Don’t turn your back on the baseball season just yet! I know your 10th fantasy football draft is right around the corner. But while others are focusing on when to target a tight end or quarterback, you, the fantasy guru that you are, are making all the savvy moves in your high-stakes baseball league.
A few standout rookies have taken the league by storm — Vaughn Grissom‘s OPS is up to 1.024 in 15 games — but it’s been the old timers that have stolen the spotlight of late. There’s no ageism in fantasy sports. So if the elderly feel like turning back the clock, then, by all means, add them to your roster as well. After all, their stats count for just as much as their younger teammates’ do.
Young or old, these next 10 players are all rostered in 50% or less of Yahoo leagues. They are broken down into categories where they’re likely to help you the most, although many will contribute across the board. These stars and sleepers won’t last long, so make haste when placing those waiver bids.
One final note to keep in mind are pitcher’s innings limits. As we approach the conclusion of the season, some of your younger arms or pitchers coming off an injury may see their innings take a hit over the last few weeks of the season — especially if they’re playing for a non-contender. It’s not of immediate concern, but it is something to be aware of when making those tough roster decisions of who to drop.
Home Runs
That’s right, The Machine is back and on a mission to reach 700 homers. Even though he won’t admit it, it has to be something he is striving for. And what better way to boost your home run total than to root for one of the all-time greats?
Since the All-Star break, few can lay claim to matching Pujols’ production as he has clubbed eight home runs while maintaining a .426 batting average. He’s still mashing lefties and has even hit a few dingers against righties.
The 43-year-old will continue to see days off now and then. But as long as he has his eyes set on 700 (and on winning the division), you know he’ll continue to do all he can to maximize his production. He’s worth an add in nearly all league types.
RBI
Canha had a 5-RBI day earlier this week and knocked in three more on Friday. He’s driven in 13 runs this month, despite playing in just 21 games. Canha’s been impressive in August, producing a robust .305/.415/.593 slash line while striking out just 11 times. The first-year Met is starting against both righties and lefties these days and has been a solid four-category contributor for fantasy teams.
This late in the season, hot streaks are even more valuable and Canha is definitely on one. Add the former Athletic now while he’s raking and consistently driving in runs for the gritty Mets.
Runs
Everyone’s favorite candy bar has turned into quite the fantasy stud. As the new leadoff hitter for the Cardinals, Lars has been scoring early and often batting in front of two of the N.L.’s best. Since Aug. 17, the USC alum has scored 13 times in just 11 games. He also crushed three home runs and raised his batting average from .224 to .251. His OBP for the season is great at .352, but the whopping .433 OBP he has produced since the All-Star break is what stands out the most.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a guy who gets on base over 40% of the time and bats in front of Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado is going to score a ton of runs. Add Nootbaar immediately if you need help scoring runs.
Stolen Bases
McCarthy’s been doing a bit of everything lately and is worth a look in nearly all formats. Since Aug. 8, the D-backs outfielder has stolen five bases, scored eight runs, knocked in 11 RBIs, hit a home run, and collected 17 hits in 50 at-bats — good for a .340 batting average. He’s now up to .279 on the season with 10 stolen bases after hitting for a .369 average in Triple-A with 11 steals.
McCarthy does have a tough schedule coming up. But if he can manage to still get on base (.343 OBP), the speedy outfielder should continue to rack up the stolen bases. Add the speedster now, who hits both righties and lefties well to not only boost your swipes but to help out across the board.
Batting Average
Garrett Cooper (1B/OF – MIA): 9%
Cooper is back after missing nearly the entire second half due to injury. The first-time All-Star was a breath of fresh air in the early months of the season, accumulating 82 hits over 81 games. The veteran first baseman registered a .283 average, which is on par with his previous three seasons where he posted nearly identical averages (.281, .283, .284).
The Marlins haven’t had a lot to cheer about on offense this year, but Cooper and his 10.2% barrel rate and 0% pop-up rate are a good bet to get back on track and start producing again. Take a chance on Miami’s best hitter in deeper leagues (while Jazz is still out) if you need a slight boost in batting average.
Wins
Bailey Falter (SP/RP – PHI): 13%
With Zack Wheeler out for the foreseeable future with a forearm injury, the Phillies will look to their talented young rookie to help bridge the gap. Falter isn’t Wheeler by any means and while no one is asking him to be, he could be a sneaky play down the stretch in fantasy leagues. Unfortunately, he has served up a few too many gopher balls in his brief career. But he did produce some eye-popping numbers in Triple-A both this year and last.
The good news is, after his latest reprieve in the minors, Falter looked extremely impressive in his first start back against the division-leading Mets. The Southern California native allowed just two hits and one run over six solid innings of work, earning him the victory as a heavy underdog. He followed that performance with another win against the Pirates, allowing just five base runners in six innings. He’s scheduled to take on Arizona next, followed by a tilt with Miami.
With the Phillies in the playoff hunt, they’re going to need all they can get from their second-year starter. If he can pitch like he has in his last two starts and continue to limit the home run ball, with an easy schedule coming up, the young lefty could claim a few more victories. Add the 6-foot-4 southpaw for his next two scheduled starts in deeper leagues.
ERA
Did you guys lose faith after one bad game against the Tigers? I understand it was against Detroit, but one bad game shouldn’t cancel out the pure dominance he’s shown since the beginning of July. After tanking against the Tigers, Detmers returned Friday to throw 5 1/3 shutout innings on the road against Toronto. The former first-rounder earned the win while striking out five. While the Blue Jays haven’t been as good as advertised lately, anytime a young pitcher can go into their home park and pitch the way he did, it’s reason to take notice.
Since returning to the big leagues, Detmers has produced a 1.97 ERA over eight starts. His velocity is up on all of his pitches compared to the first half of the season, and he has raised his slider usage significantly. I was chanting his name from the rooftops after he looked like a different pitcher in his sole minor league start back in late June, and he has been fantastic ever since.
There is a strong chance the Angels cap his innings sometime later next month. But in the meantime, Detmers should continue to shine. Add the Angels rookie everywhere he was dropped.
WHIP
Pivetta just needed a little matchup help to get back into the win column. After going through a rough patch, the Red Sox’s innings eater seems to have found his stride again.
It wasn’t a complete surprise to see Pivetta derail a bit after a solid first half because, honestly, he’s just not that good of a pitcher. But with two beatable opponents on deck, Pivetta and fantasy managers could be setting themselves up nicely for back-to-back wins with a quality WHIP.
On the season, Pivetta has produced a 1.29 WHIP. But over the last three games, he has impressively put together a strong 0.96 WHIP. And that’s including games against the red-hot Braves and the Orioles in the nationally televised Little League Classic (he also struck out nine in that game).
Pivetta isn’t the most trustworthy arm out there. However, with home games coming against the Rays and Rangers, he may be worth a shot in deeper leagues where starting pitching is tough to come by.
Strikeouts
I don’t normally put relievers in this category. But if you’re coming up on your innings cap, a set-up guy like Munoz can assist you. Swapping out a few average starters for a few key relievers will help you stay under the innings threshold while still maintaining quality production. Not only does he help balance your ERA and WHIP, but his 82 strikeouts over just 51 innings help you get the biggest bang for your buck.
Munoz throws 100+ with his fastball, but it’s been his slider that has resulted in an enormous amount of whiffs. It’s been even nastier of late, accounting for nine of the 11 strikeouts he has totaled over the last week.
The ex-Padre has 23 Ks in just 10.1 innings in August and had three in his latest outing. He also hasn’t given up a run this month. Munoz will also get you the occasional save, as he’s registered two this month.
The Mariners reliever is one of the best in the business and if you have the room, he can help you on many levels.
Saves
Brandon Hughes (RP – CHC): 24%
Hughes has looked great since stepping into the closer role for the Cubs. Over the last week, Hughes secured three saves while allowing just one run. On the year, the 26-year-old southpaw has appeared in 40 games, registering a 3.00 ERA and a .188 opponent BA. His xERA is only 3.02 and he’s averaged well over a strikeout per inning (11.79 K/9). His walk rate is respectable at 2.79/9, which is roughly in line with his minor league output.
The Cubs have won 10 out of their last 16. And while they likely won’t continue that trend, there should be enough save opportunities to make Hughes worthy of a roster spot. Add the rookie closer now if you’re in a close race for saves.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.