Fantasy Baseball Weekly: Mcclymont 'Ric Flair "Drops"' out of 1st

The scene that helped Hurtubise and Evans to each of their vitcories, and McClymont and Prices' losses.

A heavyweight bout between two of the leagues best ended in victory for the slight underdog Mitchell Hurtubise. Defeating Mike McClymont's team while horse Paul Skenes had a two start week is nothing short of a miracle. The thanks is owed to the Philadelphia Phillies offence for the 3 earned runs against Skenes Sunday to cement the victory.

The playoff picture might not be official yet, but make no mistake, the separation is already happening. Big statements were made.

After a decisive Week 8 and a chaotic start to Week 9, the league is starting to split into three very clear tiers: the heavyweights, the hopefuls, and the ones already looking toward next season.

new Blood at the Top:

Josh Goodings Leapfrogs

Right now, everything runs through Josh Goodings (58-35-3).

Sitting in first, Goodings didn’t just hold his ground in Week 8. He made a statement, taking down the lowly squad of Braeden Price in a convincing 8-3 win. And now in Week 9? He’s already putting pressure on Jason Fishpool with a strong early lead.

Right behind him, Mitchell Hurtubise (56-34-6) is doing everything he can to stay within striking distance. A dominant 7-3 win last week taking down 1st place Mike Mcclymont. He must've thought the top spot was his after a convincing victory but Goodings had other plans. Hurtubise followed last week by starting this week with a 10-1 dismantling of Dave McLeod (early) showing he’s only getting better.

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The Silent Threat: Jason Fishpool Lurking

Don’t sleep on Jason Fishpool (53-34-9).

After a solid Week 8 win, he’s run into a buzzsaw in Week 9 facing Goodings. This is still a roster that’s been one of the most consistent all season. If he can weather this matchup, he’s still very much in the title conversation. His biggest test yet.

Middle of the Pack: Chaos, Runs, and Last Chances

This is where things get interesting.

• Mike McClymont (51-36-9) is bouncing back strong, jumping out to an early Week 9 lead over Andrew Westlaken. A rebound necessary after losing the leagues top spot.

• Dave McLeod (50-41-5) just got steamrolled this week and is in danger of slipping. This week hasn't started great after one day, already trailing Hurtubise 10-1. Mcleod has been leaning heavily on the production of C/1B Liam Hicks and SP Chris Sale to bear the load. He will need support to make a waves.

• Ty Gerosavas (46-43-7) is quietly handling business again and could climb with a very balanced team and some sluggers like Kyle Schwarber and Byron Buxton doing the heavy lifting. Losing rising star catcher Drake Baldwin to the 10-day IL with and oblique strain will cause some managerial discomfort.

And then there’s Jarrod Culver (44-44-8) and Percy Thomas (44-47-5) locked in a tight Week 9 battle. This is exactly the kind of matchup that decides who stays relevant and could put some pep in their step going forward.

Meanwhile, Tyler Evans (44-49-3) just posted a perfect 12-0-0 week… and is somehow still sitting near the bottom half. The near non-existent production of AL MVP runner-up and newly IL'd Cal Raleigh shows that it has been a grind thus far for Evans. Bryce Harper has picked up the slack, going off in the Phillies weekend series against the Pirates. That tells you everything about how deep the hole was, and how urgent every matchup now becomes.

Don't forget about Andrew Westlaken (40-47-9). After a tough 8-3 loss to Jarrod Culver, Westlaken looks ahead to this weeks opponent Mike McClymont with both teams looking to rebound. Thankful for the Southside Samurai Munetaka Murakami's insane start to the 2026 season, and now heating up Nick Kurts and Riley Greene, a surge could ensue.

Matchups of the Week (Week 9)

🔥 Jason Fishpool vs Josh Goodings

This is the headline.

Third place vs first place. Early returns favour Goodings. If this holds, it’s a massive statement and could create real separation at the top.

⚔️ Mitchell Hurtubise vs Dave McLeod

This one’s already getting out of hand, although time is still plentiful to flip the script.

Two words; Cam Schlittler. The young Yankees phenom is proving through the early parts of the MLB season the absences of Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon aren't detrimental. The Yankees are doing just fine with the Massachusetts native bearing the load, as well as Hurtubise with him leading the charge for his squad.

McLeod counters with seasoned veteran Zach Wheeler who has returned to his usual form posting a sub 2.00 ERA this season.

Hurtubise is dominating early, and if this turns into a blowout, McLeod’s grip on a top-five spot could slip fast.

⚖️ Jarrod Culver vs Percy Thomas

Deadlocked.

Culver's IL is looking like the penalty boxes in the Philly vs Pittsburgh NHL playoff series this year. Besides the contributions of young studs Elly De La Cruz and Ben Rice, consistency has eluded his offence. With the injury to Clay Holmes for the foreseeable future someone else in his rotation needs to step up. Saves are almost non-existent for Culver.

Thomas had to be delighted to see Blue Jays OF Daulton Varsho have a productive week. The Jays-heavy squad is living and dying with the fate of the team. The under-performance of fan-favourite aging star George Springer and spark plug Jarren Duran is leaving Thomas stuck in the middle of the pack. These are the matchups that define seasons. Both teams are on the fringe and one of them needs this badly.

🚨 Tyler Evans vs Austin Patrick

This might be the strangest matchup of the week.

Evans is coming off perfection… and currently getting crushed by Austin Patrick who’s sitting dead last in the standings but suddenly looks alive.

Too little, too late? Maybe. But it’s shaking things up. The week is still young!

Falling Behind: The Gap Is Real

At the bottom, the climb is getting steeper:

• Braeden Price (35-53-8) got shut out last week and is struggling again. The arms have been his saving grave and provided consistent positive results, but the sticks are just not sticking. Who expected Fernando Tatis Jr. would have no homers 50 games in? Certainly not Price.

• Luke Todd (39-49-8) isn’t gaining ground. Main stay studs like Freddie Freeman and Randy Arozarena aren't putting up all-star calibre numbers. Any more of this will cost Todd a shot at clawing his way back into the fold.

• Austin Patrick (31-58-7) may be winning now, but the overall record leaves little margin.

At this point, it’s not just about winning; it’s about winning big and getting help. And it seems that he may have left newly healthy and returning hot Mookie Betts on his IL. Will he set his lineup this week? Stay tuned to find out!

Final Take

This is where the league turns.

The top three: Goodings, Hurtubise, & Fishpool are beginning to separate. The middle is fighting for survival. And the bottom? Running out of runway.

Week 9 isn’t just another week.

It’s the beginning of the endgame. The halfway point of the regular season his right in front of everyone. With 14 total teams and only 8 making the post season, the herd is soon to be thinned. So set your lineups, check the wire, and see where you can improve your team before it's too little, too late.