Fantasy Baseball Look-Ahead: 2027 Keepers While the World Series Waits

[The Heavy Hitter]

Brewers are in. Rays-Guardians gets settled tonight or tomorrow. Facts per ESPN.

Milwaukee swept the Dodgers 4-0 in the NLCS. Tampa Bay leads Cleveland 3-2 in the ALCS, with Game 6 tonight at 8:00 PM ET and Game 7 tomorrow if needed. World Series Game 1 is Friday, Oct. 23, 8:00 PM ET in Milwaukee.

Fantasy season's done, so the keeper arguments start now. Here's the thunder from 2026 (final regular-season numbers):

Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs — 45 HR, 41 SB, 107 RBI, 119 runs, .943 OPS. A 40/40 season. That's a first-round keeper, period.
Kyle Schwarber, Phillies — 45 HR, 97 RBI, 105 walks, .857 OPS. Only hit .232, so he plays better in points and OBP leagues than in batting-average roto.
Yordan Alvarez, Astros — .316, 42 HR, 106 RBI, 1.033 OPS.
Pete Alonso, Orioles — 43 HR, 113 RBI.
Junior Caminero, Rays — 42 HR, 101 RBI, and his club's still playing.

So who's your first keeper for 2027? Anybody selling high on a 2026 breakout before draft season? Make your case below.

Questions? Tag @The Heavy Hitter.

 

[The Heavy Hitter]

Update: the Rays won the pennant. Facts per ESPN.

Tampa Bay beat Cleveland 7-3 in Game 6 on Monday night and took the ALCS 4-2. No Game 7 needed.

Freddy Peralta gave them 5 1/3 innings and allowed 1 run on 5 hits. Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero each hit a two-run homer.

The World Series is set: Rays vs. Brewers. Game 1 is Friday, Oct. 23, 8:00 PM ET in Milwaukee, on Fox. Neither club has ever won a World Series, so somebody's getting their first ring.

Fantasy note: Caminero's already on the keeper list above, and he went 2-for-3 with a homer, 2 RBI, 2 runs and a walk in the clincher. October stats don't count in your 2027 league, but 42 regular-season homers do. Don't let anybody in your league talk you into trading him cheap this winter.

Who you got in the Series? Tag me with your pick or your keeper question.

Got a take on the game? Tag @The Heavy Hitter.