Welcome back to the Depth Chart Review! After a one-week hiatus for the All-Star Game, we are back to break down all the transactions, injuries, and lineup changes around the league and how they impact fantasy baseball. With the trade deadline approaching, we should have a lot of action in the coming week, and we’ve already seen a few big trades go down.
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Rockies Place DJ LeMahieu on DL, Promote Garrett Hampson
The Rockies suffered a blow at second base this week when they placed DJ LeMahieu on the 10-day disabled list with an oblique strain. LeMahieu hopes to miss a short amount of time, but oblique strains are notoriously tricky for hitters and tend to linger. It wouldn’t be surprising to see LeMahieu miss more than the minimum 10 days on the disabled list. We should get a more definitive timetable for LeMahieu as he progresses in rehab.
In LeMahieu’s place, the Rockies promoted infield prospect Garrett Hampson. Hampson will be the Rockies’ regular second baseman in LeMahieu’s absence and has some fantasy upside while serving as a starter. Hampson’s best skill is speed, and he has been a prolific base stealer in the minor leagues. This season Hampson has stolen 33 bases between Double-A and Triple-A and had 51 steals at High-A in 2017. He also has an 87% success rate on steals this season and had a 78% success rate in 2017, so Hampson is not only a high volume runner but a high-efficiency base stealer too.
Hampson has also flashed a good hit tool as a minor leaguer, having never hit below .300 at any level. He also never had a strikeout rate greater than 18% or a walk rate below 8.5%, giving him a good on-base percentage as well as batting average. Playing in Coors Field should help an already good hitter maintain a high batting average. As a short-term option, Hampson should be able to provide batting average and stolen base help and is a great player to add in the interim. If Hampson plays well enough he could have staying power for the Rockies even when LeMahieu returns, potentially as a platoon outfielder with either Gerardo Parra or Carlos Gonzalez.
Cardinals Relegate Jose Martinez to Bench Role Amid Pair of DL Moves
The Cardinals made a big organizational move going into the All-Star break, firing manager Mike Matheny and replacing him with Mike Schildt. Normally things like managerial changes fly under the radar in the fantasy baseball world, but a new regime can often have big lineup implications. One of those lineup implications has been apparent from the beginning, as first baseman Jose Martinez sat for the first four games of Shildt’s tenure as manager. Schildt publicly acknowledged Martinez’s benching as a result of defense, and even mentioned the possibility of a trade to an American League team. Martinez has been great with the bat this season, posting an .830 OPS and 126 wRC+, but he’s been a butcher at first base. Martinez has a -6 DRS and -6.2 UZR/150 this season at first, and he’s been even worse in the outfield. He has only 24 innings in the outfield this year, but with a -58.2 UZR/150 it doesn’t seem like a possible home for Martinez either. Due to injuries, Martinez has gotten the last four starts at first base, but when Kolten Wong returns from the disabled list Martinez will likely head back to a pinch-hitting role. If Martinez hits well during this stretch he is someone to sell aggressively. The Cardinals seem steadfast in keeping his glove off the field.
Wong was one of two players placed on the disabled by the Cardinals over the weekend. He is only expected to miss the minimum 10 days with knee inflammation, so Martinez’s tenure as a starter will likely be short-lived. Wong is hitting .216 with a .664 OPS, so he isn’t mixed-league material anyway when healthy. Fellow infielder Jedd Gyorko wasn’t placed on the disabled list but has missed the last five games with an illness. We haven’t seen Martinez play regularly while either Wong or Gyorko are healthy, so it’s possible that the Cardinals bench Martinez once Gyorko is well enough to play.
The Cardinals also placed starter Carlos Martinez on the disabled list with an oblique strain, and while Martinez is supposed to only miss one start, he struggled to recover from injury earlier this season. In early May Martinez was placed on the disabled list with a lat strain and was only supposed to miss one start, but he ended up missing a month. After returning from the disabled list Martinez was a disaster on the mound. He posted a 6.91 ERA in June with 8.34 BB/9 and a 5.64 xFIP. He turned things around somewhat in July with a 3.91 ERA, but Martinez also had a meager 6.26 K/9 and 4.11 xFIP in July. He is worth holding while on the disabled list, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him come back and struggle. He should not be used in his first start back from the disabled list. Martinez has proven that he can do too much damage coming off an injury.
Brad Hand and Jeurys Familia Traded to Contenders
With the trade deadline approaching plenty of relievers could be on the move, which means bullpen shakeups around the league. Two closers, Brad Hand and Jeurys Familia, are already on the move as each one was traded after the All-Star break. Familia is firmly behind Blake Treinen as the closer in Oakland and only has value in holds leagues. Brad Hand will likely start as a setup man to incumbent closer Cody Allen, but Hand might have the opportunity to close down the line. Allen has really struggled this season with a 4.95 ERA, 4.88 FIP, and 1.8 HR/9. That home run rate is especially alarming combined with Allen’s 10% walk rate. The Indians bullpen has been atrocious this season with a 5.30 ERA collectively, but Hand offers legitimate competition to Allen when there wasn’t any before this trade. If you owned Hand he might be worth holding if you have the roster space. If Allen blows another game Terry Francona might make the move to Hand as the closer.
The biggest fantasy impact in closer trades tends to be the bullpen left behind. The Padres have an obvious choice to close in Kirby Yates, and Yates has been lights out for the Padres this season. He has a 1.40 ERA, 1.99 FIP, and 11.6 K/9 this season. Yates has the potential to be as good as Hand in San Diego. The only problem with Yates is that he is a possible trade candidate himself. Any contender would love to have him in their bullpen, and the Padres have no reason to hang onto him long term. A prudent move might be to add either Craig Stammen or Phil Maton. If Yates gets traded one of those two would likely become closer. Stammen has been as good as Yates, with a 1.97 FIP, 5.5 K/BB ratio, and 0.18 HR/9 this season. At 34 years old Stammen is probably another trade candidate and may be on the move too. That leaves 25-year-old Phil Maton as the potential last man standing in San Diego’s bullpen. Maton has a 2.84 ERA in 25.1 innings this season. A 10.4% walk rate is his biggest flaw, but otherwise, Maton has a decent strikeout rate at 9.24 K/9 and has only allowed one home run this season. In leagues where saves are scarce adding Maton now is a prudent move to avoid the rush if the Padres gut their bullpen.
The Mets have not named an official closer since trading Familia, and it looks like a closer-by-committee approach going forward. Robert Gsellman and Anthony Swarzak are the two options the Mets will presumably use. Gsellman is the preferred add here, as he has been much better this season. Gsellman has a 4.08 ERA, 4.31 FIP, and 2.3 K/BB ratio this season in 57.1 innings. While that is underwhelming, Swarzak has been even worse with a 7.56 ERA, 6.70 FIP, and 1.8 K/BB ratio this season, though Swarzak has only pitched 16.2 innings due to injuries. Neither pitcher is a great option, and the Mets won’t win many games for the remainder of the season, but in roto leagues, closers and closer handcuffs are typically hoarded so they both have some value in traditional 5×5 leagues.
Since so many rebuilding teams are looking to trade their closers now would be the time to add their handcuffs and avoid an FAAB bidding war. Here are a few teams to watch out for, as there have been rumors of trades this season.
Baltimore Orioles
This one is most likely, as the Orioles are trying to sell anything not nailed down. Zach Britton has been traded to the Yankees, but Brad Brach and Darren O’Day are both over 30 and could be moved too. Mychal Givens is under team control for a few more seasons and would probably assume the closer role upon a trade of veterans. Givens has a 4.50 ERA this season, but a 2.70 FIP and 10.26 K/9 suggest he can handle the ninth inning role. He’s a good stash candidate through the trade deadline as the O’s are likely to continue making moves.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers don’t need to move Keone Kela, but they could get quite a haul if the chose to trade the pre-arbitration 25-year-old. Veteran Jake Diekman could also be on the move, leaving Jose Leclerc as the closer. Leclerc has been dominant for the Rangers this season with a 13.1 K/9 and 1.96 FIP. Leclerc does have a 13% walk rate, but that is an improvement from his abominable 20% walk rate last season. He also hasn’t allowed a home run in 35 innings.
Detroit Tigers
Shane Greene could be traded, but he also hasn’t pitched that well this season with a 3.86 ERA and 4.04 FIP. The peripherals suggest Greene overperformed in 2017 when he had a 2.66 ERA, and even if Greene doesn’t get traded Joe Jimenez could usurp his role. Jimenez has a 2.43 FIP and 4.17 K/BB ratio this season and would thrive as a closer.
Minnesota Twins
Fernando Rodney is the second oldest player in the majors and on a one-year deal. The Twins could trade him and allow Trevor Hildenberger to assume the closer role. Hildenberger’s 3.42 ERA seems like a mirage built upon a .258 BABIP, but he still has a 3.07 K/BB ratio and 3.58 SIERA.
Dodgers Acquire Manny Machado, Place Justin Turner on Disabled List
The biggest name that will be moved during the season was traded after the All-Star Game, as the Orioles shipped Manny Machado to Los Angeles for a five-prospect package. None of the prospects that Baltimore acquired will have a big impact this season, as the Orioles were looking to replenish a weak farm system and elected volume over quality. Machado’s value won’t change at all, but if you’ve been saving FAAB in NL-only leagues it’s time to lay the hammer down on Machado.
On the Dodgers side it appeared that Enrique Hernandez would lose the most playing time as Machado would serve as the regular shortstop, but since Justin Turner was placed on the disabled list with a groin strain Machado will play third base, Chris Taylor will play shortstop, and Hernandez will play second base. When everyone is healthy it seems likely that Hernandez enters a platoon with Joc Pederson, but the Dodgers’ roster is so versatile they could play different defensive alignments nearly every day. Alex Verdugo was promoted to take Turner’s roster spot, but Verdugo will probably be used in a bench role. A platoon doesn’t seem likely since both Verdugo and Joc Pederson bat left-handed.
In Baltimore, Tim Beckham will move from third base back to shortstop. Beckham has had a poor follow up to his 2017 breakout with a .215 AVG and .576 OPS, but is hitting .313 with an .889 OPS since the All-Star break. Obviously, it’s been a small sample size, but if you are desperate for a shortstop in deeper leagues Beckham is widely available and has the potential to contribute. Renato Nunez will take over at third base for Baltimore, but even in deeper leagues, he doesn’t offer much. He had some prospect pedigree in Oakland’s system and hit 32 home runs at Triple-A last season, but has just a .123 ISO and 33.3% strikeout rate at the major league level in 87 PA. Nunez could start hitting home runs since he has three seasons of 20 or more homers in the minors, but he’s an AL-only option at best.
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Elliott Baas is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Elliott, check out his archive and follow him @elliottbaasbb.
