature players like Yordan Alvarez on here unless they do something spectacular. THAT was spectacular. What a horrible start to the Astros/Royals game for the pitchers…. But for us hitter sickos, it was pretty special.
Is It Legit? 6/12/2026: Ranger Suarez, Ben Brown, Spencer Horwitz
Are Ranger Suarez, Ben Brown, and Spencer Horwitz for real? By now, you all know the drill. I’ve selected three players who are overperforming their projections for the season, and we’re gonna break down whether they will continue this trend or not. I’m sure lots of these picks will make me look either really smart or really silly in a few months. Ranger Danger! I was a little bit skeptical of the Ranger Suarez signing for the Red Sox.
Is It Legit? 6/5/2026: Shane McClanahan, Jorge Mateo, JJ Bleday
Are Shane McClanahan, Jorge Mateo and JJ Bleday for real? Things are heating up… Both in Major League Baseball and just outside. While not officially Summer, it might as well be. Will we see these players continue to get hot, or will they have a reverse effect of the weather? Let’s find out! If you need a five-inning goose egg, you know who to call: Shane McClanahan! Now, these articles often focus on players who are lesser-known, lack experience, or are having career years.
Yandy Diaz Hits Two Home Runs – Fantasy Hitting Recap – 5/2/2026
Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. If you were to pull out a thesaurus and look up “Professional Hitter”, Yandy Díaz would probably be one of the synonyms. For years, Diaz has been one of the most consistent and effective hitters for the Rays. He hits for a high average, gets on base often, and tallies a bunch of runs by virtue of doing those things and leading off. The big question for Diaz has been: Can he lift the ball?
Is It Legit? 5/22/2026: Nolan Arenado, Zach Gelof, Jake Bauers
+ Are Nolan Arenado, Zach Gelof and Jake Bauers for real? The baseball season always seems to be full of surprises, and this year is no exception. In fact, I’d argue we are seeing more surprises than before. Who would’ve thought the Rays would have the best record in baseball? Or that the White Sox would be formidable? Or that the Blue Jays and Mariners would be well below .500? Again, it’s early in the season, but it’s still shocking.
Luke Raley Drives in Seven Runners – Fantasy Hitting Recap – 5/8/2026
Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. All aboard the high velocity Raleroad! Seriously, I am all aboard the Luke Raley train… Well, at least for today. He has never been the most consistent hitter and has a profile that is kind of scary. He put all of his XP into the power and hustle attributes, leaving the basic contact skills to dry.
Henry Davis Mashes Two Home Runs – Fantasy Hitting Recap – 5/1/2026
Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. Well, this was a bit of a surprise performance! It’s unfortunate to say, but Henry Davis has had a pretty horrible season, even by his standards. At one time, he was drafted first overall by the Pirates, with the expectation that he would become one of the game’s best hitting catchers. Unfortunately, this hasn’t panned out.
Jonathan Aranda Hits Two Home Runs- Fantasy Hitting Recap – 04/24/26
+ Breaking down the top hitting performances from Friday's games Yesterday was one of the most eventful slates of games I have ever done a Batter’s Box article for. There were so many players I could have chosen to feature, as multi-homer games were about as common as stars in the sky. I ended up landing on a player I just really wanted to highlight, someone who is still somewhat underrated.
Is It Legit? 4/24/2026: Chase Dollander, Otto Lopez, Kevin McGonigle
+ Are Chase Dollander, Otto Lopez and Kevin McGonigle's breakouts legit? Well, we’re basically one whole month into the season. This is the time when we really start to see whether the early-season breakouts are legit. There will be few sub-1.00 ERAs moving forward, and you likely will only see the usual suspects posting a wRC+ over 200, if any players at all. If you check Dollander’s stats page, you may think your eyes are deceiving you. A Rockies pitcher has an ERA that low?
Munetaka Murakami Hits a Grand Slam- Fantasy Hitting Recap – 04/17/26
+ Breaking down the top hitting performances from Friday's games There are few players I was more excited to see enter the big leagues this year than Munetaka Murakami. Especially because he has already torn it up in the big leagues, just not the ones in North America. It was surprising to see him sign with the White Sox, but it was an intriguing gambit for both sides. The result, thus far, has been the ultimate Kyle Schwarber/Joey Gallo type.
Is It Legit? 4/17/2026: Chandler Simpson, Brandon Lowe, Jeffrey Springs
+ Will these players continue to succeed as the year progresses? I’m not going to waste too much time getting into it this week, as by now you all know the drill. I’ve chosen three players who have looked incredibly solid over the past few weeks, and I am going to project whether they are going to continue to succeed or face serious regression.
Max Muncy’s 3 Home Runs Power Dodgers – Fantasy Hitting Recap 4/10/2026
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games. It was a Max Muncy masterpiece last night. Not just that, he etched his name in the history books. Muncy is now third all-time in home runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers, which is really an amazing feat. You probably wouldn’t ever guess that Muncy was even up there, but he has quietly been incredibly productive for the incredible Dodgers team.
Is It Legit? 4/3/26: Sal Stewart, Joey Wiemer, and Brendan Donovan
+ Are Sal Stewart, Joey Wiemer, and Brendan Donovan for real? We have reached the one-week mark, folks! It’s strange that we are only in the second week of action, as it feels like so much has happened already. This is always a fun time for the sport, as it is often when fans are most optimistic and excited to see their teams play. I know I’ve been trying to watch as much as I can, and as always, I am in awe of some of the early-season stat lines for some unexpected players.
Andy Pages Leads Dodgers Hit Parade – Fantasy Hitting Recap 4/3/26
+ Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday's games. Misc 7 Minutes Ago Honestly, I could’ve started with pretty much any Dodger in the early afternoon game against the Nationals, as it was a true hit parade. So many players were able to take their turns hitting bombs, and while we know what to expect when Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker, and Freddie Freeman (yes, they all hit homers yesterday), it’s great to see Pages get one too.
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