If your playoffs haven’t started already, they’re likely about to. Hopefully you’ve already got your spot in them locked up. If not, and you’re reading this, it means you’re still in it and are on edge, figuring out who you can trust to get you over the line. At this time of the year, at least in weekly formats, what someone did earlier in the season doesn’t matter. It’s “What have you done for me lately?” time. That’s what we’re here to look at. Who are the guys who have been letting you down, and who might be stepping up to help get the job done in crunch time?
Catcher
Vibe Killer: Ben Rice, NYY
The obvious choice here would be Cal Raleigh, who has an argument for being the biggest bummer of the entire season (non-season ending injury edition). But that’s too obvious, and you’ve surely benched him a while ago, if not cut him outright. If you haven’t cut him, you have permission to do so. But, again, he’s too obvious. So Rice gets the nod. Over the last month, he’s technically been a top-10 C in CBS leagues, but barely hanging onto top-20 status over at ESPN. Over the last two weeks, he’s just inside the top-15. The power has slowed down some, but it’s the lack of hits in general that has killed him. However, he did manage to go 2-5 on Sunday, so that’s something at least. You can’t bench him, much less cut him, but you’d really like him to figure it out here when it matters the most.
Vibe Bringer: Alejandro Kirk, TOR
Props to Ivan Herrera for getting things turned around (somewhat) lately, but Kirk gets the call. For one thing, he’s much more available than Herrera is. But more significantly, he’s been better. Regardless of format, he has been a top-2 option at the position over the last month and the last two weeks. Is he going to keep hitting .395? No. But he does have a history of good plate discipline, and he’s gone on nice runs in the past. If Kirk is available in your league, and you haven’t been happy with what you’ve been getting from your catcher, he may be just what you’re looking for.
First Base
Vibe Killer: Freddie Freeman, LAD
For the most part, the top guys at first base have been cooperative and produced like the top guys at the position. The one exception has been the former MVP and longtime stalwart. Hitting .267 over the last two weeks and .308 over the last month isn’t bad, but his point production has been. A first baseman with 10 RBI and 0 HR over the course of a month just doesn’t cut it. Under the hood, things don’t look much different than they did last season, and in fact are better in certain areas. The problem is that where he has fallen off is in both the number and percentage of barrels he’s getting. Or not getting, as the case may be. Here at 36 years old, and considering he’s been a borderline starter all season as it is, it might be time to ride the hot hand down the stretch rather than trust the old vet.
Vibe Bringer: Josh Bell, MIN
It’s not that Bell has been setting the world on fire, though he has been hitting well of late, it’s that no one who’s been better is available. That’s a good problem to have, as it means you’re probably doing pretty well at the position yourself. But unless you’re in one of the 40% of ESPN leagues where Jac Caglionone is somehow available, Bell is your best bet, over guys like Nick Sogard or Jeff McNeil. And Bell does have a history of going on crazy heaters out of nowhere, usually sometime in the second half. So far in August he’s hitting .324 with 4 HR. I’m not promising anything, but it wouldn’t be the first time Bell ended up being a clutch fantasy playoff performer.
Second Base
Vibe Killer: Ozzie Albies, ATL
For the season, Albies has been fine. Not great, but fine. Lately he has not been fine. The average has been under .200 over the last month and hasn’t been particularly impactful with the hits he has managed to get. He’s someone I’d prefer to bench than cut outright if I had the space to do so, but I’d definitely be ok trying to chase points with someone else if I was still trying to lock up a playoff spot.
Vibe Bringer: Bryson Stott, PHI
I have no idea what’s gotten into Stott lately, but he’s been right there with Fernando Tatis Jr. in terms of point production over the last month. To be fair, he’s been cooler again the last couple weeks, but still solidly in the top-10 at the position. Do I trust it long term? No. But we’re not concerned about the long term right now. If you’re really desperate, like so desperate that he wasn’t even included as an option in this very helpful piece, Eric Sogard has been on an absolute heater for the last couple weeks (and is also eligible at 1B and 3B). But that feels like hottest schmotato to ever hot schmotato.
Third Base
Vibe Killer: Jose Ramirez, CLE
That broken hamate bone really messed up his season, which is incredibly frustrating considering where he was drafted in the spring. And because he’s Jose Ramirez, you can’t really bench him, either. It means you just have to start him and hope that this is the week that he gets right and starts hitting like the guy he’s always been. Every week. Even though it sure feels like it’s not going to happen. If that isn’t a vibe killer, I don’t know what is.
Vibe Bringer: Alex Bregman, CHC
Might as well continue with inactionable choices at the position. Because unless you really want to believe in what Alec Bohm has been doing lately, there’s not a ton you can do in terms of pickups at the hot corner. Bregman, though, has been scorching hot lately after a pretty miserable start to his time in Chicago. If the rest of your team was able to keep you in it up to this point, having Bregman get hot now has to feel nice.
Shortstop
Vibe Killer: Trea Turner, PHI
Oh, Trea. In July it looked like he’d gotten things turned around and was back to stud status. However, while the rest of the Phillies have been on fire in August, he hasn’t done much to help. Not only has he hit below .250 for the month, he has 1 HR and 0 SB. Yuck.
Vibe Bringer: Bo Bichette, NYM; Mookie Betts, LAD; Gunnar Henderson, BAL
All three of these guys have been huge disappointments for most of the season. All three have finally been producing recently. Now, for Betts and Henderson their hot streaks are confined to the last two weeks, so it’s hard to trust it too much, but at least it’s something. Bichette has been at it a little longer, producing as the 6th best SS over the last month. It’s too late to be of much help to the Mets, but it may not be for you. And really, that’s what matters.
Outfield
Vibe Killer: Yordan Alvarez, HOU
For the record, I am NOT saying to bench Yordan Alvarez. I might not be the brightest writer here at Razzball, but I’m not a complete idiot. But, by his MVP standards, things have been a bit slow lately, with just 2 HR over the last month, and technically falling outside the top-36 OF over the last two weeks. So here at a point when one bad week can end your season, would it be incredibly frustrating to go home because your best player all season chose now to look human? Yes. So, here he is. Even though he’s awesome and I wish I had him on my own teams.
Vibe Bringer: Trent Grisham, NYY
I don’t think anyone expected Grisham to repeat what he did last season. But I, for one, at least expected better than what he’s done most of this season. Recently, though, he’s been showing what he’s capable, banging out 5 HR and 3 2B over the last couple weeks. I know I have teams that could use help at my third OF spot, so I’m guessing you might, too. Grisham could be that help.
