Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Xander Bogaerts signed an 11-year contract with the Padres to join what looked like a deep lineup but turned out to be disappointing. The 31-year-old had 19 home runs and 19 stolen bases (a career-high), but his other counting stats took a hit. He slashed .285/.350/.440, but his expected slash numbers were .255/.318/.401. Those red flags should steer fantasy managers off the shortstop until later rounds at the earliest. With news he will gain second-base eligibility in 2024, his value gets a slight boost, but only if he falls to you.