There is a mountain of decision-making throughout the fantasy baseball season. A roster move can save a team, but managers can also be haunted by the talented player they dropped back in April.
The Weekly Mailbag is an opportunity to ask a FantasyPros analyst anything about the ongoing season. A second opinion about a team can help managers make the best and most informed decisions possible. If you wish to ask about your team, feel free to join the FantasyPros Discord.
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Fantasy Baseball Mailbag
Henry Davis or Mitch Garver ROS in my OBP categories league?
I say Garver. Davis posted a .415 OBP in three seasons of the minors and so far has a .306 OBP in 65 games in the majors, but he is not a significant contributor to counting stats. Davis has the upside for the stats to improve, and his outfield/catcher dual-eligibility will be nice, but I like Garver more.
Garver hits in a better Mariners lineup and should get more playing time as a DH. He already has missed time due to back issues, but being a DH should preserve his health throughout the year. Garver has the power and RBI benefit, plus a career .342 OBP as a catcher doesn’t hurt.
Garrett Whitlock over Joel Payamps or Tyler Wells?
No. Last year, Whitlock threw 71.2 innings with a 5.15 ERA for 72 strikeouts. He has the potential to bounce back to his previous 2021 and 2022 form (combined 151.2 IP, 163 K, 2.73 ERA), but that is just not as appealing to me as the other options.
In 2023, Payamps had a 2.55 ERA, 27 HDs, a 1.047 WHIP, and 9.8 K/9 in 70.2 IP. Plus, he is likely to get save opportunities with Devin Williams out. Wells was one of the best pitchers last year and led the league in WHIP for a stretch before he fell apart.
Today, we were reminded that Wells is a fly-ball pitcher, so homers are always possible, but I still like him better than Whitlock. Keep an eye out to see if Whitlock continues performing like he did today.
Would you suggest holding A.J. Puk for a few more starts to feel him out or put him on the block early?
It depends on how deep your league is. Garrett Crochet, Jordan Hicks, and DL Hall had solid debuts, or at least better than Puk.
They all fit the relievers-turned-starters archetype, and I feel like they have more potential than Puk. If your league does not have any of these guys available, then it is probably a good idea to hold on to Puk.
He had a decent first inning before things fell off the rails, striking out one and walking one in a clean inning. Puk’s control struggles when he walked five in the second and third innings perhaps hint at difficulties adjusting to a starting role above anything else.
Puk has been so good as a reliever that he has earned some benefit of the doubt (as long as better options aren’t available on the wire). Remember that all of these players are not used to a starter’s workload and will be on inning limits the whole year.
Is it worth holding onto Jackson Holliday if you drafted him before it was announced he was starting the year in Triple-A?
It is not an easy decision, but I think you should hold onto Holliday. The number one prospect is doing incredible in Triple-A after a scorching Spring Training. He should be up soon and if you drop him, there is no question that someone else will pick him up. Do you really want to be the guy who lost Holliday?
How many weeks/games do you start to worry about a hitter who is having non-competitive at-bats? Especially those with no real track record?
If a player is a proven star, I give them at least a few weeks before I get worried. I give at least two weeks to an unproven player who is a top prospect. If someone is unproven and lowly rated, I might only give them about a week and a half, especially if he is a late draft pick who may pass waivers. The fantasy baseball season is long. Don’t get antsy!
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