2019 Fantasy Baseball ROS Rankings

Acuna has continued to meet and exceed the seismic hype in his sophomore campaign, batting .288/.371/.524 with 36 homers and 31 steals. Operating out of the leadoff role motivated him to swipe a dozen bases in July, cementing his case as a fantasy phenom. Christian Yelich is the only player capable of joining Acuna in the 30/30 club, so, the 21-year-old now looks like an easy top-three fantasy option alongside Yelich and Mike Trout. It won't be crazy when he receives No. 1 pick buzz in 2020.

Drafters know what they're getting in Arenado, who has batted no lower than .287 with at least 37 homers and 110 RBIs in the last four years. He has played all but 16 games in those four seasons, making him a durable beacon of consistency worthy of a first-round selection. He signed an extension during the offseason, so investors no longer need to worry about a midseason trade removing him from Coors Field. A lack of steals is an unfortunate, but acceptable tradeoff for locking in bankable production at every other category. This steadiness earned him the benefit of the doubt despite still not hitting a home run until April 14. He made up for lost time once the Rockies hosted more at Coors Field and now has 24 taters while hitting .305/.368/.539. It's a bit underwhelmed compared to past returns, but trust the stud to heat up once again after a slugging start to the second half.

Following an exceptional MVP campaign, Betts has looked more like the great, but not outstanding player from 2017. After mounting a .346/.438/.640 slash line in 2018, he's now batting .282/.390/.487 with 19 homers and 12 steals. He's still gunning for his fourth consecutive 20/20 season and has already eclipsed triple-digit runs, but he's not living up to the second-pick price tag. Although there's plenty of time for the career .300 hitter to up his average, Betts will eventually need to prove he's still a top-shelf superstar.

Martinez is having yet another elite fantasy season, and there are fewer hitters in the game more capable of producing big-time batting average, power, and run production numbers.

Repeating a redemptive 2018 would cement Story as a first-round pick, and he's on the right path with 28 homers and 19 steals in 118 games. Maintaining last year's contact improvements while generating more hard hits, regression in his .296 batting average may merely mean he hits .280. He's a shortstop who calls Coors Field home and should offer another 30/20 campaign despite missing time with a thumb sprain.

Verlander has benefitted from some good fortune this season, but that shouldn't overshadow just how dominant he's been. He's an obvious fantasy stud.

Bellinger has emerged as a league-winning talent, batting .308/.411/.645 with 42 homers and 11 steals. Everything in his portfolio supports the stupendous season. The 23-year-old has slashed his strikeout rate while exchanging ground balls and pop-ups for line drives. An all-or-nothing slugger as a rookie suddenly touts a solid contact rate (77.9%). He's a stud who will likely go as a top-five pick in 2020.

Turner's season started with such promise. Manager Dave Martinez's goal for 75-80 steals wasn't looking as outlandish after the Nationals shortstop swiped three bags on Opening Day. He then ended the inaugural series with a two-homer performance. Those hopes of Turner finally realizing his fantasy MVP upside ended abruptly, however, when he broke his finger on a bunt attempt. After playing all 162 games last season, he missed enough time to stand no chance of returning first-round value. When healthy, he has amassed 10 homers and 23 steals in just 75 games with his highest wRC+ (112) since 2016. Turner could make up for lost time with at least a 15/30 campaign and remains a first-round talent when on the field.

Bregman is proving that last season's power breakout was no fluke, and he continues to display an excellent approach at the plate with a low strikeout rate and high walk rate.

DeGrom was never going to repeat last year's 1.70 ERA, but he's been terrific again this year.

Scherzer experienced all kinds of bad luck over the first couple months, dominated at mid-season, and then suffered through injuries in the second half. The overall numbers are still pretty terrific and it would shock no one if he was the best pitcher in fantasy the rest of the way.

Lindor missed the first few weeks of the 2019 season with ankle and calf injuries, but he's been his usual studly self since returning. Crucially for his fantasy value, the leg injuries don't appear to have sapped Lindor's ability or willingness to steal bases.

While's he's been quite good in his own right, Cole has been overshadowed by teammate Justin Verlander. But the peripheral numbers suggest Cole has actually been the even better pitcher.

Freeman is a perennial .300 hitter, but this year he has also topped 30 home runs for just the second time in his career. Even 40 HRs is possible, which would push him into truly elite fantasy territory.

Baez still has terrible plate discipline...and he's still one of the best hitters in fantasy baseball.

Blackmon's down year (.291, 29 HR, 119 R, 12 SB) was still far better than most players' best year. His 37 homers looked like the clear outlier who hadn't reached 30 in another season. He could reach that mark again, as he's currently batting .323/.367/.592 with 24 homers in 102 games. While he has stolen just two bases, the 32-year-old is once again a stud who has posted an absurd .511 wOBA in Coors Field. He's a top-25 player, but the steep splits could prove bothersome for head-to-head investors.

After posting a .390 wOBA through 20 games, Judge joined a dozen of his teammates on the IL with an oblique injury. It's not always the easiest ailment to recover from, and Carlos Beltran speculated that the Yankees star will never be back to 100% this season. Judge has performed well enough in his return, but 18 homers in 78 games isn't the power drafters anticipated. He's traded fly balls for live drives, which helps his batting-average floor but hurts his home-run ceiling. Although still an immense talent and top-flight option, he's not looking like a major game-changer in the power department. He did, however, snap out of a funk in late August, so don't be surprised if he makes up for lost time with a monstrous September.

Soto was hitting .248/.368/.467 through April before going on the IL with back spasms. The young phenom is now sporting a .288/.399/.552 slash line right in line with his spectacular rookie campaign. This writer worried about home run regression entering the season, but he has slashed his ground-ball rate by over 12 points to hit 28 homers. He has also stolen 12 bases after swiping just five last year. Now that he's hitting more fly balls and barrels, the 20-year-old could approach 35 long balls and 15 steals with a high average despite missing time to start May. A strong finish will solidify his status as a top-20 pick, perhaps even a first-rounder, next year.

Rendon is having an outstanding season. We already knew he was a true .300 hitter, but this year he's also increased his launch angle and hard contact rate, which explains why he's experiencing a power breakout. He had never hit more than 25 home runs in a season, but he could get to 35 this year.

For the third time in four seasons, Harper is proving to be a bit of a lag in terms of batting average. Thankfully he chips in solid enough production in the other four fantasy categories to remain a valuable -- if slightly overrated -- fantasy asset.

It's time to reset our expectations for Altuve. He no longer can be counted on to steal bases, which was a huge part of his fantasy appeal. But he's certainly still capable of hitting .300 with solid power and good run production numbers.

Bogaerts sometimes gets overlooked because he doesn't steal many bases anymore, but he's emerged as a serious four-category stud.

As one of just a handful of players who can realistically be expected to hit 20+ home runs and steal close to 30 bases, Marte is a key piece to winning rosters in standard 5x5 fantasy leagues.

Buehler has lived up to expectations early in his second season, recording a 3.31 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 166 strikeouts and 26 walks in 141.1 innings. That's despite a horrid outing at Coors damaging his ratios. As a former Tommy John recipient who tossed 153.1 professional innings last year and plays for the Dodgers, he's highly unlikely to push past 175 innings this season. While that's something to keep in mind down the road, the depleted pool of aces makes him a top-10 starter right now.

Machado's first season in San Diego has been terribly disappointing for fantasy owners. He hasn't been awful at the plate, but he hasn't stood out in any statistical category, either. It's fair to wonder if he'll be able to return to the elite production he produced in a more favorable hitting environment in Baltimore.

Rizzo is having another typical Rizzo season. He's often overshadowed by the select few first baseman capable of producing even more elite fantasy numbers, but he's one of the safest bets for upper-echelon production year after year.

Fully recovered from the shoulder injury that derailed his 2018 season, Bryant is back to being the high-end hitter we've come to expect.

Merrifield has picked up right where he left off last year as one of the best five-category producers in the game. He's even hitting for a bit more power this year.

Springer missed about a month with a strained hamstring, but quickly settled back in as the leadoff hitter in one of the league's best lineups.

Goldy is no longer the fantasy superstar he once was, but he has salvaged his season somewhat. Perhaps this is the new normal we should expect from him in St. Louis.

Nola investors were undoubtedly getting antsy. After posting a pristine 2.37 ERA in 2018, he opened 2019 with a 4.89 ERA and 1.51 WHIP through 15 troubling starts. A command artist throughout his rise to ace status issued 36 walks in those 81 innings. Just when some were ready to the right flag, the righty kicked into high gear. Over his last 11 starts, Nola has notched a 2.09 ERA and tallied 83 strikeouts in 73.1 innings. His first-pitch and swinging-strike rates have returned to normal during this dominant stretch. Investors who withered the storm (or bought low) looked poised to enjoy a top-20 ace in the second half.

Strasburg is having another one of his typically-dominant seasons, the only question is whether he can stay healthy. He's broken 200 innings just once in his career.

Greinke's not an elite strikeout pitcher, but he is a workhorse with pinpoint control who is on track to produce one of the best seasons of his career. That's saying something for a guy who has put up an ERA of 3.21 or better and WHIP of 1.15 or better six times in the last seven seasons.

Devers started the season making contact gains diminished by a power funk. He then put it together with eight home runs and a .416 wOBA in May. Now he's hitting .326 with 28 homers, 111 runs, 104 RBIs, and eight steals, making him one of fantasy's five-category contributors. He's 22 years old. A rise in exit velocity and fall in strikeouts support the elevated average, and he's always had the look of someone who could swat-30 long balls in a season. The speed is an unexpected treat that has already faded, but managers should buy this breakout.

Kershaw's no longer the big strikeout guy he once was, but his elite control remains. He also seemingly has the intangible characteristics of a pitcher who has mastered his craft: He has outperformed his peripherals each of the last two seasons and is well on his way to doing it again in 2019.

Bauer has had the most maddening season imaginable for a potential ace. He has already allowed five or more runs in eight turns, with one or zero permitted in 11 others. The walk woes also came back in July. The elite strikeout rate and off-the-charts upside keep him relevant, and he could be one tweak away from dominating again, but it's time to pump the brakes on Bauer as a reliable top-20 ace. That's especially the case now that he's pitching in Great American Ballpark with a 7.62 ERA as the newest member of the Reds.

Oddly undervalued after hitting .290 with 27 homers and nine steals in 2017, Rosario replicated his breakout by batting .288 with 24 long balls and eight steals in 138 games. Yet he didn't fly up draft boards because of a miserable second half (.240/.262/.387) unnerved by a quad injury. He's once again off to the early races, batting .286 with 26 home runs and 79 RBIs through August 15. While the steals have dried up, he should be good to go as a borderline top-50 player after returning from a quad injury.

Amid an up-and-down first season with the Nationals, Corbin still carries a stellar 3.34 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 153.2 innings. His slider continues to dominate, but his fastball has gotten clobbered. He has rebounded in resounding fashion after an ugly three-start stretch in late May and early June, so continue to treat him as a borderline top-15 starter living up to his draft-day cost.

The perennially undervalued Cruz was hitting .270/.354/.508 with seven homers before going on the IL with a wrist injury. Before going down, those numbers actually represented a step down from his usual elite production. Then again, drafters didn't have to pay for that level of dominance because of his age (38) and DH-only status. Following a strong June and absurdly terrific second-half surge magnified by a pair of three-homer outbursts, his 164 wRC+ is now a career high. Unfortunately, he's back on the IL with a wrist injury. There's no table, but Cruz needs to be stashed after crushing 16 homers in his last 25 games.

Torres is a premier talent hitting in a stacked lineup, and his combination of power and batting average has translated to a lot of fantasy value.

After a slow start to the season, Albies has really come on of late, and there's nothing in his underlying numbers to suggest he can't keep it up.

Morton has successfully carried over the improvements he made as a pitcher during his two seasons in Houston. His walk rate can be a bit of an issue at times, but he misses a ton of bats and is also quite adept at limiting hard contact. He's also managed to stay healthy this year, something that's been an issue for him in the past.

Suarez was never all that likely to match last season's .283 batting average, but he's already blown past the 34 home runs he hit in 2018. He's a fairly one-dimensional fantasy asset, but there's no doubt that the power will play.

One of last spring's top breakout candidates, Castillo posted an underwhelming 4.30 ERA in 2018 because of an atrocious start. This time, he dominated out of the gate and is compiling a 3.21 ERA and 190 strikeouts through 160 innings. The elevated 9.6% walk rate is concerning, but he's too good at missing bats to significantly worry. No qualified starter has a lower contact rate, and Castillo is third in swinging-strike rate behind Max Scherzer and Gerrit Cole. He might be experiencing an inverse of 2018, however, with a 5.00 ERA after the All-Star break.

Great in every category but not spectacular in one, a player of Benintendi's ilk typically doesn't merit top-25 consideration. But 20/20 candidates are hard to come by, especially if they provide a high batting-average floor and can score 100 times atop a loaded Red Sox lineup. This upside coerced drafters to pay a steep price for the 24-year-old, who's merely been just OK across the board with a .284/.359/.465 slash line, 12 homers and nine steals. The rise in strikeouts is discouraging, and he's running out of time to return to his 20/20 pace with one big hot streak. While he'll fall well short of his draft cost, Benintendi at least isn't hurting managers anywhere.

Throughout the season, a low expected average suggested Hoskins could eventually hit a wall. He's regressed even harder than expected, going 6-for-57 in 16 August contests. He's now hitting .237, and 24 home runs isn't particularly special in 2019. While he still has a shot at reaching 100 RBIs in the heart of Philadelphia's lineup, Hoskins has dropped from a star slugger to one of several flawed power hitters.

Abreu's strikeout rate has risen to the extent that he's unlikely to hit .290-.300 like he used to, but he's still no slouch in that department, and he's on pace to top 30 home runs for the fourth time in six seasons.

Syndergaard has had a frustrating start to 2019, posting a 3.86 ERA through 24 starts. Despite the subpar returns, he still wields a 3.44 FIP with 151 strikeouts and 42 walks in 154 innings. While those marks aren't the dominance onlookers expect from a hard-thrower nicknamed after a god, he has rebounded to post a 2.05 ERA after the All-Star break against a lighter schedule. The SP1 upside remains if he has repaired his slider.

Alonso has been one of the biggest power hitter breakouts of 2019, and his Statcast numbers largely back up what he's doing at the plate.

All reasonable onlookers expected regression from Ozuna's .312, 37-homer outburst in 2017, but they still wanted better than .280 and 23 long balls. While his average has once again tumbled (.270), he has found more power with 24 homers (10 in April) through 102 games. He has even stolen a career-high 12 bases, and hitting in the heart of St. Louis's lineup led him to produce 77 RBIs despite missing all of July with fractured fingers. The outfielder has swung a hot bat upon his return while setting personal-bests in multiple Statcast metrics. He's in store to finish a superb season on a high note.

Puig became every drafter's friend after getting shipped from the Dodgers to Reds. Some of those investors may have turned into enemies when he batted .218/.268/.391 through May. Yet he has since made amends by hitting .289/.346/.531 with 14 home runs and nine steals. With 24 homers and 16 steals on the season, he could end 2019 in the exclusive 30/20 club. The buy-low opportunity has vanished, so it's time to sit back and enjoy the top-100 player we anticipated this spring. Moving from Cincinnati to Cleveland marks a park downgrade, but Puig has also gotten to bat cleanup behind Francisco Lindor.

Ryu has looked every bit as dominant as he was late last season. In a terrific season briefly interrupted by two short IL trips, he has posted a 2.35 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 157.1 innings. That gives him a 2.22 ERA in his last 40 starts. While his 137 strikeouts aren't spectacular for someone dominating at such an amazing rate, he has issued an astonishingly low 20 walks. Ryu has thrown more than 150 innings for the first time since 2014, so it's not surprising to see natural regression strike down the stretch. He has relinquished seven runs each in back-to-back starts, matching the total of earned runs allowed through his first 15 starts of 2019. Given these struggles, the Dodgers could limit his workload with a playoff berth already firmly in hand. There's nevertheless little recourse but to play the NL Cy Young Award candidate as long as he's healthy.

Bell is one of the breakout players of 2019. With a massive spike in both his hard contact and fly ball rates, he's already surpassed his previous career high of 26 home runs, set in his first full Big League season in 2017. His batting average has predictably tailed off, but most of what he's doing is absolutely legit.

A strikeout liability in the minors, Chapman now has a 10.7% K rate. He has paired those superb contact gains with a 10.3% BB rate, 29 homers, and a .361 wOBA. If these gains stick, he's a four-category fantasy stud and a borderline MVP candidate for Oakland due to his elite defense at the hot corner. There's still a limited batting-average ceiling, but he should at least maintain his current .258 clip. Given all the power and potential to score triple-digit runs, he deserves to reside as a top-75 player.

Mondesi's season has been derailed by injuries. But when healthy, he's shown that last season's breakout was no fluke, providing elite stolen base totals with a bit of power and a serviceable batting average.

Chapman's average fastball velocity has plummeted all way down to 98.3 mph. He still has 77 strikeouts in 51.2 innings, but he forfeited early walk gains by issuing 11 free passes during a messy July in which he allowed nine runs in 8.2 innings. Don't panic; he has bounced back with 18 strikeouts and three walks in 10 scoreless innings in August. He's still one of the top closers around.

Finally taking a step toward the long-awaited breakout, Berrios has a 3.37 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 25 starts. Inconsistency, however, continues to plague him. Before anointing him an ace, his strikeout rate (22.7%) has fallen, and a 4.32 SIERA indicates some regression is still around the corner. Although Berrios has emerged as a top-25 SP, his tumultuous August (19 runs in 16 IP) could carry over through the end of 2019.

Clevinger looks on the cusp of joining Cleveland teammate Shane Bieber as an elite ace. He opened 2019 with 22 strikeouts over two scoreless starts before suffering a back injury. Shortly after returning on June 17, he went back on the IL after one start. He got shelled by the Orioles (1.2, 7 ER) in his return but has since posted a dominant 1.86 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 67.2 innings. Now healthy, he has quickly vaulted his way back into a top-12 option with an even higher ceiling.

Buoyed by a lethal slider and a curveball that didn't yield a single extra-base hit in his rookie campaign, there's easy 200-strikeout upside if Flaherty pitches a full season. He's on the right track with 162 in 140.1 innings. The other numbers hadn't followed for most of 2019, but he has lowered his ERA to 3.46 by allowing five combined runs in his last eight starts. He won't stay this hot forever, but Flaherty is looking a lot more like the burgeoning ace drafters took as a top-20 starter.

In yet another season derailed by injuries, Correa is hitting .278/.358/.556 with 19 homers and a 140 wRC+ in just 72 games. Not long after returning from a rib injury caused by a massage gone wrong (or at least that's his story), the 24-year-old shortstop is back on the IL with a back injury. There's no concrete timetable, but any missed time is bad in late August. Correa will now go his third straight season without playing more than 110 games.

Baseball fans could soon think of that pop singer as the other Bieber. He has succeeded early in 2019 by trading more heaters for sliders, and the results are a much improved 3.23 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 30.8% K rate. He has also a bunch of hard contact, but the blow-up outings are becoming fewer and far between. The emerging ace is now a top-10 fantasy starter whose stock continues to trend upward.

Pham has not fully carried over last year's late momentum with the Rays, but he's once again in line to contribute across the bboard. He's now hitting .271/.373/.458 with 19 HRs and 16 SBs in 120 games this season. He has improved his strikeout and walk rates from 2018 while notably bolstering both his contact rate. The outfielder is an increasingly rare power/speed asset.

Although no longer the premier closer in town, Jansen is still a top-tier option. A 3.73 ERA would top last year's 3.01 as a new career-high, but he has also recorded 68 strikeouts and 12 walks in 50.2 innings with a .218 opposing batting average. Health is his primary concern after undergoing heart surgery over the offseason.

Sanchez has proven to be capable of producing truly difference-making numbers at fantasy baseball's weakest position, and this year is no different. He always looked like a good bet to deliver 30+ home runs.

Last season's 160.1 IP comfortably set a personal high for Paxton, and he may not exceed it in 2019. After an up-and-down start that included back-to-back shutouts with 12 strikeouts apiece, the southpaw went on the injured list with knee inflammation. He returned on May 29 to toss four hitless innings with seven strikeouts and has since looked shaky with a 7.15 ERA in June and 5.68 ERA in July. Health was supposed to be his only detriment to stardom, so a 4.53 ERA and 4.33 FIP in 22 turns is highly disappointing. Yet an elite 28.8% K rate should still lead to dominance near the finish line.

Hand has suffered through a bit of a second half swoon, but he's fully capable of getting back on track down the stretch.

After staying healthy throughout a bounce-back 2018, Brantley's contact-oriented skill set was undervalued by drafters seeking flashier power or speed. They're missing out on a tremendous season. He's batting .328/.387/.525 with 16 homers in 489 plate appearances while mimicking last year's elite strikeout and contact rates. While his prolific power has slowed down over the last two months, he's a force who should bat above .300 with around 20 homers. Although one of Houston's few stars to stay on the field so far, health remains the only concern.

Guerrero hasn't had quite the impact as a rookie that many fantasy managers were expecting, but he's done nothing to weaken his long-term outlook. He still looks like one of the best bets for power and batting average for years to come.

Moustakas rejoined the Brewers on his second straight one-year deal, so early drafters likely snagged a power bat at a discount. Playing mostly at second base, he has already crushed 31 homers with a 116 wRC+ through 121 games. While the ultra-high launch angle limits his batting-average upside despite a career 16.5% strikeout rate, he could tally 35-40 long runs in a full season with the Brew Crew.

After replacing Brad Hand as San Diego's closer late last year, Yates is ascending into a top-tier fantasy reliever. He has converted 38 of 41 save opportunities while allowing just eight earned runs in 54 frames with a 35.8 K-BB%. After staying put through the deadline, he's the No. 1 closer with ample job security.

An underrated stud when healthy, Turner touted a higher wRC+ (141) than Paul Goldschmidt, Giancarlo Stanton, Nolan Arenado, and Manny Machado from 2016-18. He has recovered from an early power drought to bat .293/.374/.509, and he'll compile plenty of runs and RBIs in a prolific Dodgers lineup. He has also stayed healthy, which has proven the main detriment to his fantasy value. Turner may never hit 30 homers in a full season, but there are few safer bets to bat around .300.

After serving a suspension for a domestic violence charge, Osuna got traded to the Astros and was closing within a month. His K/9 has improved from last year's middling 7.58 to 9.56, and he misses enough bats to keep fanning over a batter per frame. He has yielded just 38 hits, 10 walks, and 18 earned runs over 53.2 spectacular innings to secure Houston's closing gig. Those comfortable rostering Osuna will get elite ratios and perhaps more strikeouts, which will fortify his positioning as one of the game's finest fantasy options.

Hader is the best reliever in the game when he's on his game, but that has decidedly not been the case of late. Still, he could turn it around at any moment and will hold onto plenty of fantasy value as long as he's got the closer gig in Milwaukee.

A calf injury limited Donaldson to just 52 games last season. He also wasn't his dominant self when healthy, batting .245/.352/.449 with his lowest wOBA (.345) since 2012. Still yet to rediscover his MVP gear, he's once again a high-end power option hitting .259/.374/.526 and .376 wOBA. Yet the arrow is ticking upward. He has collected 25 of his 32 home runs since June 1 and is sporting his highest average exit velocity in the last five years. If he stays healthy, managers are looking at a .260, 35-HR hitter who still offers a stout OBP and plenty of counting numbers in Atlanta's strong lineup.

In a season mired by hip injuries, Davis has swatted just 19 homers after exceeding 40 in each of the last three seasons. The most telling sign of his sub-standard struggles? He's hitting .221 instead of .247. The 31-year-old DH is certainly the type of slugger who can heat up in a hurry, but it's tougher to suffer much more through his 46 wRC+ after the All-Star break. He should be benched, and perhaps even dropped in the typical mixed league barring any signs of life.

Following a breakout 2018, Castellanos waited until April 25 to hit his first home run of 2019. Despite a tumultuous start, his slash line has quietly risen to .293/.343/.509 with 76 runs scored. He has notched eight homers and a 184 wRC+ in 23 games since getting traded to the Cubs. Playing every day in a better lineup as the No. 2 hitter, he's on track to nearly replicate last year's results. He's once again someone to trust in all formats.

Now healthy from shoulder surgery that cost him part of 2018, Conforto hasn't returned completely back to 2017's top form. Despite a strong start, he only hit .244 at the All-Star break. Yet he's turned a corner again, upping his slash line to .257/.362/.492 as of August 29. He's still a strong bet to clear 30 homers with a high OBP, but he'll need to regain past hard-hit rates to up his average and spark a true breakout.

Santana looked like a prime regression candidate, but it just hasn't happened. At this point it makes sense to ride out his terrific season and then reassess his long-term outlook next spring.

A dirt-bike accident in 2017 and broken hand suffered last spring limited Bumgarner to 240.2 combined innings in the past two seasons. He had previously exceeded 200 in each of the last six seasons. While he has regained his workhorse label in 2019, the 29-year-old's 3.71 ERA is far above his current season high of 3.37. He has, however, reversed last year's declines in velocity, swinging strikes, strikeouts, and walks. Although no longer an ace, the southpaw still looks like a high-floor SP3 who has excelled since a rough turn against the dangerous Dodgers on June 20. Staying in San Francisco is also tremendous news for his rest-of-season outlook.

Snell will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair loose bodies in his throwing elbow. The Rays hope he can return in 2019, but that's not a certainty. Nathan Eovaldi missed nearly three months with a similar procedure. Head-to-head managers can at least hang on in case he returns for the playoffs, but don't count on the reigning AL Cy Young winner returning in time to repair his 4.28 ERA. On the bright side, this could turn him into a 2020 bargain.

Muncy had batted .195 with five homers in 245 big league plate appearances prior to 2018, so he naturally towered 35 homers with a .407 wOBA. He's not slowing down. While his ISO has dropped from .319 to a more mortal .271 in 2019, he has maintained a gorgeous walk rate with a high launch angle, 33 homers, and a .375 wOBA. Unlike many lefty sluggers, he actually crushes same-handed opponents. He's a top-flight power play and elite OBP target, but a wrist fracture will unfortunately cost him at least one or two weeks in September. The Dodgers have no reason to rush him back before the playoffs, so he might not help much over the final weeks.

Cain joined Mookie Betts and Whit Merrifield as the only players to hit .300 with 10 homers and 30 steals last season. He set career highs in walk and hard-hit rates atop Milwaukee's lineup, leading to 90 runs scored in 141 games. This season, however, he hasn't met the hype with a .252 average, eight homers, and 16 steals in 122 games. There's no major drop in contact rate to support the sudden average dip, but he's running out of time to catch up to his .286 xBA. Although the 33-year-old is slowing down, he could finish strong and make for an interesting buy-low target in 2010.

Having batting .300 or better with at least 10 homers and 20 steals in each of the last two seasons, Segura seemed like a value in 2019 drafts. More than five months into the season, however, he's hitting .280 with seven steals. While the average has slowly improved, it's troubling to see him run so infrequently. At least he still has a chance to compile plenty of runs and RBIs for the Phillies. He has also already surpassed last season's HR tally at 11. Without the speed, however, Segura has fallen behind baseball's loaded influx of talented shortstops.

Moncada has put it all together, batting .300 with 22 homers and seven steals through 101 games. Investors hit the jackpot on an elite young talent who was available in the middle of drafts. Although his strikeout rate is slowly rising, his 27.8% is still down significantly from last year's crushing 33.4% clip, and a more aggressive approach has yielded better contact. His breakout season went on hold because of a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, he returned to homer in his first two games back.

As many observers predicted based on his underwhelming exit velocity, Robles' slash line has tumbled to .238/.312/.417 following a strong start. He still has 14 homers and 17 steals, but both columns have dried up since April. Moved down to the order once Trea Turner returned, Robles went over a month without swiping a bag. While gamers should temper expectations, he could still commence his career with a 20-20 campaign, a rare skill set at any position.

Polanco needed 77 games to post six homers and nine barrels in 2018. 121 games into 2019, he has six 19 homers, and 29 barrels. His launch angle and hard-hit rate are both way up, so this is no mere blip. The 25-year-old is breaking out in a major way, easing the sting of stealing just four bags. Undervalued as a solid middle infielder on draft day, he now looks like one of many formidable star shortstops.

After a slow start to the season, Realmuto has really turned it on. There's no longer any doubt that he is the best fantasy catcher out there.

Just as Stanton finally rid himself on the dreaded "injury prone" label, the Yankees placed him on the IL with a biceps strain. They hoped he'd return in April, but he was instead out until late June. His nightmare season continued when, less than a week into his return, he went right back on the IL with a sprained right knee. He could come back in September, but even that's not a certainty. Getting one home run out of a star slugger is a brutal blow to everyone who drafted him in the second round.

Kepler's incremental raises in home runs (17, 19, 20) and wOBA (.313, .315, .316) suggested he was still a boring player not progressing nearly rapidly enough to target in most mixed leagues. Yet he made some gains in 2018 that pointed to more significant development. Surely enough, he appears to have expedited his growth by hitting .258/.337/.536 with 32 home runs. He's also batting leadoff against righties for one of baseball's hottest lineups while carrying over 2018's improvements in strikeouts, and fly balls. Enjoying a full-fledged breakout, Kepler is now a must-start option even in shallow three-outfielder leagues.

While the velocity has stayed down, the whiffs and strikeouts are way up for Price, who has garnered a 10.77 K/9 in 21 starts. The ERA, however, skyrocketed to 4.36 after allowing 20 earned runs in four starts. The Red Sox placed the 33-year-old on the IL with a TFCC cyst in his left wrist. He's expected to return September 1, at which point he'll need to re-earn everyone's trust before using down the stretch.

Not everyone rookie can be a superstar right away. Bestowed with immense expectations after making the White Sox's Opening Day roster, Jimenez hit just .241/.294/.380 with three homers and a 29.4% K rate in 21 games. After missing three weeks with an ankle sprain, he began to display his sky-high upside in June, batting .284/.340/.602 with eight home runs. Those who stayed patient should receive the elite power prospect promised for the remaining three-plus months. He also shown much better contact skills throughout the minors, so a .240 batting average and 27.6% strikeout rate should improve. Jimenez suffered a right ulnar nerve contusion after colliding with Charlie Tilson, prompting his second IL stint of the season. He's hit for power, but not much else since returning.

Wheeler was nearly as good as Jacob deGrom after last year's All-Star break, boasting a 1.68 ERA and 20.4 K-BB% in 11 starts. All that promise made his up-and-down start all the more disappointing. He has an underwhelming 4.41 ERA through August while notching 160 strikeouts in 161.1 innings. Although continually did in by home runs and one bad inning, he has emerged into a rare workhorse averaging over six innings per start. Armed with a 3.70 FIP, he's not far off from the breakout candidate many drafted as a top-25 starter.

Villar is having easily his best fantasy season since his career year in 2016. There simply aren't many players capable of going 20-30 in today's game, and Villar is one of them.

A popular candidate to win the NL batting title in Colorado, Murphy injured his hand less than a week into the season. Avoiding severe tendon damage, he returned from the IL in late April, but stumbled mightily through May. With the help of home cooking, he batted .344 in June and .306 in July. The perennial .300 hitter is back up to .300 on August 6. His recent turnaround is reminiscent of last year's late surge after working off the rust from an injury, so the 34-year-old should regain everyone's trust as a top-100 player.

Following a stellar start, Boyd's ERA has risen to 4.47. He still, however, boasts a 3.51 SIERA with 208 strikeouts and 42 walks in 159 innings. He also ranks among the top starters in swinging-strike rate by relying heavily on his wipeout slider. This isn't a fluke, as he also punched out a batter per frame in 2018's second half. The Tigers southpaw looked like one of the season's biggest waiver-wire additions who could finish as a top-25 starter like Patrick Corbin in 2018. Now he's a high-strikeout option getting killed by the long ball.

Signed without a clear opening, LeMahieu was practically the Yankees' only healthy player early in the season (and once again in early August). He has come through in a big way, batting .333/.380/.526 with 17 home runs, 77 runs, and 75 RBIs in 100 games. Early playing-time issues have abruptly vanished, and the Bronx Bombers continue to play LeMahieu as their leadoff hitter across the diamond. The career .302 hitter is well on his way to plating 100-plus runs with a high average, over 20 long balls, and a handful of steals. One of this season's most unheralded first-half studs may now be a sell-high candidate, but only if getting an astronomical return.

Andrus went from 20 homers and 25 steals to six and five, respectively, last year. The speed drop-off was especially jarring, as he had reached at least 20 steals in each of his last nine MLB seasons. This year, the 30-year-old has already bounced back with eight homers and 23 steals. That's despite serving a short IL stint due to a hamstring strain. However, he's cooled off considerably and gone a month without touching them all. With the running back in tow, he's still a solid shortstop who can go 12/30 with a batting average at or above his career .276.

Kimbrel hasn't been great since joining the Cubs at midseason, but he's been too good for too long to be concerned at this point. He should still be viewed as a top-10 closer down the stretch.

After undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery, Seager also had arthroscopic surgery on his hip last August. He got off to a slow start to 2019, batting .230/.333/.364 with two home runs (one on Opening Day) through April. He then notched a 123 wRC+ in May with 17 hits (seven doubles and a HR) in 10 games to start June. Unfortunately, a Grade 2 hamstring strain halted his momentum and sidelined the 24-year-old shortstop for a month. He struggled upon his return before a bounce-back August, but he's hitting .270 with 12 homers and one steal. The career .295/.366/.486 hitter could still heat up if he finally gets healthy, but Seager isn't offering any power or speed at a deep position.

Escobar is in the midst of a huge fantasy season, particularly in terms of home runs and RBIs. It's fair to question whether he can repeat the trick next year, but just enjoy the production down the stretch of 2019.

Diaz's velocity and strikeout rate are just fine, but there's simply no sugarcoating how bad he's been this season.

Before most of the majors even started the season, Olson got hit on his right hand by a pitch in Tokyo. He underwent hamate surgery, which kept him out of action for all of April. Although a tricky injury from which to recover, he has quickly rediscovered his form with 26 homers and a .297 ISO in 99 games. There's ample power upside from someone who slugged .651 as a rookie and clubbed 29 home runs in an underwhelming 2018. Just don't expect much help in batting average.

Santana, who submitted 30 homers and 15 steals in 2017, has 21 homers and eight steals in a bounce-back year. One of the hottest hitters to commence 2019 cratered after the All-Star break (37 wRC+ in 25 games) before going on the IL with right elbow inflammation. Even if it's a short absence, he'll need to prove healthy and effective before managers can toss him back into their starting lineups.

Alvarez has been absolutely tearing the cover off the ball since the day he arrived in Houston, much as he was doing to poor Triple-A pitchers. He certainly looks here to stay as a premier fantasy asset.

Smith is one of the most underrated fantasy closers in the league, and the fact he stayed put at the trade deadline ensures he'll remain a top closer the rest of the way.

Arthroscopic elbow surgery limited Darvish to eight starts in 2018. Adding insult to injury, he wasn't even good (4.95 ERA) in his brief time on the mound. He looked just as bad for most of 2019. The righty has relinquished a 4.36 ERA and 23 homers in 23 starts. Yet he has resoundingly reversed terrible early-season command with just seven walks in his past 10 outings. Also lost in his early troubles, the oft-injured righty has stayed healthy. He's the ultimate boom-or-bust starter whose diminished value is rapidly rising back to the SP3/4 drafters anticipated.

Investors have received the full Tanaka experience. Elite at his best, he has yielded just one or zero earned runs in nine starts. Only one of those have come in the last two months. He has also allowed at least four runs in 11 turns, including a 12-run calamity against the Red Sox on July 25. Anyone who has rostered the Yankees righty is used to this volatility, but they have stomached it in exchange for elite strikeout rates. This season, however, his K rate has dipped to a career-low 19.2% with a drop in swinging-strike rate (10.4%). His ERA has risen to 4.68, and the down days are becoming far too common (and damaging) to trust as anything more than a back-end matchup play.

Everything went right for Ray in 2017, when he registered a 2.89 ERA despite a 3.94 BB/9 and 3.72 FIP. An oblique strain limited him to just 123.2 innings in 24 starts last season, and 70 walks led to a 3.93 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. After initially resembling the better model, he carries a 3.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. He remains just as tough to hit with a .221 batting average, but a 4.10 BB/9 continues to cause him trouble. Enjoy the strikeouts, but expect a volatile ERA and bloated WHIP. Despite all the speculation, he stayed in Arizona through the trade deadline and has returned from a back injury.

His success defies common convention, so it was hard not to freak out over Hendricks surrendering a 5.33 ERA through five starts. Could the bottom finally be falling out for a finesse pitcher who operates in the mid-80s? Nope. A .405 BABIP and 58.8% strand rate fueled that rough beginning, and The Professor has quickly corrected course. His ERA has recovered to 3.47, once again cementing him as a dependable SP3 to use with full confidence.

Votto, now 35 years old, hit 12 homers last year after clubbing 36 in 2017. He has just 12 more in 113 games alongside a .262 batting average and eyebrow-raising uptick in strikeouts. After lacing MLB's second-highest line-drive rate (31.4%) behind Freddie Freeman last year, the mark has dropped with more fly balls, but fewer hard hits. He offered hope by hitting .299/.390/.506 in June but has got cold again in July. Placed on the IL with a lower-back strain on August 18, he could return once eligible. Managers in shallow mixed leagues (without walks or OBP as a category) could reasonably drop him if needing an immediate replacement.

Another strong 2019, in which he has hit 20 home runs and even set a career high with five steals, has fortified Grandal's status as a top-five catcher. Even though he has fallen back to earth, the 30-year-old will hit around the .250 range with a high walk rate and around 25-30 homers. That will look a lot better behind the plate, and he's especially valuable in two-catcher or OBP leagues.

Sean Doolittle was a borderline top-10 closer to begin the season, but injuries and inconsistency have taken a toll on his rest-of-season outlook.

Finally given a featured role in Tampa Bay, Meadows has promptly reminded everyone of his past elite prospect pedigree. He has popped 20 long balls with nine steals -- often from the leadoff role -- despite a right thumb sprain interrupting the 24-year-old's breakout campaign. He cratered in June (.248 wOBA) after returning from the IL but has turned the corner (.372 wOBA) after the All-Star break. He's still a dangerous five-category threat with a real shot of pursuing a 25/15 campaign.

Although he spent months as the quintessential sell-high candidate, Anderson was batting .317 with 11 home runs and 15 steals before going on the IL with a right high-ankle sprain. The power or speed haven't come back just yet, but he has collected 28 hits in 18 games back. With 10 walks all season, the free-swinger is still due for some average regression. He has, however, lowered his strikeout rate while amassing more hard hits, so his breakout isn't entirely a flash in the pan.

Voit has crushed 33 home runs in 133 games since joining the Yankees. While he was never going to match last year's .322 batting average with a contact rate below 70%, 2019's superb version looked fully sustainable, before he went out with a sports hernia shortly after returning from an abdominal strain. He avoided season-ending surgery and returns in time to help fantasy managers in September. If healthy, he's worth trusting during the final weeks.

Giles has had a major career resurgence north of the border and looks to be a top-15 fantasy closer going forward.

Continuing his every-other-year pattern, Hosmer is once again bouncing back from a rough year. Following a down 2018, he's batting .283/.330/.448 with 19 homers and 85 RBIs near the end of August. Managers in deeper leagues will especially derive value from a locked-in starter who's on pace to record at least 667 plate appearances for the fifth straight season. He is a solid corner-infield compiler piling up counting stats.

Mancini has quietly put together a breakout season for the bottom-feeding Orioles. His numbers don't jump off the page, but his solid four category production plays quite nicely in fantasy leagues.

Iglesias has had a rocky season, as hasn't even been used as the Reds' exclusive closer. But he's really turned it on in the second half, which shouldn't be surprising given his excellent track record.

Encarnacion has suffered through an injury-plagued second half, but he could still finish with a bang in September. His power bat is obviously enticing when put into the Yankees' potent lineup.

While Hamels didn't have the most consistent start to 2019, he carried over last year's turnaround with the Cubs by compiling a 2.98 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 99.2 innings. He was one of few veteran workhorses paying off their draft capital, but an oblique injury sent him to the IL to start June. After tossing five scoreless innings in a promising return, he has yielded 13 runs and 21 baserunners in two starts spanning just five combined frames. Diminished velocity creates some legitimate concern for the 35-year-old, but he still sports a solid 3.69 ERA despite the two blow-up outings.

Although he started slow, the Statcast data suggested Reyes was in store for a massive breakout. He appeared to make good on that potential, but a summer slump has him now batting .241/.295/.513 with 31 home runs. He still hasn't caught up to his .357 xwOBA, so the Padres outfielder could very well up his average a tad while pursuing 35-40 long balls. Given his limited contact, gamers should properly just appreciate his current production, which makes him a solid power find for those who grabbed him off the waiver wire in April. He'd move to a revitalized Cleveland lineup, where he has played DH regularly.

Rodriguez is an intriguing option when healthy, and he's exceeded 140 innings for the first time in his career. The results have been shaky, as his 3.97 ERA and 1.36 WHIP have yet to fully recover from a brutal start. He has still recorded 160 strikeouts through 165.2 innings and is among MLB's leaders in soft contact. There are still signs of a breakout, but the southpaw lacks the consistency to reach his ceiling anytime soon. If he stays healthy, Rodriguez is more a high-strikeout SP4 to use carefully in the right matchups.

Maybe Gray just needed to get away from the Yankees. The righty has rebounded from a lost 2018 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 23 starts. The 28-year-old has recorded 144 strikeouts in 127.2 innings with a 55.3% ground-ball rate and 3.47 FIP. Gray, who owns of a career 3.59 ERA, has gone from a sneaky waiver-wire find to an unheralded ace.

Soroka has surrendered 33 earned runs over 21 starts this season, bringing his career ERA to 2.52 in 26 big league turns. He's benefited from a .274 BABIP and 8.0% HR/FB rate this season, but the righty also boasts one of baseball's lowest exit velocities against. Even with some regression, he should continue to positive ERA contributions. The strikeouts are nothing special, but the elite command (5.8 BB%) makes him a trustworthy starter going forward.

Maeda has maintained a 9.52 K/9 while limiting hard contact, but managers haven't been able to trust him during an erratic campaign. The Dodgers put him in the bullpen near the All-Star break despite turning the corner, and he returned to the rotation to allow 14 runs in three truncated starts. He could at least pitch to his career 3.92 ERA when given the chance, but he's only 10 innings away from matching last year's tally. He's a top-50 starter when given the chance.

Coors Field has claimed another victim. A source of heated debate before and during the season, Marquez overcome his surroundings with help from a favorable early schedule featuring trips to Miami and San Francisco. More exposure to his home park has deflated the breakout potential; he has a 6.26 ERA and .317 opposing average at Coors Field compared to a 3.67 ERA and .209 opposing average on the road. He may be a top-20 ace if pitching for another team, but the high altitude won't allow him to flourish as a top fantasy option. After placing him on the IL with an arm injury, the Rockies are considering shutting Marquez down for the season. This late into the campaign, managers could cut him now before receiving an official decision.

DeJong looks poised to turn a profit on his diminished draft stock despite slowing down substantially from a stellar start. He has improved his strikeout and walk rates while generating more hard hits and setting a career high with six steals. Although no longer batting third for the Cardinals, fifth isn't a bad lineup spot either. The shortstop has strangely scored far more runs despite batting in an RBI conducive spot, so he could plate 90-100 runs with around 25 long balls. The 25-year-old has made enough legitimate gains to hang tight beyond the shallowest of mixed leagues.

Smith looked like the real deal when submitting a 2.38 ERA and 0.89 WHIP through nine starts. He then surrendered 11 runs in three starts spanning just 13 innings before going on the IL with left-hip discomfort. Initially hope of a short stay, he instead missed a month. The 27-year-old had emerged into a top-25 starter before getting hurt, sporting a 31.2% K rate and 14.2% swinging-strike rate behind a stellar slider. After the All-Star break, however, he has a 4.83 ERA with 25 walks in 50.1 innings. It's getting a lot tougher to trust him down the stretch, and it's possible Miami shuts him down if he continues to falter.

A broken thumb marked the third different injury to besiege Pollock in as many years. An elbow infection suffered in late April makes it a fourth. The Dodgers placed him on the IL after he batted .223/.287/.330 with two homers and no steals in 28 games. The situation escalated quickly when he underwent surgery on May 3. His return has gone batting than expected, as Pollock is batting .309 with six homers and two steals in 19 second-half contests. Start him in all formats as long as he's healthy.

The only first basemen to bat at least .290 in each of the last two years? Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, and Yuli Gurriel. Houston's career .291 hitter is an underrated stabilizer who's also has 88 RBIs in a loaded Astros lineup. After more of the same for the first three months, he has suddenly added elite power to his game. The 35-year-old has belted 17 of his career-high 25 home runs since the start of July. He hit 13 all of last year. Pairing that pop with his usual .306 average makes him a formidable player rather than a boringly productive depth piece.

This looks like a different Minor than the man who posted a 4.18 ERA and 20.6 K% last season. He now sports a 3.17 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 167.2 innings. Bolstered velocity and an elite spin rate have led to better success with his four-seam fastball, and all three of his other offerings (slider, changeup, and curveball) have a double-digit swinging-strike rate. Even if a 4.32 SIERA and rough July suggest regression is coming, the southpaw has shown more than enough to confidently deploy in all leagues.

Having hit 20 homers in each of his first three MLB seasons, Mazara has yet to validate his high prospect pedigree as an above-average hitter. Drafters who paid for upside have instead received nearly identical numbers from 2018. Despite some positive early signs, his career-high .197 ISO is still underwhelming. The 24-year-old still has breakout potential, but investors may have to settle for another .260, 20-homer campaign. At least it will come with plenty of RBIs and runs as Texas' cleanup hitter. Now out with a strained left oblique muscle, he's droppable in three-outfielder mixed leagues.

Semien had never reached a 100 wRC+ prior to 2019, and there's limited upside now that 2016's 27 homers stand out as a career outlier. Yet he boasts a 127 wRC+ with 24 home runs and seven steals as of August 29. Despite early concerns of moving down in Oakland's order, he has scored 97 runs while routinely batting first for a strong lineup. Semien, who has also trimmed his strikeout rate and drew more walks, could maintain his .277 batting average in a 30/10-type campaign. He's quietly a terrific fantasy option.

Quintana appeared to turn a corner early in 2019, posting a 2.33 ERA in eight starts after getting clobbered for eight runs at Milwaukee. He slowed down before catching fire again in August. The lefty has continued his up-and-down season as a mid-tier option with a 3.91 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 21.8 K% right in line with expectations. He's a solid play in standard mixed leagues.

Hendriks has been the most valuable relief pitcher in standard 5

Recovering from Tommy John surgery, Gregorius made tremendous strides and returned in early June. The shortstop has looked a bit rusty with a sub-.300 OBP, but he's also tallied 11 homers in 56 games. Coming off a 27-homer, 10-steal campaign, the 29-year-old should offer plenty of pop and counting numbers in a loaded Yankees lineup. Don't give up on him just yet.

One of last year's best sources of cheap speed, Smith was among one of four players with at least 30 steals (Merrifield, Mookie Betts, and Lorenzo Cain) to also bat above .290 (.296). This season, however, he was batting below .200 with an elevated strikeout before the Mariners demoted him to Triple-A. He's hitting .252 getting recalled in mid-May, and his 30 steals in 93 games trails Adalberto Mondesi by one for MLB's lead. One of few remaining impact speedsters, Smith has the skills to hit for a better average down the stretch.

This is why managers need to maintain the long view. Braun ended April batting .196, but six hits in an 18-inning marathon on May 4 raised his average to .263. Just like that, his early returns look just fine. He has relatively stayed healthy, played regularly, and belted 18 homers with 57 RBIs, 57 runs, and 10 steals for the Brew Crew. He may never return to All-Star form, but the 35-year-old still looks like a solid contributor who can pair 20-plus homers with 10-15 steals and a strong batting average.

Four starts into the season, Mikolas had yet to record more strikeouts than runs allowed. While he has looked better on occasion, some rough starts have kept his ERA at an inflated 3.94 with a middling 6.6 K/9. Even though he has settled down to post a 2.92 ERA since the start of July, the lack of strikeouts makes him more of a deep-league arm unlikely to recoup his high draft cost.

Despite entering 2018 with health woes and batting .155 in April, Carpenter went scorched earth to hit .257/.374/.523 with a career-high 36 homers. Those who bet on a 2019 repeat are running out of time. The third baseman entered the All-Star break batting .216/.325/.381 with 10 homers in 77 games. He went on the IL with illness and back spasms. Shortly after returning, he went back on the shelf with a foot injury and didn't get activated until August 4. MLB's leader in hard-hit rate last year is now in the bottom-30 percentile, and his xSLG has dropped from .546 to .404. We saw his ability to adjust and heat up in a seismic way last year, but it's getting tougher to hold out hope.

A clear regression candidate, Lester once again got off to a tremendous start before unraveling. Despite posting a 1.16 ERA through seven starts, it has ballooned to 4.36. It's accompanied by improvements in walks and strikeouts, but his contact and swinging-strike rates are alarming. There's still a chance he turns the corner. After falling off the map last year, he rebounded with a stellar September. Lester is a decent depth piece for those who temper expectations and play the matchups.

Following a tame rookie showing, Dozier has torn the cover off the ball in 2019. The 27-year-old first baseman is batting .286/.364/.550 with 22 homers. Initially expected to avoid the IL, he ended up missing three weeks in June. While some regression hasn't been surprising, he has made enough improvements not to completely dismiss the breakout. A .365 xwOBA isn't far below his actual .381 mark, but it still matches Shohei Ohtani and Ketel Marte in the top-85th percentile. He's now a mixed-league mainstay.

Gordon already stole a dozen bags in 45 games before getting sidelined with a right wrist contusion, and three home runs represent a seismic power tear for the slap-hitting second baseman. Because of Mallex Smith's resurgence, Gordon has returned to the bottom end of Seattle's depleted lineup. When healthy, he's a one-category asset who could potentially regain some value in the runs and average column.

A popular preseason breakout pick, Laureano stumbled with a 76 wRC+ through April. He has rebounded to even exceed expectations, batting .284/.334/.518 with 21 home runs and 12 steals through July. Although still a free-swinger that will leave him vulnerable to more slumps, the 24-year-old looked like the 30/20 threat before going on the IL with a right shin stress reaction. He's already missed all of August a tough blow this late in the season. He shined enough to stash in most leagues, and there's still a chance he returns in early-to-mid September.

With power at such a high supply, five-by-five managers won't derive much value out of a .229 hitter like Schwarber. There's hope, however, in an average exit velocity up 2.5 points leading to a .254 xBA. If his quiet contact gains can even lead to a .245 average, gamers can get some utility out of a 35-HR slugger who will score plenty of runs atop the Cubs' lineup. He's still more valuable in OBP leagues.

Colome is having a very strong season as the White Sox closer, and the fact he wasn't traded was a big boon to his fantasy owners.

Renfroe has pounded his way to regular playing time, clubbing 31 home runs with a .513 slugging percentage through 121 games. His breakout into an elite power asset stemming from late 2018, however, has come crashing down this summer. He's batting .174 with four homers and 56 strikeouts in 40 games since the All-Star break. Managers at least need to bench him until he heats up again.

Early in the season, it appeared Gabe Kapler was going to play the ninth inning by ear. While Neris didn't receive many opportunities early in the season, that was has only because the Phillies kept either winning big or losing. Clearly the undisputed closer, he has recorded 21 saves. While his ERA ballooned to 4.08 in July, it has dropped back to 3.44 alongside an elite 17.8% swinging-strike rate. He's still a tremendous source of strikeouts who has eliminated any possible closer controversy by tossing nine straight scoreless innings.

A rising star came crashing down when Contreras cratered to .249/.339/.390 with 10 homers in 544 plate appearances. He again hit grounders on over half of his batted balls, but this time it came with fewer hard hits (28.9%) and more pop-ups (10.3%). A terrible second half (.264 wOBA) derailed this season, so it wasn't even a full year of regression. He has pressed reset to start 2019, batting .286/.381/.556 with 18 homers and far more fly balls through the All-Star break. Without too much competition, Contreras re-earned his spot as a top-five catcher before landing on the IL with an arch strain. As expected, he only missed the minimum 10 days, but a hamstring strain sidelined him again August 4. He's beginning a rehab assignments in hopes of returning in early September.

Martinez has become St. Louis' closer with Jordan Hicks (torn ACL) out for the season. The former ace has collected 13 saves with a 3.41 ERA and recovered from a rough patch right after the All-Star break. While he hasn't realize the strikeout upside some would have expected from the bullpen move, he's a potential top-20 closer with plenty of upside.

The routinely ignored Choo keeps hitting at age 37. He has 19 homers and eight steals with a 116 wRC+ as of August 15. It's not necessarily a fluke, and he has benefited from a rise in exit velocity and hard-hit rate. He especially remains an unheralded OBP and runs asset in five-outfielder formats.

Cano was exceptional in 2018 when he wasn't suspended but apparently, he finally hit the wall towards the end of a player's career. Neither the batting average or power are here nor are the expected to return.

While Lucchesi hasn't taken the leap yet, he once again brandishes promising numbers behind a 4.19 ERA. The 26-year-old lefty has tallied 119 strikeouts, 39 walks, and a 47.5% ground-ball rate in 122.1 innings. His changeup/curveball hybrid remains a terrific putaway pitch, but his cutter has only led to trouble. Given the strikeouts, simply pitching to his 3.95 FIP would make him a worthy fantasy option. Although he might remain a bit of an enigma, there's upside.

Lynn has a 2.85 FIP and 170 strikeouts in 148 innings, tossing 13 quality starts in his last 16 outings. Perhaps this is for real. Let's not forget about his 3.43 ERA in 2017 before signing late in 2018 and never finding the strike zone. He also only has a 3.71 ERA and is set to pitch in the Arlington heat this summer, but the 32-year-old has firmly pitched his way onto all mixed-league rosters as a near top-30 starter.

Rosario was only 22 years old when everyone started losing faith. After failing to immediately become the next Francisco Lindor, he came to life by batting .284 with five homers and 15 steals over the final two months of 2018. While he still has a .318 OBP, the shortstop has at least submitted 12 homers and 15 steals. He also briefly unraveled defensively, which did not cost him playing time. The former top prospect is again heating up in the summer, batting .345 in 29 games since the start of July. Rosario is quietly maturing into a 20/20 threat whose .281 xBA supports the recent uptick.

Musgrove initially pleased drafters who felt they snagged the perfect late-round flier with sneaky upside. They have since (this writer included) learned a valuable lesson about taking early victory laps. He exited April with a pristine 1.54 ERA, but it has jumped to 4.69 with a handful of blow-up outings. Although he still possesses an 11.3% swinging-strike rate, he has yet to translate it into an elite strikeout rate. After getting shelled by the Mets for eight runs on August 4, a tough schedule makes him someone to drop in standard mixed leagues.

After a frustratingly long delay, Keuchel signed with the Braves on June 6. He has since posted a 3.78 ERA in 13 starts. Despite his fastball already operating below 90 mph, the southpaw hasn't regained his full velocity. Still a capable veteran who's excellent at inducing ground balls, he'll help the Braves more than fantasy managers, but it's encouraging to see him notch seven strikeouts in each of his last three outings.

Hitting .280/.361/.389, a strong batting eye has kept Eaton in Washington's second slot between Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon. Having already scored 70 runs, he could reach 90 with double-digit home runs and steals if his body cooperates. He's a boring, but steady contributor when healthy, which he has been more than midway through 2019.

A month after being sidelined indefinitely with a blood condition, Carrasco revealed that was diagnosed with leukemia. He described the condition as "under control," but his fantasy value is the furthest thing from anyone's mind now. While he still hopes to return this season, nobody should count on him pitching in 2019. He is set to face minor league hitters on August 16, keeping the door open for a possible September return.

It's been a rocky path back to the ninth inning for LeClerc, but there's no doubt he's capable of being a dominant closer when he doesn't get himself into trouble with walks.

Soler won't hit for a high average or steal any bases, but he has already tallied 37 home runs and 96 RBIs in 135 games. He has already smashed 14 homers after the All-Star break while significantly upping his walks and slashing his strikeouts, signs that Soler may be more than one of many empty power sources in 2019. Now that he's healthy with no competition for playing time in Kansas City, the 27-year-old has finally realized his potential (and then some) in a full season. He's blossomed from a cheap source of power to legitimate top-100 overall player.

Following a breakout 2017 and down 2018, Schoop has found some middle ground by batting .253 with 17 homers in 95 games. He's losing playing time to Luis Arraez and batting eighth or ninth when starting, so the second baseman is turning into waiver-wire fodder in mixed leagues.

An annual 20/20 candidate, Desmond has stolen just three bases in 118 games. He bounced back from a terrible start to bat .325 from May through June, but he's ice cold one again this summer. If not for injuries to David Dahl and Raimel Tapia, he'd probably be out of a starting job. Contrary to last season, he's starting to take full advantage of Coors Field, where he holds an .897 OPS. While he was heating up enough to regain mixed-league relevancy, he's now no more of a home streamer without the speed.

Given how quickly the Brewers moved on from Eric Thames last year following a breakout 2017, it wasn't surprising to see them do the inverse and abandon Aguilar. A year after he pounded 35 homers, the first baseman got stuck in the light side of a platoon before getting traded to the Rays, who made room at first base by demoting the more productive Nate Lowe. The Rays have given Aguilar more playing time, but he's hit just one home run in 74 plate appearances. He's at least cut down on his strikeouts to submit a .351 OBP, so the 29-year-old remains a viable option in deeper mixed leagues.

It's been another lost year for Dozier, who is batting .236/.341/.430 with 15 homers and three steal in 103 games. The second baseman looked like a promising bounce-back candidate after playing through a knee injury last season, but those struggles banished him to the bottom of Washington's batting order. Don't cut ties with him just yet, as the 32-year-old posted a 141 wRC+ in July and is notoriously a second-half surger.

Myers followed 28/28 and 30/20 campaigns with 11 homers and 13 steals an injury-shortened 2018, so it was easy to envision a 25/20 rebound if he stays healthy. He also added third-base eligibility to his portfolio, making him an intriguing bounce-back option. Having stayed healthy so far, Myers has 14 long balls and 10 steals in 125 games. A .224 batting average and bloated 35.4% strikeout rate banished him to the bench, where he's stayed even after the Padres traded Franmil Reyes. Now that he's gone over two weeks without an extra-base hit, Myers should be dumped in all formats.

Not given much attention in 2019 drafts, Stroman made the All-Star team and sported a 2.96 ERA and 56.3% ground-ball rate before getting traded to the Mets. The strikeouts (117 in 144.1 IP) are nothing exciting, and a 3.70 FIP is a more reasonable expectation than his current 3.17 ERA. Even that could be optimistic given the Mets' woeful defense and their pitching staff's collective struggles with their sliders. At least he gets to move from the AL East to the NL. Expect a bit of a second-half decline that would make the 28-year-old righty more of a SP4 to use in the right spots.

Repairing his strikeout rate to 13.8%, Hernandez has upped his batting average to .280. His contact rate is up, but his walk rate has also plummeted from 12.3 to 5.4%. As a result, he's no longer leading off for the Phillies despite losing Andrew McCutchen. That mitigates what could have been a lofty run ceiling. He has also stolen just eight bases, jeopardizing his four-year streak of amassing at least 15 steals. The second baseman is now a steady hand who can help a little everywhere as deep-league depth.

The prototypical "saves are saves" closer entering 2019, Greene improbably picked up 22 saves through June with a 0.87 ERA. His luck evened out as July, as the lowly Tigers did not afford him a single save opportunity. Yet he still boasted a 1.18 ERA before getting traded to the Braves, where he looked poised to continue closing. That was before regression finally struck. Greene has allowed seven runs in 7.1 innings with his new team, leading Atlanta to insert Mark Melancon into the ninth. Melancon hasn't excelled for the Braves either, so Greene could regain his role sometime in September. It's still sensible to drop him in standard mixed leagues.

For the second year in a row, Odor looked poised to turn around an atrocious first half with a sensational finish. After rebounding in July, he has hit a horrid .138 in August, bringing his season batting average below the Mendoza Line. He has 21 homers, eight steals, but the worst wRC+ (65) of all qualified hitters. The Rangers are finally close to their breaking point, as they're considering benching him after promoting Nick Solak. There's too much power to deal up with his anemic batting average (or OBP) anymore.

Remember when Odorizzi allowed seven earned runs over 10 starts from April 17 to June 9? He undid all that good will by surrendering nine runs to the Yankees on July 24. He has recovered from a brutal July, however, to bring his overall ERA to a still strong 3.57. That's especially good considering his 137 strikeouts in 131 innings. He's a usable piece who's sporting a career-best 12.1% swinging-strike rate and 74.8% contact rate. Keep starting him, but maybe not against dangerous lineups like the Yankees.

Heading into 2019, Happ owned a 3.49 ERA and 8.45 K/9 over the past four seasons. Many drafters nevertheless scoffed at him going around the pick-150 range, which seemed like a reasonable price for someone who accompanied his career-high 193 strikeouts with a career-high 10.3% swinging-strike rate and career-low 78.3% contact rate in 2018. Yet it appears the skeptics were right. The 36-year-old has coughed up a 4.86 ERA and 5.11 FIP, which is especially concerning since he has faced the Orioles four times through Mau. A velocity decline has led to a markedly depreciated strikeout rate (20%) and more hard hits. Happ could still turn the corner to post a low-fours ERA and stockpile wins for the Yankees going forward, but he's no more than an unreliable streamer in 12-team mixed leagues.

Hiura crushed five home runs in his first 17 big league games, but Milwaukee nevertheless sent him back down when activating Travis Shaw from the IL. Less than a month later, the premier prospect was back from Triple-A, where he batted .329 with 19 homers and seven steals in 57 games. Now hitting .299 with 14 homers and seven steals in 55 games for the Brew Crew, he isn't going anywhere this time. While his strikeouts have risen this year, the 22-year-old still profiles as someone who can hit for contact and power. He's a potential league-winning find.

Although rises in exit velocity and walks have pointed to better days ahead, Smoak has gone ice cold after a strong April. His .214 batting average remains unrosterable, but a 20.4% K rate, .355 OBP, and .254 xBA are far more encouraging. So is his .382 xwOBA. A strong finish certainly remains possible. However, it's admittedly getting hard to wait for the metrics to come to fruition when power is so plentiful.

Pederson seemed on the cusp of a major breakthrough, but it appears he merely opened the season with a hot streak. He smashed 17 home runs through May but has just seven more as of August 6. His average has fallen to .232, and his 114 wRC+ is lower than last year's 126. The 27-year-old has at least played well enough to stick in the Dodgers' lineup as the starting first baseman (and often leadoff hitter) against righties after A.J. Pollock returned. Pederson probably has another hot streak in him, too, but managers can't keep hoping for batting average or steals.

A sneaky breakout candidate for years, Gibson has procured 124 strikeouts and 35 walks in 123 innings. He is missing more bats while tossing far more first-pitch strikes, both of which create a blueprint to sustained success. His 4.02 ERA and 1.25 WHIP are both playable during this season of enhanced power, especially since the Twins hurler is getting loads of run support and can constantly feast on feeble AL Central offenses. The righty should at least be rostered in all leagues.

Lost in the shuffle of Atlanta's plethora of young pitchers, injuries opened a door for Fried to join the rotation. He has answered the call to action with a 3.99 ERA in 116.1 innings. While the 1.38 WHIP is high, he is starting to miss more bats with three secondary pitches each netting swinging-strike rates of 11.5% or higher. A 3.77 FIP and 3.53 xFIP suggest recent regression swung too far in the other direction, and he has settled down into an effective fantasy starter after returning from a blister injury in late July.

Sano, who has never recorded 500 plate appearances in a big league season, is unlikely to reach that mark in 2019. After injuring his heel during the offseason, he didn't make his season debut until May 16. There's also still the matter of him hitting .199/.281/.398 with a 38.5% strikeout rate last season. While he makes too much hard contact to again bat below the Mendoza line, all the punchouts make him unlikely to climb much higher than his career .244 clip. True to form, but has belted 21 home runs in 77 games while batting .237 with 102 strikeouts. Use him if needing power and/or playing in an OBP league.

Cron has cooled down from a strong May to hit .257/.318/.472 with 20 homers and 63 RBIs in 98 games. He has slashed his strikeout rate by chasing fewer pitches off the plate, and he gets to bat in a red-hot Twins lineup. He still has a shot at another sneaky 30-HR season, likely with a batting average higher than last year's .253. That makes him an underrated CI who has proved 2018 wasn't a fluke. Cron returned from the IL on July 16 after missing the minimum time, but quickly went back days later with the same thumb injury. These injuries have diminished his production a bit.

Ramos had a mildly disappointing first half, but he's back to his usual strong production. He's a set-it-and-forget-it option at a position where those are hard to find.

After tossing a strong start at Coors Field before the All-Star break, Miley boasts a 3.13 ERA in 27 starts this season. The limited strikeout numbers limit his fantasy worth, but his 7.62 K/9 has risen to a reasonable level. It's getting tougher to ignore his success, especially when buoyed by Houston's lineup. The 32-year-old should remain a solid source of wins and ERA. Just don't be shocked if regression eventually strikes.

Robles is now the Angels' undisputed closer. Gamers can't ignore someone compiling saves with a 2.86 ERA and 23.4% K rate. Just beware that his fly-ball woes could eventually lead to catastrophe. His 6.6% HR/FB rate is well below his 11.1% career norm, and that's especially improbable to last in a season where everyone is homering at historic rates. He should be rostered in all leagues, but don't be shocked if he's hit hard in a couple of blow-up outings during the second half.

Early elbow discomfort pushed back Heaney's 2019 debut. While he had a 5.09 ERA and 4.79 FIP through nine starts, he also registered 54 strikeouts in 46 innings. The 28-year-old southpaw showed the upside that made him popular after notching a 4.15 ERA with a strikeout per frame last season. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury sent him back on the shelf. Back in mid-August, he's worth re-adding after accruing 14 strikeouts at Texas on August 20.

One of the few closers with apparent job security may pitch himself out of the ninth inning. Since returning from an oblique strain June 7, Davis has relinquished 15 runs in 15.2 innings. He has a 9.53 ERA at Coors Field, so the 33-year-old is doing more harm than good for fantasy managers. A big contract may compel Colorado to keep Davis in high-leverage spots, but don't be surprised if Scott Oberg takes his job.

Expected to serve the light side of a committee when lefties emerged in the ninth, Rogers leads the Twins with 17. Perhaps a 2.10 ERA and 26.9 K-BB% have earned him a fuller closer share. The Twins added Sergio Romo and Sam Dyson, but Dyson went on the IL after fumbling his first save chance. Rogers now looks like a worthy top-20 reliever.

It's time to accept that the old Cabrera is never coming back. While hitting .285 with a .344 OBP, he has seven home runs (as many as Tony Kemp and Ronny Rodriguez) and a .101 ISO. He now has 10 home runs in his last 138 games dating back to the start of 2018. The former Triple Crown winner is more of an empty-average depth piece.

Already sidelined through April with a shoulder injury, Severino also suffered a Grade 2 lat strain. He suffered yet another setback after throwing off the mound and is now not expected back until late August at the earliest. He's preparing to return as a reliever, so it's understandable to drop him if not holstering an available IL spot.

The fantasy community largely gave up on Swanson after hitting .235 with 20 combined home runs in 2017 and 2018. Perhaps the former No. 1 pick isn't a finished product at age 25. He has 17 long balls - already surpassing last season's career high of 14 -- and seven steals with noticeable rises in exit velocity and hard hits. Batting second in the Braves' lineup is also a major boon to his value, as he has 64 runs and 57 RBIs. With a .278 xBA and 20.4% strikeout rate, he could keep improving his .265 batting average as the ultimate post-hype lottery ticket. After going on the IL with a heel injury on July 27, retroactive to July 24, he was initially expected to miss the minimum 10 days. He now is unlikely to come back until September, so managers in shallow mixed leagues could drop him if needing the spot.

Gallen garnered a 1.77 ERA, 112 strikeouts, and 17 walks in 91.1 Triple-A innings before getting promoted on June 19. Despite the initial hype, he hasn't received much attention for his 2.40 ERA and 49 strikeouts in eight starts. A surprising midseason trade to Arizona should give him more run support, but it also takes him away Miami's spacious park. The rookie's stock is still on the rise. Just beware a September shutdown (or lessened workload) if the Diamondbacks fall out of the playoff picture.

Vogelbach had come crashing down from a sensational start with four hits in 10 May games. Then he went yard five times in six contests. The All-Star is now slugging .491 with 26 home runs and a 127 wRC+ this season. Another prolonged slump, however, has dropped his batting average down to .225. Yet the Beefy Baseball Boy is currently batting in the heart of Seattle's lineup. He has also bolstered his walk and strikeout rates, so he might have another hot streak left to hit close to the .230-.240 range.

Perhaps a better DFS than season-long player, Winker is limited due to his inefficiency against lefties. Yet he has still smacked 16 home runs, exceeding his big league tallies from each of the last two seasons. His OPS is up to .887 against righties, so Cincinnati's corner outfielder should at least made his mark in a platoon. He's more useful in leagues with daily lineup changes but is worth stashing in most leagues while serving what is expected to be a short IL stay due to a cervical strain.

Aquino has introduced himself to the masses by towering eight home runs in 11 games. The 25-year-old rookie outfielder is threatening to break Statcast with some of his moonshots. Just beware a big swing and aggressive approach eventually leading to a big drop in batting average. He should still be grabbed in all leagues due to the immense power upside. Think along the lines of Franmil Reyes.

Despite reports of Nathan Eovaldi returning from the IL to seize the ninth inning, Workman appears to remain Boston's front-runner for saves. A 1.95 ERA and 34% K rate has made him a tremendous option with just six saves, but a 15.8% walk rate and .190 BABIP should pump the breaks on too much excitement. He's nevertheless worth rostering in mixed leagues.

Kingery, who batted .226/.267/.338 in his rookie campaign, is now hitting .275/.336/.503 with 14 homers and 10 steals through 351 plate appearances. He has turned on the jets again in August after predictably fading from an unsustainable stellar start in July, and the 25-year-old has grown exponentially from 2018's disappointing debut. He's comfortably emerged as a top-200 player to roster in all mixed leagues.

The Blue Jays promoted Bichette after trading Eric Sogard to Tampa Bay. One of baseball's finest prospects has taken off running, batting .320/.364/.650 with seven homers in 24 games. The 21-year-old is a blue-chip prospect who stole 32 bases in 2018, so he has a sky-high ceiling. Just don't expect him to maintain a .379 BABIP throughout his debut.

The worst hitter in baseball in April, Bradley appeared to rebound by batting .315/.419/.573 in June. He's since hit .193 in 39 games. The downs are too frequent and extended to wait on another hot stretch. The outfielder is at best worth riding in 15-team leagues or larger if he happens to heat up again during the closing weeks.

Signed by Seattle this winter, Kikuchi hasn't shown much upside to start his MLB career. A 4.78 ERA, 16.7 K%, and 5.30 FIP portray the 27-year-old southpaw as no more than a matchup play rather than a solid mid-rotation piece, but the book isn't closed just yet.

Despite recording a 5.81 ERA through his first five starts, Woodruff has a 3.75 ERA on the season. He sports a 3.10 FIP and 28.3% K rate for the contending Brewers with one of baseball's bests four-seam fastball and sinker. Anyone who added him after his April showers deserves props. Unfortunately, an oblique injury is expected to take him out until mid-September. That makes him droppable in re-draft leagues for managers who can't tuck him away in an IL spot.

Desperate for outfield help, Cleveland finally promoted its best in-house option. Mercado hit .294/.396/.496 with four homers and 14 steals prior to his call-up, so he offers plenty of fantasy appeal across the board. He has exceeded somewhat modest expectations by batting .270 with nine homers and nine steals in 76 big league games. Now batting second behind Francisco Lindor, he has gone from a deep-league add to a rookie worth rostering in leagues of all sizes despite hitting a proverbial rookie wall in August.

The Royals as a team collected six saves through May, so most fantasy managers wrote off the situation entirely. Kennedy, however, has emerged as the undisputed closer by racking up 17 saves since the start of June. He also wields 56 strikeouts and 11 walks in 47.1 innings, leading to a 2.17 FIP underneath his 3.04 ERA. He should be rostered in all leagues.

Matz had allowed five runs through three combined starts before ceding eight runs (without recording a single out) at Philadelphia on April 16. His ERA jumped from 1.65 to 4.96. That catastrophic risk comes with the territory for the Mets southpaw, who allowed seven runs in a similarly disastrous turn at Washington last year. Even after a couple of gems against the light-hitting Pirates and Marlins, his 4.49 ERA and 1.40 WHIP aren't particularly appealing. He's a fringe option better saved for streaming in the typical 12-team mixed league.

After batting .163/.266/.281 through 40 games, Shaw went on the IL with a hand injury. He didn't fare any better when returning, batting .167 in 17 games. Finally fed up with his struggles, the Brewers demoted him for top prospect Keston Hiura, who excelled in his first call-up. This is a maddening fall from grace for Shaw, who topped 30 homers and 3.0 fWAR in each of the last two seasons, so gamers at least need to monitor his status now that the Brewers are bringing him back. He could be in line for playing time at first base.

Inciarte had finally played his way back into a starting role before injuring his right hamstring. He's expected to miss four to six weeks, which is a problem considering he sustained the ailment with six weeks left in the regular season. Drop him in all leagues.

As always, Grichuk is providing some pop to go with runs and RBIs. There is, of course, a batting average well below .250 to accompany the benefits in the other categories. This makes him a fringe candidate for a roster spot in standard-sized leagues.

In mid-April the Blue Jays demoted Gurriel, who was hitting .175 with no homers and 12 strikeouts in 44 plate appearances. It's was still a surprising development for a talented youngster who hit .281/.309/.446 as a rookie last season. The wake-up call was apparently heard loud and clear. Upon returning, he homered in three consecutive games and 10 times more in June. Just like that, he's now batting .279/.331/.548 for Toronto. We've seen too low of a floor to trust this ceiling, but he has shown the promise that made him a popular target after strong finish to 2018. After missing most of August with a quad injury, he could return in early September. Keep him in mind for the final weeks.

Diagnosed with a Grade 3 ankle sprain, Simmons seemed likely to miss at least two months. A quick recovery, however, has allowed him to return in late June. Now he's out with foot soreness and heading for an MRI. While a solid source of batting average, runs, and steals when healthy, he doesn't break the mold anywhere enough to require stashing.

Bradley looked like the overwhelming favorite to close in the desert, but then the Diamondbacks signed Greg Holland in January. With Holland now out of the picture, Bradley is finally getting his shot and should be a serviceable closer down the stretch.

Initially stuck behind Paul Goldschmidt at first base, injuries to Harrison Bader and Tyler O'Neill gave Martinez a chance to play. After offering instant production, he has slipped to slightly below league-average offense (96 wRC+) due to a .135 ISO. As a result, fantasy gamers probably should have moved on before the Cardinals placed him on the injured list with an AC join sprain in his right shoulder.

Peraza had a 55 wRC+ through May, so it's no wonder he lost some playing time to the far more productive Derek Dietrich and Jose Iglesias. Cincinnati's infield got even more crowded when Scooter Gennett returns from the IL. Even if playing time wasn't scarce, he's not worth rostering with just five steals through the All-Star break.

Injuries were always part of the deal for Hill, who missed time early in the season due to an MCL injury. Since returning in late April, he recorded a 2.55 ERA, 61 strikeouts, and 12 walks in 10 starts before landing back on the IL with a forearm injury. The 39-year-old began playing catch in mid-July and is aiming for a September return, but he's likely to come back as a reliever. That news should compel managers to move on in all mixed leagues.

Kiermaier quietly compiled 10 home runs and 17 steals in the first half. What's changed? He's stayed healthy. That's about it. The power and speed combo has always been there, but the Gold Glove outfielder played just 291 games from 2016-2018 combined. While he's a legitimate 20/25 option if he can avoid an IL stint, investors shouldn't have assumed that would happen. A sprained thumb suffered while sliding into first base sideline him, but only for 10 days. Speed is scarce enough to roster him in most leagues even though he has returned in a funk.

The breakout appeared to be arriving a year later than anticipated for McMahon, who made the Rockies' Opening Day lineup after hitting .424 with nine doubles and three homers in spring. An elbow injury, however, sent him to the IL in early April. He homered in his return, but then tumbled into the Rockies promoted uber prospect Brendan Rodgers. Although McMahon is hitting an unexciting .264/.343/.439 with just 13 home runs and four steals, he should keep playing with Rodgers out for the season. Keep him in mind as a streamer when the Rockies are home.

A fringe prospect for years, Urshela is suddenly raking as an unlikely hero for the Yankees. He's batting .331 with 18 home runs and plenty of scorching plenty of hard hits to support the high average. He'll start September on the IL with groin tightness, but the unlikely breakout star hopes he can return after the minimum 10 days. Keep him rostered in all leagues.

Narvaez was well off the fantasy radar prior to 2018, but then he hit .275 with nine home runs in just 280 at-bats for the White Sox. Now in Seattle, he's well on his way to giving fantasy owners that kind of production -- or better -- over the course of a full season.

Garcia was batting .278 with 17 homers and nine steals before suffering an oblique injury. The Rays are hoping to get him back soon, so wait before dropping him unless needing the spot now in shallower mixed leagues.

 

Having recorded just eight saves through four months, Givens hasn't helped much as the leading closer in Baltimore's committee. Even those scarce opportunities will vanish if the Orioles trade him. A handful of saves and strikeouts aren't worth the ERA (4.28) hit beyond deep leagues.

Looking like a lost cause in Pittsburgh, Glasnow was taking a seismic leap into ace territory with the Rays. He went 6-1 with a 1.86 ERA, 55 Ks, and nine BBs in eight starts before suffering a forearm strain that was supposed to sideline him four-to-six weeks. The Rays transferred him to the 60-day IL, and he has suffered a setback in late June weeks before his potential return. He's now likely to at best return as a reliever or opener in September, meaning he's droppable in all redraft leagues.

Pagan may never take control of Tampa Bay's closer committee, but he's still worth rostering in most mixed leagues. He wields a 1.95 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts in 50.2 innings. Even a handful of saves - he currently has 13 -- makes him a viable asset in all mixed leagues.

Expected to serve the short side of a platoon, Walker has instead served a regular role due to Jake Lamb's quad injury. The rookie first baseman demolished righties during a scorching start, regressed in May, and picked up the pace again in June. Still slugging .469 with a hard-hit rate in the top 95th percentile, he could remain a decent power source in most formats. While he's hardly peak Paul Goldschmidt, those seven steals also provide sneaky value at first base.

The Braves acquired All-Star closer Shane Greene on July 31, but another acquisition is instead handling the final frame. Melancon, once an elite stopper during his glory years with the Giants, has assumed the role despite allowing six runs in 7.2 innings with his new team. The 34-year-old is no longer an elite, or even above-average source of ERA and WHIP, and he never piled up the strikeouts as much as other dominant relievers. Yet he remains among baseball's best at inducing ground balls, which could help him hold onto the role through September. He should be rostered in all leagues.

Shortly after the Braves starting giving Riley outfield reps, an injury to Ender Inciarte opened the door to a big league promotion. The third baseman had clobbered 15 homers in 37 Triple-A games before touching them all nine times in his first 18 games. An untenable approach eventually caught up to him, as he's hitting .240/.294/.492 in early August despite batting .307 on June 8. The power is legit, but the sky-high strikeout rate makes him susceptible to alarming batting-average downside. He has also lost playing time on the contending Braves because of these struggles, so he'll need to pick it up again to maintain his spot on mixed-league rosters.

Nunez has gone from hot to cold, back to scorching hot, and then back to cold one more. He homered six times over an eight-game window in late May. After cooling down again, he went deep three times in four games. He now has 28 long balls, 76 RBIs, and a .479 SLG this season. He may barely keep his OBP over .300 or hit higher than .240, but playing time should lead him to over 30 homers and 85 RBIs. He's a nice power source to roster in deeper leagues.

While not as terrific as last year, Stripling hasn't disappointed by any measure other than the fact that the Dodgers' insane rotational depth hasn't allowed for enough innings. While he starts, however, Stripling is well worth owning.

Eovaldi posted a 6.00 ERA before undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow in April. Out for multiple months, the hard-throwing, but erratic righty was not an essential stash in standard mixed leagues. That, however, was before news of Boston planning to bring him back as its closer. He gave a small taste of what he could accomplish in that role when allowing three hits and one earned run in eight postseason inning. Back from the IL, he stumbled as Brandon Workman took over the role instead. Eovaldi is now scheduled to return to Boston's rotation.

Hamilton seemed to find the perfect place to salvage his torpedoing fantasy stock, but he stole just 18 bases while batting a putrid .211/.275/.269. He was banished to a bench role by the time the Royals designated him for assignment in August. A former one-category superstar is no longer holding his own elsewhere enough to stay on the field and matter in any fantasy leagues.

At this point, it almost feels like a running gag to say Franco could one day take a leap akin to Edwin Encarnacion. It seemed like this could be the year, as the 26-year-old third baseman hit .252 with seven homers through April. He got us again. He was batting .231 with 15 home runs before getting surprisingly demoted to Triple-A. It's past time to abandon hope of a breakout and cut him in all formats.

One of 2019's best kept secrets, Santana is hitting .316 with 17 homers and 12 steals through 86 games. The Rangers keep finding reps for him across the diamond, so he's already eligible at first base, second base, and outfield in most leagues. A .396 BABIP has fueled his unlikely breakout, but he also has more hard hits and barrels with a higher launch angle. Worry about regression later and ride his five-category dominance for as a long as it lasts.

Gennett, who had missed all of 2019 after spraining his groin at the end of spring training, returned on June 28. He has since batted .226 with two homers, no steals, and a 44 wRC+ in 139 plate appearances. It seems safe to say he isn't 100% yet. This is still someone who batted at least .300 with over 20 homers and 90 RBIs in each of the last two seasons, so he could turn the corner eventually. Yet he's not usable in any starting lineups right now, so shallow-league managers in a roster crunch may have little choice but to cut the cord. A trade to San Francisco's spacious park didn't help his cause, and the Giants released him around a month after his arrival.

Garver isn't playing every day, but he sure is hitting when he is in the lineup. That'll do just fine at the catcher position.

Despite posting a 4.66 ERA last season and struggling to reach 90 mph in spring, Holland opened 2019 as Arizona's closer. Keeping the job and recording 30 saves with an ugly ERA like Brad Boxberger last season seemed like the best-case scenario. That was, however, until he opened 2019 by allowing two hits and no runs over 11 spectacular innings with 15 strikeouts and six saves. He has since fallen on hard times, watching his ERA rise to 3.51 with 21 walks in 33.1 innings. The Diamondbacks are potentially removing the struggling closer from his ninth-inning duties. He can be dropped in shallower mixed leagues, but don't be shocked if he reclaims the role.

Porcello may have won a Cy Young but at this point in his career, there is no sense in even streaming him, let alone rostering him.

Molina spent two weeks on the injured list with a strained tendon in his right thumb. A little more than a month after returning, he went back on the shelf. This time, he missed around a month. Managers clearly can't count on the 37-year-old to stay healthy, and he was only hitting .261/.286/.368. Even healthy, he's not necessarily a must-own in single catcher mixed leagues.

He'll never meet the immense hype that followed him early in his career, but Heyward is quietly sporting his best wRC+ (100) since 2015. He has also tallied his most home runs (18) since 2012 while swiping seven bags. This performance, combined with a strong glove, will keep him in the lineup despite the Cubs acquiring Nicholas Castellanos right before the trade deadline. He has even started to see some time in the leadoff spot, making Heyward a valuable addition in any five-outfielder format.

Yet to reach 20 homers in a season beyond 2015's 26, Calhoun now has 25. His .246 ISO represents career highs, but he's batting .231 due to some freezing cold streaks before and after a sizzling July. He should fully be on the radar in all mixed leagues with five starting outfielders.

Given a regular role in Arizona's lineup, Dyson is among MLB's leaders with 27 steals. A surprising early power spike predictably waned, but his seven homers still set a career-high. Although average has also fallen to .259, the 34-year-old remains a rare source of walks and steady speed worth rostering in any five-outfielder league.

Freeland had registered a 4.23 ERA, 25.2% K rate, and 3.98 SIERA through five starts before landing on the IL with a blister on his left middle finger. He has since ceded a 9.21 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and 15 walks in six turns. Remember when he posted a 2.40 ERA in Coors Field last year? The ballpark has exacted swift vengeance with an 8.65 ERA and .376 xwOBA. He's droppable in all mixed leagues.

Barnes is no longer the closer with Eovaldi back off the IL, and his ratios won't be ideal, but fantasy owners can bet on another 50+ second half Ks while rostering him as a fallback saves option should Eovaldi hit the IL again.

Lost in San Diego's shuffle earlier in the season, Margot reclaimed center field from Wil Myers. They both now has a regular job after the Padres traded Franmil Reyes. Margot has 16 steals in limited playing time and has seven of his 10 homers since July 1. The 24-year-old also has as one more strikeout (28) than strikeouts (27) in 59 games since the start of June. He's an intriguing post-hype add.

Following a strong start to 2019, Davis fell into the light end of a platoon when Todd Frazier reclaimed third base and Dominic Smith took the job in left field. With Smith sidelined, Davis has gotten another chance in the outfield. This time, he should keep starting for the long haul. He's hitting .307/.368/.511 with excellent Statcast numbers to support the breakout. As long the Mets can tolerate his limited defense, Davis looks poised to end 2019 as a deserving mixed-league mainstay.

How many people even noticed Gardner tally 15 homers, eight steals, and 54 runs in the first half? Strong contact returns also give him a chance to raise his .251 average closer to his career .260 norm. The 35-year-old has proven more valuable to the Yankees than Clint Frazier because of his batting eye and defense, so playing time is no longer a concern if healthy. He's an underrated contributor who is still available in plenty of leagues. Knee soreness sent him to the IL, but he's back and starting in center field.

Pitching in San Francisco certainly helps any starter, and while you might not want to use Samardzija on the road, he can be relied on for strong ratios and some Ks in half his starts.

The Angels have removed Allen from the closer's role after relinquishing seven walks and five runs in 8.1 innings. His gopheritis has carried over from 2018, allowing three homers in 10 outings. There's no reason to roster him unless the save opportunities return.

The latest byproduct of Cardinal Devil Magic, Bader broke out with 12 homers, 15 steals, and a 3.5 fWAR in 138 games. He was in the midst of a sophomore slump (.179/.347/.359, 2 HR, 0 SB in 13 games) before landing on the IL with a hamstring strain. Because of his elite defense in center field, the 24-year-old has maintained a starting role despite St. Louis' dearth of options. Yet an exit velocity (85.9 mph) in the bottom-12 percentile makes him an average risk, and he has stolen just four bases in seven chances. He's no longer worth rostering in 12-team mixed leagues.

Wood, initially expected to return from a back injury in April, continued to suffer setbacks that pushed back his timetable. Although he initially looked like an intriguing piece to round out the rotation, most of that appeal came from the potential of logging more innings for the Reds. Since returning on July 28, he has gotten shelled to a 6.07 ERA and 6.05 FIP in six starts. He can't be trusted at the moment, which is a shame for anyone who waited all this time for a potential late-season impact arm.

Chirinos piggybacked off the opener early in the season before settling into Tampa Bay's rotation. He posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.06 WHIP at the All-Star break before going down with middle finger inflammation. He's expected to miss at least a month, so there's no reason to stash him in re-draft leagues in hopes of a September return.

Even Nimmo may not maintain his smile if his brutal season continues. On the heels of a breakout campaign, he was batting .200 with 48 strikeouts through 43 games before going on the IL with neck inflammation. After suffering a setback in his rehab, the Mets are shutting him down for an additional month. Despite his sensational 2018, managers without an available IL spot have little choice but to cut their losses.

Markakis, who had played at least 155 games in 11 of the last 13 seasons, is out indefinitely with a fractured wrist. He's not likely to return until September at the earliest. Durability was his greatest asset, leading to plenty of hits and counting numbers in Atlanta's lineup, but he doesn't offer enough power or speed to stash.

It took a bit longer than expected, but Profar finally emerged as a strong major leaguer by batting .254/.335/.458 with 20 homers and 10 steals in 2018. Perhaps the Rangers knew what they were doing when moving him to the A's. He's batting .205/.268/.382. He has at least maintained some power and speed with 15 homers and seven steals. Batting .174 over the last 30 days, he can only be rostered in the deepest of leagues despite his multi-position eligibility.

Pivetta flashed a few good starts after he was called back up but then plummeted in value again and was sent to the bullpen. He is worth keeping an eye on, however, in case anything changes.

While Miller could work his way into the closer mix with Jordan Hicks out, he hasn't looked his old self this season. The lefty has 52 strikeouts in 36.1 innings, but it's come with a 3.47 ERA and 5.04 FIP. Allowing a bunch of walks and home runs is a dangerous combo for anyone. However, he could keep vulturing a couple of saves from Carlos Martinez.

Just as he began to turn a corner, posting a 2.27 ERA in six starts after getting ransacked for 10 runs by the Mets, Lopez landed on the IL with a shoulder injury. A 3.52 FIP, 17.5 K-BB% rate and 48.8% ground-ball rate all pointed to him morphing into a mixed-league mainstay, so consider stashing the Marlins righty now that's rehabbing and near a return in August. He should have a rotation spot waiting for him after Miami traded away Zac Gallen and Trevor Richards.

With Arodys Vizcaino out for the season and A.J. Minter briefly optioned to Triple-A, Jackson became the clear closer in Atlanta. That was before the Braves acquired Mark Melancon, Chris Martin, and Shane Greene before the deadline. Greene will take over closing duties, and Jackson isn't necessarily the next-man up if the former Tiger falters. There's no reason to keep him in standard leagues.

Given a clear path to saves with Brandon Morrow on the shelf, Strop went on the IL with a hamstring injury. Bothered by the issue, he had posted a 5.06 ERA following a three-run flare-up against the Marlins. He immediately recorded a save upon returning on June 4, but the Cubs signed Craig Kimbrel the next day. Strop could see some save chances in the next week or two before the free-agent signing is ready.

Arguably MLB's best middle reliever for most of 2019, Pressly struggled after returning from a knee surgery. He'll miss another four-to-six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic right knee surgery on August 22, meaning he'll at best return during the regular season's final week. There's no reason to keep him rostered.

The Blue Jays sent Pillar to the Giants, who opened 2019 with Steven Duggar as their starting center fielder. After producing 31 homers and 29 steals over the past two seasons, Pillar has recorded a career-high 19 home runs alongside 68 runs and 70 RBIs. Throw in 10 steals, and he's an underrated depth option in larger leagues who's rebounded resoundingly from a dreadful start.

A sleeper targeted for sneaky 20/10 ability, Bauers batted an underwhelming .233/.308/.379 in 100 games for Cleveland. After bolstering their lineup by acquiring Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes, the Indians made room by optioning Bauers to Triple-A. He can safely be dropped in all leagues.

Garcia has quietly batted .290 with seven homers, 12 steals, and 72 runs atop the White Sox's lineup. Swap a few steals for homers, and he's having a similar season to Jean Segura. The batting average likely won't last given his 3.7% walk rate, but Garcia has certainly helped gamers who grabbed him in deep leagues.

Weaver was in the midst of a post-hype breakout, recording a 3.03 ERA and 26.8% K rate in 11 starts before going on the IL with a right forearm strain in late May. He had the makings of a top-50 starter who was climbing even higher up the rankings, so this is a tough blow. Investors owe him the courtesy of waiting for a timetable before moving on in redraft leagues. As August nears, he is awaiting an MRI to determine his recover's progress. He'll need to make rehab starts, but there's a chance the righty could rejoin Arizona's rotation in 2019.

Foltynewicz followed a 2018 breakout with a 6.37 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in a dozen starts. After he got shelled for eight runs by the Nationals on June 22, the day after Dallas Keuchel's team debut, the Braves optioned him the 27-year-old righty to Triple-A. He has yielded seven runs in two starts since returning to Atlanta in August, but he has also amassed seven strikeouts in each turn. That's enough reason to at least closely monitor his progress in mixed leagues.

 

Steven Souza's season-ending knee surgery cleared up a starting spot for Jones, who has responded with 13 home runs in 110 games. The last one, however, came on June 15. At least he's durable, averaging 151 games played over the past nine seasons. He's a boring depth piece who can still compile solid numbers in deeper leagues.

Lamet has returned from Tommy John surgery to post a 3.95 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in eight starts. The 55 strikeouts and 14.4% swinging-strike rate should especially have fantasy gamers seeing dollar signs. Make sure the righty is rostered in all leagues.

The Blue Jays brought up Biggio, who is now the second son of a Hall of Famer in their infield. Although his arrival was nowhere near as ballyhooed as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., there should be some excitement around a prospect who batted .307/.445/.504 with six home runs, five steals, and more walks than strikeouts in Triple-A. His immediate ceiling isn't as high, but the second baseman has offered 10 homers, nine steals, and a .336 OBP in 76 games despite batting .209. He's worth rostering in deeper mixed leagues, but the poor batting average saps his value in most formats.

Posey's power is going the path of Joe Mauer. His home runs over the past five seasons: 22, 19, 14, 12, 5. A hip injury limited him to his fewest games (105) since 2011 last season, and he set a personal worst in slugging (.382) while matching a career-low .284 batting average. He has tallied just six long balls in 86 games, missing time with a right hamstring strain and the second concussion of his career. The former MVP's plate approach hasn't decayed enough for his .261 average to stay so low, but an ageing Posey is coasting on name value.

McCann's batting average has predictably regressed, but he's still done enough this season to be a worthy starter in 12-team leagues.

Prior to this season, Vazquez had a fairly nondescript career as a part-time catcher with little to get excited about from a fantasy perspective. But suddenly, he's hitting for both average and power. He's emerged as a top-10 catcher going forward, if not top-five.

When on the mound, Urias is about as good as it gets for a youngster with an ERA sitting at 2.25 and a WHIP below 1.00. The issue, of course, is that he only throws a handful of innings at most in a given week. There is still use for that, but not much more than someone like Ryan Pressley.

Canha has hit 17 home runs with a 133 wRC+ to little fanfare. His walks are up (14.0%), and the lifelong platoon player is suddenly crushing fellow righties. Despite over-performing his Statcast numbers, the 30-year-old is still a sneaky add in deeper mixed leagues.

The Rays keep shuttling McKay back and forth from Triple-A to the majors. The two-way star batted .273/.394/.582 in Triple-A. More impressively, he has posted a 1.22 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 66.2 minor league innings. Like Shohei Ohtani, he's separated into a hitter and pitcher in Yahoo leagues. Despite collecting 41 strikeouts in 35.2 major league innings, McKay got demoted once more with a 5.55 ERA. He should return soon as a September call-up and makes for a high-upside stash in deeper leagues.

This wouldn't be the first time Lopez fooled us all, and it won't be the last. The righty tossed a 14-strikeout gem on April 28, only to allow six runs in his last turn. He was dropped just about everywhere before allowing four runs with 25 strikeouts in three stellar July outings. Lopez is the ultimate boom-or-bust gamble to add with caution. He has issued a 4.30 ERA with eight walks and 15 strikeouts in August, so toss him back on the waiver wire.

 

Detroit traded Shane Greene to the Braves, so has gotten a chance to sink or swim as the closer for two months. He has recorded 69 strikeouts and a 14.5% swinging-strike rate in 49.2 innings, but it doesn't show in his 4.89 ERA and 4.82 FIP. After piling up saves early in the season, Greene went all of July without one for the MLB-worst Tigers. Temper expectations, but take a shot on Jimenez in streaking for saves and strikeouts.

While Bruce didn't hit for any contact (.214) in Seattle, he scorched 14 long balls and slugged .530 before getting shipped to Philadelphia. This is a slugger who belted at least 25 homers in seven of the last nine seasons and 36 in 2017 before a down 2018, so it's not too shocking in this environment that he already had 24 at the break. Although initially perceived as a platoon bat, the 32-year-old was receiving regular playing time with Odubel Herrera and Andrew McCutchen out for the season. That was before going on the IL with a right oblique strain to start the second half. He returns to find Corey Dickerson in the outfield, making regular reps less certain for the deep-league slugger.

The Rays don't seem to like Lowe very much. Even though the rookie was batting .294/.365/.510 in 115 plate appearances through July, they demoted him (again) after acquiring Jesus Aguilar. Lowe even hit well against lefties in limited opportunities, but Tampa Bay never let him get comfortable in the majors. Drop him in shallow mixed leagues, but don't be surprised if he gets another chance and runs with it.

Gausman, who began 2019 on the IL with a minor shoulder injury, boasted a 2.87 ERA in 10 starts with the Braves last season. He initially brought those gains into 2019 with the help of an increased splitter usage, but blow-up outings torpedoed his ERA to 6.21 before landing on the IL. He returned to the rotation to post eight strikeouts, no walks, and one run allowed in seven innings. Although Gausman might just crush our spirits again, that turn quickly reminded everyone of his high ceiling when firing on all cylinders. He's worth a speculative add.

Another year, another season of Fiers defying the peripherals. A year after posting a 3.56 ERA and 4.75 FIP, he now has a 3.46 ERA and 4.78 FIP. He also has just 102 strikeouts in 153.1 innings, but perhaps this is another Wade Miley situation. The 34-year-old hadn't allowed more than three earned runs in a single start since April 20 until the imposing Astros tagged him for five on August 15.

 

Zimmerman had his run as a useful fantasy baseball player but it seems to be over at this point so go ahead and cut him loose for one of the better options on waivers.

Belt has given fantasy owners reason to be disappointed for years now. Although he is never awful, it may finally be time to give up and cut him loose. There are plenty of other projects on the waivers with more fantasy upside like Bobby Bradley.

Seager, who started 2019 on the 60-day IL following offseason hand surgery, returned on May 25. He hadn't done much to merit excitement before hitting three homers on August 13. He now has six long balls during an ongoing 11-game hitting streak. Prior to last year's downfall, Corey's Brother had offered 25-30 homers in four consecutive seasons. There could still be some more power to squeeze out of his bat, particularly in deeper leagues.

The Twins have designated Parker for assignment. A closer early in the season, his ERA ballooned to 4.21 with a 5.34 FIP. Drop him in all leagues.

Not only is Aroldis Chapman ahead of Britton in New York, but they also have Betances and Chad Green roaming around the pen. Chances are that Britton would get the first crack at saves if Aroldis went down, but it's no guarantee.

Entering the season as the top sleeper for those who waited on the position, Jansen was batting .170 with two home runs through June 25. He should have been long dropped before homering six times in 10 games before the All-Star break. His OPS climbed from .498 to .661, but the momentum quickly fizzled. Don't worry about him outside of two-catcher leagues.

Everyone's (or at least this writer's) favorite 2018 breakout pick pitched his way out of Arizona's rotation by relinquishing a 7.58 ERA and 1.72 WHIP through six disastrous starts. Those still holding out hope for a turnaround should drop Godley in all formats.

After years of false starts, Calhoun is firmly entrenched into Texas' starting lineup and batting a thunderous .289/.330/.573 with 16 homers in 224 plate appearances. He'll keep playing with Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara, and Hunter Pence sidelined, so the 24-year-old should continue to show why he was such a highly prized hitting prospect before making a messy first impression.

Teheran is chugging along once again for the Braves with an ERA below 4.00 and a WHIP below 1.30. He won't strike out a batter per inning and doesn't have many wins yet but with the strong ratios, he is worth owning as a depth piece.

Castro is playing every game for Miami, but that is quite literally all you can say on the pro side of his performance. He doesn't offer power anymore and his batting average will continue to hover around .250 for the remainder of the season.

After clobbering 17 home runs through May, Dietrich has since collected 14 hits in June and July. The slump paired with Scooter Gennett return has sent him to the bench, and Josh VanMeter has taken over his role as a righty-masher stealing playing time across the diamond. It was fun while it lasted, but Dietrich should be dropped in all leagues.

Promoted by the Dodgers once again, Smith has smacked eight doubles and 12 home runs in 115 plate appearances. He notched 20 homers with a .986 OPS in Triple-A and is now set to get the bulk of playing time behind the plate. Brandishing a 171 wRC+, the rookie has ascended into a possible top-five catcher who should be started in all leagues.

There is no denying the potential in the Rays' young middle-infielder, but like Dansby Swanson over the past few seasons, he just isn't quite ready at the plate yet. You can still get a handful of steals and homers, but not enough to make up for his batting average.

Seemingly on the verge of a legitimate breakout, Wong batted .170 in May. Perhaps it was foolish of us to believe one great month over years of unsensational production. Or maybe it was just one bad month. He's turned the corner again with a .351 second-half batting average and now has nine homers with 17 steals this season. With a secure starting role for the first time in years, the 28-year-old at least still looks like a decent middle infielder capable of going 12/20.

An unheralded prospect who jumped straight from Double-A to the big, Yamamoto has surprisingly excelled right off the bat. The 23-year-old righty has recorded a 1.89 ERA in six starts, tallying 34 strikeouts in as many innings. He doesn't throw hard, and an 8.7% SwStr rate won't allow him to maintain those strikeouts. He has also issued two-four walks in each turn, so expect regression once his .190 BABIP regresses.

After spending years in Korea, Kelly has posted a 3.77 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in his MLB debut season. He doesn't have any standout pitches, and it shows in his 4.25 FIP and 7.08 K/9. Yet he's at least shown enough to roll with during a hot streak and when the right matchup strikes. The 30-year-old righty boasts a 2.67 ERA in nine starts since the start of June.

You can be certain that Frazier won't offer any power or speed, but 80 homers and a .280 batting average never hurt anyone. If you need a warm body to fill in for an injured player, he can answer the call without pain.

Since allowing seven runs to the forceful Twins on May 2, Peacock posted a 2.01 ERA in seven starts. He then ceded 16 runs in the last four outings before going on the IL with shoulder discomfort. Regression from his dominant May seemed likely, as a subpar 8.8% swinging-strike rate doesn't support his 89 punchouts in 85 innings. Also, apparently no pitcher is immune to gopheritis in 2019. He may not return to the rotation after the Astros acquire Zack Greinke and Aaron Sanchez, who tossed six no-hit innings in his team debut.

More than likely, Hampson won't get his job back as the Rockies' primary second baseman. Even with injury, he may be third on the depth chart. With that said, if for whatever reason he does find his way into at-bats, he'll be worth monitoring as a potential pickup.

Alonso wasn't especially impressive last year with a .250 batting average and just 23 homers, but he is just one year removed from posting an .866 OPS with Oakland and Seattle so don't discount a big bounce-back campaign.

Few batters make contact more consistently than Fletcher, a career .294 hitter in the minors who is currently batting .281 with a 9.2% strikeout rate for the Angels. He has flaunted more power than usual with five homers (none since June 15) and gets to lead off ahead of Mike Trout, so the 5'9" infielder is an intriguing deep-league average booster.

Despite still possessing abhorrent contact rates, the 25-year-old continues to maintain a decent average (.258) and pop (11 HRs) behind the plate. As witnessed early in the second half, this approach leaves him vulnerable to prolonged slumps. Yet he pummels the balls he reaches enough to make a serviceable op-15 catcher to ride during his hot streaks.

 

Sanchez has submitted a 3.17 ERA in 15 starts since returning from a hamstring strain. The veteran sported a 2.82 ERA last season, and he's among MLB leaders in average exit velocity against. While he's currently pitching over his head, he's a solid back-end depth piece and strong matchup play.

May did not win the closer job in Minnesota. While he may get a few saves here and there, Rocco Baldelli is employing a true closer by committee approach. May can be used as a Josh Hader-lite, but otherwise is droppable.

One of MLB's best starters didn't even start for most of the season. Spending much of 2019 following the opener in Tampa Bay, Yarbrough has transitioned into a more traditional role that has suited him well. The righty has posted a magnificent 1.57 ERA, 46 strikeouts, and two walks after the All-Star break. Since joining the starting staff, he has allowed one earned role in three turns with 23 strikeouts and no free passes. Continue to ride his sizzling hot hand in September.

 

After spending the last few years as a subpar reliever, Lyles posted a 3.64 ERA and 24.9% K rate in 12 starts before going on the IL with a hamstring injury. He imploded when returning in June and July, but the 28-year-old has rebounded with a 2.67 in five starts since joining the Brewers. He's once again an intriguing add, albeit one with concerning downside.

A Grade 2 lat strain cost Strickland the closer job in Seattle, and he hasn't been able to regain it there or in his new home of Washington.

 

Hernandez cooled off after a raucous start, but he's catching a hot hand. He hit .352/.417/.574 in July before going on the IL with a hand injury. He's returned to notch a 174 wRC+ in August, and an injury to Max Muncy has cleared up playing time at second base. Grab Hernandez, whose multi-position eligibility will especially help in deeper leagues.

Smith burst out of the gate with 10 homers and four steals through May, but he has gone ice cold. In 18 games before the break, he batted .188 (12-for-64) with one long ball and no steals. Playing for the Orioles gives him an extended leash, but not full immunity. The early success story is now somehow to save for deep mixed leagues unless he heats up again.

Quietly enjoying a breakout year, Ahmed is hitting .272/.332/.461 with 16 homers and seven steals. Contact improvements support the higher batting average, and he's only getting better. Long perceived as a defensive-first shortstop, the 29-year-old has a 137 wRC+ with more walks than strikeouts after the All-Star break. He's a tremendous depth piece who should be rostered in more leagues.

Despite his age, Gordon may be having a career year although he has seen regression over the last month. He may end up with 20 homers and 10 steals, but don't expect the batting average to stay north of .275 all season.

 

A finger injury has opened up playing time for O'Neill, who has hit .314 with five homers in 90 plate appearances. He continues to strike out in an alarming two-fifths of his plate appearances, but the 24-year-old has off-the-charts power, so he can hit for a passable average by pummeling the balls he reaches. He's worth adding as a late lottery ticket.

Buttrey looked like the top candidate for saves when the Angels officially stripped Cody Allen of his closing duties, but Hansel Robles has assumed the closer's role. While Buttrey is still worth rostering in some leagues for his 2.08 ERA and 27.2%, investors should expect more than a save here and there unless Robles implodes.

James missed out on the rotation thanks to a Spring Training injury then proceeded to struggle in the bullpen, but he has been electric of late and may end up in the rotation after all in the coming weeks so keep a close eye on him.

Placed on the IL in early April, Lamb missed nearly three months with a grade 2 quad strain. Splitting time between first and third base, it took eight games until his return to capture his first homer of 2019. After batting just .229/.307/.348, Lamb will need to prove worthy of rostering beyond deep leagues.

Lauer has had some dreadful outings in Coors this year, but other than that, he has consistently been producing strong performances. You can use him in the vast majority of his starts as a SP5.

Kang may not open the season as the starter in Pittsburgh, but with the way he is playing this spring, you'll want to keep a close eye on him. After all, we've seen Kang be a useful fantasy piece in years prior.

Jeffress, who started the season sidelined with a shoulder injury, was expected to see some save chances so Josh Hader could slide him back into a more flexible high-leverage role. He has none in 16 outings. His velocity and swinging-strike rate have also dropped, so he's not worth rostering in shallow mixed leagues that don't reward holds.

 

 

Replacing the injured Corey Seager at shortstop, Taylor caught fire before injuring his forearm right after the All-Star break. Back on August 20, he's now filling in for Alex Verdugo in center field. The Dodgers' lineup is getting crowded, but Taylor has nine homers, seven steals, a 112 wRC+ in 92 games. There's plenty of fantasy appeal if he gets playing time for this loaded offense.

Boxberger is expected to hold off Peralta for the Royals' closer job, and while it may not be the most envied role, he should still be able to compile 20 to 25 saves if he can hang onto the job. His ratios won't be ideal, but he does offer some K-upside as we've seen before.

Longoria was finally starting to heat up, hitting six home runs in nine games before going on the IL with plantar fasciitis in his foot. He has returned to bat 9-for-27 and now holds a .275 xBA, .501 xSLG, and .363 xwOBA. That makes the veteran an intriguing add in most spots.

Reynolds is batting .323 with help from a .397 BABIP bound to fall eventually. Don't write him off entirely, but he still wields a .294 xBA and .359 xwOBA. While the power isn't great, he has also smacked 26 doubles. His true talent is probably more of a .280-.290 hitter who can hit around 20 homers in a full season.

A Triple-A star for the Brewers in 2017, Cooper has grabbed hold of a starting job for the Marlins. He possesses a 115 wRC+ and 11 home runs through 76 games with an ideal mix of steady contact and hard hits. His .349 xwOBA supports the strong start, so the 28-year-old has firmly worked his way to mixed-league recognition. If he keeps this up, he'll need to be rostered everywhere.

Perceived as a seat-filler until Jose Leclerc reclaimed his job, Kelley has compiled 11 saves with a 3.00 ERA, 32 strikeouts, and five walks in 33 innings. He's far too prone to the long ball for a closer pitching in Arlington, so expect his ERA to rise. Just as he built up a little bit of a leash in the final frame, the 35-year-old went on the IL with sore biceps. He hopes to avoid a lengthy absence, but this gives Leclerc a chance to run away with the ninth-inning role.

Elias has etched out a 4.50 ERA, 45 strikeouts, and 13 saves in 46 innings as Seattle's closer before getting shipped to Washington. That eliminates his fantasy appeal in just about every format.

Herrera was presumably signed to close for the White Sox, but they also added Alex Colome who has closing experience. This one is too close to call for now so you may want to add both in a late round just to make sure you get some saves.

 

After moving into Minnesota's rotation in mid-April, Perez posted a 2.01 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in seven starts. He has since fallen hard, now holding a 4.80 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 122 innings. It's time to abandon the southpaw reclamation project, who has posted a 6.67 ERA and .664 opposing slugging percentage after the All-Star break.

Beeks isn't technically a starting pitcher, but he is racking up the innings and has plenty of Ks to go along with it. More importantly, his ratios are stellar and he'll pick up some wins to go with it all.

A boring but effectively above-average hitter for years, Cabrera was batting .235 with an 81 wRC+ before the Rangers designated him for assignment. He has found a home in Washington, where regular reps are not necessarily guaranteed despite his strong start. The veteran is at best a depth piece in larger leagues.

Brasier leads the Red Sox with seven saves, but he has recorded just one since April 22. His 3.34 ERA and 1.11 WHIP are nothing special for a reliever stuck in an unpredictable committee, and a 4.45 FIP points to a lower ceiling. This situation is too frustrating to comfortably roster anyone in leagues that don't count holds.

Lugo has worked 10 perfect innings during the Mets' second-half hot streak. Sporting a 2.59 ERA and 0.93 WHIP, he's the clear next in line if faltering closer Edwin Diaz pitches his way out of the role. Grab Lugo just in case, as he can help in strikeouts and ratios while garnering SP eligibility.

Mejia struggled mightily to begin the season, earning himself a demotion to the minor leagues. But he's back now and playing fairly regularly, and the results have been promising.

Newcomb got optioned to Triple-A after issuing eight walks to five strikeouts through his first three starts. The lefty allowed a ghastly 90.3% contact rate while generating just nine swinging strikes. Drop him in all leagues.

As expected, Ottavino has been sensational outside of Coors Field. Even with Yankee Stadium being a hitter's haven, Ottavino carries a sub-two ERA with 61 Ks in 43 innings. Don't expect saves in this crowded pen though.

Mahle is now on the IL and you may not love his 4.93 ERA, but the 106 Ks and terrific underlying metrics make him well worth paying attention to once he returns.

The Marlins traded Romo to the Twins, which likely removes him from the ninth inning. At best, he'll share save chances with the superior southpaw Taylor Rogers if the Twins don't acquire another reliever. He was mostly an empty source of saves given the drop in strikeouts (33 in 37.2 IP), so managers can drop Romo if he doesn't close early into his Twins tenure.

Kendrick had registered single-digit home runs in each of the last five seasons before belting 12 at the All-Star break. While scouts often said he'd one day win a batting title, they likely didn't think he'd wait until age 36 to hit .316 with a career-high .526 slugging percentage. Don't be so quick to dismiss this unpredictable outburst; his .396 xwOBA ranks 10th in all of baseball. Although not playing every day, he's in Washington's lineup enough to make an impact in deeper leagues. He's not expected to miss more the minimum 10 days after going on the IL with leg cramps.

Whitley was the top pitching prospect going into the season but has been terrible thus far in the minors. If that turns around, he may end up useful in MLB by the end of the season.

 

After dealing with a foot injury and depression during a down 2018, Fowler has looked closer to his old self with a .342 OBP. The veteran cooled off in May and June, but he is playing and hitting high in the lineup with Jose Martinez hurt and Harrison Bader optioned in Triple-A. He's a valuable depth piece in deep leagues, especially OBP formats.

Davies still has an ERA below 3.00, but his WHIP is not all that impressive and he strikes out fewer hitters than just about every pitcher in the league so while he isn't the worst use of a roster spot, his upside is limited.

Thames took back the large end of a platoon after batting .333 with six homers in a sensational June. He has since, however, batted .193 with three long balls in 30 games. The Brewers traded Jesus Aguilar, but Travis Shaw and Ryan Braun could instead challenge for playing time at first base. Thames is droppable in all mixed leagues until he gets hot again.

 

 

Reyes suffered yet another injury in the minor leagues and was struggling with his command anyways. If he gets healthy and straightens out his stuff, he could be deadly by September in the bigs.

 

There is no doubt that Peralta has been a disappointment but has still been piling up strikeouts and has been good enough out of the pen the last month that there may be some hope remaining that he ends up back in the rotation before long.

Richards carried a 4.42 ERA with 4 wins last year and formerly played independent baseball after going undrafted. It helps, however, that he has the best changeup in baseball. Richards' changeup is Trevor Hoffman-esque. It carried a 41.2% whiff rate with a .214 xWOBA. It certainly helped his performance when he adjusted by throwing it 38% of the time instead of 23% of the time at the start of the season. In those closing months, hitters were so focused on his filthy change-up that his slider suddenly became even more deadly than the changeup. With two of the most useful pitches in baseball, Richards could breakout this year in Miami much like Jake Peavy did in in 2004 after a rough start to his career.

The Reds have released Kemp, who was on the IL with a broken rib after serving the short end of a platoon when healthy. There's little reason to stash the 34-year-old outfielder, who had one walk and 19 strikeouts in 60 plate appearances this season.

 

Just as Tapia was thriving with more playing time in place of David Dahl, the 25-year-old outfielder went on the IL with a hand injury. He's a fine streamer with five-category upside at Coors Field, but it's not worth stashing him beyond the deepest of mixed leagues.

 

 

Cease has struggled in his first few starts since being promoted but he definitely has fantasy-relevant stuff and even if you don't want to own him now, keep him on waiver wire speed-dial.

 

Everyone kept assuming regression to strike, but Bassitt still boasts a 3.59 ERA in 22 starts. While a 4.48 FIP supports a downturn, he has a 2.45 ERA and 16.0 K-BB% after the All-Star break. Oakland's remaining schedule is soft enough to stick by the 30-year-old through the finish line.

 

Tucker is still stuck down in the minors for Houston and while playing time will be difficult to come by apart from a trade, he would be a 100% FAAB pickup if he gets the call and is inserted into the starting lineup. Think Andrew Benintendi right away with both power and speed.

Initially a candidate for an early-season promotion, Luzardo was shut down in late March because of a strained rotator cuff in his left shoulder. Just as the 21-year-old southpaw was inching closer to a return around the All-Star break, he injured his lat in a Triple-A start. The premier prospect could make his long-awaited debut as a September call-up, potentially from the bullpen.

Boston placed Moreland on the IL on May 29 with a lower back strain. He was leading the Red Sox with 13 home runs, putting him two shy of 2018's tally in 78 more games, but was also batting just .228. After missing nearly two months, managers likely forgot about him. He's worth a look in deeper leagues, but it's not imperative to grab a career .250 hitter who has never tallied more than 23 homers in a season.

DeShields had stolen eight bases with a .321 OBP before getting demoted on May 8, but he was also batting .182. That rare blend of front-line plate discipline and speed makes him a perennial breakout candidate, but he hasn't hit well enough to earn consistent playing time.

Lorenzen has picked up Cincinnati's last two saves over Raisel Iglesias. While he hadn't followed through much on the preseason chatter, David Bell expressed interest in using Iglesias in a high-leverage role. Bell has denied a change in closers, but it's worth grabbing Lorenzen just in case he is at least now part of a committee.

Despite opening 2019 in the bullpen, Means emerged as Baltimore's ace (and lone All-Star). He posted a 3.12 ERA in 98 innings before going on the IL with a biceps injury. He's awaiting an MRI to reveal the severity, but managers in 12-team leagues don't need to stash a starter with a 4.47 FIP and 7.16 K/9.

 

Right after returning from a hamstring injury, Wendle fractured his wrist. He missed another seven weeks before returning to the Rays, who have inserted him back into the starting lineup despite collecting four hits in 39 plate appearances. A healthy Wendle could still help in deeper leagues if given an opportunity, as he broke out to bat .300 with seven homers and 16 steals last season.

Strahm has shown enough promise that we can keep an eye on him in the second half, but more likely than not, he will only be an occasional streamer in home games against easy opponents.

Opening 2019 in Triple-A after the Padres surprisingly gave his spot to uber-prospect Fernando Tatis Jr, Urias quickly made his way back to the majors, only to get demoted after collecting two hits and 11 strikeouts in 29 plate appearances. He since went on a tear back in the minors, belting a career-high 17 home runs with a .414 wOBA. The 22-year-rejoined San Diego on July 20, but initially struggled despite drawing more walks than strikeouts. Looking way sharper in August than July, he should hold down regular playing time with Fernando Tatis Jr. out for the season.

Operating as Miami's leadoff hitter, Berti is hitting .287 with three homers, seven steals, and 20 runs scored in August. It's hard to trust a 29-year-old rookie perceived as organizational depth, but the meaningful opportunity could continue to make him a garbage-time fantasy hero for managers seeking speed on the waiver wire.

Miami trading Sergio Romo cleared the ninth innings for Anderson, who has amassed an elite 2.70 FIP and 36.9% K rate behind his 4.04 ERA. That was before he got dealt to the Rays, where he'll at best serve as part of an unpredictable committee.

Wild in his brief big league audition last year, Alcantara has shown brief flashes of brilliance since during an inconsistency. A 5.8 K-BB% doesn't support his 4.15 ERA, but a 10.9% swinging-strike rate also opens the door for way more punchouts. Wielding a mid-90s heater, a wipeout slider, and a sinker that induces plenty of ground balls, the 23-year-old righty could be on the cusp of mixed-league viability if he can improve his control. After pitching well at Coors and twice against the Braves, he now gets a favorable schedule against the Reds, Pirates, Royals, and Giants. That makes him an interesting streamer down the stretch.

 

Hello, Newman. A well-kept secret for most of 2019, the 25-year-old shortstop is batting .304 with six home runs and 10 steals in 86 games. The Pirates are leveraging his contact skills in the leadoff role. He has cooled off in the second half (.247 BA) after notching a 17-game hitting streak in June, so he's more of a deep-league piece.

Sisco should play every day for the Orioles in the second half and he has plenty of talent so you'll want to keep a close eye on him as a potential catcher pickup off waivers.

Dominguez is considering Tommy John surgery after going on the IL with an injured ulnar collateral ligament. After ascending to Philadelphia's closer role in a tremendous rookie campaign, he posted an underwhelming 4.01 ERA with no saves in 24.1 innings. Even managers in holds leagues can comfortable drop him.

Bundy has teased us many times before, but the former top prospect has reminded everyone of his sky-high upside by cementing a 3.05 ERA in his last seven starts. Of course, that came after getting harpooned to a 6.67 ERA through April. The 26-year-old is throwing far more changeups, but his four-seam fastball is still getting staked to a .417 wOBA. Ride the hot hand at your own risk; the floor is just as notable as the ceiling.

 

 

An avalanche of injuries led to Castillo posting a middling .308 wOBA in 49 games, but he clobbered 53 homers over the previous three seasons. The career .259/.318/.427 hitter could combine a solid average with 15 long balls. He should eventually wake up from a treacherous start to 2019, but the early returns have already cost him some playing time to the red-hot James McCann. That could make him a top-20 catcher rather than a top-10 choice going forward.

 

 

 

Roark is quietly having a solid season amid a pitching apocalypse, posting a 4.24 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 110.1 innings. A middling 8.3% swinging-strike rate and 8.1% HR/FB doesn't point to much long-term sustainability, but he's a solid depth piece in larger leagues and an interesting matchup play when cruising. Moving from Cincinnati to Oakland also gives him a better home park for the final two months.

There is nothing sexy about drafting Candelario, but you can anticipate his batting average coming up 20 points this year, as he was among the most unlucky hitters in that department last year. Along with that, fantasy owners should get around 20 homers from him.

 

 

Could a 30-year-old journeyman on the Orioles swing fantasy leagues? Wojciechowski has looked magnificent in brief work, recording a 3.60 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 30 innings. A no-hit bid that concluded with 10 punchouts against Boston surely captured everyone's attention. If not, take a gander at his 16.3% swinging-strike rate. This success is highly unlikely considering he posted a 6.50 ERA when last pitching in the majors two years ago, but he's shown enough to warrant a dice roll off the waiver wire.

 

Frazier has had a bit of a resurgence this season, and while it hasn't amounted to a ton, there is a place on a fantasy roster for a guy with 25 homer power and a mediocre batting average which is what he appears to offer again.

 

Kelly has hit .283/.381/.584 with 14 home runs from May 1 onward. A well-regarded prospect is no longer blocked from playing time in Arizona, so he's worth a using even in single-catcher leagues. The 24-year-old has worked his way into a top-12 catcher.

 

Sogard has been a pleasant surprise this year with a batting average near 300 and both some power and speed. It's a risk to rely on that continuing, but there is more hope than many other options on your waiver wire in the middle infield.

Velasquez is back in the rotation, and while many games will be a total trainwreck, he does have some strikeout upside and posts solid streaming performances every so often.

Surprisingly demoted to Triple-A to start the season, Happ stayed there far longer than expected. He hadn't quite earned his promoted by batting .242/.364/.432, but the Cubs wanted to send a message to Addison Russell this time. He has since notched a .917 OPS in 24 game. Because of his power and speed potential, he's worth grabbing deep mixed leagues and monitoring in shallower formats.

Reddick continues to play every day for the Astros despite Kyle Tucker waiting around in the minors. Reddick isn't bad with a .291 average and decent power, but that may not be enough to hold off the kid in the second-half of the year.

 

 

After previously hitting 21 homers in five-year career, Perez already has 19. He's hitting .256/.345/.527 with the sixth-highest wRC+ (123) of catchers with at least 150 plate appearances. His 25 barrels already comfortably set a career high, but his batting average has fallen to .232, not a major surprise given his waning contact skills. Perez at least looks like a legitimate top-20 option behind the plate.

After missing all of the previous two seasons due to injuries, Dickerson has returned to bat a resounding .328/.386/.603 for the Giants. A healthy hard-hit rate supports the breakout from an outfielder who showed promise when last healthy. The way he's crushing righties, the heavy part of a platoon is enough to make him relevant in deeper mixed leagues. An oblique injury halted his breakout, but he's back and ready to help deep-league managers in September.

 

 

 

The A's, who acquired Morales from the Blue Jays early in the season, shipped him off to the injury-bitten Yankees. Despite his listless .211/.321/.289 slash line, the Statcast expected numbers (.279/.380/.469) likes his far more. He could see some reps at DH with Giancarlo Stanton sidelined and Miguel Andujar out for the season, so give him a look in AL-only and 15-team mixed leagues.

There is no doubt that Arcia has potential for much more, but that doesn't mean fantasy owners should continue to run him out there while he bats .230 or worse. There is some power and will be a handful of steals but that isn't quite enough to justify using him quite yet.

Off to a strong start, Castillo ceded four walks, four hits, and six runs in two outings before going on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. Don't dismiss the 25-year-old righty because of a 3.93 ERA; it was 2.48 prior to those two blow-up outings. He's set to return right after the All-Star break and should factor prominently into Tampa Bay's maddening closer committee with Jose Alvarado sidelined.

 

 

Chirinos won't offer much average, but the career .232 hitter has tallied plenty of walks (12.5%). As someone drafted for power, 13 homers is disappointing in this current power environment. Although better suited for OBP and points leagues, he'll offer enough pop in a strong Houston lineup to hold his own as a top-20 catcher.

Moran is still batting near .300 heading into the all-star break and although he doesn't offer a ton in the power department, finishing with 18 homers and 80 RBIs would be a welcome line to any fantasy owner.

Last seen in the majors on September 8, 2017, Nelson returned from a partially torn labrum and a strained rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder June 5. Before the injury cut his 2017 short, he had posted a 3.49 ERA and 199 strikeouts in 175.1 innings. Returning to ace territory, of course, isn't easy after so much time away. He allowed 14 runs in three starts spanning 12 innings before getting moved to the bullpen. Those who patiently stashed Nelson may have little choice but to cut him in standard mixed leagues.

 

Galis has performed admirably thus far with a 25 homer pace to go with a solid batting average and plenty of RBIs and runs. Even if he takes a sizeable step back, fantasy owners would still have someone they can rely on.

Bass could be in lives for saves after Seattle sent Roenis Elias and Hunter Strickland to Washington. He has gone eight innings without allowing a run or hit. This is still, however, a 31-year-old with a career 4.40 ERA and 16.2% K rate. Only add him if needing saves in a deep league.

Mike Zunino has been a bust this season and can safely be dropped in all formats. Don't hesitate to scoop him up if he starts to catch fire in the second-half, however.

Lowrie has yet to make his Mets debut due to a hamstring strain, but he's beginning to rehab in hopes of a September return. Although the 35-year-old could potentially push Jeff McNeil back to the outfield as the starting second baseman, he's only worth stashing in NL-only leagues.

 

 

 

Green wasn't as electric in 2018 as the year before, but he still registered 94 strikeouts with excellent ratios and 8 wins. He isn't the closer, nor does he have a path to saves, but you can certainly make a case for drafting him even in standard sized leagues.

 

Crawford is never going to steal bases or hit for a great average, but you can count on him to play 150 games which will add up in the RBIs and runs department, plus he is good for a dozen homers every year.

Because MLB law requires hitters to flourish once they escape the Mets, d'Arnaud hit an outstanding .342/.425/.711 with eight homers in July, Hopefully managers invested early in the hot streak, as the 30-year-old has fallen hard with just four hits (all singles) through eight games in July. The magical run is probably over, so recent buyers can move on to the next shiny toy in single-catcher formats. Those in deeper leagues, however, should hold on a little bit longer.

 

 

The Mets added the best closer in baseball this off-season so Familia takes a step back, but if anything happens to Diaz, Familia is the clear closer-in-waiting and would be top 20 at the position right away.

Even if he continues to split time with Russell Martin all year, Barnes is one of the few catchers out there who is capable of delivering double digit HRs, a decent batting average, and handful of stolen bases.

 

 

Duvall has gone deep four times in five games with the Braves since replacing Nick Markakis. While surprising given his 2018 downfall, he did deposit 33 and 31 home runs in 2016 and 2017, respectively. He also slugged .582 in Triple-A, so pick him off for a power jolt while he's hot.

Astudillo missed two weeks with a hamstring strain, but when healthy he has continued to look like a legitimate threat to hit .300 thanks to his prodigious contact rate. He's unlikely to provide much in way the of power, but he doesn't really need to in order to be a helpful fantasy player at a weak position.

An afterthought struggling to stick in San Francisco's rotation, Beede has suddenly posted a 1.66 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and one walk over his last three starts. This isn't a random hot streak, as he has introduced a slider to immediate results. This stretch is intriguing enough to add him in most leagues, or at least utilize him as a streamer when starting at home.

 

Crawford's bat hasn't quite developed as fast as many expected, but he is a source of both speed and power but with upside for more. Keep an eye on him as a potential waiver wire pickup in the second half.

 

 

 

 

Wainwright has posted enough solid games, particularly at home that he can be used in several streaming matchups the rest of the season.