It’s crunch-time, readers, as we’re down to a number of 2018 major league baseball games left that we can count on our fingers and toes. If you’re still in the pennant hunt in an NL-only or AL-league, there’s probably at least one category where just a few RBI or a couple steals could affect your team’s status in terms of gaining or losing a point or two, and ultimately make a difference in your league’s final standings. This week we’ll look at hitters that could potentially help deep-leaguers with a few of those counting stats over the next two and a half weeks. Everyone on this list is less than 10% owned in CBS leagues, and while many of them are playing sporadically at best, most of them have actually been more productive than many of their shallow-league brethren lately. You never know who might hit that grand slam or steal those two bags on the second to last day of the season that put your team over the top!
NL
Terrance Gore. I just had to make him the lede as we finish out the season, because this guy is like the ultra-deep league poster child. Percent owned: one. Number of official at bats for the Cubs (yes, Gore is a major league baseball player on the Chicago Cubs, who qualifies at OF for fantasy purposes) over the last week: one. Number of runs scored: two. Number of stolen bases over that one-at bat week: four. Yep, 4.
Yairo Munoz. Always feels like one of those guys who is much more valuable to a real-life team than a fantasy team, which is probably why he’s only 7% owned. But over the last two weeks he’s helped in both the actual and the pretend type of baseball: 2 homers, 5 RBI, and 7 runs scored.
Curtis Granderson. Will the Grandyman get a ton of playing time down the stretch for Milwaukee? No, I wouldn’t think so, but he certainly is doing a nice job fitting in with his new team when he does get a chance, hitting .444 over the last couple of weeks. He just feels like a guy who could have a couple big at bats over the final days of the season.
Mark Reynolds. Again, playing time will most likely be scarce, but I’m plugging him in in one NL-only league (where I’m in an RBI dogfight) over the next two and a half weeks and crossing my fingers that he has one or two more big (or even biggish) games in him this year.
Adam Frazier. I’m cheating a little on this one as he’s gone up to 11% owned since I started this post. We’ve talked about Frazier before, and with Gregory Polanco done for the year, he should actually have playing time to go along with his other attributes. I was going to say he’s not a guy who will ever carry a fantasy team, but he actually did a week or two ago, with a 4-hit, 3-RBI game. Even if he doesn’t have any more of those in him this year, he’ll pick up some hits and is the type who could go deep or swipe a bag at any given time. Love me some guys like that!
AL
Ji-Man Choi. I actually had to double check what team he’s on now (it’s the Rays). He’s 4% owned, and over the last two weeks: .303 average, 3 homers, 10 RBI. (Okay, now add 2 more hits, 2 more RBI, and another homer to those numbers after Wednesday’s game. Yum!)
Hunter Dozier. Just mentioned him recently, and he’s still only 6% owned. Sure, he could finish out the year with a 3-for-47 type slide, but it’s also possible he keeps hitting some. His last two weeks: .306 with 2 home runs and 8 driven in.
Willians Astudillo. Dude is hitting .308 over the last week for the Twins, with 2 homers. What more could you ask for in a 1%-owned catcher?
Nick Ciuffo. Hey, it’s another 1%-owned AL catcher! Ciuffo has played seven games for the Rays since his call-up, and is hitting .294 with a homer and 4 RBI.
Victor Reyes. Sharing time in center field for the Tigers, and about as hot average-wise as a 1%-owned player can be: he’s hitting .450 over the last two weeks, plus has 6 runs scored, a homer, and 3 RBI in his 20 at bats over that time.
Rowdy Tellez. If you need a corner infielder, he’s 5% owned, getting at bats for the Blue Jays, and so far, so good: .421 with a homer and 4 RBI in six games.
