And out like a Jake Lamb after season ending shoulder surgery. Stash or Trash: Trash. If you’re in a dynasty league, however, I’d definitely stash Lamb. He’s expected to be ready for spring training 2019. Lamb is still only 27 and has 100/30/100 potential with upside for more while hitting right in the thick of that awesome Diamondbacks lineup. In my opinion, if they can keep the majority of their roster intact the Diamondbacks have World Series potential in 2019. Fill In: Wilmer Flores (6.9%.) As a part time player the past three seasons, Flores really has some solid seasons. In those three seasons he averaged onl 375 ABs with 17 HRs and 53 RBI with a .754 OPS. With the Mets throwing in the towel after making 0 moves of significance at the deadline, Flores now finds himself batting third in the Mets lineup and hitting pretty well since the start of July: .308 AVG, 11 XBHs, 14 runs, 12 RBI. Flores also has that dual 1B/3B eligibility that makes him even more valuable.
- J.A. Happ, SP, Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: I didn’t know J.A. and Noah Syndergaard were so acquainted. Stash or Trash: Stash the new Yankee. He’s expected to start tomorrow if you’re reading this on Wednesday. If you’re reading this on Thursday: today! If you’re reading this on Friday: yesterday. Fill in: With six starting pitchers on the DL I’m going to make my SP recommendations at the bottom of this article rather than force myself to suggest someone I don’t fully buy into.
- Ian Kinsler, 2B, Strained Hamstring: Right after I mentioned that Kinsler was someone I was watching to add to my top 100 hitters column he remembers, “Oh yea, I’m Ian Kinsler. On the DL is where I belong.” Kinsler was placed on the DL on August 3rd and is only expected to miss the minimum 10 days. Stash or Trash: Stash. I like what Kinsler has been doing over his past two weeks (11 runs, 1 HR, 3 SB, .528 OBP) and is now in the best lineup in baseball. Fill In: Jonathan Villar (14.6%.) Villar unfortunately did the opposite of Kinsler. He went away from one of the best lineups in baseball to the Orioles. In his four games with Baltimore he has 8 hits in 17 ABs with a HR and a stolen base. If Villar goes one one of those “oh yea?! I’ll show you!” type streaks he could lead you to fantasy baseball glory over these final two months.
- Carlos Martinez, SP, Throwing Shoulder Strain: CMart again?! Feels like just three weeks ago I was writing about you in here — oh yea, because I was. He made one start after his return from an oblique injury, he probably overcompensated for that injury possibly not being 100% healed, and now he’s about to miss three to four starts with this latest injury. Stash or Trash: Stash, but be bitter about it. Fill in: With six starting pitchers on the DL I’m going to make my SP recommendations at the bottom of this article rather than force myself to suggest someone I don’t fully buy into.
- Steven Matz, SP, Flexor Pronator Strain: With an injury to his throwing forearm you’d think Matz would miss more than one start, but here we are and the Mets are hopeful he will only miss one more start. Stash or Trash: Trash because he’s been that over much of the season. Fill in: With six starting pitchers on the DL I’m going to make my SP recommendations at the bottom of this article rather than force myself to suggest someone I don’t fully buy into.
- Lance McCullers, SP, Throwing Elbow Discomfort: McCullers is expected to be out until at least the beginning of September with this injury. Don’t for a single second act surprised! This guy loves the disabled list. He was born in it, molded by it! He didn’t see a starting lineup until he was already a man, by then he was on the DL again! Stash or Trash: You should still stash him though. Fill in: With six starting pitchers on the DL I’m going to make my SP recommendations at the bottom of this article rather than force myself to suggest someone I don’t fully buy into.
- Wil Myers, 1B, Foot Contusion & Bone Bruise: Danger, danger Wil Myers! You’re falling into the OLD Wil Myers way of doing things — injured all the time. To be fair, he is only expected to miss the minimum 10 days and return on August 14th. Stash or Trash: Stash. When healthy Wil Myers is Paul Goldschmidt-adjace. Fill In: Jake Bauers (37.7%.) No, the .235 AVG isn’t great right now, but the .838 OPS in 52 games at age 22 with 9 HRs and 4 SBs? Dynasty/keeper gold! If Wil Myers is Paul Goldschmidt-adjace then Jake Bauers is Paul Goldschmidt-adjace-esque.
- Tommy Pham, OF, Fractured Foot: Unfortunately Rays fans (are there Rays fans?) will be without their new deadline acquisition for at least a month after Pham was hit by a pitch on his foot. Stash or Trash: Stash. It feels like a long time, but Pham’s power/speed combo is becoming increasingly harder to find. Fill In: Mark Trumbo (21.2%.) Sure, Trumbo is capable of hitting 50 HRs, but he’s also 23 with a .234 AVG like he did last year in 146 games. Well Trumbo has been switched on since July 1st. He’s hitting .273 with 17 runs, 7 HRs and 16 RBI in that time. Trumbo and the Orioles have nothing to lose so let him swing away.
- Tyler Skaggs, SP, Adductor Strain: After letting up more runs in his last start than he allowed in his previous 8 starts combined, Skaggs was sent to the showers. He’s only expected to miss one start which puts him on track to start Saturday. Stash or Trash: Stash like hell! The former 1st round pick is finally living up to that pedigree with a 3.11 FIP over 113+ innings and a 9.4 K/9. Betchya bottom dollar that Skaggs is currently on a lot of championship bound teams. Fill in: With six starting pitchers on the DL I’m going to make my SP recommendations at the bottom of this article rather than force myself to suggest someone I don’t fully buy into.
- George Springer, OF, Sprained Thumb: Early reports had me shook that Georgie was about to miss a big chunk of time down here. Astros manager AJ Hinch is now thinking Springer may be back after the 10 day deadline. Stash or Trash: Stash. He’ll float back into the lineup sooner than we all thought. They all float. Fill In: Steven Souza Jr. (17.8%.) What started out looking like a lost season after a .163 AVG and a 40 game DL stint has slowly been turning around since Souza returned. Since he came back on July 5th he’s hitting .295 with 19 RBI. Only 3 HRs and 2 SBs — but if he keeps racking up the hits you can’t get that upset considering how all he’ll cost you is a waiver claim.
- Alex Wood, SP, Adductor Tendinitis: Don’t worry, don’t worry. I don’t want you to do what everyone thinks you’re gonna do and FREAK OUT man! This is just T.D.B.: typical Dodger behavior. Cycling through their starting pitchers on the disabled list. Wood might miss a start or two or three, but this team has title aspirations and is being creative with keeping their starting pitchers fr-fr-fresh for the playoffs. Stash or Trash: Stash. Fill in: With six starting pitchers on the DL I’m going to make my SP recommendations at the bottom of this article rather than force myself to suggest someone I don’t fully buy into.
Starting Pitcher Recommendations:
- Mike Minor (12.4%): Some of us had Mike Minor as a deep sleeper going into this season, but seeing his ERA balloon to 5.76 at the end of May. Since that point, however, Minor has seen his ERA drop a whole run allowing only a .209 BAA with a 3.26 ERA in that time.
- Ryan Borucki (9.6%): Borucki sounds like a bad word in Yiddish or a delicious type of Turkish bread, but in fantasy baseball circles it means: dominant young starter in a small sample size. Borucki only has one poor start (3 IP, 4 ER, 12 base runners) on the year, but it was against the Red Sox so cut him slack. He hasn’t allowed over 2 ERs in any of his other 6 starts including an impressive 8 shutout inning performance against the Mariners on Friday. His 2.53 FIP is really close to his 2.30 ERA so this could be legit. I think there will be a bit of course correction going forward as teams watch footage of him pitching. You can bench him in his next start against Boston, but his start after that against Kansas City? Could become another 7+ shutout inning affair.
- Tyler Glasnow (7.5%): His awful 5.74 ERA in 144+ big league innings probably makes you forget about how amazing Glasnow was in the minors. In 593ish minor league innings Glasnow has a 2.02 ERA with an 11.9 K/9. “Yea, sure Kerry, but that was probably mostly in the low minors.” Guess again dingus. In his 245 AAA innings he has a 1.95 ERA with an 11.8 K/9. Still only 24, Glasnow is now being given the opportunity to start again after his trade to Tampa Bay. It is still early, but after his first two short starts (they’re building up his pitch count after relieving for most of the season) Glasnow has thrown 7 innings with only 2 ERs allowed and 14 Ks. Sometimes all you need is just a fresh team and a fresh chance to show what you’ve got.
