St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez entered the 2018 season as a top-20 starting pitcher in fantasy, expected to repeat his 2017 feats of double-digit wins, at least 200 strikeouts and solid returns in ERA and WHIP. All looked fine for roughly four months, despite a few short disabled list stints for an oblique strain, as Martinez entered August with a 3.41 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 100⅓ innings. OK, so perhaps he was no longer a definite top-20 starter, but at least he was rostered everywhere and there remained reasonably high hopes.
Then Martinez's right shoulder barked. That injury changed everything.
Fantasy managers started parting ways with Hicks last week, in part due to his performance, but also because the Cardinals really did not have much to save in May, registering two saves in five chances. Hicks got them. John Gant saved Sunday's win when Hicks could not. Who is next? Flip a coin. Manager Mike Shildt has said little about his plans, noting "Jordan will be fine," and that is probably true. However, he is 22 years old and loses control at times. On Sunday, it seemed he did not know where the baseball was going. In a recent outing against the Braves, Hicks retired nary a hitter and allowed three runs. Martinez took the closer role from Hicks last September and it seems 50-50 he does so again.
Shildt has more options than most, of course. Hicks should be a top closer. The unorthodox Gant is having a terrific season, best in the bullpen. Martinez is throwing his fastball at 96 mph -- far above his starting days -- and experienced the role last September. Miller has experience and five consecutive scoreless outings, though right-handers are having little trouble with him this season. I think Hicks gets the next save chance. As an investor, I want it to go well. However, Martinez lurks, and for those in NL-only formats or deeper mixed, I see saves in his future. Be prepared.
Monday takeaways
• The Chicago Cubs wasted little time in promoting recent signee Carlos Gonzalez to the majors, and he started in right field and hit fifth. The outfield-needy Indians cut CarGo last week, and that speaks volumes. I think the Cubs will soon find that the former Rockies star lacks bat speed and cannot help much outside of Coors Field, but whatever. Fantasy managers have to know better. Gonzalez made a stupendous diving catch to immediately ingratiate himself to his new team, and he reached base twice. If you're in an NL-only format and looking for one of the new outfielders to the league, I would still go with new Philadelphia Phillies acquisition Jay Bruce. His power is legit, and he will play more.
• Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder David Peralta came off the injured list and assumed his normal No. 3 lineup spot, though facing Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler on this night was difficult. Peralta is a solid fantasy option. The Diamondbacks kept outfielder Tim Locastro active, rather than demoting him, and that is a tad interesting because he has five stolen bases over 61 plate appearances and he gets on base. Locastro has 13 hits, six walks and has been plunked by an astounding nine pitches already. He can play middle infield and outfield, and if the opportunity arises, he will steal bases.
• Buehler dominated the lineup, allowing nary a base runner until rejuvenated Christian Walker homered in the fifth inning. Only one other hitter reached base in eight innings, and he fanned 11. He has allowed one run or fewer in four of five outings and has fanned six or more in seven consecutive. This is looking like a top-10 starting pitcher, folks, and one with more staying power than Hyun-Jin Ryu.
• The Milwaukee Brewers sent second baseman Keston Hiura back to Triple-A and angered many a fantasy manager not only because there seemed little justification for the demotion but because they did it roughly five minutes after the start of the first game of the fantasy week (Angels-Cubs), meaning those in weekly leagues could not remove Hiura from lineups. Hiura hit .281 with five home runs in 17 games, and that .864 OPS sure trumps what Travis Shaw was doing before his injury. To be fair, Hiura was showing little plate discipline and rough defensive work, but Shaw is hitting .163 with a 32.5 percent strikeout rate and will not earn a Gold Glove any time soon himself. Which player deserves to play? That said (a bit angrily), let us not assume Shaw is this bad. He topped 30 home runs the past two seasons. I would like to say Hiura returns to the majors soon, but that is hardly a guarantee if Shaw and Mike Moustakas hit and stay healthy. Didn't your mama tell you life isn't always fair?
Health report
• Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen seems headed for the injured list after suffering a sprained left knee in the first inning Monday. Bruce entered the game in left field and figures to remain there for a while. Bruce will hit for power but little else. McCutchen was hitting for power and scoring many runs, and his absence will be felt. Look for second baseman Cesar Hernandez to assume leadoff duties, upping his value for runs scored, but nobody on this club will accrue myriad stolen bases. Adam Haseley, the third player to debut from the 2017 draft, gets a promotion and he could handle regular center-field duties, but it is premature to look his way in mixed leagues.
• Kansas City Royals third baseman Hunter Dozier injured his side last Thursday, but the Royals waited until late afternoon Monday -- of course they did! -- to place him on the injured list. Awesome! Cheslor Cuthbert should play regularly. Dozier and his .987 OPS really are worth keeping rostered, even in ESPN standard formats, and he should not miss extended time.
Closing time
• Houston Astros setup man Ryan Pressly earned his third save. Closer Roberto Osuna did not seem to need a day off, but the Astros have such a commanding division lead, they can do whatever they want, really. We have discussed Pressly quite a bit in the Tuesday Closer Reports, noting he is a top handcuff should something befall the closer and thrives at run prevention, but he provides neither a ton of innings nor monster strikeout totals, as do others that permit more runs.
• There are rumblings that Seattle Mariners right-hander Hunter Strickland is approaching a rehab assignment for his strained lat. I have little reason not to believe the rumors. However, the Mariners are just awful since those aberrant first two weeks. They earned two saves in May, just like the Cardinals and Royals. The Mariners are bad. Projecting save totals, even for terrible clubs, is dangerous. Miami Marlins right-hander Sergio Romo saved seven games in May, and only three hurlers had more. Add Strickland at your peril and perhaps he saves more games than Romo the rest of the way, but I do not think it will be much fun watching it. I would stick with Romo.
W2W4
• The Minnesota Twins boast a 9½-game lead over the floundering Indians, so their first head-to-head series since the first week seems like an important one for the sub-.500 club. Lefty Devin Smeltzer makes his second start for the Twins, facing inconsistent Shane Bieber, who is a personal fave of this writer, but even I would avoid him in this matchup. The Twins get designated hitter Nelson Cruz back, and even sans the slugger they easily lead the sport in runs scored. Bieber fanned 15 Orioles three starts ago. Then he walked four Rays in five inefficient innings in his next outing, and then the Red Sox hit three home runs off him. We have no idea what Bieber will do from outing to outing. He is No. 29 among starters on the Player Rater.
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