Jason Heyward is off to another terrible start in 2016

After a month into the 2016 season, injuries, slumps and hot starts are all mingling at once into a range of different scenarios with fantasy-relevant consequences. At FantasyPros, we will continue to update fantasy managers on the ongoing depth chart battles throughout the major leagues. Check back weekly for updates.

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Injuries

• Reds catcher, Devin Mesoraco, sustained a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder and is going to be out for a long time. Ramon Cabrera will be taking his place in the Reds lineup, which based on their cumulative injuries, should be wrapped thoroughly in bubble wrap. Cabrera owns a .259 average with Triple-A Louisville and doesn’t show a ton of promise at the plate. Your best bet is looking at other under-owned catchers in the MLB like Wilson Ramos or Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

• Jorge De La Rosa landed on the 15-day DL with a strained groin last week and was replaced by Jonathan Gray. Eddie Butler was also called up, but the arm fantasy managers need to pay attention to is Gray’s. The big right-hander (6’4”, 245) owns a 3.76 career ERA in the minors with a 9.0 K/9. Gray will need to miss bats to survive on the Rockies, and he did just that on Monday night, whiffing 11 Padres in only six innings.

• A shoulder injury to Twins starting pitcher, Kyle Gibson, opened the door for one of baseball’s best prospects, Jose Berrios, last week. Through two starts, Berrios has posted a 1-1 record and a 6.75 ERA. Berrios is having some trouble with walks to start his career, but eight whiffs through 5 ⅓ innings on Tuesday night can really get some fantasy owners salivating. Once he puts it together in the majors, he could be an elite talent.

• With the Cubs’ Jason Heyward missing some time after rolling around on his wrist, manager Joe Maddon is showing off the incredible depth of the Cubs roster. Currently, Ben Zobrist is playing some outfield (which is great for keeping his OF-eligibility) and Javier Baez is getting starts at third base. Heyward shouldn’t be out too long, so go get Baez into your lineup while you still can.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Riser
Brandon Drury is a name that’s forgivable for many fantasy managers to forget in the newly deep 3B pool. While Jake Lamb is still manning the hot corner, Chip Hale realized they’ve got to get Drury in the lineup and have been giving him starts in left field. As a result, Drury now owns outfield-eligibility and has proceeded to go 6-for-14 in his last three games with a pair of home runs.

The Faller
Chris Owings stands to lose the most playing time, along with Rickie Weeks and Nick Ahmed. The Diamondbacks have discussed moving David Peralta to center field and handing the starting position in right field to Drury. Jean Segura is playing too well to be replaced right now at SS, so this situation should be an interesting one to watch unfold.

Baltimore Orioles

The Riser
Hyun-Soo Kim started out his MLB career poorly, going 0-for…pretty much all of Spring Training. However, with a 3-for-4 night on Saturday, Kim is now batting .600 through six games and has only struck out twice. Kim has eligibility as an outfielder and designated hitter, plus the struggles of Pedro Alvarez should lead to more playing time for the 29-year old South Korean. The power hasn’t showed up just yet, but remember Kim hit 142 HR in 10 seasons in the KBO.

The Fallers
Complicating the playing time scenario for Hyun-Soo Kim is the Orioles current leadoff hitter and Rule-5 draft pick Joey Rickard. After starting the season at a scorching pace, Rickard is now 1 for his last 13. He presents a safer outfield option for the Orioles than Kim, and most teams will not burn a roster spot on a Rule-5 pick that doesn’t play. Pedro Alvarez’s stock will continue to fall, as he’s only batting .208 with one HR and three RBI to begin the year.

Roy Widrig is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Roy, check out his archive and follow him @rolewiii.