2018 Fantasy Baseball ROS Rankings

Just when you thought Trout couldn't get any better, he takes his game to the next level. His current pace is a line of .336-138-57-114-29, which is, to put it mildly, absurd. He's hitting the ball harder than ever, he's maintained his drop in strikeout rate, and he's taking a free pass whenever it's offered. He's in a tier unto himself, and could be in line for an historic season.

Betts showed last year that even in a down season, he can still be a valuable contributor to a fantasy season. So it's not a surprise that when he puts together a strong season, he becomes one of, if not the single best player in fantasy. Betts' current pace is .355-172-62-124-14, and he's even missed a few games due to injury. As crazy as it might seem, he is putting up numbers that rival Mike Trout's ridiculous paces. Betts is likely to regress somewhat, but it's seems unlikely, absent a major injury, that he'll finish outside the top-5 by the end of the season.

Arenado is about as consistent a player as there is in fantasy. Sure, he's both walking and striking out a bit more than he usually does, but the rest of his numbers are right in line with his past few seasons, all of which have been utterly elite. A lack of stolen bases is the only thing keeping Arenado from being in the discussion for the best player in all of fantasy.

Altuve is doing his typical solid work, hitting for an elite batting average while scoring and driving in runs at an excellent pace. But, through May 6, he has just two home runs and one steal on the season. There's no reason to expect Altuve to take a significant dip in power after hitting 24 home runs in each of the past two seasons, but the drop in steals is a bit worrisome. Like his teammate George Springer, Altuve may have recognized that with an incredibly strong offense behind him, he simply doesn't need to steal to generate runs. Altuve should be a top fantasy player once again, but his lack of stolen bases may be a sign of things to come.

Like a fine wine, Scherzer gets better with age. He's putting up some of the best numbers of his career through the first third of the season, with a 1.92 ERA and 36.7% strikeout percentage. The nine wins certainly don't hurt, either. The veteran looks well on his way to yet another 200-plus inning season of utter dominance, and neither his age nor his workload appears to be able to stand in his way.

It isn't recommended that you sell Machado high at this point. He is in a contract year and realizing his potential so this is likely not a fluke. Ride the improvement the rest of the season.

Harper began the year on fire before a lack of lineup help led to him seeing fewer and fewer pitches to hit, and his numbers dropping significantly. A move to the leadoff spot toward the beginning of May seems to have rejuvenated Harper, and he should continue to produce elite numbers as the Nationals get healthier as the season progresses. He'll likely eventually be moved from the leadoff spot, but for now, enjoy the boost in runs scored. There's little to worry about with the slugger.

After a brief slow start, Ramirez came on with a vengeance, showing that not only was last year's improvement not a fluke, but he was only going to get better. In addition to maintaining (and actually improving) his power stroke, Ramirez has upped his walk rate to an impressive 12.1% and cut his strikeout rate. He has firmly established himself as an elite fantasy player, and any remote concerns about his seemingly out of nowhere surge last year should be put to rest.

So long as Freeman doesn't end up with a flukey injury again this season, he should now be regarded as the top fantasy first basemen ahead of Rizzo, Votto and even Goldschmidt. Freeman should end with near 35 homers, 10 steals and a batting average well over .300.

What is there to say about Kluber at this point? If you draft him, you can feel pretty confident you're getting a sub-3.00 ERA, a sub-1.00 WHIP, plenty of strikeouts, and around 18 wins. The presence of Max Scherzer and perhaps Justin Verlander is the only thing keeping Kluber from being considered the consensus number one pitcher in all of fantasy. If you own him, just enjoy the 200-plus innings of elite production you should receive this year.

It should be no surprise that Martinez is having such a tremendous season, he batted over .300 each of the past three seasons with more HR/PA than Giancarlo Stanton last year. As it stands now, he may be a top 5 fantasy baseball player overall.

 

 

Goldschmidt has quietly gotten off to an extraordinarily slow start this year, with just a .744 OPS through May 11. He's batting just .218 on the season and, most noticeably, has a 30.2% strikeout rate, significantly up from his 22.4% career mark. The humidor is certainly having an effect, but four home runs and 12 RBI as we approach the quarter-pole of the season is a little ridiculous. There's no reason to think that Goldschmidt has suddenly lost it as an elite hitter, and chances are there is an enormous hot streak coming. There's little reason to be concerned.

 

Despite not hitting for much power in the minors, Lindor has changed his game in the majors. After hitting 33 home runs in 2017, he's on pace to easily surpass that number though almost a third of the season. His drastic jump in strikeout rate (18.5% through Memorial Day weekend) suggests that his .290 batting average may be due for some regression, but make no mistake - he's a legitimate power-hitting shortstop and perhaps the best option at the position.

 

In a long and illustrious career, at age-35, Verlander is simply better than he's ever been. He's essentially been unhittable for the first two months of the season, pitching to an insanely minuscule 1.08 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP, with the best strikeout and walk rates of his career. The Astros have some magic dust, that's for sure, and although there's bound to be some regression, it's hard not to be bullish on Verlander having a career year at this point.

Those worried that Judge's 2017 season was a mirage should be relaxed by this point. Everything he did last year, he's repeating this year, and if anything, he's only getting better, cutting his strikeout rate by a few percentage points. Absent an injury, Judge should be a lock for a 120-40-120 season, and will likely be considered an elite fantasy talent for the rest of his career.

Stanton has been a disappointment, but don't forget that Manny Machado and Anthony Rizzo had terrible starts to their 2017 seasons before bouncing back in a major way. Stanton will too so do not sell him low.

 

Votto's power hasn't quite picked up this season, as he is on pace for fewer than 20 homers. keep in mind, however, that he is notoriously a tremendous second-half player. You may be able to get him at a discount on the trade market.

deGrom avoided what looked to be a major injury after he hyperextended his elbow, but returned shortly thereafter and looks as dominant as ever. He's taken his game to the next level, pitching to a 1.75 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and an impressive 69 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings through May 19. There are trade rumors abound, but regardless of where deGrom lands, he should continue to be an elite fantasy starter for the remainder of the season.

 

 

Don't panic and sell Rizzo for half of what he is worth. Just take a look at how his season started last year and where his final numbers ended up and you'll feel significantly better about his slow start in 2018.

Even those hoping that Cole would take the next step with the Astros couldn't have seen this coming. His ERA has dropped dramatically from both his 2017 numbers and his career rate, and his strikeout percentage has gone through the roof. As expected, Cole has started to throw his fastball less, and it has made the rest of his pitches even more effective. He's in the early Cy Young conversation, for sure, and, at the very least, his fantasy owners are bound to make a big profit if he stays healthy.

Benintendi seems to be the only Boston hitter who isn't off to a great start. He will eventually get his numbers back on track, however, so don't start getting the idea to sell him.

Abreu has slowed down a bit since his blazing start, but he is reliable enough that you can now consider him above players like Bellinger, Encarnacion and Hoskins who were all drafted ahead of him in fantasy leagues.

Marte has hit the DL with an oblique strain and will likely miss a few weeks as a result. He has been phenomenal this season as part of the surprisingly great Pirates' offense. Expect more of the same when he returns.

 

 

Dozier is off to a rough start in 2018, with just a .698 OPS through late May. There are certainly some disconcerting signs, such as a drop in his hard contact rate and a spike in his soft contact rate. But really, this is nothing new for Dozier, who has a career .748 OPS in the first half and an .813 OPS in the second half. His strikeout rate is actually down and his walk rate remains right in line with his career norms. In other words, despite the slow start, it's a good bet that Dozier will once again have a big second half and finish with his typical numbers.

Bellinger has not had the most impressive start to the season, and while there is something to the sophomore slump theory, it is more likely that Bellinger will just heat up as the weather does. As of Mid-May, he is among the best buy-low candidates in all of fantasy baseball.

 

Rendon has been missing time with a toe injury, but with the Nationals placing him on the DL, it seems as though they will not allow the issue to linger. Perhaps you can buy him low with his owner probably panicked.

Kershaw returned relatively quickly from his biceps injury, and pitched effectively against the Phillies, albeit with limited velocity. Immediately after the start, it was reported that he had back pain, and he was placed on the 10-day disabled list the next day. He's expected to miss more than a month, and, considering he has battled back injuries for several seasons, there's little to give fantasy owners confidence. There's not much you can do with Kershaw at this point - just hope that he returns and pitches well. But his long-term stock needs to be dropped significantly at this point, in light of his continued injury struggles.

 

 

Just because Pham is off to a killer start doesn't mean it is wise to sell him. This is what he did last year as well and he received MVP votes as a result. Get used to seeing Pham as one of the best fantasy outfielders in baseball.

Typically, it makes no sense to sell a star who started their season slowly, but in this particular case it may actually be reasonable. At his old age, there is no guarantee he will bounceback so don't hesitate to feel out the trade market to see what you might be able to get.

 

 

Although Sanchez is on the DL and hitting like garbage so far this season, the catcher position is such a wasteland in fantasy that he may still be the top catcher for the remainder of the season. Continue to start him regardless of your league settings when he returns.

 

 

After starting incredibly slow for the second year in a row, Bregman has begun to turn his season around of late. He is among the best buy-low candidates in fantasy baseball right now and we can expect somewhere in the neighborhood of a 20/20 season with a useful batting average.

 

Albies was a favorite breakout candidate by many in the fantasy, and while it looks great so far, he is almost certainly not going to keep up Carlos Correa type numbers for the full season. Expect him to fall back quite a bit, and maximize on his trade value if you are able.

 

 

Davis has the low batting average, like always, but is somehow on pace for 50 homers and 140 RBIs. Neither of those numbers will likely hold, but it goes without saying that he has been an incredibly useful fantasy asset thus far.

Hoskins has been nowhere close to the same player we saw at stretches in the second half last season. Rather, the batting average is lackluster and the power is merely mediocre. This is more in line with what you ought to expect the remainder of the season.

 

As the weather heats up, so too will Ozuna's bat. Don't be quick to try getting rid of him via trade. However, if you don't own him, now is the time to try to pounce on a disappointed owners misfortune.

 

 

 

Jansen is not going to lose his job so don't go picking up Josh Fields. You ought to be concerned, however, as his terrible performance may be a sign of something wrong with his arm. Sell him now if you still can for a good price.

 

 

 

If you are wondering whether or not you can trust what Rosario is doing so far, the answer is yes. He was exceptional last season and may not have come into his prime yet. We might see 30 homers, 15 steals and a batting average near .300 by the time the season closes.

 

Berrios had four terrible starts and still somehow has a WHIP under 1.00. He will kill your team every now and then, but he is also on the verge of becoming a true ace. Don't be afraid to start him each time out. It will pay off in the long run.

 

 

 

Acuna has not been the world beater since his call up that everyone expected. He certainly hasn't been terrible, but if he continues to slide backward, be ready to make a trade offer to a disappointed owner. He's got loads of value the remainder of the season.

 

 

 

Daniel Murphy is expected to return to the big league club any time now. If you are in need of a middle infielder, put a feeler out there for Murphy, who his owner might not remember is Jose Altuve minus the steals in fantasy baseball.

McCutchen has been a tremendous disappointment this season with a sub-standard batting average and lack of both steals and power. He may kick it into gear to close to season like we saw last year but he may not be a top 100 fantasy player any more.

If you were wondering if Martinez is the real deal, look no further than his batted ball data, which is among the elite hitters in baseball since he joined the Cardinals last season. You may actually still be able to trade for him at a discount compared to what he is worth.

Castellanos may not be in a good lineup, but his batted ball rates have been incredible. He may be worth acquiring via trade before the weather heats up and all these balls fly out of the yard.

 

Story is not hitting for much in the way of batting average, but he is on pace for a 30/30 season which would be tremendous for a shortstop. Fantasy owners can deal with a batting average in the 240s with that kind of power/speed combo.

Haniger is beginning to slow down, but still on pace to hit 40 homers and bat near .300. Both should continue to see some regression, but there is no denying the fact that he is among the most improved hitters in baseball this season.

Pollock will miss around six weeks thanks to a thumb injury sustained from diving. This might be your opportunity to acquire a player who was on pace for a 40/35 season before the injury. He is among the top 15 fantasy players when he is healthy.

 

It's been a lost year so far for Myers, who has already been on the disabled list twice, and remains there with an oblique injury. The Padres have had a rough season but they've discovered a few bats that could make the offense passable once Myers returns, and could provide him with more runs and RBI opportunities. If he gets healthy soon, expect him to produce solid numbers the rest of the season, as was initially expected.

Posey is a good bet to bat around .300, as he has done to begin the season. With that being said, long gone are the days where he will hit more than 12 to 15 homers. At this point, he is nowhere close to the top fantasy catcher in baseball. In fact, he may not even be top 5 at this point in his career.

Turner is back with the Dodgers and batting in the middle of the order. This is no longer a top-tier offense like we've grown used to seeing, but he can still produce plenty of runs to go along with what will likely be one of the best batting averages in baseball.

 

Don't look now, but Ender is on pace for 15 homers and (jaw hits the floor) 70 stolen bases. All of this while batting a measly .264. That could very well improve to near .300 and when it does, Ender may just end up stealing near 80 bags.

Gregorius has taken significant steps forward over his last 50 games, and the power seems legitimately here to stay. With that said, he still has some work to do before he catches the Seagers and Lindors of the first tier.

While it never seems to last long, Brantley is healthy and when he is healthy, he should be owned in every league. He is a good bet to bat over .300 with both a hint of power and speed.

Andrus is among the top buy low candidates. Granted, he is on the disabled list for another month or two, but based on how he began his season, you may find his owner to be impatient and far underestimate what he should do the remainder of the season.

 

If you are disappointed in what Gallo has done so far (.213 BA and 7 HR) then you clearly didn't know who he was when you drafted him. This 50 home run pace might stick for the season and I'll be no one will complain about his crummy batting average when that comes to pass.

 

Ray owners have been worried that even when Ray returns from his oblique injury that he will struggle again. The reason he was struggling, however, may have been because he was pitching through it. Try to buy low now before he bounces back.

 

We've been waiting for the breakout for a few seasons and when it finally seemed like it might never come, Baez decided to break out. What he has been doing so far appears to be legitimate so don't attempt to sell him high.

 

 

 

Now that Schoop is back from injury, he should yet again be regarded as a top 100 overall player for the rest of the season. Sure, he has struggled in every part of the game, but that 13 homer pace is likely to end up around 25 with a respectable batting average.

 

LeMahieu was working on an outstanding season before a hamstring injury sidelined him and then a thumb injury knocked him out of action for the foreseeable future. The thumb sprain (with a small fracture) should likely keep LeMahieu out until about mid-June, but the second baseman has established himself as a must-start option upon his return. Chipping in with his usual solid batting average and runs scored production, an increased fly-ball percentage had helped LeMahieu hit five home runs in just 32 games. In other words, he was well on his way toward besting his career-best 11 long-balls, while also maintaining the rest of his numbers. Expect him to come back strong when the time comes.

When Mikolas came over, there were plenty of question marks, but he has passed the test with flying colors. The only question now is whether he will make the all-star team or not.

Contreras, like most of the Cubs hitters, has started off the season slowly, batting just .230 with one home run through May 7. But, also as with most Cubs hitters, there's little to worry about. Contreras's hard-contact rate is down, but that's likely just the result of a small sample size. He's lowered his strikeout rate to 18.1% and significantly decreased his ground ball rate. That should mean that better things are ahead for Contreras as the weather warms up, with more power and home runs specifically to come.

 

Belt has quietly been an exceptional fantasy asset this season. He is on pace for 40 homers while batting over .300 and while neither will likely keep up, he is a tremendous asset at this point.

 

Scooter is back to pummeling baseballs after a difficult start. He is now batting well over .300 and on pace for 30 homers on the season. At this point, he needs to be owned and started in every league.

 

Realmuto missed the first two weeks or so with an injury, but he's been better than he's ever been since his return. As of May 7, he is significantly outperforming his career-best marks in batting average (.328), OBP (.403), slugging percentage (.547), walk rate (8.2%), and strikeout rate (11%). The fact that he's doing all this with essentially zero protection in the lineup only makes it all that more impressive. Realmuto is a prime candidate to be dealt at the trade deadline, and if he goes to a more hitter-friendly venue, he should perhaps overtake Buster Posey as the No. 2 catcher in fantasy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Herrera has been unbelievable this season with a .361 batting average. That is almost certainly going to come down, but the power and speed may both improve too, leaving Herrera as a sure-fire top 80 fantasy player at this point.

 

 

When Alex Reyes was announced a starter upon his return, it seemed that Flaherty would be sent back down, but he is just pitching too well to lose his job. At this point, it seems that Luke Weaver is on the chopping block at that Flaherty will stay in the rotation.

 

Bundy is so inconsistent thus far, and it seems as though he will be a frusterating one to own, but don't give up hope after three consecutive bad starts, it likely just means a handful of dominant ones are coming.

Carpenter is hitting with a career-best hard hit rate, but that's about the only positive takeaway from his season. His 27.9% strikeout rate is easily a career high, and despite hitting the ball in the air more, he has just three home runs. That's resulted in a .145 batting average (based on a .183 BABIP) and Carpenter losing playing time. He's too talented a player to continue

There will always be injury concerns with Price, as is common with pitchers as they age. With that said, he just twirled a complete game with 8 strikeouts and clearly has enough left in the tank that you ought to hang onto him for now.

 

 

 

 

 

Beltre is out again with another injury, and while he will return eventually, we ought to expect another soft-tissue DL stint at some point. His power seems to have disappeared, and while he will still be a source of batting average, we can't rely on him as a top 100 fantasy player any more.

Newcomb has been sensational, especially over his last three scoreless starts. You may be tempted to "sell high" on him at this point, but it is not exactly a move we stand behind. What you are seeing of Newcomb is more than likely the real deal. He is a top 25 starting pitcher and should be regarded as such on the trade market.

 

Kemp won't hit 30 homers anymore and the speed is completely gone, but batting .280+ is definitely in the cards. With that said, if you own him, don't hesitate to see what you can get for him on the trade market.

 

Olson started heating up a few weeks ago and is now entirely on fire. He leads all of baseball in hard-hit percentage and could very well end the season with 40+ homers. Granted, the batting average won't be useful, but it should end up north of .230.

Seager was so reliable and consistent for years, but at this point, it seems as though he won't return to that type of production. He is still worthy of a start every week, but it is time we admit that he is no longer a top 100 fantasy baseball player.

 

 

Moncada's surface level statistics are not where fantasy owners would want them to be, but he has the highest average exit velocity in all of baseball. Hang onto him and if you can, buy him low before the numbers begin to catch up to the batted ball data.

 

 

 

Taylor has not been as solid fantasy wise as last year, but the Dodgers still have him batting lead-off and are clearly expecting the numbers to bounceback toward where they were last season.

 

 

 

 

Lamb hasn't been playing because of a mild elbow injury, but that doesn't mean you should consider dropping him. He will be back in no time and when he does, the bat should wake up enough to be a fantasy asset once again.

Now that Torres is called up, he should be owned in every single league. He's got a Michael Brantley type of offensive game to him, but will qualify at 2B, 3B and SS before long unlike Brantley. Torres may be a top 100 pick next season.

Not only is Simmons the best defender in all of baseball, but his offense has developed into a strong second-tier type of player. He is on pace for 15 homers and 20 steals to go with a tremendous batting average. That .342 line won't keep up all year, but .300 is a legitimate possibility.

 

Gattis entered the season looking like one of the few reliable options at catcher, particularly because he was likely to be the nearly everyday DH. But he has performed even worse than the most pessimistic expectations, batting a mere .187 with an abysmal .275 slugging percentage through May 7. Gattis's strikeout rate (30%) and soft contact rate (26.2%) are abysmal, particularly compared to his career marks, and there doesn't seem to be any turnaround in sight. He's still young and talented enough to turn things around, but he's far from a must-own player at this point, even at a terrible position.

 

 

Tim Anderson is not only stealing bases at an elite clip, but he has had a bit of a power surge this season. It has come at the expensive of his batting average, but with his 20 HR, 50 SB rate, Anderson has become a top 10 fantasy shortstop.

Desmond may only be batting .175, but we have seen enough of him throughout his career to know that won't stick. The average will jump and 25 to 30 HR with about a dozen steals is a solid bet for his final line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't look now, but Castillo has now gone 18 innings with a 3.00 ERA and 22 strikeouts over his past three starts. The underlying numbers indicated that this was inevitable, so don't think of it as a fluke. In fact, you may still be able to buy him as a discount considering his ERA is still 6.02. He is a top 35 pitcher the rest of the way with considerable upside.

Ramos got off to a terrible start in 2018, but a hot stretch in late-April turned his season around. As of May 7, he's sitting with a .964 OPS and an increased walk rate of 7.1%. In a year where there is a true dearth of reliable options at catcher, Ramos has firmly established himself as a solid starter in all leagues, who should provide plus value so long as he remains healthy.

 

Salvador Perez is a top five fantasy hitter now that he has returned from his trip to the disabled list. You can expect him to continue contributing in the power department this season.

Prior to his trip to the DL for migraines, Buxton was off to a dreadful start at the plate but on pace for well over 40 stolen bases. So long as he can get healthy and maintain his health, he should be a top 80 fantasy player.

Odor may be continuing his struggles from last season, but he is nowhere close to being worthy of a drop. Last season his batting average was terrible, but middle infielders who hit 30 homers and steal 15 bases don't grow on trees.

Boxberger was in a three-man competition for the Diamondbacks' closer's role in Spring Training, won the job, and hasn't looked back. With Archie Bradley content in his setup role, Boxberger has thrived as the closer, putting up the best ERA of his career thus far. He has shown no chinks in the armor, and should continue to pile up saves for the foreseeable future.

 

 

 

Hader has no chance at getting save opportunities because the Brewers insist on using him in the Andrew Miller role. With that being said, he needs to be owned and used in every league, as he offers virtually the same profile as Miller.

 

 

 

 

Bird is rehabbing now and should be back with the big league club by June. When he returns to the lineup, he has significant potential, but it may be wise to sell him as soon as he starts raking, considering he hasn't been able to stay healthy for even a few months at any point in his career.

Dickerson has been an easy player to overlook since he left Colorado for some reason, but the matter of the fact is that he has continued to produce. He may not swat 30 homers, but the batting average will be around .300 and he has sufficient power and speed.

 

 

It seemed for a while that Hamels' career might be on the last wheel, but he appears to have reinvented himself this year. He looks terrific so this shouldn't be regarded as some short-term fluke.

It seemed for a while as though Weaver might be destined for the bullpen with Wainwright returning and Reyes coming shortly. Now that Waino is out for 60 days and Weaver is pitching better, he ought to still be owned in very single league.

Many are likely wondering if Happ should be dropped, but the answer is a definite no. He has been losing some playing time to Albert Almora, but that shouldn't last long. He has tremendous power and should contribute across the board.

 

 

You couldn't sell Hill and his 6.20 ERA for anything right now, and it wouldn't be wise to buy someone with so many question marks. Chances are, however, that he will post a great stretch of three or four starts at some point. When he does, you'll have a chance to sell high and should take advantage of it.

Many were wondering when Ross started pitching well if it was a fluke with his inevitable demise on the way. It was a correct question, but Ross has answered it with a resounding "no". It seems as though we can trust him at this point.

What we are seeing from Buehler is the real deal. He may not pitch 150 innings, but when he goes, he is a top 25 pitcher with the eventual upside to compete for Cy Young awards. He should be started regardless of the matchup or ballpark.

Santana has been among the most frusterating players to own thus far and has even been dropped in a bunch of leagues. If he is available in yours, don't hesitate to spend the number one waiver wire priority on him, as he is a near-lock to hit 25 HR with near 10 SB and a quality batting average.

 

Greg Holland is back and pitching much better all of a sudden, but so long as Norris continues to excel as the Cardinals closer, there is no reason to expect them to give the job back to Holland.

Hamilton has been so bad that even the lowly Reds have him batting 9th. If he continues at this rate, which is in the realm of possibilities, Hamilton may finally lose his starting job. You can't drop him yet, but try to sell him if you are still able.

Muncy has cooled down, but still has an absurd 15 homers in 157 at bats thus far. He ought to be started every day regardless of the matchup unless he turns into a dud for a full month. At this point, there is just too much potential to bench him.

Wacha may not be as overpowering as he once was, and he is a little boring to own, but you can't argue with the results. He has been phenomenal and is at no risk to lose his job when Alex Reyes returns to the rotation in two weeks.

DeJong was hitting for a ton of power (roughly a 40-homer pace), but will be sidelined indefinitely with a fractured hand. His long-term value was a little questionable anyway given his strikeout rate, though there was little reason to question his power. DeJong is worthy stash in rotisserie leagues with multiple DL spots, but he's likely going to miss at least a month or more with his hand injury, making him droppable if you need the room.

Despite some warning signs, like his career-worst walk and strikeout rates, Molina was having a fine season overall, with six home runs and two steals in his first 30 games. Unfortunately, a painful and grotesque sounding injury to his groin will sideline him for at least a month, derailing yet another promising season. There is a dearth of reliable catching options and, given Molina's pedigree and overall durability, fantasy owners should continue to stash him in their DL spots. Chances are, he'll be a top-10 catcher over the second half of the season. But men everywhere should pour one out for Molina, whose ability to walk off the field after the injury is perhaps one of the most impressive feats in human history.

 

You may be wondering if Skaggs is a fluke or due for regression. The answers are no and no. This is a former top 10 prospect with plenty of skill. He may never be a Cy Young contender, but we may be looking at a very good #2.

 

 

Grandal was expected to split time with Austin Barnes but Yasmani was so good at plate in Spring Training that he appears to have won the job outright. It has only helped that Grandal has been the best offensive catcher thus far.

 

Sano has missed significant time with a hamstring injury, but was on about a 40-homer pace before he got hurt. The problem was that Sano's already abysmal strikeout rate had risen to a downright silly 40%, which is a bit surprising considering that he looked to be cutting down on his strikeouts in Spring Training. Assuming he can get that number back to his career rate of closer to 36%, his batting average should increase greatly, as a correction in BABIP (.300 in 2018, .358 career) should similarly be coming.

 

 

 

 

Zimmerman has started the season with lousy statistics, but his batted ball rates are through the roof. This tells us that his numbers will emerge sooner or later. Don't give up on him yet. As long as he stays hea;thy, he should be owned and started everywhere.

 

 

Kepler has had an impressive start to the season and it may only be the beginning of a real breakout. Kepler has great tools and has yet to realize his full potential.

 

 

You may not have noticed, but Aguilar has quietly been one of the best hitters in the National League. His OPS is nearing 1.000 and while statcast data indicates some regression, even a large drop off would leave him as a surefire fantasy starter.

Lowrie is not a star, nor are his numbers sustainable over a full year. It is possible, of course, that he is in fact much better than he has been in the past. If you can, sell him high while he is still mashing.

Solarte may be a no-name player to you, but most hitters formerly from the Padres are until they make their way into a hitter's park like Toronto. The power is for real and here to stay so feel free to scoop him up if you need an infielder.

Semien hasn't exactly hit for the same pop as we grew used to seeing, but his batting average has improved in what seems to be a trade-off. He is still a solid source of power and speed, plus this improved A's offense will provide your fantasy lineup plenty of runs and RBIs from Semien.

 

 

 

 

 

The Braves have been careful with their youngster, allowing him to pitch just 14.2 innings through three starts. He has held his own and should continue to get starts at the big league level. His command is impeccable, but his ceiling will be limited by an innings cap and lack of strikeout stuff. Think of him as another Julio Teheran or Michael Wacha.

 

 

 

Don't be so quick to give up on Car-Go. Keep in mind that he was a top 50 pick in fantasy drafts last year for a reason. Plus, he heated up over the second-half last year to bat over .300. We ought to expect something similar from the Rockies' outfielder in 2018.

Britton is available in 50% of leagues right now. If this is your league, stop what you are doing and pick him up now. He is among the best DL stashes in fantasy baseball and will be back before you know it.

 

 

 

Moreland will never hit 40 homers or bat .300, but as it stands now, he may just be headed to the all-star game in July. The Red Sox' first basemen is a quality fantasy asset through and through so don't go selling high on him or panicking if he has a slump.

Teoscar is one of these old Astros' prospects who raked in the minors and never received enough attention. He can stick in the big leagues as a fringe fantasy outfielder in the mold of a Jackie Bradley.

Now that Margot is off the DL, we can expect to see his batting average climb to well above .135. He offers both power and speed upside, but no one will blame you if you cut ties with him for now.

 

When Andujar was called up, it seemed like only a matter of time before Torres took his job, but he is absolutely mashing and until that changes, he's got the job on lock down. Grab him now if he is still available.

You may feel hesitant to believe in what Gibson has done this far, and who could blame you after a handful of mediocre years to start his career. All of the underlying numbers indicate that he production this far has been the real deal. He is a top 50 SP from this point on.

 

 

Barraclough has not been the best reliever in baseball, but he may be the next in line to get a closers job. Ziegler is not pitching all that well and Barraclough may be the best reliever in the Marlins' pen.

You can say what you want about Cabrera's hot start, but we have seen him long enough in the bigs to know that he is not a .320 hitter. The 25 homer pace might be legitimate, but that batting average is going to come down before long.

You may feel tempted to drop Longoria as he is having a rough go to begin his season and is obviously toward the end of his career, but he has been so good for so long that you've got to give him at least until Memorial Day.

 

 

With Cozart now out of the Great American Ballpark, it should come as no surprise that his regression has been significant. He is on the fringe of being worth owning in standard leagues.

 

Neris wasn't having a great season, but was generally effective as the closer before Gabe Kapler decided that he wanted to mix it up in the ninth inning. Since that time, Neris has still been called upon in the ninth inning, but so have several other relievers, and this seems to be the rare case where a manager truly wants go with a committee approach. It's certainly conceivable that Neris will get the job back, but at this point, there's no real reason to hold him if you're in a roster crunch.

Hanley is killing the baseball right now and while that may last while he is on the field, it seems to be only a matter of time before he suffers another injury setback. He is among the top sell-high candidates right now.

Soler is starting to play more and more. The batting average has been a nice surprise but the real calling card will be in the power department which hasn't yet taken off yet. If he starts, expect 25+ bombs from Soler.

 

 

 

Osuna was having another fantastic season before he was arrested on charges of assault and placed on administrative leave. As of the end of May, his status is completely up in the air, but it seems unlikely that he will pitch again anytime soon. He's still worth owning if you have a deep bench, but expect a lengthy suspension at this point.

 

 

 

Kingery has been downright dreadful after a nice start. At this point, it seems like only a matter of time before he is sent back to the minor leagues to figure out his issues. You can safely drop Kingery in standard leagues at this point.

 

 

Addison Russell has not had a great offensive start to his season with just 1 homer and 1 steal through 40 games. Both of those numbers should rise, however, so don't be so quick to release him quite yet.

Strickland has pitched well enough that he just might keep the job when Melancon comes back off the DL. Don't count on it, but hang onto him until he officially loses the closer role.

 

 

Zunino is starting to heat up, and while the batting average is never going to be sufficient, the power will make up for it enough that he warrants being owned in 12 or 14 team leagues.

 

 

 

 

Stroman had been the model of consistency and durability to begin his career, but this year he has been downright dreadful. His 7.71 ERA and 1.71 WHIP both indicated that he may have been pitching injured so it was no surprise when he went on the DL with shoulder fatigue. He can be cut, but if you have a deep bench, feel free to hold onto him incase the DL stint gets him back to good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fowler is still batting under .200, but both the power and speed are in place and we can be virtually certain the average will come up north of .260 in no time. Don't drop him, just ride this slump out.

 

 

Devenski won't finish the season with 20 saves, but he should get more than a handful plus all of the help he offers in the ratio categories and strikeouts. He ought to be owned in every league.

 

Lopez has been unbelievable over the first quarter of the season. While he hasn't yet slowed down, all underlying factors indicate that we can expect some jumps north in the ratio department. With that said, he is without a doubt a quality pitcher and should not be cut if he begins to struggle for a stretch.

 

Davidson has cooled down, especially of late, but you shouldn't even be contimplating him as a drop option. He is still on pace for 45 homers and 100 RBIs. You can deal with a sub-par batting average with that type of power.

After breaking his hand, we sound after found out that Cano was dropping his appeal for an 80 game suspension. If you can afford to hold him on the DL for that long, he will have 40 games of quality baseball for you at the end of the season.

 

Villanueva has quickly become one of the top breakout players of the year. While it is unlikely to continue at the rate he is going, is seems quite clear that he is well worth starting every week for the remainder of the season.

Colome should straighten out his ratios a bit in the coming weeks and his job is safe, but there is still a possibility that the Rays trade him to be the setup man for some other team before long.

Mallex is a reliable source for batting average, runs and especially stolen bases so long as Keirmaier is out of the Rays' lineup. He stole as many as 80 bases in the minor leagues one season.

 

 

There is a chance that Salazar comes back in June. While he may be shaky upon return, he needs to be owned now in every league, if he isn't already. Salazar was well within the top 10 pitchers during the 2nd half last season and is the rare pickup that could give you a major boost the rest of the season.

Nelson is returning soon and should be picked up everywhere. Don't forget that he received Cy Young votes last year and had a better WAR than Clayton Kershaw despite pitching the same ammount of innings.

Dahl is not playing against lefties, but versus righties, the Rockies have him batting in the middle of the order. I shouldn't need to tell you that this is extremely promising for a former top prospect who can contribute in all five categories. He needs to be owned in every league.

 

 

Chad Green is right up there with the best relief pitchers in baseball. He doesn't offer anything in terms of saves, but needs to be owned and used in every league.

Calhoun was expected by many to begin the season in the big leagues, but that wasn't in the cards. With how he has been playing in the minors, it may not be until the all-star break when we finally get to see him in Arlington.

Villar's speed hasn't been as impressive two date as it was two years ago when he stole 60+ bags, but the batting average is where we were hoping it would be and 30+ steals and double digit homers would put him well beyond his ADP expected value.

Zimmer had an unbelievably bad start, but is starting to heat up. The batting average may not end above .250, but both power and plenty of speed make him still worth owning in all leagues.

Crawford was struggling for quite some time and even dropped in a number of leagues as a result, but he suddenly hit a hot streak and now sees a batting average over .290. While that may not stay for long, the power should begin to return as ballparks start heating up over the summer.

 

 

You saw Peralta's debut with 13 strikeouts, and while he was phenomenal in the minor leagues (160 Ks in 120 IP last season), there are some concerns as well. He could stand to improve his command a great deal. Think of him as a rookie year Jose Berrios. Loads of potential, but more than likely a disaster waiting to happen.

 

Ottavino has been a dominator thus far, but let's try not to get too excited about a non-closer in Coors Field. The strikeouts might stick around, but those ratios are about to take a beating one of these days.

Castillo's PED-related suspension effectively ends his chance at contributing to a fantasy team this season. Once an underrated fantasy catcher, he'll now give his owners less than half a season of solid, but unspectacular, production. Move on in all leagues.

 

 

 

Gohara was moved back into the rotation after three appearances out of the big league bullpen. He doesn't come without risk, but as we saw at times to close 2017, the big lefty has significant upside. Own him now as a lottery ticket in case he breaks out.

Even if Greg Holland begins pitching well again at some point, there is no expecation that Bud Norris is going to just hand over the closer job. Think of Holland as a long shot at getting double-digit saves this season.

 

 

Jedd Gyorko was passed up by Jose Martinez in Spring Training, but that doesn't mean he is out for the count. Rather, he is getting plenty of at-bats all over the infield and just might take over full-time at 2nd base if Kolten Wong continues to struggle.

 

McMahon has struggled in his few opportunities, but if he should finally get everyday chances, he would be a top 200 fantasy player. Right this moment, he is playing more terrible baseball in the minors, however, so it doesn't seem likely to happen this season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grichuk is batting under .100 and you might be disgusted with him as a result, but if you take one look at his batted ball data, you'll quickly realize that he is worth picking up right now because a resurgence is on the way any day now.

 

 

 

Vizcaino may only have one save to his name, but he has been quite good for the Braves thus far. Minter may have more upside, but until the job is lost, you can expect Minter to remain as a non-closer.

 

 

 

 

Don't be so quick to give up on Peacock, just because he isn't starting doesn't mean he isn't extremely useful. Relievers who pile up the Ks and help in both ratio categories while qualifying as a starting pitcher are a rare breed.

 

 

 

 

 

Matt Adams is tearing the cover off again, but don't think for one second that we haven't seen this act multiple times before. Adams has proven to be one of the streakiest hitters in baseball. If you have him, sell him now before his fantasy stock inevitably comes crashing back down to earth.

 

 

Faria is struggling with his command enough that his season-long ERA is now above 5.00. There will be some great starts mixed in between, but for now, he needs to be regarded as a streamer only until he straightens those issues out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lucroy might not have power or the RBIs and runs that come with it, but he won't kill you in batting average and you can't say that about the garbage that is sitting out there on waiver wires at the position.

 

 

 

Franchy has a serious bat on him that can park 25+ homers in the bleachers even playing half his games at Petco. The issue will be playing time. If he can wrestle a starting job all for himself, he ought to be owned everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

Suzuki was better at-bat for at-bat than Gary Sanchez last season. With more playing time, he would very clearly be a top 10 fantasy catcher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almora likely won't play every day, but if he continues hitting at the current clip, Maddon will have to find a way to get him in the lineup. If he becomes a full-time starter, Almora would need to be owned everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iannetta has been lousy offensively despite playing his home games in Coors Field. It may only be a matter of time until he loses his job to Tom Murphy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Murphy was just called up by the Rockies after dominating Triple-A. It seems as though he is going to be the full-time starter, and with a bat like his in Coors, that could give fantasy owners a top-five offensive catcher. Add him now before it is too late.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With Gleyber Torres now up in the majors for the Yankees, Walker has minimal fantasy appeal. Torres can play shortstop and third base as well, but with the way Didi and Andujar are hitting, Walker is the odd man out.

 

 

Robles is on the DL for now, but when he returns, you'd have to think he will get a quick call-up to the MLB level to replace Adam Eaton. Robles may not have the upside of Ronald Acuna, but he is every bit as polished and capable of producing in all five categories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Williams is finally playing everyday but the results have not been what fantasy owners hoped for. Still, he is one to keep an eye on as he can provide production in four categories once he heats up.

Diaz is by no means a safe bet considering how lousy his numbers were last season. With that being said, he offers power and batting average upside that is uncommon for middle infielders making him worth monitoring as a potential pickup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glasnow has had a few implosions, but he still needs to be owned if you've got fairly deep bench. His upside is through the roof and let's not forget that he was the best pitcher in the minors last season. It may only be a matter of time until he rejoins the Pirates rotation where he could take off.