2024 Active Rosters: Leo
If you go back in Fantasy Astrology Baseball history to the 1950’s, Leo is one of the top three signs (along with Scorpio and Aries). The fact that Leo occupied a lower-middle-of-the-pack position in 2024 shows the cyclical nature of everything Astrology (and sports, and life) related. Injuries to key players spelled the end for the Lions in 2024: center fielders Mike Trout and Luis Robert Jr. never got their seasons off the ground, breakout second baseman Matt McLain didn’t play a single inning, and Max Scherzer missed out on a spot in the starting five for the first time in X years.
Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll was the sign’s top scorer, and even he fell off drastically from his Rookie of the Year-winning 2023 season. Ezequiel Tovar has solidified the shorstop position, winning a Gold Glove in Colorado. Cubs outfielders Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ were solid performers in the corners – or more likely in one corner and DH, leaving the other outfield spot for Carroll’s Arizona teammate Jake McCarthy. Alec Bohm has received some trade interest from the Phillies, but of course, he can never be traded away from Leo.
Yandy Diaz is another Leo wh could not replicate his 2023 excellence, in which season he won the AL Batting Title. It looks like a platoon with the switch hitting Josh Bell would have have worked well strategically, but down the line, first base might belong to another Rockie, Michael Toglia. Add to that mix Brendan Rodgers in second base, and there’s a lot of Leos who play in Colorado. Behind the plate, Tyler Stephenson put up good numbers for a catcher, but staying healthy has always been a struggle.
Speaking of Reds players who struggle to stay healthy, Hunter Greene finally flashed the ace-level potential that he’s capable of. Yoshinobu Yamamoto missed a lot of the year (although he was healthy when it counted in the World Series), but on a per-game basis, he’s a good bet to start Game 2 of a potential playoff series. Both pitchers would likely slot ahead of Zac Gallen in the rotation, who couldn’t replicate his 2023 performance that helped Arizona reach the World Series. Health was also an issue for Yu Darvish, but he would likely round out the front four.
Leo has a lot of starting depth, even when accounting for injuries. Brady Singer ate a bunch of meaningful innings for a playoff-bound Royals team. Ryan Pepiot is a breakout candidate down the line for the Rays. 2024 rookies Tobias Myers and Jared Jones have bright futures for the Brewers and Pirates, respectively. Javier Assad and Reese Olson were solid for the Cubs and Tigers, respectively. And that’s not even counting injured hurlers Braxton Garrett and Gavin Williams, or bounceback candidates like Walker Buehler and Triston McKenzie.
The bullpen, on the other hand, is the unabashed weak link. The only pitchers who got any real shot at save opportunities were Jason Adam (but only before his trade from the Rays to the Padres) and Luke Weaver (but only at the very end of the season and into the playoffs). Nick Martinez split his time between Cincinnati’s rotation and bullpen, but given Leo’s player pool, it makes sense for him to act as a dedicated reliever. Actually, I guess Justin Martinez picked up a fair amount of saves for the Diamondbacks in his rookie season, but this sign doesn’t have anyone approaching a consistent closer.