Value over ADP defined the breakout 2025 season across the diamond. Goodman, Kurtz, Turang, Perdomo, Suarez and Springer anchored multi-category returns, turning mid- to late-round targets into frontline contributors. PCA, Buxton, Caminero, Story, Crow-Armstrong and Buxton showcased the breadth of upside, with late-blooming production converging with injury risk and positional flexibility as fantasy-format sweet spots enter 2026 drafts. Runner-ups Pages, Soderström and Adell underscored the volatility and payoff of high-variance bets for outfield and catcher pools.

Look ahead: chase high-velocity players who produced despite draft gaps, monitor hard-hit rates and plate discipline shifts, and target multi-stat contributors who can augment speed, power and runs in a balanced lineup. These patterns suggest a wide, dynamic set of targets for 2026 fantasy rosters.

Unluckiest hitters of 2025 show a stark gap between expected and actual results, per BaseballSavant. Perez and Conforto lead the list with a 3.0 unlucky score, proving big names can stumble in the clutch.

Perez finished 155 games with 30 homers, a .236/.284/.729 line and 0.4 WAR. Conforto hit .199 with OPS+ 79 and -0.7 WAR in his Dodgers debut. Soto, Rice, Adell, Garcia Jr., Seager, Swanson, Lopez and Bell also showed notable misfortune, shaping postseason bets.

The Royals used a late-inning surge to seal a 9-4 win in Los Angeles, taking the series behind a standout effort from Bobby Witt Jr. and key hits from Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez. Kansas City jumped early, endured a Angels’ rally, and then pulled away in the ninth with a decisive rally that capped their offensive night. The win strengthens KC’s offense as they wrap the season with a tough trip to Oakland looming.

Michael Lorenzen started strong for the Angels but Kansas City answered with timely hits and aggressive baserunning, including a review that ruled Pasquantino safe to extend a lead and a critical two-out double from Perez in the ninth. The Royals bullpen shut the door late, with Luinder Avila closing out the finale, keeping the offense rolling and the series in KC’s favor.

Fantasy angles rise from Witt Jr.’s multi-RBI night, Pasquantino’s clutch approaches, and Perez’s veteran late-game pop. Angels’ power came from Trout, but the series belonged to Kansas City’s offense and its late-inning execution, which should keep KC hitters on the radar as the calendar turns to the end of the season.

Four PrizePicks plays headline Thursday’s slate: Jakob Marsee over 0.5 total bases behind a rookie who has 100 total bases in 51 games and a lefty-friendly profile. Jo Adell over 0.5 hits+runs+RBI leverages his multi-hit potential and a favorable lineup context. Josh Naylor over 0.5 hits taps into Seattle’s efficient offense and Blalock’s recent struggles. Mitch Farris over 14.5 pitching outs hinges on his ability to navigate KC’s order and a road-friendly park.

Context matters: Marsee’s breadth of hit types and power, Adell’s multi-category upside, Naylor’s consistency in 52+ Mariners games, and Farris’s outs profile combine with bullpen leverage and park factors to shape these prop bets. The slate rewards precise splits and matchup quirks, not just raw numbers.