One of the first articles that I wrote when I began my writing “career” was in 2019 about my love for Eugenio Suarez. That year he did not let me down, mashing 49 taters and batting .271. Yes, there was the “please don’t look over here” 28% strikeout rate, but my man mashed. In the shortened 2020 season, he continued to mash, but his .202 batting average reflected his 29% strikeout rate. Anyone who has Suarez on their team knows the struggle that we’ve gone through this year – sub .200 batting average, albeit with power. He’s currently on pace for 34 homers and 100 RBIs and yet, he doesn’t feel close to a turnaround in the average department. Since the 2019 season, Suarez has been selling out for power. Swinging out of his shoes trying to hit a home run on every swing. While that’s fun in theory, the reality is it’s not a path that leads to consistency. I’ve finally dropped Suarez down this list as I’m probably one of the last people that thought a turnaround would come. Despite the struggles, I had a tough time sliding him down significantly, because frankly, I’d still rather have his upside over guys like Kyle Seager. Let’s take a look at the list and then we’ll talk about some movers.
Rank | Player | Position | Team | +/- |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jose Ramirez | 3B | Indians | – |
2 | Rafael Devers | 3B | Red Sox | – |
3 | Manny Machado | 3B | Padres | +1 |
4 | Kris Bryant | 1B/3B/OF | Cubs | +1 |
5 | Nolan Arenado | 3B | Cardinals | +1 |
6 | DJ LeMahieu | 1B/2B/3B | Yankees | +2 |
7 | Yoan Moncada | 3B | White Sox | – |
8 | Anthony Rendon | 3B | Angels | +2 |
9 | Max Muncy | 1B/2B/3B | Dodgers | – |
10 | Justin Turner | 3B | Dodgers | +2 |
11 | Matt Chapman | 3B | Athletics | +4 |
12 | Tommy Edman | 3B/SS/OF | Cardinals | -1 |
13 | Ryan McMahon | 1B/2B/3B | Rockies | +3 |
14 | Alex Bregman | 3B | Astros | -11 |
15 | Austin Riley | 3B | Braves | +4 |
16 | Isiah Kiner-Falefa | 3B/SS | Rangers | +4 |
17 | Josh Donaldson | 3B | Twins | -4 |
18 | Ke’Bryan Hayes | 3B | Pirates | – |
19 | Cavan Biggio | 2B/3B/OF | Blue Jays | NR |
20 | Eugenio Suarez | 3B | Reds | -6 |
21 | Jonathan India | 3B | Reds | +4 |
22 | Gio Urshela | 3B | Yankees | – |
23 | Joey Wendle | 2B/3B/SS | Rays | +1 |
24 | Alec Bohm | 3B | Phillies | NR |
25 | Kyle Seager | 3B | Mariners | -2 |
Things towards the top got a little complicated following Alex Bregman hitting the IL with a quad injury. HC Dusty Baker did us no favors in terms of giving us a timeline, saying that Bregman would be out “a while”. Thanks for that update. Without a timetable, I did my best to estimate and plan on reworking his ranking as we get more information.
Speaking of the top, things got pretty hairy after the top 3. With Bregman hitting IL and Bryant, Arenado, Moncada, and Rendon slumping, I had a pretty tough time moving any of them around. Overall, I left them where they are. There isn’t any word that any of them are hurt, so I’m just hoping they bust out of their slump. For what it’s worth, the projection system Steamer has Anthony Rendon as the fourth-best third baseman for the rest of the season. I just haven’t seen anything this year that gives me that confidence.
I was all set to bump Austin Riley way up the list, but he’s been marred in a 9/52 slump over the last two weeks. I still moved him up as he’s been solid all year, but the strikeout rate has crept up. After striking out 23% of the time in April, he’s bumped up to 30% of the time in May and June. Definitely something to keep an eye on.
The other player that I bumped up with Riley is Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The Rangers’ leadoff man has been quite the source of speed, swiping 15 bags. He’s also provided some pop with six homers. In my opinion, speed is gold, especially in roto leagues. The only thing holding me back from bumping him up further is that the Rangers lineup just does not inspire confidence.
After a slumpy first month, combined with a long IL stint, Cavan Biggio makes his return to the list. Since returning to the lineup, Biggio looks like the hitter that I thought we were getting in draft season. Good plate discipline and he’s started to identify “his pitches. Biggio returned on 6/11 and has gone yard three times and is walking just as often as he’s striking out.
Do you guys think I have Joey Wendle too low? He’s been sneaky good for three months now. Wendle’s batting over .290 and chipping in a little bit of power and speed. The positional eligibility is just a bonus as you can move him all over your roster.
Finally, Alec Bohm reappears on this list after a hot two week stretch. As a Phils fan, I’m excited to see his bat come alive and hope it continues. If you’re desperate, Abraham Toro should see a majority of the playing time with Bregman out. He’s not on the list, but just a lower-rostered name to keep in mind.