Riding the mini burst of chess popularity spurring from Garry Kasparov sparing with IBM and the development of Searching Bobby Fischer from book to movie in the 90s, growing up, I was a chess kid. Although I spent my early years playing unfocused chess (the tournaments were lowkey just an underground Pokémon trading ring), eventually I started studying the game and improving under the instruction of a chess tutor.
Although some of the improvement came from studying openings and the endgame, those parts are ultimately the most straightforward. During the openings, the key is knowing your overall strategy and just playing that opening. For the endgame, so few pieces remain, that foreseeing all the moves becomes much simpler.
However, the most difficult portion of getting better was the transition from the opening to the midgame. The possibilities within the middle portion of a chess match are seemingly endless, and finding the best segue is difficult.
That’s where the fantasy baseball season lies now – in that strange land between opening and midgame. Even if you are in last place, you can climb back up those standings. And just like chess, the decision paths are endless.
Do you stay the course of your opening and follow the path by sticking with your original auction values, counting on your players returning to their projections? Or do you make an aggressive move, change strategies, start trading pieces, targeting players that look different after a month?
Either way, now is the time to start aligning your moves for May, June, and July, the midgame of fantasy baseball. And thankfully the wires have created some options to help you through.
The stats and ownership percentages below are updated as of noon central time on 4/28.
As always, if you want advice on specific roster decisions you might have, feel free to leave a comment. You can also find me on twitter (@mcouill7).
CATCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Danny Jansen (TOR, 34% CBS Ownership) – Jansen started the season slower than a Kyle Hendricks fastball with a -22 wRC+ through 4/20 but has been on fire with 3 homers and a 284 wRC+ since. I’m not saying that 4/20 maybe allowed him to reset and explore his mind, but I kind of am saying that. (1-3% FAAB)
Christian Bethancourt (TBR, 29% CBS Ownership) – For all of the tinkering the Rays do with platoons and pitch counts, Bethancourt appears to be in the traditional lion’s share C1 role. He’s currently rocking an 18.4% barrel rate and is the 9th catcher in our Player Rater. Nothing shows that he can’t keep that level of performance up all season. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Keibert Ruiz (WSN, 45% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Shea Langeliers (OAK, 41% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Christian Vazquez (MIN, 28% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Matt Thaiss (LAA, 1% CBS Ownership) – This is just a pure volume play of a projected league-average-ish bat in a strong-side catcher platoon. If you are desperate for a catcher after losing Logan O’Hoppe, Thaiss might have to be your pick in a deep league. (1-3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Joey Bart (SFG, 22% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Mike Zunino (CLE, 21% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Yan Gomes (CHC, 16% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Blake Sabol (SFG, 12% CBS Ownership, 3-5% FAAB), Reese McGuire (BOS, 3% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
INFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Brandon Drury (1B/2B/3B, LAA, 60% CBS Ownership) – Drury’s ownership slipped a little as he started the season cold, but a series against the atrocious Athletics pitching boosted his season stat line back to expectations. The positional eligibility Drury has can be more than enough to make him rosterable as a band-aid while more lineup regulars succumb to injuries. (3% FAAB)
Brice Turang (2B, MIL, 37% CBS Ownership) – Turang has slumped to a 60 wRC+ on the season as he slides into roughly what his scouting profile was after a hot start. The 30% strikeout rate has been a little bit concerning but also comes with a slightly below league average zone swing of 62.8%, so I wonder if he is just being too passive. Now that we have gotten the bad news out of the way, he gets three games in Coors next weekend, which makes him a nice streamer if you are struggling at the 2B/MI spot right now. (3% FAAB)
Ji-Hwan Bae (2B/MI/OF, PIT, 37% CBS Ownership) – Between swiping five bases over two games against the Dodgers and playing for the hot hot hot Pirates team, it’s kind of crazy Bae’s ownership still sits below 50% on CBS. He’s currently on pace for 90+ runs, 12 homers, and 60+ stolen bases, which is absurd, yes, but shows he has found a comfort level high enough to be ownable in all leagues right now. (5% FAAB)
Matt Mervis (1B, CHC, 35% CBS Ownership) – As currently writing this piece, the Cubs designated Luis Torrens for assignment, freeing up a 40-man spot. I speculate the newly opened spot is for Mervis, who immediately becomes viable in every league akin to Vinnie Pasquantino last year. (7-9% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: J.D. Davis (3B, SFG, 50% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), CJ Abrams (SS, WSN, 40% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Zach Neto (SS, LAA, 38% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Jon Berti (2B/3B/SS, MIA, 37% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Spencer Steer (3B, CIN, 33% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Enrique Hernandez (2B/SS/OF, BOS, 32% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Gio Urshela (1B/3B/SS, LAA, 31 % CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Garrett Cooper (1B, MIA, 28% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
J.P. Crawford (SS, SEA, 19% CBS Ownership) – With Drury above, we touched on the Athletics awful pitching, but it is outstandingly, insanely terrible right now. The A’s currently have a team ERA of 8.01 – the next closest is the White Sox at 5.75. Amid the Major League-style tank job happening in Oakland right now, you must start targeting that pitching staff like you would for players visiting Colorado right now. Crawford has been swinging a steady bat so far with regular playing time and should play all three games the Mariners have against Oakland this upcoming week. (1-3% FAAB)
Ezequiel Duran (3B/SS, TEX, 8% CBS Ownership) – When Corey Seager hit the IL, Duran saw a major boost in playing time, and the Rangers have found a way to get him into the lineup nearly every day at 2B, 3B, SS, or DH since. Once again, there isn’t anything too flashy here, just a league average bat that would prorate to low teens homers and steals over a full season. That’s more than useful in deeper leagues. (1-3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Carlos Santana (1B, PIT, 28% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Geraldo Perdomo (SS, ARI, 26% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Rodolfo Castro (2B/3B/SS, PIT, 22% CBS Ownership, 5% FAAB), Jeimer Candelario (3B, WSN, 19% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Wilmer Flores (1B/2B/3B, SFG, 19% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jake Burger (3B, CHW, 17% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB) Luis Garcia (2B/SS, WSN, 12% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Jesus Aguilar (1B, OAK, 7% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Mike Moustakas (COL, 3% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
Paul DeJong (SS, STL, 4% CBS Ownership) – The Cardinals are an absolute mess right now from the horrid pitching staff to Tyler O’Neill drama and Jordan Walker’s strange demotion. One of the beneficiaries of the chaos has been DeJong as John Mozeliak doesn’t understand the concept of a sunk cost when it comes to the shortstop’s contract. However, the Cardinals keep re-tooling DeJong and have him in a groove to where he spent the past week nearly playing every day and punishing the ball. You must ride the hot hand here if he’s available in an NL Only league. (3-5% FAAB)
Kevin Smith (3B/SS, OAK, 1% CBS Ownership) – Smith was a sexy late round pick in 2022 with the trade to the Athletics looking to put him in the driver’s seat for a full-time role after popping a 144 wRC+ at AAA in 2021 for the Blue Jays. He promptly took that car and drove it right into a ravine last year with a 48 wRC+ performance in the majors. Smith might finally be getting comfortable as he’s played shortstop nearly every day, hit two homers, and put up a 113 wRC+ since 4/16. His dual eligibility makes him a huge piece for AL Only leagues. (5-7% FAAB)
OUTFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Joey Gallo (1B/OF, MIN, 59% CBS Ownership) – Gallo hit some waiver wires or had pickups slowed down due that oblique pull he suffered the other week. However, he returned from the injury quickly and has only continued to mash (4 HRs with a 200 wRC+) since. Sometimes you don’t need metrics to believe in someone; Gallo looks like a different person since joining the Twins. Between his apparent dislike of major media pressure and love for a Samson-esque beard, Gallo appears to have put the past season and a half with the Dodgers and Yankees behind him. Most projection systems have him for mid-20’s homers the rest of the way, which he could easily eclipse as he spends all summer feasting upon Tigers, Royals, and White Sox pitching. (5-7% FAAB)
Joey Meneses (1B/OF, WSN, 54% CBS Ownership) – Have you ever bar-hopped before and been dragged out of a locale where the vibes were good and the drinks were strong then forced along to a new spot that had a nursing home lobby-like ambiance? It’s quite the whiplash. Meneses experienced that in his professional life as he enjoyed playing in the WBC with a fun Mexico team only to be shipped back to the bottom-feeding Nationals. His Statcast and plate discipline metrics have roughly been right where they were in 2022, but now he looks to be getting cozy on that floral lobby wingback chair (is coming off a hot week of .357 AVG / .379 OBP / .500 SLG). (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Jorge Soler (MIA, 56% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Esteury Ruiz (OAK, 50% CBS Ownership, 5% FAAB), Brent Rooker (OAK, 46% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Lourdes Gurriel (ARI, 38% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Jack Suwinski (PIT, 37% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Jarren Duran (BOS, 34% CBS Ownership, 3-5% FAAB), Jake Fraley (CIN, 33% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Bryan De La Cruz (MIA, 33% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Jurickson Profar (COL, 29% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Joey Wiemer (MIL, 21% CBS Ownership) – Looks like the kangaroo procreation event I hosted last month was successful, as I have all these Joeys around now. I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a huge Wiemer fan as he climbed the minors because of his strikeout rates and holes up and in and down and away in his swing (it’s also obvious with the eye-test and just natural with his 6’5” frame). But with Garrett Mitchell on the shelf all season due to shoulder surgery, Wiemer will play center the rest of 2023 with a Joey Gallo-like batting average and double-digit homers and steals. Oh yeah, and the Brewers play the Rockies in Coors next weekend. (3-5% FAAB)
LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B/OF, SFG, 4% CBS Ownership) – Wade has started playing nearly every day for the Giants, hitting either leadoff (against righties) or sixth/ninth (against lefties) – but he’s playing against lefties! And he’s crushing the ball, putting up his hardest career batted ball (111.5 MPH) in Statcast. Ride the wave created by Wade’s bat while Gabe Kapler also does. (1-3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Trevor Larnach (MIN, 24% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), TJ Friedl (CIN, 23% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Jose Siri (TBR, 21% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Alek Thomas (ARI, 19% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Victor Robles (WSN, 15% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Alec Burleson (STL, 10% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Matt Carpenter (SDP, 9% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Leody Taveras (TEX, 7% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Matt Vierling (DET, 5% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Conner Capel (OAK, 3% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Jake Meyers (HOU, 2% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
Nick Senzel (CIN, 5% CBS Ownership) – Senzel is a ticking timebomb until his next injury, the difference is that unlike most cinematic situations, all the wires of this bomb will lead to an explosion when cut. You can’t ever defuse the bomb successfully. Don’t invest too much in him, but enjoy the production while he plays. (3-5% FAAB)
Akil Baddoo (DET, 3% CBS Ownership) – Baddoo has found himself back up with the Tigers and playing the strong-side of a platoon in LF. There’s no one in Detroit stopping him from taking that job and running with it all season to the tune of 6-8 homers and 15 steals with a .235 batting average the rest of the way. A bit gross for those steals, but hey, you play in an AL Only league, I know you already like pain. (3-5% FAAB)
STARTING PITCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Tanner Bibee (CLE, 52% CBS Ownership) – Last week, I was feeling cheeky and thought there was a chance Gavin Stone would be up before Bibee just from reading the tea leaves of the Guardians string of pitching transactions. Whoops. Bibee has the chance to be a game-changing top 40 fantasy pitcher the rest of the season and should be a huge priority if he’s still available on your wire. (7-11% FAAB)
Logan Allen (CLE, 50% CBS Ownership) – Allen looked spectacularly solid in his debut and shows he can stick in the rotation as the Guardians seem ready to let the kids loose finally. If he pitched on a different team, he would be fringy for a 12 team league, but pitching in the AL Central will provide easy opponents and wins. (5% FAAB)
Roansy Contreras (PIT, 50% CBS Ownership) – Contreras has posted pitching scores of 73 and 71 in his last two outings and is rounding into the pitcher his prospect pedigree projected. He’s shown league average stuff per Stuff+, but the combination of a good-looking Pirates team so far and nice home park make him viable for at least the next month. Plus, there’s a chance he finds another level as his comps from Baseball Prospectus coming into the year were Lucas Giolito, Taijuan Walker, and Trevor Bauer (blech!). (3-5% FAAB)
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI, 58% CBS Ownership) – Much like Bibee, there’s a good chance Pfaadt has been held since being drafted before the season. But on the chance he’s still on your wire, Pfaadt needs to be added now as the winds of arrival are swirling and the Diamondbacks need to take advantage of a solid start. Just like Bibee, he can be a top 40 pitcher and change the direction of a pitching staff. (7-9% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Domingo German (NYY, 50% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Kyle Bradish (BAL, 48% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Hayden Wesneski (CHC, 44% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Josiah Gray (WSN, 39% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Ranger Suarez (PHI, 35% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Matt Strahm (PHI, 34% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Vince Velasquez (PIT, 33% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), David Peterson (NYM, 30% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Gavin Stone (LAD, 27% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Joey Lucchesi (NYM, 33% CBS Ownership) – Lucchesi’s ownership percentage is a little skewed because I think there are leagues of NYC-only dorks on CBS or something, but he should have availability in 15-team leagues. This is purely a two-start stream for next week as he has outstanding matchups with Rockies at home and then on the road against Tigers. It doesn’t get much better than that. (1-3% FAAB)
Griffin Canning (LAA, 18% CBS Ownership) – The pandemic time warp has messed with my memories, but I remember everyone going bananas for Canning when he was pitching in 2020. The problem with Canning last year was that he walked too many and gave up over 2 HR/9. He looks to have gotten those issues under control by shaving a walk off his BB/9 and is down to a 1.17 HR/9 so far. He should project for around a 9 K/9 and league average-ish ERA rest of season. (3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Tyler Wells (BAL, 27% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Clarke Schmidt (NYY, 22% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Braxton Garrett (MIA, 16% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Peyton Battenfield (CLE, 13% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Rich Hill (PIT, 9% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
Ryan Feltner (COL, 3% CBS Ownership) – Feltner is the first Rockies starting pitcher I’ve featured in any portion of this article so far this year, so you know options are getting thin. He’s put up a 9.7 K/9 so far this year and been solid in his road starts. Never start him at home, and you might find a useful arm. (1-3% FAAB)
Mason Englert (DET, 1% CBS Ownership) Just like last week, I’m cheating by grabbing a long-relief guy. Englert picked up his first win this past week for the Tigers and has performed well in relief. Detroit will have to find a way to keep Englert on the roster all season as he was a Rule 5 pick, but that should be beneficial as he is the “break in case of emergency” arm out of the ‘pen for eating innings and spot starting. (1% FAAB)
RELIEVERS
10/12 Team Adds
Giovanny Gallegos (STL, 39% CBS Ownership) – Ryan Helsley has looked a little shaky this year, which only looked worse when Blake Sabol crushed a majestic game-winning homer off him this week. Gallegos has looked lights out since returning from an early sore back and should accrue a handful of wins/saves in the Cardinals bullpen. (1-3% FAAB)
Bryan Abreu (HOU, 31% CBS Ownership) – The whispers wondering what’s wrong with Ryan Pressly were quelled somewhat after his two saves this week, but he still doesn’t look right. Abreu has seemingly leapfrogged Rafael Montero in the Astros bullpen hierarchy, making him the better hold. (1-3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Aroldis Chapman (KCR, 45% CBS Ownership, 3-5% FAAB), Adam Ottavino (NYM, 35% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jorge Lopez (MIN, 35% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Dylan Floro (MIA, 34% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jose Quijada (LAA, 33% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Brusdar Graterol (LAD, 30% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Reynaldo Lopez (CHW, 25% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Brad Boxberger (CHC, 20% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Nick Martinez (SDP, 24% CBS Ownership) – The Padres shifted Martinez to the bullpen this past week, where his role is nebulous but his stuff will play up. He could be a useful arm to glue together a fantasy staff with solid ratios plus an occasional win or save. (1-3% FAAB)
Jason Foley (DET, 2% CBS Ownership) – Although Alex Lange has looked solid enough to hold the closer’s job, Foley has been pitching more high-leverage opportunities and picked up a save when Lange had an off night this week. The Tigers bullpen is trying to find itself like a C-Suite exec trying LSD for the first time right now, so opportunity could arise fast. (1% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Rafael Montero (HOU, 13% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Steven Wilson (SDP, 11% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Eli Morgan (CLE, 8% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Adbert Alzolay (CHC, 7% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Zach Jackson (OAK, 5% CBS Ownership, 3-5% FAAB), Peter Strzelecki (MIL, 4% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Carl Edwards Jr. (WSN, 3% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Hunter Harvey (WSN, 3% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Jeremiah Estrada (CHC, 3% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Miguel Castro (ARI, 2% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Shelby Miller (LAD, 1% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
Mason Thompson (WSN, 5% CBS Ownership) – Similarly to the Tigers, the Nationals bullpen is all over the place from day-to-day, but Thompson has been performing yeoman’s work (19 IP with 17 Ks, 2 wins, and 1 save with a 1.89 ERA and 0.74 WHIP). His volume alone is going to be better than most of the starting pitching options in an Only league. (3-5% FAAB)
Yennier Cano (BAL, 7% CBS Ownership) – Cano is the second coming of Felix Bautista and throws absolute filth. He’s a must own in AL Only leagues for the ratios his stuff will provide alone. (5% FAAB)
