CBS Sports urges retention of struggling MLB stars as season enters final third
The sports media outlet highlights Ketel Marte’s rapid statistical rebound as evidence that fantasy managers should maintain confidence in underperforming high-value players.
CBS Sports published an analysis on 14 May 2026 advising fantasy baseball managers to maintain confidence in 14 underperforming players as the Major League Baseball season reached its one-third mark. The publication argues that the inherent unevenness of the sport means early struggles often reverse, citing specific performance metrics to support the case for retention.
The article identifies Austin Riley and Trea Turner as key examples of high-value players, referred to as "struggling studs," who are expected to rebound. The analysis posits that while early-season noise is common, it becomes a less valid excuse for poor performance as the calendar progresses toward the end of May.
Ketel Marte is cited as a primary case study for rapid performance turnaround. According to the report, Marte’s batting average rose from .209 to .275, and his on-base plus slugging (OPS) increased from .619 to .797 over an 11-day period. The article references data from Baseball Savant to support the argument that Marte’s early struggles were anomalous.
The publication notes that baseball is defined by its unevenness, requiring 162 games to determine what is statistically real. It is not uncommon for a player to perform poorly for two months and excel for the remaining four, a pattern that is often more conspicuous when the poor performance occurs at the start of the season.
The analysis concludes that while not every player deserves the benefit of the doubt, those who fit the profile of temporary underperformance should be retained. The article acknowledges that a lot could change, but urges managers to keep faith in the identified group as the season enters its final third.
