Two Tampa Bay Rays hitters are rostered in more than 50% of ESPN's standard leagues, which is odd because the Rays are roughly "middle of the pack" in terms of runs scored. However, for this month they are in the top 10. OK, so most of us enjoy Tommy Pham and Austin Meadows, but the rest of the offense relies mostly on depth. Some of those depth hitters -- mainly in the infield -- have done well lately. That should interest fantasy managers!
Here we go with another free-agent blog entry to help uncover the fantasy hitters and pitchers who deserve more attention, as well as others who, well, do not. Feel free to share your thoughts (as if you need prompting!) with me on Twitter.
Corner infield
Below 50% must add: And we start with the Rays! This week, we look at infielders Yandy Diaz, Nate Lowe and Michael Brosseau. Each can hit for power and, potentially, for average. Each is on the most added list. Perhaps each will stop hitting soon, too. The latter two are certainly not safe in terms of playing time when Brandon Lowe returns (whenever that might be), but still, the Rays know what they are doing. Follow their lead. In order, I would go Diaz first, then Lowe, and finally Brosseau. (We shall get to the Rays hitter who actually leads the club in home runs when we discuss middle infield.)
Worth adding: I am certainly intrigued by Chicago Cubs newcomer Robel Garcia, eligible at third base and with second base to come, after he played last season in Italy. He has power and opportunity. First basemen Garrett Cooper from the Miami Marlins and Brandon Belt from the San Francisco Giants are what they are, but Garcia could be more. As for Milwaukee Brewers disappointment Jesus Aguilar, his past few weeks have looked like his 2018 campaign. Perhaps he can still help us. Baltimore Orioles afterthought Renato Nunez has been helping us by hitting for power.
Mixed-league stash: I guess Detroit Tigers third baseman Jeimer Candelario could still emerge as what we thought he would be, but I have doubts.
Drop 'em: OK, I've had enough waiting on St. Louis Cardinals disappointment Matt Carpenter, now back on the injured list. It is just not happening. The same goes for Cincinnati Reds icon Joey Votto, unfortunately. No homers and just three RBIs in three weeks? Enough. Seattle Mariners All-Star Daniel Vogelbach is in a big slump, and there is ample power elsewhere. Because there is, moving on from the likes of Boston Red Sox rookie Michael Chavis and Minnesota Twins slugger C.J. Cron is fine. Washington Nationals infielder Howie Kendrick simply does not play enough, but the team is winning.
Don't drop 'em: One slump for Orioles slugger Trey Mancini, and people are moving on. That's not wise. He reminded you of his importance by homering twice on Wednesday. I will wait a bit more on Kansas City Royals surprise Hunter Dozier, too.
Middle infield
Below 50% must add: Brewers starter Keston Hiura led my blog entry on Wednesday. He is a legit hitter, perhaps a five-category option. As for Texas Rangers utility option Danny Santana, should I apologize? It is the second half of July, he is still hitting better than .300 and he still could reach both 20 homers (he homered twice on Wednesday) and 20 steals. It's stunning, but yeah, go for it. He keeps playing and somehow keeps hitting. (It's the baseballs. We use that for everything.)
Worth adding: Pittsburgh Pirates leadoff man Kevin Newman is a lot like Los Angeles Angels leadoff man David Fletcher. They both make contact, hit for average and can run a little. Fantasy managers could do worse. Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons also makes contact and hits high in the order. Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford does not, and, despite a great week at Coors Field, I think if you add him today, you will probably want to move on in two weeks' time. Philadelphia Phillies leadoff man Scott Kingery is on the drop list because of a predictable slump, as he swings at everything, but he remains a leadoff hitter with speed. I would rather have Kingery than Robinson Cano.
Mixed-league stash: Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette, having proven all he needs to in the minors, is one of the few prospect hitters to still stash for this season. He will hit, I think, better than his teammate Cavan Biggio.
Drop 'em: I understand why you might move on from New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius, but I think power numbers are pending. The same goes for Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett. Be a bit patient. With Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor, there seems little risk in moving on. Definitely move on from injured Chris Taylor and Tommy La Stella.
Don't drop 'em: Tampa Bay's Brandon Lowe -- a deserving All-Star, by the way -- could return any day and hit for power, even if the batting average falls (which it might not necessarily do). Carlos Correa and Paul DeJong should not be on the drop list. You should know better!
Outfield
Below 50% must add: I do not know what Oakland Athletics star Ramon Laureano needs to do for your affection. He has been a top-five outfielder for the past month and sits at No. 12 for the season. You see his defensive highlights on SportsCenter, but he hits, too. It is somewhat similar for Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Alex Verdugo and Royals slugger Jorge Soler. The former keeps hitting for average; the latter provides power. They are proving it. What more do we need? The Rangers have Hunter Pence back, and I think he will hit as he did before he got hurt. Cleveland Indians rookie Oscar Mercado is on the most-dropped list, but that is ill-advised if you want a 15-homer, 15-steal option. I do!
Worth adding: Tampa Bay's Kevin Kiermaier is always on this list. He runs. Cardinals bodybuilder Tyler O'Neill has power that nobody disputes, but that shiny batting average can go only one way with that K-rate. I call him more of a stash than an add. Proven Angel Kole Calhoun seems a better, safer choice. The Yankees' Brett Gardner remains productive and, if one needs steals (and who doesn't?) then San Diego Padres defender Manuel Margot is providing them.
Mixed-league stash: Houston Astros minor leaguer Kyle Tucker can clearly hit and could become the team's first baseman soon. The Phillies promoted Nick Williams (again!) because Jay Bruce is hurt. Hey, take a chance. For some players, the emergence comes unannounced. Williams hit in the minors. Also, I would say the Rangers' Willie Calhoun, but after another demotion, perhaps he needs a new organization.
Drop 'em: Adam Jones, Wil Myers, Stephen Piscotty and Ryan Braun are hardly newcomers in this section, but the Rangers' Nomar Mazara is. If the Rangers are thinking of demoting him, that speaks volumes. Arizona's David Peralta is hurt, and perhaps you cannot wait. I think the Twins' Byron Buxton returns soon, but he was not exactly starring statistically anyway.
Don't drop 'em: Nobody obvious comes to mind. The Braves' Austin Riley is (quite predictably) hurting your batting average, so I can see it. Franmil Reyes is like Soler, as the power is legit, but that skill set is simply not as in demand as it used to be.
Catcher
Worth adding: Unless managers are relying on Gary Sanchez, J.T. Realmuto or Yasmani Grandal, and perhaps Twins surprise Mitch Garver, they should be streaming the position -- and there is much to stream lately. Rejuvenated Ray Travis d'Arnaud -- I am as surprised as you are -- smacked three opposite-field blasts in a recent game and deserves our attention until, well, he does not. That is the catcher position for you. Cleveland's Roberto Perez has 16 home runs. Toronto rookie Danny Jansen is improving, but I would prefer Arizona's Carson Kelly, who is proving he was ready for the big leagues. Boston's Christian Vazquez has improved. I take Vazquez first, then Perez, then Jansen and d'Arnaud. For right now, each is a reasonable top-10 catcher choice because only right now matters.
Mixed-league stash: Rookie Jansen makes sense here, and I still say if the Dodgers ever call up Will Smith and just play him regularly, that is a top-10 fantasy choice right away.
Drop 'em: Anyone not already named in the two preceding paragraphs. Goodbye Yadier Molina and Buster Posey. We thank you for the memories, but memories do not buy fantasy titles.
Don't drop 'em: I would keep injured Cub Willson Contreras. He might return next week. You can wait.
Starting pitcher
Below 50% must add: It is all contextual here and based on matchups for the next fortnight or so. That is, unless the pitcher really is a must add, which Cincinnati's Sonny Gray, Minnesota's Michael Pineda and the Dodgers' Ross Stripling might be. I like those right-handers and cannot argue with the recent performance from the Giants' Jeff Samardzija, the Indians' Zach Plesac and Arizona rookie Alex Young, who might be like Miami's Jordan Yamamoto, but what's wrong with that?
Worth adding: Of the recent trade acquisitions, I vote for Oakland's Homer Bailey over Boston's Andrew Cashner. Is either really worth it? Yeah, I guess so, depending on league size. I do not feel great about Oakland's Brett Anderson and Daniel Mengden or the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright. I would prefer the Giants' Tyler Beede and Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia.
Mixed-league stash: There's not much, really. Oakland left-hander Jesus Luzardo got hurt again. Astros right-hander Forrest Whitley remains sidelined. The Tigers and Phillies do not appear to be promoting their pitching prospects. Frankly, Tampa Bay southpaw Brendan McKay belongs in this section.
Drop 'em: Tampa Bay's Tyler Glasnow might be done, unfortunately. If you want to cut the injured Max Fried or Zack Wheeler, just be wary, because the former has a blister, and that is rarely serious. The latter is good. Drop San Diego rookie Logan Allen and any Phillies starters not named Nola, though.
Don't drop 'em: I will wait longer for clarity on Cleveland right-hander Carlos Carrasco.
Relief pitcher
Below 50% must add: We've got lots to choose from, led by Oakland All-Star Liam Hendriks, but also including the Royals' Ian Kennedy, the Braves' Luke Jackson, the Twins' Taylor Rogers and the Angels' Hansel Robles. So many saves are available it dilutes the market a bit.
Mixed-league stash: Boston's Nathan Eovaldi is about the only one that makes sense here. Why stash a setup man from any team when so many usable closers are available in the first place?
Drop 'em: Nobody fits here since not so many saves are being added.
Don't drop 'em: Oakland's Blake Treinen is the obvious name, but I still keep him.
Wednesday's takeaways
Padres right-hander Chris Paddack took a no-hitter into the eighth inning at Miami and, perhaps this is because of the current era, but all I could think about was whether the manager would allow him to finish it. You know, with pitch counts and all that bunk, and the fact he is a rookie and that letting him cross the 100-pitch barrier would probably make his arm fall off and ruin a promising career. Give me a break! Alas, Starlin Castro homered. We will never know if Kirby Yates would have finished the organization's first no-hitter ever. Paddock is great. Nobody denies this, but can I promise you the team allows him to pitch more than, say, twice in September? Nope! That is why it does make sense to float his name in fantasy trade talks before he pitches again.
Perhaps nobody cares anymore, but Castro totes a .280 OBP into today's action, and four qualified hitters are actually performing worse in the category! The others are all into double digits in home runs, though, and Kevin Pillar plays great defense, so it is apparently OK. The others are Jay Bruce, Rougned Odor and the Oakland player mentioned below. Once, long ago, Castro did have a run as a reliable, top-10 second baseman. Now, he is certainly not. What a fall!
Speaking of which, Athletics disappointment Jurickson Profar was one of six players to hit a pair of home runs yesterday. It's been a miserable season for him -- on both offense and defense -- and I always wonder about batsmen when they only seem to produce against bad pitching. Seattle has bad pitching. I would leave Profar in free agency. Too many fantasy managers keep players based on previous season's stats. It is mid-July. Profar could turn his season around, but there are few indications.
I do not say this to be mean, but can you believe that Blue Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez was 15-2 and won the AL ERA title in 2016? It almost pains me to watch him pitch now, as he has lost 10 consecutive starts. He is 3-14 with a 6.26 ERA and remains rostered in 5.6% of leagues. That's more teams than Homer Bailey was on prior to his being traded to Oakland. I'm just saying.
Angels right-hander Felix Pena, in his first outing since combining for a no-hitter against the awful Mariners, was treated rudely by the Astros. There were eight runs scored in his time on the mound. Context is important.
Speaking of the Astros, they had no room for slugging first baseman A.J. Reed, and the Chicago White Sox did. Perhaps nothing major happens, but Reed homered on Wednesday and there is a "Dan Vogelbach vibe" here, if he gets to play regularly.
Want some positivity? OK, so perhaps I have not been so fair to Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish, but the numbers say ... well, what do they say? Darvish was great on Wednesday. He has issued one walk in three outings. His overall K-rate is outstanding, and his WHIP is solid. His ERA is not solid, because of the outings when he does walk people -- and a home run per outing is not great. Darvish does deserve a place among the top-40 starters.
Health report
Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi hit the injured list again with a bum shoulder, but the team claims this will not be a long absence. Is a month a long time? You cannot cut Mondesi in fantasy because he is capable of a 10-steal month, and I am not sure anyone else in the sport is at this point. I mean, look around. Will anyone steal 40 bases this season? If Mondesi's absence stretches on, nobody will.
There's good news on the Corey Kluber front, and I think he deserves our attention in case he pitches like a Cy Young winner going forward (and not the April version). Trust the guy. Somehow, the Indians are potentially playoff bound despite missing Kluber, Carrasco and Mike Clevinger for much of the season. Clevinger fanned 12 in six dominant innings on Wednesday.
Closing time
Reasonable minds can disagree, but I am like 90% sure that if the Giants trade closer Will Smith, the next man up is the one who saved Wednesday's win. Mark Melancon is untradeable. I think his history of saves and his contract makes him next in line.
Brandon Workman saved another Boston win, and if Nathan Eovaldi has a physical setback, perhaps that would mean something. It still could. Eovaldi could join the active roster as soon as this weekend, and a fantasy manager simply cannot wait until after he saves a game to claim him. Get him now just in case, but in a deep league, look at Workman, too.
W2W4
Trade chips battle in San Francisco on Thursday night as Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard and Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner aim to prove themselves as top-20 starting pitchers again! Neither currently cracks the top 46 among starting pitchers on the Player Rater -- Bumgarner is No. 47, and Syndergaard is No. 58. The recent San Francisco win streak might keep Bumgarner from a trade, which is ridiculous, of course, but we have seen wild-card teams win the World Series. Bumgarner did it. For fantasy, which might be all you care about, I think it is wise to "sell high" today on each ace because their names might matter more than their statistical impact. In other words, do not assume either pitcher suddenly pitches great. "Hug watch" is also on for Rangers left-hander Mike Minor on Friday, but most trades should probably happen right up to the July 31 deadline.
Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN features a pair of likely playoff teams in the Nationals and Braves. Rookie outfielders Victor Robles and Austin Riley are headed in different directions for fantasy managers -- the former being added because he steals bases, the latter on the dropped list due to a significant slump. Hey, rookies are dangerous! Riley is hitting .159 in July with a .520 OPS, and Ender Inciarte might come off the injured list this weekend to steal playing time.
Most recent KaraBlogs
Wednesday, July 17: Hiura, other Top-10 rookie hitters
Tuesday, July 16: Closer report: Kennedy, Rogers worth it
Monday, July 15: Awesome Laureano, Gurriel, weekend wrap
All-Star week: Future's Game: Adell, Gore, N.Jones
Closer report: Yates, Greene, Hendriks
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