Ryan Mountcastle DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, the New York Mets have shown interest in acquiring Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. Owner Steve Cohen has noted that negotiations with Pete Alonso have hit a standstill, and the team has begun to pivot to other options. Earlier in the offseason, they acquired Jesse Winker to potentially fill a spot in the lineup. In addition, the team has been linked to Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson. Mountcastle is a much more proven major league bat than Torkelson. Last season, Mountcastle posted a .271/.308/.425 line with 13 home runs. However, before the modifications in left field of Camden Yards, Mountcastle had 20+ HR upside and hit a career-best 33 HRs in 2021. Mountcastle generated strong underlying metrics in 2024, which suggest he could still provide high upside power production. For now, fantasy managers should expect Mark Vientos to be the favorite to play first base in Queens.

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale at Yankee Stadium against the New York Yankees. With Mountcastle starting on the bench, the left-handed-hitting Ryan O'Hearn will play first base and bat sixth against Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole. Mountcastle just returned from the injured list on Tuesday due to a wrist injury and has gone 2-for-7 with an RBI and two strikeouts in his first two games back. The Orioles are easing him in ahead of the postseason and will give him a day off against one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. O'Hearn won't be too popular in DFS against Cole. In his 17 career at-bats against him, O'Hearn has hit .118 with a .471 OPS, one home run and two RBI. O'Hearn has been hot of late, going 8-for-21 (.381) with three doubles and two RBI since Sept. 17.

The Baltimore Orioles reinstated infielder Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and optioned outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jimenez to Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. The O's haven't released their lineup for Tuesday's contest against the division-rival New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Mountcastle is eased back into the fold as he returns from a left-wrist sprain that has kept him out for the past month. Before his injury, though, the 27-year-old right-handed hitter was the team's primary first baseman. Mountcastle's power has been down again this year, and he was in a 3-for-22 slump at the plate before his injury. In addition to that, he had six strikeouts in 11 minor-league rehab at-bats before his return on Tuesday. It could take him a while to get back in a groove at the plate.