Leody Taveras DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Seattle Mariners have claimed outfielder Leody Taveras off waivers from the Texas Rangers. In a corresponding move, the Mariners have designated right-handed pitcher Luis F. Castillo. The Rangers placed Taveras on outright waivers earlier this week. Fantasy managers should expect the 26-year-old to serve as a depth option in the Seattle outfield. Through the opening month of the 2025 campaign, Taveras has struggled as he has posted a .241/.259/.342 slash line with one home run and six stolen bases. Under the hood, he has generated a low .201 xwOBA and a .198 xBA. However, in 2024, Taveras showed flashes of upside at times as he hit 12 home runs and swiped 23 bags. Fantasy managers in 15+ team category formats should monitor his status as he could be a viable target for stolen bases if he sees consistent playing time.

Texas Rangers outfielder Leody Taveras is not in Sunday's lineup when they face the Seattle Mariners. Taveras was also held out of the lineup on Saturday and appears to be losing consistent playing time. As a result, Josh Smith will get the starting nod in center field. Smith was able to find opportunities at shortstop, but with Corey Seager back in action, it appears Smith could limit Taveras's opportunities in the outfield now. Through his first 29 games of the season, Taveras has held a modest .241/.259/.342 slash line with just three doubles and one long ball. The 26-year-old has generated a .198 xBA and a .261 xSLG, which suggest he should continue to see regression throughout the season. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to monitor his status as he could be downgraded to a bench bat for the foreseeable future.

Texas Rangers outfielder Leody Taveras (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Seattle Mariners. Taveras will head to the bench after going 1-for-7 over his last three games. As a result, Dustin Harris will take over in center field and bat ninth versus right-hander Luis Castillo. The expectation is that Taveras will be back in the lineup on Sunday, but he hasn't done enough with the bat to warrant rostering in most fantasy formats.