Jake Junis has been a popular pickup in recent days, having delivered three successful starts in four on the strength of his newly developed cutter. Him being in line for two starts in Fantasy Week 6 (May 3-9) was just icing on the cake.
Now, he's shaping to be one of the most popular drops, though, because ... well, he won't be making even one start, much less two.
It's not that he got hurt or sick or exposed as a fraud. It's that the Royals decided it's time to call up their top pitching prospect -- so time, in fact, that they're willing to abandon the good thing they have going in Junis, shifting him to the bullpen for the time being.
"He's got the chance to be the MVP of this staff," GM Dayton Moore said of Junis. "He's going to be very effective in whatever role."
It sounds like the Royals simply couldn't wait any longer for Lynch, who Moore says has been "locked in" at the alternate training site.
"It was pretty much a consensus," Moore said. "He's ready for the next step. Daniel right now is throwing the ball, delivering his pitches at a very high level and is the most capable right now of being in the rotation. Plain and simple."
It's not so common to see a prospect arrive under these circumstances, his own performance dictating the timetable rather than an organic need. This isn't a one-and-done situation. It's not even a prove-it situation. The Royals wouldn't have shifted Junis like they did if they didn't intend for Lynch to stay.
That sort of confidence, along with the upside that made Lynch the No. 25 prospect according to Baseball America coming into the year, should have us all eager to add the 24-year-old left-hander wherever we can.
We talk Daniel Lynch and waiver adds on the Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 Podcast. You can follow us to get the latest episodes on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.