I want to start this column off by congratulating Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester for his no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals May 19. So, without further adieu, congratulations Jon!

On the season, Lester is 3-2 with 42 strikeouts, 31 walks, a 3.41 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 66 innings. Over his last five starts, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound southpaw is 2-0 with 26 strikeouts, 12 walks, a 1.57 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP in 34 1/3 innings. His pitches are electric, his velocity has been dominant and his overall tenacious demeanor has morphed the once tentative hurler into a breakout stud. I’m not going to lie to you, I didn’t really see Lester’s rise to stardom coming. But when he tossed the no-hitter against the Royals, I saw a 24-year-old pitcher transforming right in front of my eyes. Lester should maintain his streak of solid starts, so grabbing him from a fellow owner is highly recommended as he has solidified himself as a definitive fourth option on any fantasy roster. Not to mention, he has been absolutely dominant inside the vibrant walls of Fenway Park this year while maintaining a solid 2.72 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP and a staunch .204 clip hit off him by opposing hackers in 39 2/3 innings.

It’s time to start keeping tabs on Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria. On the season, the 22-year-old rookie is hitting .246 with five home runs, 20 RBIs, 16 runs scored and three stolen bases in 126 at-bats. Over his last 10 contests, the Long Beach State alum has hit .308 with one home run, six RBIs, five runs scored and one stolen base in 39 at-bats. His swing is as sweet as a Slush Puppie and his baseball prowess is top-notch. His future value shines like a brightly shined diamond when you consider that the phenom hit .299 last season with 26 dingers, 95 RBIs, 97 runs scored and four stolen bases in 485 at-bats between Tampa’s Triple-A affiliate in Durham and Double-A affiliate in Montgomery. However, Longoria is horrendous against left-handed hurlers with a puke-worthy .133 average thus far, but against right-handed pitchers he’s cranking at a decent .281 clip. In regards to Longoria’s flaws, his futility against southpaws and knack to swing and miss, which is exemplified by his 37 whiffs on the year, are noticeable scars. However, he’s a fantastic young player that is worth a shot if you have the room for nurturing a talent that could make a sickening impact come August.

I’ve always known that Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth had the potential to make an astounding impact ever since I saw him mash home runs out of Shea Stadium during batting practice last season. Up to this point, it’s safe to say that the 29-year-old has been robbed of crucial playing time year after year since his first Major League Baseball hack for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2002. I mean, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound goliath smacked three dingers with eight RBIs against the Blue Jays May 16. On the season, Werth is hitting .270 with nine home runs, 26 RBIs, 21 runs scored and seven stolen bases in 126 at-bats. In addition, he’s sporting a .885 OPS and is hitting at a nice .321 clip against left-handed hurlers. My recommendation of Werth comes with extreme caution. Due to his horrendous inconsistencies against right-handed pitching this year, which his noted by a .233 mark against them, he’s being used more as a left-handed specialist. But in deep mixed formats, he is undoubtedly worth a flier with the hopes that he can transmit his success against left-handers to right-handers as well. We shall see, but for now, if you have the room, he deserves a roster spot for the time being.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick is for real folks. On the season, he’s hitting .341 with 12 dingers, 32 RBIs, 29 runs scored and two stolen bases in 126 at-bats. Not to mention, he has a disgusting 1.176 OPS. The true determining factor here is this. In 2007, Ludwick hit .267 with 14 home runs, 52 RBIs, 42 runs scored and a .818 OPS in 303 at-bats. He sports a lifetime average against right-handers of .298 and has registered a .800-plus OPS in each of his last two campaigns, which shows an obvious trend of gradual improvement. His tenacity and grit are key ingredients to his tasty game, and I fully expect the 29-year-old to maintain his solid pace this season and provide his owners with a constant smile.

Just a few quick notes to ease your mind, I love Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Greg Smith. He’s 24, and has 46 strikeouts on the season, which includes 10 that he notched in a game against the Texas Rangers in early May. Not to mention, his 1.18 WHIP screams sign me. If I were you, I’d listen to his WHIP.

Also, I told you so in regards to Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Edinson Volquez. A 7-1 record with 62 strikeouts, 30 walks, a 1.33 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 54 1/3 innings says a lot. I hope you took advantage of my sick advice, because I know I did.

One more thing, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Chad Billingsley will finish in the top-three in strikeouts amongst MLB pitchers. Just so you know he currently sits happily tied for fourth in whiffs (60) amongst MLB squads with injured San Diego Padres starting pitcher Jake Peavy (elbow). If you ask me, Peavy’s done for the year.

Thanks for reading!

Rob McCarthy has played fantasy sports since the days of tediously transferring his daily points from the Boston Herald to a tattered notepad every morning. He has been featured on Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports and currently scribes for KFFL.com. In addition, Rob is an avid fan of all Boston sports.