It seems that every week there are injuries galore. This time, it came in the form of Starling Marte’s oblique, A.J. Pollock’s thumb and Robinson Cano’s hand which then became an 80-game suspension. You’ll surely be wanting to replace those players in your lineups, so we’ve brought in some featured experts to tell us which bats and pitchers they are recommending as pickups. Each league is different, of course, so perhaps a Ryon Healy or Freddy Peralta is still sitting around on your waiver wire. If that be the case, you should, of course, pounce but in many leagues, your options are much more limited. That’s why the featured experts have selected hitters and pitchers who are under-the-radar pickups for you to consider (less than 20% consensus ownership).

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Q1. What one hitter should fantasy owners look into picking up that is owned in less than 20% of Leagues?

David Dahl (OF – COL)
“Injuries have delayed Dahl’s arrival in the majors and deprived fantasy owners a chance to see how his intriguing power/speed profile plays with consistent at-bats against major league pitching. In limited playing time this season, Dahl has batted .293/.349/.500 with a pair of homers in 63 PA to date. The entire Rockies outfield is underperforming, leaving the door wide open for Dahl to snag more consistent playing time. He has the skill set to hit for both power and average, and he will contribute stolen bases as well, making him a potentially valuable fantasy asset. Pick him up now because his price will rise quickly once he starts playing every day, which could happen quickly if someone gets hurt. He’s currently owned in just 16% of leagues.”
– Tim McCullough (Inside Injuries)

“If David Dahl were owned in 60% of leagues, I’d be shocked at how low the number was. When I saw he was taken in less than 20%, I had to do a double take. We are talking about a former top prospect who is batting .312 with an .860 OPS in his career. Oh, and he happens to bat at the top of the order for the Rockies. Dahl possesses both power and speed with an excellent hit tool. He ought to be regarded as a Michael Brantley type of asset.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Denard Span (OF – WSH)
“Span is no one’s idea of a sexy fantasy asset, but he’s generally been a reliable three-category contributor (runs, batting average, and steals) over the years, and he’s added double-digit home run totals in each of the last two seasons. He’s trending toward another 10 HR/20 SB performance in 2018, and while Span’s days as a .300 hitter are probably done, he’s drawing walks at a career-high rate. That, along with his role as Tampa’s primary leadoff hitter, has allowed him to sustain above-average run production.”
– Kyle Bishop (RotoBaller)

Jesus Aguilar (1B – MIL)
“Aguilar has tailed off a bit after a hot start, but he still owns a batting average over .300. He has more power than his three homers to date would suggest, and he’ll continue to play regularly until the Brewers lineup gets healthier. He’s also seen a few appearances at third base, and if he gains 3B eligibility in fantasy leagues, his value gets a nice boost.”
– R.J. White (CBS Sports)

Daniel Descalso (1B/2B/3B/OF – ARI)
“Descalso has somehow played his way into consideration in most fantasy leagues. A super-utility player, Descalso has shined with regular playing time in Jake Lamb’s absence, slashing .261/.363/.514. and upping his pull percentage and his hard contact and fly-ball rates. Lamb should be back shortly but with A.J. Pollock‘s injury and Descalso’s versatility, he should be able to stick in the lineup more often than not. With eligibility all over the diamond, he’s an ideal bench pickup at least for fantasy owners.”
– Dan Harris (FantasyPros)

Q2. What one starting pitcher should fantasy owners look into picking up that is owned in less than 20% of Leagues?

Trevor Cahill (SP – OAK)
“Cahill is back from the DL, and considering how well he’s pitched so far this year and the two-start week on the horizon, his ownership numbers should rise in the coming days. Cahill already has a 12-strikeout performance on his resume this year. Walks have been a problem for Cahill in the past, but if he can maintain a rate around the 2.2 BB/9 mark he’s compiled thus far, he could be in for a big year.”
– R.J. White (CBS Sports)

Jimmy Nelson (SP – MIL)
“There is not a single starter who is taken in 80% of leagues who I would feel comfortable starting every outing. The closest is probably Trevor Cahill, but if I’m picking someone up, it will be Nelson. He was top 10 in Cy Young voting last year and had a higher WAR in the same number of innings as Clayton Kershaw! While Nelson might not be back until about the all-star break, anyone should be glad to reserve a roster spot for a talent like that who can rescue your rotation over the second half.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Steven Matz (SP – NYM)
“Entering the 2018 season, there were major concerns about whether Matz could stay healthy and bounce back from an injury-riddled and generally awful 2017 season. Aside from some back stiffness, he has been healthy, and his current surface stats are mostly league average or a little better. His strikeout rate has rebounded nicely to 9.4 K/9IP but his walk rate is a bit of a concern at 4.1 BB/9IP. However, he is limiting hard contact to just 33.3% and his groundball rate of 50% is excellent. His swinging strike rate of 7.7% is slightly better than last year’s 7.1% but his overall Contact rate of 79.9% is just slightly higher than his career best (79% in 2016). Overall, Matz has looked good so far, so he is worth adding in most fantasy leagues, but especially deeper leagues. Currently, he is owned in just 14% of leagues.”
– Tim McCullough (Inside Injuries)

Vince Velasquez (SP – PHI)
“In Velasquez’s last three starts (one of which was against the Nationals), he’s thrown 17 1/3 innings and allowed four runs and 18 base-runners, while striking out 21. Yes, his bouts with control can be maddening and yes, there will be bumps in the road. But he has a 27.1% strikeout rate, and both his FIP and xFIP suggest that his 4.37 ERA should be lower. When you’re looking to fill your bench with pitchers, you need high upside, and Velasquez is oozing with potential. His ownership percentage is far too low.”
– Dan Harris (FantasyPros)

Bartolo Colon (SP – TEX)
“Despite the fact that he’s turning 45(!) years old next week, Colon has bounced back from an awful 2017 and made himself fantasy relevant once again. As usual with Colon, you’re not going to get a ton of strikeouts, but the ageless wonder has posted a 2.82 ERA and 0.84 WHIP through seven starts. In the five seasons prior to last year, Colon produced playable ratios (3.57 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) and, astoundingly, ranked seventh among qualified starters in wins. He’s a reliable streaming option at the very least, and worth rostering in plenty of formats.”
– Kyle Bishop (RotoBaller)

Thank you to the experts for naming their under-the-radar pickups. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter and subscribe to our podcast below for all the latest discussions this season.

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