The Mariners have been something of an s-show. On one hand, they’ve been an excellent source of cheap speed. On the other hand, Dee Gordon, J.P. Crawford, Shed Long, and Tim Lopes are a combined 9/76 with 3 steals over the last 7 days. Checks notes again. Throws up in mouth. Tosses notes into trash. Praise the fantasy gods for the Mariners newest speed demon Sam Haggerty (.7% ESPN, 1% CBS). The Mariners’ rookie batted second on Sunday and has a pair of steals and a homer in 20 plate appearances. He was never a power prospect in the minors but did steal 20+ bases in 2017 (49), 2018, and 2019. His speed kept his batting average decent due to a high BABIP. Haggerty is the proverbial shiny new speed toy in the Seattle lineup. Starting Friday, the Mariners get a four-game set against the Angels. The Angels have allowed the most stolen bases this year, so if you’re desperate for steals, grab Haggerty now to get ahead of your opponents.
Martin Maldonado, C (33.1% ESPN, 53% CBS) – Maldonado crosses the usual ownership range that I look for in order to get you guys players that are available, but I wanted to throw a quick note on him. Including yesterday, Maldonado faces 4 lefties this week. The Houston catcher smashes lefties, posting a .302 ISO and .471 wOBA on the year. If he’s available in your league, scoop him up for the kind matchups.
Danny Jansen, C (7.0% ESPN, 28% CBS) – This is put up or cut week for Jansen. The Blue Jays catcher has struggled to open the year, batting well below the Mendoza line. However, this week they face the Red Sox and Orioles who’s respective pitching staffs are hot garbage. Today’s matchup against Mr. 11.12 ERA himself Kyle Hart should kick-start him right into gear.
San Diego Padres hitters – Is it possible to combine a team that I want to stack up with the Coors Report? This week, the Padres start the week against the Mariners and finish it off with a 4 game set with the Rockies that ends Monday. Both the Mariners and Rockies bullpens have been straight trash and I’m not afraid of any of their starting pitching. My only issue is that the majority of the Padres bats are owned, with just Jurickson Profar (13.6% ESPN, 25% CBS) and Austin Hedges (.7% ESPN, 3% CBS) being available in most leagues.
Ian Anderson, SP (6.1% ESPN, 18% CBS) – The more I read, the more it sounds like Braves’ top prospect Ian Anderson is expected to get the call this week. It may come as soon as today. Anderson’s strikeout rate topped 30% each of the last two seasons in AA and AAA. If he starts this week, he’ll have his hands full against the Yankees or the Phillies, but Anderson is still worth a stash for the stretch run.
Trevor Williams, SP (4.9% ESPN, 17% CBS) – One of the more surprising things of the 2020 season is just how bad the Brewers have been – especially against right-handed pitching. For the year they have the second-worst team wOBA against righties and strike out at the third-highest rate (27.1%). Trevor Williams faces the Brewers next Monday. I’m a believer in teams getting streaky, so keep an eye on the Brewers to make sure they’re still terrible heading into this start.
Taylor Williams, RP (46.7% ESPN, 33% CBS) – I feel like Williams has flown under the radar. Yes, he’s closing for a dumpster team, but dumpster teams earn saves too. Williams has a quiet 6 saves, but 16 strikeouts and just 4 walks over 11 innings pitched this year. If the Mariners closer is still hanging out on your waiver wire, it’s time to bring him home.
Arizona Diamondbacks Roof – A final note about the roof at Chase Field. The roof was open Monday night and is expected to remain open for the next two games. The offenses definitely get a kick in the pants when the roof is open, so this is always something to keep an eye on. Good luck this week!
