Fantasy Baseball: Friday Weekly Snapshot
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The baseball season continues to march on into the books. We've seen big performances this past week from stars like Mookie Betts and Bo Bichette as well as some lesser-known players that we will get to later on.
As always, it is key to stay on top of the waiver wire looking for the next breakout performer and monitor which struggling star is worth trying to acquire in a trade. With that in mind, here is a look around the league following Week 3:
AL East
Baltimore Orioles
Outfielder Anthony Santander is scorching hot right now after hitting two home runs on Sunday in a loss to Washington. He just turned in a four-homer, 10-RBI week while hitting .345. He is the No. 28 player in Yahoo leagues and is now 54 percent owned. If your fellow league-mates have been asleep, scoop him up immediately...Catcher Pedro Severino homered on Sunday as well for Baltimore and also had 10 RBIs this week to go with a .364 batting average. He is 40 percent owned in Yahoo leagues and at a shallow position like catcher is worth a look on the waiver wire if he hasn't already been claimed.
Boston Red Sox
Like many of the Red Sox starters, Nathan Eovaldi has had a rocky road so far this season and is coming off two starts this week in which he had an 8.74 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 11.1 innings pitched. He is still owned in 55 percent of Yahoo leagues but maybe worth dropping if his woes continue...Mitch Moreland has probably been the most consistent offensive threat for the Red Sox so far this season. He is owned in just 31 percent of Yahoo leagues and after a solid week with two home runs and three RBIs with a .308 average his ownership has grown 26 percent in the last week. If you need a first baseman he is a steady option.
New York Yankees
Clint Frazier was recently called up to New York after Aaron Judge landed on the IL. The talented young outfielder was 3-for-3 on Saturday night with a homer and five RBIs in a win over the Red Sox. He is owned in 30 percent of Yahoo leagues and in a loaded lineup is definitely worth owning in the short term...Masahiro Tanaka is still being handled carefully by the Yankees to begin this season. In his three starts, he has yet to top 5 innings. But the results have still been good with a 2.31 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 11.2 innings pitched. He needs to go longer into games before he is a big fantasy weapon.
Tampa Bay Rays
Utility man Mike Brosseau has been good for the Rays lately. In 14 at-bats this week, he hit .500 with four runs scored, two home runs and three RBIs. He's not worth owning yet, but if he is given a bigger role he is a name to keep in mind...Nick Anderson has been sharp all season and has let to allow a run and has two saves on the season. Oliver Drake is on the IL, so Anderson has been getting save opportunities like we all expected he would when drafting him aggressively this season.
Toronto Blue Jays
Shortstop Bo Bichette was red-hot, but a balky knee has landed him on the IL. The youngster had seven runs scored, four homers, eight RBIs, two steals and a .500 batting average this week before the injury. He is one of the most exciting players in baseball so let's hope he has a short stay on the IL...After two very good starting outings, Nate Pearson hit a major road-block in his start against the Miami Marlins this week. Pearson lasted just 2.1 innings and gave up seven runs (four earned) with four walks and five hits. It was a messy start, but the right-hander still has loads of talent, so look for a quick bounce-back.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox
Eloy Jimenez turned in a nice week at the plate for the White Sox, hitting .333 with four homers and nine RBIs. He leads the White Sox with seven homers on the season and is a must-start player in what could be a breakout season for him...Alex Colome has five saves now on the season for the White Sox and has yet to allow an earned run. He looks to be a top-tier closer this season.
Cleveland Indians
Outfielder Franmil Reyes is flashing his power stroke lately. This week, Reyes blasted three homers and drove in seven runs with 11 hits in 22 at-bats. He has five homers and 15 RBIs this season while hitting .316. He is a must-start as a big source of power with a good batting average to match...With Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger being disciplined for violating coronavirus protocols, Aaron Civale has been a key part of the starting rotation. He earned his second win of the season with a victory over the Tigers this week. He is sporting an ERA of 3.60 with a 1.12 WHIP with 26 strikeouts in 25.0 innings pitched.
Detroit Tigers
It has been a disastrous start to the season for Tigers ace Matthew Boyd. 2020 has not been kind to the lefty who has a 10.24 ERA with a 1.97 WHIP. He is definitely capable of turning things around, but at the moment owners should be keeping him on the bench and would not be wrong to drop him in shallow leagues...Starting pitcher Ivan Nova has been placed on the IL, so there is some buzz that Casey Mize could make his debut this week. It is definitely worth monitoring this week in-case the phenom is called up to Detroit. He is owned in just 26 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Kansas City Royals
Maikel Franco is having a nice season so far for the Royals. The former Phillies third baseman has five homers and 13 RBIs this season with a .253 batting average. While a slight batting-average risk, Franco has shown the ability to provide power numbers. At 13-percent owned, he is worth keeping an eye on...Trevor Rosenthal has had a resurgence of sorts so far this season in Kansas City. The former St. Louis Cardinals closer has converted five save chances and is sporting a 0.90 ERA. He is owned in 59 percent of Yahoo leagues and has been one of the best closers so far this season.
Minnesota Twins
Former top prospect Byron Buxton is delivering on some of his potential so far this season. This week, the speedy centerfielder hit two home runs with three RBIs, a stolen base and a .269 average. Buxton has five homers and 11 RBIs this season...Randy Dobnak has now won four straight starts after he earned a victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. He has only lasted six innings in one outing, but is sporting a 1.42 ERA and 0.87 WHIP. The wins might not come at this fast of a pace if he is only pitching five innings per game, but he is definitely worth owning.
AL West
Houston Astros
Yordan Alvarez returned to action this week and hit a home run and drove in four runs in his season debut. But two games later the slugger is back out of the lineup with knee issues. It's been a frustrating season for owners who drafted Alvarez...In two starts this week, Lance McCullers Jr. was very effective recording a win while striking out 12 in 12.2 innings with a 1.42 ERA and 0.55 WHIP. It hasn't been smooth sailing for McCullers this season, but he appears to be turning a corner with his most recent outings.
Los Angeles Angels
Shohei Ohtani has been shut down from pitching at the moment, but he is providing some nice value lately as a hitter. He hit .308 this week with five runs scored, a homer, two RBIs, and a stolen base. He is starting to come around at the plate and is certainly worth owning at this point...Reliever Ty Buttrey turned in a nice week with a save and three strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work without allowing a run. Buttrey hasn't been lights out, but with Hansel Robles struggling could be worth a look if you are in need of saves.
Oakland A's
First baseman Matt Olson was mashing this week with nine runs scored, four homers, six RBIs, and a .233 average. Olson is hitting just .185 this season but he still produces plenty of counting stats for owners despite the poor batting average...Frankie Montas was scratched from his only start this week, but is set to return to the mound on Tuesday. He has won his last two outings and has turned into an ace for the A's.
Seattle Mariners
Not many Mariners are hitting well this season, but Kyle Lewis is definitely doing so. The outfielder is hitting .303 this season with four homers and 14 RBIs. He looks like the real deal...Reliever Matt Magill doesn't have any saves, but looks to be a middle inning guy worth keeping an eye on. He has yet to give up a run in his 8.0 innings of work and has recorded eight strikeouts. With Taylor Williams getting the ninth inning chances, Magill has limited value but is still putting up good numbers.
Texas Rangers
Rafael Montero has taken command of the closer role for the Rangers and has looked excellent while doing so. In 5.0 innings, he has five saves and five strikeouts. He is now 62 percent owned, but should be owned in all leagues...Nick Solak is hitting .313 this season and has shown some speed with three stolen bases. He has just one home run this season. He hit .429 this week with six runs, a homer, and a steal. He is owned in 33 percent of leagues and is a solid waiver wire option.
NL East
Atlanta Braves
Travis d'Arnaud has been one of the biggest surprises at the catcher position. Given a chance to be the starting catcher for the Braves, d'Arnaud has really taken advantage of the opportunity. He is coming off a week in which he hit .308 with two homers and five RBIs. He is owned in 59 percent of Yahoo leagues and is looking like one of the biggest bargains at the position...Max Fried has pitched very well for the Braves this year with a 1.24 ERA and a 3-0 record. He has given up just four earned runs all year and is filling in nicely for injured ace Mike Soroka.
Miami Marlins
Jonathan Villar doesn't offer much in the power department and has struggled with his batting average this season but he is nice to have as a stolen base threat. He has six steals on the season, including four in his last four games. He is hitting just .246 but the steals should help in any format...Elieser Hernandez has two starts on the season and has given up a total of three earned runs with 10 strikeouts in 9.2 innings pitched. He's owned in just 13 percent of Yahoo leagues and could be a hidden gem.
New York Mets
Dominic Smith leads the Mets in homers and RBIs with six and 16 respectively and is hitting .300 on the season. Filling in for Yoenis Cespedes, Smith has carved out a starting role and is producing in a big way...David Peterson has been great this season with three wins in four starts. He has a 2.91 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 17 strikeouts in 21.2 innings pitched. He's owned in just 18 percent of leagues.
Philadelphia Phillies
Rhys Hoskins emerged as one of the top power hitters in the game a few years ago. This year, however, Hoskins has yet to hit a home run and only has four RBIs in the Phillies first 15 games...Prospect Spencer Howard has made two starts now for the Phillies and gave up a total of seven earned runs, including four home runs. It has been a tough first two career starts for Howard but he has the talent to pull through soon if not this year.
Washington Nationals
Juan Soto is on a tear after returning from the coronavirus. He has six homers and 14 RBIs in just 10 games and is quickly establishing himself as one of the best players in the game...Stephen Strasburg can't seem to stay healthy. He returned for one start in which he lasted 5.0 innings and gave up six earned runs. He is now back on the IL. It looks like this might be a lost season for Strasburg.
NL Central
Chicago Cubs
Ian Happ continues to produce for the Cubs. He has 10 runs scored, three homers, and 11 RBIs on the season along with a .310 batting average. He hit .333 this week with five RBIs. He is eligible at second, third, and outfield and is owned in 60 percent of leagues...Rowan Wick picked up his third save of the season this week and with Craig Kimbrel struggling appears to be the Cubs' closer moving forward. He is owned in 49 percent of leagues.
Cincinnati Reds
Jesse Winker was red-hot this week with four homers, five RBIs, a stolen base and a .667 batting average. He is now hitting .365 on the season with 10 runs scored, five homers, and eight RBIs. He is still owned in just 48 percent of leagues and is definitely worth an add...Luis Castillo had a good start this week, giving up one run in six innings of a no-decision with five strikeouts. He's been a bit up and down this year but should be a good option moving forward.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Colin Moran has been one of the better hitters for a Pirates offense that has not been pretty. He has a team-high six homers on the season with nine RBIs. His .226 batting average is actually one of the better batting averages on his team. He's probably not worth owning right now like many Pirates...Trevor Williams doesn't have the record to show for it (he's 1-3), but he has pitched fairly decently this season. He has a 3.98 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 18 strikeouts in 20.1 innings. With Mitch Keller and Joe Musgrave on the IL, the Pirates will continue to count on Williams.
Milwaukee Brewers
Orlando Arcia is having a good season at the plate with a .304 batting average. This week, the shortstop hit .353 with a homer and four RBIs. He's owned in 1 percent of leagues so he is only a deep league option...Adrian Houser pitched twice this week and came away with two no-decisions. He's had a decent year so far with a win and 18 strikeouts in 22.0 innings. He's owned in 61 percent of leagues and is a solid starting pitching option.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals returned to action this week after a long stretch of missed games due to a coronavirus outbreak within the organization. When they returned to the field they did so with top prospect Dylan Carlson. In 10 at-bats, Carlson recorded two hits. He is owned in 43 percent of leagues and is worth taking a chance on...Andrew Miller picked up a save for St. Louis during a double-header this week. He punched out two batters looking like his old dominant self. There are a lot of relievers in the mix for saves for the Cardinals so we'll have to see more from Miller.
NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks
First baseman Christian Walker is having a solid season for the Diamondbacks. He has only one homer but has 11 RBIs and is hitting .291. He hit .360 this week with three runs, a homer, and three RBis. He is only 50 percent owned and could work well in a utility spot on your roster...Zac Gallen has yet to record a win (or a loss), but he has looked good so far. He has a 2.74 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 23.0 innings pitched.
Colorado Rockies
Garrett Hampson had a nice week with six runs scored, a stolen base, and a . 379 batting average. He has one homer and three RBIs this season and is hitting .321. He is owned in 62 percent of leagues and is a great source of steals and batting average...Ryan Castellani has looked good in his two starts. He has yet to go five innings but has allowed just one earned run with 10 strikeouts in 8.2 innings. He is 2 percent owned and is worth keeping an eye on in deeper formats.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Justin Turner is producing yet again this season with two homers and 16 RBIs and a .280 batting average. This week he hit .364 with a homer and four RBIs. He is one of the top third base options this season...Walker Buehler has had a rough start to the season with a 5.21 ERA. He has struggled with the home run ball, giving up five homers on the season and his 11 earned runs are the most given up by a Dodgers starter this season. He should be able to turn things around, but you never know in a shortened season.
San Diego Padres
Wil Myers is having a nice bounce-back season so far with five homers and 12 RBIs to go with a .288 batting average. He is battling back tightness right now, but hopefully, he will be back in the Padres lineup shortly...Dinelson Lamet looks like he could be a star. So far this season he has is 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. He has struck out 36 batters in 28.1 innings pitched. He is a dominant option for fantasy.
San Francisco Giants
Austin Slater has provided some fantasy value this year with three homers and five stolen bases while hitting .317. He had a big week with a .364 average and a home run and two steals. He is owned in 31 percent of leagues and should be added...Kevin Gausman has done okay after coming to the Giants this season. In four starts, he is 0-1 with a 4.21 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He has some prospect pedigree, but he will have to show a little bit more before he is trusted on fantasy rosters.
Brian Buckey
Brian Buckey is an avid fantasy sports player dating back to his first fantasy baseball league in junior high school, with fantasy experience in all four of the major sports. Brian currently is a sports writer for The Toledo Blade newspaper in Toledo, Ohio where he grew up. Brian is a proud Indiana University graduate, with a degree in journalism and is excited to provide fantasy analysis for FantasyData.