We have made it through another week of the MLB season, and there were some awe-inspiring performances. As usual, there were some great showings and some rough ones to dig into. This weekly fantasy baseball column will help highlight some hot and cold players, risers, and fallers. Some players are already rostered in many places, so that trades may be in order. Other players may be widely available in fantasy baseball leagues, making a potential waiver wire claim in the cards.
This week I will highlight some known and lesser-known players. So let’s see some of the risers and fallers for fantasy baseball Week 12 (6/3-6/9).
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Advice
- Fantasy Baseball Start/Sit Lineup Advice
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Baseball Risers & Fallers: Week 12
Fantasy Baseball Risers
Heliot Ramos is among the most popular names around the fantasy streets. This past week, he hit safely in four out of six games, with multiple hits in each game. He hit three home runs while driving in seven with a 23.5% barrel rate and 70.6% hard-hit rate. Ramos did not just hit with power while he hit at the top of the order; Ramos also walked 21% of the time, which is very impressive for a young hitter. Ramos may have some slumps occasionally, but his skills are legitimate, and his defense should keep him in the lineup going forward.
Anthony Santander has been on a heater lately, and this past week was a monster week. He hit safely in six out of seven games for a .296 average. The power was on full display with two doubles and four home runs with a 17.4% barrel rate. Santander’s plate discipline was on full display as he walked 10% of the time while striking out 13%. His .211 batting average on balls in play (BABIP) suggests these skills may be for real, too. Santander is a 30-home run bat that has been on full display lately.
It has been slow for Yainer Diaz this season, but this past week, he displayed the offensive skills that so many drafted him for early in drafts. Diaz hit safely in all six games this past week with four home runs and 10 RBI. He only struck out 16% of the time, which means a lot of balls in play, which was good with a 9.5% barrel rate and 43% hard-hit rate. Diaz is one of the game’s best offensive catchers, so hopefully, this week is a sign of things going forward.
Jake McCarthy is finally healthy and starting to see some regular at-bats, at least against right-handed pitchers. He hit safely in four games this past week for a .316 batting average. He hit a home run, but more importantly, he also stole two bases. McCarthy walked 12% of the time while striking out 16%, which is great as we want McCarthy on base as much as he can to steal bases. Ride the stolen base heater while you can.
When the White Sox signed Paul DeJong, many scoffed. It made a lot of sense for a while. Of late, though, DeJong has been hitting with power, and he put it all together this past week. He hit safely in four out of six games, with multiple hits in the last three. DeJong hit .292 with three home runs and seven RBI while striking out 20% of the time. He barreled the ball 15.8% of the time with a 47.4% hard-hit rate. DeJong will go through cold spells, but his hot stretches will be very fantasy-viable.
Fantasy Baseball Fallers
Leody Taveras was swinging it well early in May, but things have abruptly stopped for him. This past week, Taveras went hitless in six games while striking out 38.1% of the time. He is hitting .223 on the season with four home runs and five stolen bases. His defense keeps him on the field, but the lack of production may eventually catch up with Taveras. He’s a drop in most formats.
Taylor Ward started the season as a fantasy stud, but lately, he is struggling. This past week, Ward collected one single over six games for a .050 batting average. Ward did walk 20% of the time, which was a plus, but a 6.7% barrel rate and 26.7% hard-hit rate were not great. The Angels are a disaster of a team that will keep Ward on the field, but his production will need to improve to move from the bench back into the starting lineups for fantasy managers.
Ceddanne Rafaela (SS, OF – BOS)
Ceddanne Rafaela’s great defense keeps him in the lineup, but his lack of production may make him a better real-life player than a fantasy player. This past week, Rafaela collected six singles for a .240 batting average. He did not hit a home run or a stolen base, which dipped his fantasy appeal. Keep Rafaela on the bench for the time being.
Adam Duvall was a major fantasy pickup in recent weeks as he’s gained the bulk of playing time with Ronald Acuna Jr. ending his season with a knee injury. Duvall had one hit this past week, a home run while hitting .050. He struck out 30.4% of the time with a 30.8% hard-hit rate. Since June 1, Duvall only has three hits and a .111 batting average. He brings a ton of power potential but is struggling tremendously, making it challenging for Duvall to start in weekly leagues.
Byron Buxton has stayed relatively healthy this season but still is not producing for fantasy managers. Buxton hit safely in two of five games this past week for a .158 average and a stolen base. He’s hitting .223 on the season with three home runs and three steals. Buxton should be on the bench in most formats, and there is an argument for a drop in 12-team and shallower leagues.
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