With one week left in the month of June, we’re fast approaching the season’s halfway point. The All-Star Break will soon follow and before you know it, we’ll just have September left. Let’s give ourselves the best chance at a strong September position and make some moves before those lazily waiting for the season’s 50% checkpoint to assess their lot. Whether you’re waiting for injured players to return or stashing youngsters like Kyle Tucker, we’ve all got avenues to improve.
Ownership levels are taken from Yahoo leagues and, along with the stats, are accurate through June 24.
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Priority Pickups – <30% Owned
Joey Lucchesi (SD – SP): 29% owned
Lucchesi was rusty in his return from the DL on June 20, but he looked much sharper on Monday night as he blanked the Rangers over four frames. The Padres let him throw 70 pitches so I believe he’ll be let off the leash for his next turn. While some of the shine had worn off before he got hurt (alongside the rough first start back) provides the opportunity to make the add. The rookie could be in for a strong July as he looks to further trim his 3.57 ERA.
Kevin Kiermaier (TB – OF): 21% owned
After going hitless in his first three games back from a lengthy DL stint, Kiermaier’s proceeded to hit safely in his latest three contests with a stolen base on Sunday and a big ol’ grand slam on Monday. He squared up a full-count meatball from the struggling Gio Gonzalez to break the game open and while the average may never meet your standards, his blend of power and speed from a leadoff slot makes him a solid commodity.
Brent Suter (MIL – SP/RP): 28% owned
Suter’s last seven outings have amounted to a 6-1 record with a 3.76 xFIP and brilliant 37-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio, though the sub-1.00 WHIP is also helped by a .221 BABIP. There’s some luck baked in there, but the righty has earned some good fortune with a 14% pop-up rate and above-average 23.6% soft-contact rate over that span. I wish he could rein in the moonshots a bit (10 homers in his last nine starts), but rare is the waiver-wire add that doesn’t have one or two red flags lurking.
Gerardo Parra (COL – OF): 17% owned
Did you know that Parra owns a .349/.374/.500 slash line since May 1? Now that the logjam of Colorado outfielders is without David Dahl, Parra’s picked up everyday left field duties and has simply put the bat on the ball. He’s seen the extra-base hits pick up recently though, smacking four doubles and two homers (with just two strikeouts!) over his last seven contests. I hate recommending players based on RBI, but he’s knocked in at least one run in seven straight and nine of his last 10. Hitting in the middle of this lineup when it’s humming houses lots of potential, so ride the hot hand.
Dan Winkler (ATL – RP): 21% owned
Atlanta’s bullpen is in a lefty-righty committee with Arodys Vizcaino on the 10-day DL with right shoulder inflammation. Even though A.J. Minter (31% owned) is the preferred choice in this closer’s committee, Winkler can’t just be ignored. Yes, the righty has given up seven runs over eight appearances and worked the eighth inning ahead of Minter’s ninth on Sunday, but the man also owned a crisp 0.74 ERA through his first 26 games. I wouldn’t expect much with a split ninth, but paths to save opportunities are rare and need to be treated as such.
Jonathan Loaisiga (NYY – SP): 22% owned
Loaisiga and Domingo German seem to be jockeying for the vacant rotation slot for when Masahiro Tanaka returns, and Loaisiga’s latest effort saw him carry a no-hitter into the sixth inning. This followed German’s rough start against the Rays where his command was absent. Johnny Lasagna’s stock is on the rise and will be useful in the short-term even if he doesn’t stay in the rotation.
Manuel Margot (SD – OF): 29% owned
Margot may not be running yet, but his bat has started to come around. A buzzy preseason breakout pick, the 23-year-old outfielder has homered in his last two games and is riding a six-game hitting streak to raise his June average above .350. He’s returned to the leadoff spot with Travis Jankowski ailing and could be a second-half weapon, but he’s been caught stealing in all four attempts this month and may have a temporary red light after going 6-for-8 on swipes to open the season.
Matt Duffy (TB – 2B/3B): 18% owned
While the Rays pitching experiment has gotten lots of attention, Duffy has been in the middle of a fighting offense. He’s on a five-game hitting streak and has quietly popped two homers and stolen three bases over the last 15 games and continues to hit around .320 like a machine. He’s just three years removed from going a perfect 12-for-12 on the basepaths with a .295 average for San Francisco and should be viewed similarly in ’18.
Marco Estrada (TOR – SP): 21% owned
With four consecutive quality starts, Estrada suddenly looks like the pitcher that defied sabermetrics and limited hard contact at an elite rate again. His hard-hit rate has fallen from 34% in May to a mere 20% in June! Any remaining doubters can wait until after his start against the Astros on Wednesday, but I’d add him before then and simply bench him in a poor matchup.
Mark Trumbo (BAL – OF): 26% owned
Despite sitting with knee soreness on Sunday, Trumbo made the most of his one plate appearance by going yard off of Brandon McCarthy. It was the slugger’s fifth homer over his last seven games and gave him an eight-game hitting streak, which he extended to nine on Monday. When hot, his power is up there with the best and shouldn’t be ignored.
Stephen Piscotty (OAK – OF): 12% owned
Many hoped that Piscotty might enjoy a revival after an offseason trade to Oakland given his family situation, but mild returns early on cooled that wave. He won’t steal so the power and average need to carry him, but he’s clubbed four homers with nine doubles and an average north of .300 in his last 25 games thanks to a 43% hard-hit rate.
Sergio Romo (TB – SP/RP): 19% owned
Romo may have his fleas, notably trying to pitch to lefties, but the fact remains that he’s notched five saves over the last two weeks. Hem and haw all you want, but I know many of you could use a leg up in this category. Seriously, though. The guy has a measly eight strikeouts to six walks in 10 1/3 IP versus lefties against 29 punchouts and seven walks in 21 2/3 IP versus righties. Don’t overreact if he doesn’t get used in a save situation where a bunch of lefty swingers are due up.
Ivan Nova (PIT – SP): 20% owned
Nova returned from the DL on June 10 after missing two-plus weeks and has gone on to yield just two runs on 12 hits and five walks with 19 Ks over 19 2/3 innings (three starts). He had lost four of five prior to hitting the DL so I understand some trepidation, but a little break can do wonders for a guy. Don’t go expecting the world, but we’ve seen him go on QS tears before.
Deep League Targets – <10% owned
Mike Minor (TEX – SP/RP): 6% owned
Minor has had his ups and downs in 2018 but has rattled off quality starts against Houston, Colorado and Minnesota in his last three trips to the hill. I wish he had better than 13 strikeouts to five walks over that stretch, but he’s yielded just one longball after giving up at least one homer in seven straight outings. If nothing else, he has a home date with the Padres due up next. Minor has a 3.94 home ERA versus a 6.82 road mark and the Padres are a bottom-three offense.
Kole Calhoun (LAA – OF): 7% owned
A trip to the disabled list may have been just what the doctor ordered for Calhoun. Since being activated on June 18, the outfielder has gone 7-for-22 with two homers and a stolen base. While he was truly terrible to open 2018, he possesses a strong ceiling if his power stroke reset while out of action. LAA’s lineup is a fantastic setting and gives him upside worth owning in most 12-team or five-OF formats.
Tom Murphy (COL – C): 8% owned
Sorry for those who needed Murphy strictly for power — he’s yet to homer in nine games — but the .306 average and six RBI can’t be hurting. He’ll need the power to come, though. That average is only up due to a .524 BABIP as he fends off a horrendous 50% O-Swing rate and 40.5% strikeout rate through 37 plate appearances. Big strikeouts are palatable in 2018, but they need to come with big hits. Luckily, he’s getting the lion’s share of starts behind the dish and has a real chance to prove himself to Colorado and fantasy owners.
Jose Bautista (NYM – 3B/OF): 6% owned
This one goes out to those of you in OBP formats because Joey Bats has a whopping .466 OBP in 87 plate appearances as a Met thus far. He’s also started in five straight games after being unrosterable due to being limited as a pinch-hitter. Slugging two homers over his last four games doesn’t hurt either, right? As long as he stays healthy, the walks and intermittent pop will come. Hitting in the middle or upper third of the lineup should usher the counting stats along toward fantasy-viable territory.
Dereck Rodriguez (SF – SP): 9% owned
Rodriguez has enjoyed facing Miami, Miami again and then San Diego in his last three starts. While he’s done well with the opportunity, I’m reserving some judgment for after his next slated start against the D-backs. It should be noted he’s only had one truly poor start, a 5 ER clunker against the Nationals on June 9, but has a 3.97 SIERA and 10.5% swinging-strike rate with a heater that can sniff 95 mph.
Wily Peralta (KC – SP/RP): 2% owned
Before you laugh, remember that this is the Royals bullpen we’re talking about. Peralta’s got the most overpowering stuff out of the lot, though his inconsistent command and the whole 39 strikeouts to 21 walks in just 35 Triple-A innings this season should help gauge how desperate for saves you are.
Matt Strahm (SD – SP/RP): 1% owned
As San Diego’s rotation gets Lucchesi back, it lost Jordan Lyles to elbow inflammation. That means Strahm is penciled in for a June 29 start and will look to improve on his stellar 1.35 ERA as an “opener.” The southpaw has 18 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings in the role versus just four punchouts over 10 1/3 relief frames as he’s elevating his fastball with gusto. Pads’ manager Andy Green is being cautious about not overextending Strahm and his surgically-repaired knee, but he’s useful even with the limit.
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Nick Mariano is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Nick, check out his archive and follow him @NMariano53.
