The 2019 MLB Entry Draft has come and gone. Teams no longer have to worry about giving up draft compensation if they were to sign Dallas Kuechel and/or Craig Kimbrel. We’ll talk about Kimbrel on Thursday in the Closer Report. As for Keuchel, the question is, should you add him if he is still available on your waiver wire? My answer would be probably, but it would depend upon the reason. Yes, if you just want to keep him away from an opponent and you have a dead spot on your roster. Yes, if you’re looking for wins. He’s going to sign a one-year deal with a good team. There would be no reason for a team out of the running to sign him just for this season. No, if you’re looking for help in strikeouts or ratios. Keuchel is a soft thrower and it’s unlikely that he is going to K a ton of batters and soft throwers are likely to get hit hard more often than not.
Risers
Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins: This may finally be the year that Buxton puts it all together. Really, I mean it. I know, it seems like we have been waiting for this breakout season since Buxton arrived in 2015. We know he’s going to run as 30 stolen bases should be a lock and 40-50 aren’t out of the question. This might also come with 20 HRs and 75 RBI to go along with an AVG that won’t hurt you. My only worry right now with Buxton is that he can be a little reckless defensively, crashing into walls and such, which could lead to an eventual injury.
Dansby Swanson, Atlanta Braves: Swanson is yet another example of why you need to be patient with young players. The Diamondbacks traded their former first-round pick for peanuts and never really gave him a chance. He has struggled somewhat in his first few seasons with the Braves but looks to have figured it out of late. Swanson is on pace for 30+ HR, 100 RBI, and double-digit steals. Yeah, I think we will all take that from a player that at best was drafted to be a middle infielder.
Lance Lynn, Texas Rangers: Do you realize that Lynn has given up three earned runs or less in six of his last seven starts? This is good for fantasy owners and for the Rangers. It’s good for fantasy because if you currently own him, well you should try and sell high. Sure, you’re enjoying the numbers now, but that’s going to fade. The Rangers are happy also as they are out of contention and the better Lynn pitches, the more they may be able to get for him via trade before the July 31 deadline.
Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox: Giolito may finally be realizing that potential the Nationals thought they had before trading him to the White Sox. The Nationals changed his delivery because they were worried about it leading to an injury and then saw his numbers decline. The Sox also weren’t thrilled with his delivery but eventually let him go back to it and now he looks like one of the better starts in the American League. Might things change in that ballpark when the weather heats up and the ball flies out at an alarming rate? Sure, but I’ll take my chances that Giolito keeps improving.
Jake Odorizzi, Minnesota Twins: Odorizzi and Justin Verlander are probably your leading contenders for the Cy Young award in the AL at this point in time. Yeah, I can’t believe that’s true either. I’m torn between wanting to sell high on Odorizzi and believing that this might actually be his season. I’m certainly not dealing him for anything less than a top 25 player. If someone doesn’t believe, that’s fine, I’ll keep him, but if someone wants to give me that players that I trust more, someone who always puts up big numbers, then away he goes.
Fallers
Jay Bruce, Philadelphia Phillies: This has nothing to do with Bruce but all about playing time now that he has been traded to Philadelphia. The Mariners may have been a bad team, but Bruce would play every day with them, with Philly probably not. He may get a reprieve in the immediate future as Andrew McCutchen suffered a knee injury Monday that could keep him out of the lineup (MRI on Tuesday), but after that, it’s likely to be pinch-hitting duty along with a spot start here and there.
Forrest Whitley, Houston Astros: I know what you’re thinking, why is Whitley, someone who hasn’t pitched in the majors yet this season on this list? Well, it’s because he was supposed to be the top prospect in the Houston organization and someone who was going to be called up by June at the latest and start for what might be the best team in baseball. Well, that’s not going to happen as Whitley has pitched poorly in the minors and now is battling a shoulder ailment. If you’re still rostering him, it’s time to move on.
Jean Segura, Philadelphia Phillies: If you drafted Segura this season, you likely did so with the thought that in Philly, you would get a .300 AVG with 12-15 HRs, and 20+ SBs. It’s the SBs that we all wanted and right now, Segura is only one pace to steal nine. That’s not even half of what we expected. This leads to the question, why isn’t he running? Is it because he hasn’t played in the National League since 2016 and doesn’t know the opposing battery well enough? That doesn’t seem likely. Is it because the Phillies don’t believe in the SB as they don’t want Segura to be thrown out with the likes of Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, and J.T. Realmuto hitting behind him? Unfortunately, I believe this is the case which means his SB total may not increase much as the season rolls along.
Kyle Freeland, Colorado Rockies: As I mentioned before, I don’t draft any starter the pitches in Colorado. There is just too much that can go wrong. In 12 starts this season, Freeland has an ERA north of seven and a WHIP of 1.57. Freeland was sent down to Triple-A on Friday and there is little reason to believe he will discover his magic down there and be worth stashing on your roster. Move on and find someone else that can help you.
Domingo German, New York Yankees: German has been one of those success stories for the Yankees in the early going this season, but the wheels may be coming off the track of late. In his last two starts (@KC/BOS), German has given up 10 ERs in 8.2 IP. To let you know how good he had pitched up until these starts, German had given up only 18 ERs in 55.1 IP in his other starts this season. Are these two starts a small sample size? Absolutely, but if I own German, I’m looking for a buyer. There is a reason that very few saw this kind of start as a possibility for G
