[h=1]Fantasy baseball: Soroka and Senzel among sensible selections[/h]
ESPN PLUS ( $ MATERIAL)
Atlanta Braves right-hander Mike Soroka and Cincinnati Reds second baseman Nick Senzel highlight the free-agent additions for this week. Soroka, a first-round pick in the 2015 amateur draft, produced significant numbers in the minor leagues and looked to be a future ace, with three above-average pitches, good control and strikeout upside. Shoulder issues intervened last season, but fantasy managers seemed to ignore the fact that Soroka was healthy heading into 2019. He sure looks great, having allowed just one run in each of his three outings, with 21 strikeouts over 16⅔ innings.
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A Saturday road matchup with the lowly Miami Marlins looms. While some fantasy managers will add Soroka just for that outing, they should think about keeping him for the long term. This could be the Atlanta ace this season and a potential top-30 fantasy starting pitcher, and he is available in 70 percent of leagues. Soroka has yet to allow a home run and, after facing the Marlins, he figures to meet the Arizona Diamondbacks on the road. That is also a decent matchup, so be sure to add Soroka before Saturday -- and keep him around.
Meanwhile, one week after the Toronto Blue Jays debuted top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Reds announced that Senzel will debut this Friday against the San Francisco Giants. Senzel, who offers an intriguing combination of power and speed and is eligible at second base in ESPN standard leagues, remains available in nearly 60 percent of leagues. That should be rectified in the next few days. Senzel will be playing center field, which means Scott Schebler, who has not hit, will sit. The Reds have not announced where Senzel will bat in the lineup, but he deserves a spot near the top and should produce right away.
It's Thursday, so that means we'll be checking out the free agents by position and offering up the names of players available in at least 50 percent of ESPN's standard leagues.
Catcher: Robinson Chirinos of the Houston Astros hit 35 home runs over the past two years, and I ranked him as a borderline top-10 catcher prior to this season. Fantasy managers ignored him. Chirinos is hitting for his normal power and drawing walks at a double-digit rate. He is not likely to help much in terms of batting average, but he has become reliable. ... Marlins starter Jorge Alfaroseems allergic to drawing walks, as he has just three of them so far compared to a whopping 33 strikeouts. However, he does boast power. ... Minnesota Twinsbackup Mitch Garver continues to hit in limited chances.
Corner infield: I cannot say enough about Boston Red Sox infielder Michael Chavis, which is why I continue to write about him in this space. Chavis, a third baseman who is close to adding second-base eligibility as well, homered three times and knocked in eight runs over his first 10 big league games. Combined with excellent plate discipline it sure looks legit. Chavis could hit at least 20 home runs this season. ... Baltimore Orioles third baseman Renato Nunez, who batted third in Wednesday's lineup, should hit at least that many homers as well. ... Meanwhile, Milwaukee Brewers slugger Eric Thames is seeing more at-bats of late and is known for his power, while the Tampa Bay Rays promoted prospect Nathaniel Lowe, and he should hit as well.
Middle infield: I do not want to recommend Texas Rangers second baseman Danny Santana, but the fact is that he continues to hit, run and keep a strong batting average, albeit in a small sample. The longer he keeps hitting the more we have to take this seriously. ... It's the same with Los Angeles Angels second baseman Tommy La Stella. No, La Stella has never hit for power before, amassing just 10 home runs in his first 396 big league games. For whatever reason, though, he has seven home runs already this season.
Outfield: The Astros protect Josh Reddick against left-handed pitching -- and this is a good thing because he is thriving against the right-handers and the move keeps his batting average high. Reddick is capable of 20-plus home runs. ... Keep an eye on Los Angeles Dodgers youngster Alex Verdugo as well, although the Dodgers face left-handed pitching quite a bit over the next week. Verdugo, a lefty hitter, has handled LHP so far, but he hits low in the lineup against them. He should play regularly with A.J. Pollock on the injured list. ... Yet another left-handed hitter is the Pirates' Gregory Polanco. Get him beforehe shows the promise of two seasons ago. ... Veterans Brett Gardner, Kole Calhoun and even Hunter Pence do not offer much statistical upside, but they are hitting of late and make for decent short-term options.
Starting pitcher: Orioles LHP John Means leads the most-added list. While investing in any Orioles arm is dangerous, he has pitched well and seems secure in the rotation. I would prefer Angels right-hander Griffin Canning, who showed strikeout potential in his big league debut Tuesday, and Philadelphia Phillies right-handers Zach Eflin, Vince Velasquez and Jerad Eickhoff. ... Chicago White Sox right-hander Reynaldo Lopez fanned 14 in his most recent outing and has three consecutive solid outings, while Brewers right-hander Zach Davies leads the majors with a 1.38 ERA. That number could triple soon, but Davies, allowing so much soft contact, has generally out-pitched his peripheral numbers. ... New York Mets lefty Steven Matz, if you remove his nightmare outing when he retired nary a Phillies hitter, would have a 1.22 ERA. Alas, that game counted, so his ERA is actually 3.68, but he still comes recommended.
Relief pitcher: Rays right-hander Emilio Pagan could be the team's closer over lefty Jose Alvarado and right-hander Diego Castillo. We do not know for sure. Pagan is pitching well, though, so even if there are no saves, there are good numbers. ... Phillies right-hander Hector Neris, Twins right-hander Blake Parker and Chicago Cubs right-hander Pedro Strop have been saving games, but only Parker seems to have actual security in the role, at least for now. ... The Angels have turned to right-hander Hansel Robles over Ty Buttrey, with Cody Allen shelved.
[h=2]Wednesday recap[/h]
Box scores
Highlights:
Lowlights:
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Wednesday, May 1: Mallex Smith, steals, Griffin Canning
Tuesday, April 30: Closer report: Will Smith, Hector Neris, others
Monday, April 29: Weekend wrap, young Nationals hitters, prospects
Thursday, April 25: Free agents to get, including Gio Gonzalez, Brandon Lowe and Mike Soroka
Wednesday, April 24: Kris Bryant struggles, Luke Voit does not
ESPN PLUS ( $ MATERIAL)
Atlanta Braves right-hander Mike Soroka and Cincinnati Reds second baseman Nick Senzel highlight the free-agent additions for this week. Soroka, a first-round pick in the 2015 amateur draft, produced significant numbers in the minor leagues and looked to be a future ace, with three above-average pitches, good control and strikeout upside. Shoulder issues intervened last season, but fantasy managers seemed to ignore the fact that Soroka was healthy heading into 2019. He sure looks great, having allowed just one run in each of his three outings, with 21 strikeouts over 16⅔ innings.
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A Saturday road matchup with the lowly Miami Marlins looms. While some fantasy managers will add Soroka just for that outing, they should think about keeping him for the long term. This could be the Atlanta ace this season and a potential top-30 fantasy starting pitcher, and he is available in 70 percent of leagues. Soroka has yet to allow a home run and, after facing the Marlins, he figures to meet the Arizona Diamondbacks on the road. That is also a decent matchup, so be sure to add Soroka before Saturday -- and keep him around.
Meanwhile, one week after the Toronto Blue Jays debuted top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Reds announced that Senzel will debut this Friday against the San Francisco Giants. Senzel, who offers an intriguing combination of power and speed and is eligible at second base in ESPN standard leagues, remains available in nearly 60 percent of leagues. That should be rectified in the next few days. Senzel will be playing center field, which means Scott Schebler, who has not hit, will sit. The Reds have not announced where Senzel will bat in the lineup, but he deserves a spot near the top and should produce right away.
It's Thursday, so that means we'll be checking out the free agents by position and offering up the names of players available in at least 50 percent of ESPN's standard leagues.
Catcher: Robinson Chirinos of the Houston Astros hit 35 home runs over the past two years, and I ranked him as a borderline top-10 catcher prior to this season. Fantasy managers ignored him. Chirinos is hitting for his normal power and drawing walks at a double-digit rate. He is not likely to help much in terms of batting average, but he has become reliable. ... Marlins starter Jorge Alfaroseems allergic to drawing walks, as he has just three of them so far compared to a whopping 33 strikeouts. However, he does boast power. ... Minnesota Twinsbackup Mitch Garver continues to hit in limited chances.
Corner infield: I cannot say enough about Boston Red Sox infielder Michael Chavis, which is why I continue to write about him in this space. Chavis, a third baseman who is close to adding second-base eligibility as well, homered three times and knocked in eight runs over his first 10 big league games. Combined with excellent plate discipline it sure looks legit. Chavis could hit at least 20 home runs this season. ... Baltimore Orioles third baseman Renato Nunez, who batted third in Wednesday's lineup, should hit at least that many homers as well. ... Meanwhile, Milwaukee Brewers slugger Eric Thames is seeing more at-bats of late and is known for his power, while the Tampa Bay Rays promoted prospect Nathaniel Lowe, and he should hit as well.
Middle infield: I do not want to recommend Texas Rangers second baseman Danny Santana, but the fact is that he continues to hit, run and keep a strong batting average, albeit in a small sample. The longer he keeps hitting the more we have to take this seriously. ... It's the same with Los Angeles Angels second baseman Tommy La Stella. No, La Stella has never hit for power before, amassing just 10 home runs in his first 396 big league games. For whatever reason, though, he has seven home runs already this season.
Outfield: The Astros protect Josh Reddick against left-handed pitching -- and this is a good thing because he is thriving against the right-handers and the move keeps his batting average high. Reddick is capable of 20-plus home runs. ... Keep an eye on Los Angeles Dodgers youngster Alex Verdugo as well, although the Dodgers face left-handed pitching quite a bit over the next week. Verdugo, a lefty hitter, has handled LHP so far, but he hits low in the lineup against them. He should play regularly with A.J. Pollock on the injured list. ... Yet another left-handed hitter is the Pirates' Gregory Polanco. Get him beforehe shows the promise of two seasons ago. ... Veterans Brett Gardner, Kole Calhoun and even Hunter Pence do not offer much statistical upside, but they are hitting of late and make for decent short-term options.
Starting pitcher: Orioles LHP John Means leads the most-added list. While investing in any Orioles arm is dangerous, he has pitched well and seems secure in the rotation. I would prefer Angels right-hander Griffin Canning, who showed strikeout potential in his big league debut Tuesday, and Philadelphia Phillies right-handers Zach Eflin, Vince Velasquez and Jerad Eickhoff. ... Chicago White Sox right-hander Reynaldo Lopez fanned 14 in his most recent outing and has three consecutive solid outings, while Brewers right-hander Zach Davies leads the majors with a 1.38 ERA. That number could triple soon, but Davies, allowing so much soft contact, has generally out-pitched his peripheral numbers. ... New York Mets lefty Steven Matz, if you remove his nightmare outing when he retired nary a Phillies hitter, would have a 1.22 ERA. Alas, that game counted, so his ERA is actually 3.68, but he still comes recommended.
Relief pitcher: Rays right-hander Emilio Pagan could be the team's closer over lefty Jose Alvarado and right-hander Diego Castillo. We do not know for sure. Pagan is pitching well, though, so even if there are no saves, there are good numbers. ... Phillies right-hander Hector Neris, Twins right-hander Blake Parker and Chicago Cubs right-hander Pedro Strop have been saving games, but only Parker seems to have actual security in the role, at least for now. ... The Angels have turned to right-hander Hansel Robles over Ty Buttrey, with Cody Allen shelved.
[h=2]Wednesday recap[/h]
Box scores
Highlights:
- Javier Baez, 2B/SS, Chicago Cubs: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
- Adalberto Mondesi, 2B, Kansas City Royals: 3-for-7, HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB
- Danny Santana, 2B/OF, Texas Rangers: 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
- Jon Lester, SP, Chicago Cubs: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
- Jacob deGrom, SP, New York Mets: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Lowlights:
- Mitch Haniger, OF, Seattle Mariners: 0-for-4, 2 K
- Eduardo Escobar, SS/3B, Arizona Diamondbacks: 0-for-4, 2 K
- Marco Gonzales, SP, Seattle Mariners: 1 2/3 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
- Blake Snell, SP, Tampa Bay Rays: 3 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
- Carlos Rodon, SP, Chicago White Sox: 3 2/3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
.@Padres select RHP Cal Quantrill to @MLB roster; option RHP Phil Maton to Triple-A El Paso; transfer RHP Miguel Diaz to 60-day IL.
- MLBRosterMoves (@MLBRosterMoves) May 1, 2019
- MLBRosterMoves (@MLBRosterMoves) May 1, 2019
- San Diego Padres right-hander Cal Quantrill, son of a former major league pitcher and the No. 8 pick in the 2016 amateur draft, made his major league debut Wednesday by throwing 5⅔ effective innings at Atlanta, allowing two runs on six hits. Quantrill seemed to stall as a top prospect in 2017 with command problems, and he lacks major strikeout upside. The Padres have not committed to him starting next week. Keep an eye on the situation, of course, but Quantrill might have more "name value" than actual statistical value at this point.
- Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Starling Marte returned from his short IL stint on Tuesday and homered in extra innings. Then he had two hits and stole a base on Wednesday. It should go without saying, but Marte, a likely top-20 fantasy outfielder, should be active in all formats.
- Mets ace deGrom bounced back from a trio of rough outings to confound the Reds over seven shutout innings, but Anthony DeSclafani was just as good, so neither pitcher earned a win. For deGrom, he lowered his ERA to 3.82 and we should remind everyone that from the start of May 2018, through the rest of the season, his ERA was a cool 1.62.
- Cleveland Indians right-hander Corey Kluber left his game prematurely after a Brian Anderson line drive struck and fractured his pitching forearm. There was no immediate word on the timetable for his absence, but plan on this taking at least a month. Kluber, who permitted eight hits and three runs to the lowly Marlins over 4⅔ innings, striking out only three, has a 5.80 ERA after seven starts -- which is about double what was expected. It is tough to make a case to "buy low" until we know exactly how many starts he will miss.
- Brewers right-hander Chase Anderson was scratched from his Wednesday outing and the club had to go to a bullpen game. Corbin Burnes was summoned from Triple-A, and struggled in relief, though he could start early next week. Burnes boasts great upside, but in his first four starts he managed to permit 11 home runs, and a 10.70 ERA was the result. He is worth stashing, however, just in case he figures things out.
- The Rangers had little choice but to remove struggling right-hander Jose Leclerc from the ninth-inning role after Tuesday's outing, so look for right-hander Shawn Kelley to get the team's next save chance or two. There has not been much turnover among top closers this season and perhaps Leclerc, who was excellent in 2018, gets the role back soon. Kelley's main issue over the years has been durability.
- New York's eighth-inning man Jeurys Familia hit the IL with a sore shoulder, leaving Seth Lugo, pitching better anyway, to handle the setup role for closer Edwin Diaz. If fantasy managers want a reminder on reliever volatility, look no further than Familia and Diaz, who lost Wednesday's game by allowing a Jose Iglesias ninth-inning home run. Iglesias is not, to be blunt, much of a power hitter. Diaz has permitted three home runs in his first 12⅔ innings after allowing five home runs all of last season. This is probably nothing to worry about yet, for Diaz is also piling on the saves and strikeouts, but a lot of home runs allowed by a pitcher is clearly not good.
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- Senzel's Reds will face Giants right-hander Tyler Beede, the No. 14 pick in the 2014 draft, in his first outing of the season on Friday. Beede boasts upside, but it is hard to get too excited about positive spring numbers and minor league ones until we see him thrive at the highest level in games that matter. Just do not be dismissive in NL-only formats. Sonny Gray starts for Cincinnati and that has been a good thing so far, his 0-4 record notwithstanding. Gray boasts a 0.98 WHIP and nearly 11 strikeouts-per-nine innings.
- The Rockies come home to Denver for a series with the Diamondbacks, which should be good news for those investing in hitters from those teams. Then again, the Rockies are scoring fewer than five runs per home game this season, and rank fifth in home OPS. The big three of Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon will be fine, but Ian Desmond and David Dahlare available in plenty of leagues, and they should hit enough as well. As for Garrett Hampson, well, perhaps it simply will not work out.
- Sunday Night Baseball on Cinco de Mayo features Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals at Wrigley Field against Jose Quintana and the Cubs. These pitchers have similar numbers, but Quintana is the one to rely on. He posted three consecutive seven-inning outings before his most recent start (which wasn't so bad), with seven or more strikeouts in each of the three. He appears to be back to his White Sox form. Keep an eye on Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant as well. Not only has he struggled at the plate (notably in pulling fastballs thanks to a sore shoulder), but a sore leg kept him from defensive responsibilities this week at Seattle, so he was the DH instead of Kyle Schwarber.
Wednesday, May 1: Mallex Smith, steals, Griffin Canning
Tuesday, April 30: Closer report: Will Smith, Hector Neris, others
Monday, April 29: Weekend wrap, young Nationals hitters, prospects
Thursday, April 25: Free agents to get, including Gio Gonzalez, Brandon Lowe and Mike Soroka
Wednesday, April 24: Kris Bryant struggles, Luke Voit does not
