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Fantasy Baseball Category Analysis: Week 20

Fantasy Baseball Category Analysis: Week 20

Forget ADP. Forget first-half numbers. While you do want to give credence to the old “dance with the one who brought you” cliche, you also want to make sure that dance partner is up to par. It’s hard, right now, to make up any ground in ERA or WHIP in season-long roto leagues, unless it’s the slimmest of slimmest margins. So what we are going to do instead is focus on players with upside who can help you overall, even if the category they are listed in may not move the needle for you there. Each week, I take a look at 10 players who can help you in the 10 traditional roto-based categories. Here are the five hitters and five pitchers to grab for either your playoff push, or for your playoff matchup. 

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Average

Randy Arozarena (OF – STL) 5%
It’s noteworthy that the Cardinals turned to Arozarena instead of Harrison Bader when Jose Martinez went down with an injury. If we’ve seen anything in the past, it’s that the Cardinals are great at producing contributors in their lineup who seemingly come from out of nowhere. Arozarena doesn’t do much to stand out in a specific category, but he contributes everywhere. If he has a big calling card in the minors, it’s his bat. He isn’t an empty average like Luis Arraez from the Twins, as he will sprinkle in some speed and homers. He’s not a long-term play, but he’s a guy who can help keep your average high in your matchups. 

Home Runs

Randal Grichuk (OF – TOR) 22%
I’ve often faded Khris Davis in drafts for Grichuk, as I feel he’s a poor man’s version of him. He’s been just that the past three years but hasn’t been able to match the power numbers that Davis has put up. This year, though, he’s besting Davis in homers, RBIs, runs, and average. He’s on a heater right now, and we know how streaky he can be. Ride the power while the streak is here, but don’t be afraid to jump ship once he slows down.

RBIs

Willie Calhoun (OF – TEX) 13%
I know it’s the point in the season where a lot of people just stop paying attention, but it baffles me that Calhoun is rostered in just 13 percent of leagues. I prefer him to Aristides Aquino, and he’s rostered in 75 percent of leagues. A three-homer game definitely helps that, but we all saw what happened to Austin Riley, right? Calhoun is a power hitter who doesn’t hurt you with strikeouts. He’s been a fixture in the lineup with Joey Gallo out, and he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He can help you across the board except with stolen bases.

Runs

Brett Gardner (OF – NYY) 29%
We underrate Gardner ever year. This year, we had our reasons, though. With Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Hicks having spots locked down, it was only a matter of time until Clint Frazier took Gardner’s job. Or so we thought. That hasn’t happened – even with the rash of injuries the Yankees have had. Guys like Cameron Maybin and Mike Tauchman have earned their playing time, but it hasn’t been at the expense of Gardner. Instead, Gardner is having a very Gardner-like season, despite hitting all over the lineup. This Yankees lineup is going to score, score, and score some more. Gardner should be rostered in five-outfielder leagues, and he’s the 34th-ranked outfielder in Yahoo points leagues to date.

Stolen Bases

Josh Rojas (2B/SS – ARI) 22%
Rojas was on my radar earlier this season thanks to FanGraphs’ Alex Chamberlain. He said that he could be 2020’s Jeff McNeil, and seeing him get traded from Houston to Arizona had me doubly excited since he could find a more clear path to playing time. He was unexpectedly called up by the Diamondbacks this week, and he had a two-hit game in his first game – including a home run. What fantasy managers want the most are the stolen bases, of which he had 32 in the minors this season. Second base looks to be his permanent home, and his rostership should be around 50 percent just because of the steals he can provide.

Wins 

Tanner Roark (SP – OAK) 28%
Roark is a guy that I like just because he’s safe. There is little upside to him, but he will provide you with valuable innings in a great home ballpark. We’ve seen in the past how the A’s have gotten the most out of their pitchers (Mike Fiers this year is the latest), and Roark is more talented than any of those past guys. 

ERA

Mitch Keller (SP – PIT) 14%
Keller’s MLB career hasn’t started the way that many had hoped, but his latest outing against the Angels is a move in the right direction. He threw five innings and struck out four against a team that rarely strikes out. You’ll take upside where you can get it at starting pitching, and while his minor league numbers haven’t been too impressive overall, there’s a reason he’s been a top-five pitching prospect for the last few years.

WHIP

Dillon Peters (SP/RP – LAA) 8%
I’m really not sold on Peters, but you’ll take the results in his last five starts. He is lined up to be a two-start pitcher next week, and with his RP eligibility, it makes him a good add in points leagues.

Strikeouts

Nathan Eovaldi (SP/RP – BOS) 40%
The Eovaldi as a closer chatter died down, and it’s looking like the Red Sox are moving him back to the rotation after bumping their big deadline acquisition, Andrew Cashner, to the bullpen. He was initially set to be an opener yesterday as he builds his arm strength back up, but he was used out of the bullpen Tuesday. 

Saves

Derek Law (SP/RP – TOR) 26%
Ken Giles returned Tuesday night after dealing with the continued elbow inflammation that scared off teams at the trade deadline. But as we’ve seen, it’s been an issue that’s been hard for him to kick. Over the weekend, it was Law that took over the closer’s role for the Blue Jays. He’s more of a speculative pickup for now in case Giles continues to be hampered by the elbow issue. As a betting man, I’m going to say this isn’t the last that we’ve seen of Law this year in the ninth-inning role.

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Michael Waterloo is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Michael, check out his archive and follow him @MichaelWaterloo.

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