Luis L. Ortiz

Ortiz threw a career-high 135.2 innings in the majors in 2024 while working as a swingman for the Pirates. He showed improvement in two key areas, as his walk rate dropped from 12.0 percent in 2023 to 7.6 percent in 2024. Meanwhile, his HR/9 fell from 1.35 to 1.06. One significant reason was due to Ortiz's improvement against lefties, which appears to be linked to a change in pitch usage, as he ditched an ineffective changeup in favor of a cutter. Despite those improvements, Ortiz's fantasy appeal is lacking. He had only a 19.2 percent strikeout rate and struggled to generate whiffs despite strong fastball velocity (95.9 mph). An offseason trade to Cleveland, an organization with a proven track record of getting the most out of its starters, could prove to be beneficial, but Ortiz should begin the season as a watchlist or streamer type option pending his early skills. Read Past Outlooks