Fantasy Baseball Mailbag: Verlander's Injury, Ohtani's Struggles and More

The 2020 MLB season is now in full swing, and while it's going to look nothing like any season of baseball we've ever seen before, that hasn't stopped fantasy baseball players from diving in headfirst.

Already a pair of former Cy Young Award winners have gone down with significant injuries, and several superstars are off to frigid starts at the plate.

Meanwhile, the pandemic has already put one entire team out of commission for multiple games, and that will undoubtedly continue to be a factor as the season progresses.

Amid all of that chaos, we asked for your fantasy baseball questions on the B/R app, and you responded with over 150 comments.

Ahead you'll find the answers to several of those question, along with some general fantasy advice in the first edition of what will be a weekly staple throughout the 2020 season.

Enjoy!

What should I do about the games that are being postponed? Should I drop those players? (@joshcooeff)

Welcome to fantasy baseball in 2020.

The Miami Marlins are the first team to have a COVID-19 outbreak sweep through their clubhouse and leave them unable to play for multiple games. Chances are they will not be the last.

This is where maximizing roster space becomes key.

Someone like Khris Davis is going to be tough to roster since he offers zero positional versatility, while someone like Jeff McNeil becomes extremely valuable thanks to his ability to play all over the field. Those are the players you should be hunting for on the waiver wire.

As for Miami's situation specifically, the roster is not exactly loaded with fantasy-relevant players.

Don't drop Jonathan Villar, and do what you can to stash Sandy Alcantara and Caleb Smith, but don't be afraid to cut ties with others on the fringe of your roster.

This season is going to be all about flexibility, and getting too tied to the roster you drafted is going to be a detriment.

Should I consider trading Christian Yelich while he still has value? (@iuhoosiersfan)

No. Not unless you're getting back value relative to his preseason status.

Yelich struggled through a 3-for-21 stretch last June. Did anyone even notice? Cold spells happen. He hasn't hit .327 and averaged 40 home runs and 26 steals the past two years by accident.

Ronald Acuna hasn't been playing well to start the season. Do I trade him, bench him for Max Kepler, or stick with him? (@ediam18)

Start him. Every single game.

Acuna hit .129 over his first nine games last season. Then he hit .500 over his next nine games. All it takes is one game to flip that switch.

Does Rafael Devers still know how to play baseball? (@lbergner)

He hit .311/.361/.555 with 54 doubles, 32 home runs and 115 RBI last year because he's very, very good at baseball.

He was 0-for-9 his first two games. Now he's 5-for-16 with four doubles in his past four games. He's still very, very good at baseball.

Don't be the fantasy player who blows your chances at a title by overreacting to less than a week's worth of games. The guys you took in the first few rounds were valued that way for a reason.

What should I do with Brendan McKay? Because I am in need of bench depth and outfielders, and I have no idea what the Rays plan with him is. (@ChrisThomas98)

McKay arrived late to "summer camp," and that is part of the reason he did not make the Opening Day roster. The other is the fact that with Tyler Glasnow back healthy, there's not a spot for him in the Tampa Bay rotation.

The 24-year-old showed promise last year with a 4.03 FIP and 56 strikeouts in 49 innings, and he still has keeper value, but in redraft leagues he's droppable in a season when roster flexibility is paramount.

What to do with Kyle Tucker from the Astros? (@valadezj25)

Josh Reddick hit .255 with a .676 OPS and four home runs after the All-Star break last year and he's off to a 4-for-22 start at the plate this year. However, he's still a plus defender in right field, and manager Dusty Baker has a reputation of favoring veterans.

There's also going to be a crunch for DH playing time once Yordan Alvarez returns to the active roster.

All of that leaves Kyle Tucker on the outside looking in, but I'm still extremely high on him and think a breakout is coming. He's a tough start in weekly leagues because of his sporadic playing time, but he's still worth rostering in daily leagues in hopes he pushes his way into a larger role.

Should I hold onto A.J. Puk and Nick Madrigal even though they're injured and not on the roster? (@joshcooeff)

I think Madrigal is droppable in redraft leagues. The White Sox seem content playing Leury Garcia at second base, and they also have Danny Mendick capable of playing there. I think there's a chance we don't see him until 2021.

Puk is likely headed to the bullpen once he returns. The A's have enough starting pitching depth that they won't risk overextending him given his past injury issues. Stash him if you're optimistic he'll be plugged into the rotation once he returns. I am not.

Should I add another catcher? I have J.T. Realmuto and with their games being postponed, I don't know if I should just hold steady or add someone. (@drichwine)

Having two viable catching options is probably a good idea this year. We've already seen the Atlanta Braves lose multiple catchers at once and have to dig into their farm system.

There are a few quality starters still available on the waiver-wire in most leagues. If you have the bench room, picking up one as a contingency plan is a solid idea.

Who should I pick up as my catcher since my starter (J.T. Realmuto) is not playing? A. Martin Maldonado, B. Robert Perez, C. Kurt Suzuki, D. Sean Murphy (@Not_KevinDurant)

Here's a quick rundown of how I would rank the top seven catchers who are currently owned in less than 33 percent of Yahoo leagues:

• Danny Jansen, TOR
• Sean Murphy, OAK
• Martin Maldonado, HOU
• Kurt Suzuki, WAS
• Roberto Perez, CLE
• Robinson Chirinos, TEX
• Victor Caratini, CHC

Keep an eye on the crowded Cincinnati Reds catching situation. If top prospect Tyler Stephenson starts to see expanded playing time over Tucker Barnhart and Curt Casali, he'll be worth an add.

It's also worth jumping on Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud if someone cut him loose early on.

Is Ohtani worth a buy low right now or is he no longer a viable pitching option? (@Jomama2)

Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com set the scene following Shohei Ohtani's long-awaited return to the mound:

"Ohtani, 26, threw 30 pitches, half of them balls, and left with two on, none out and a 4-0 deficit. The right-hander averaged 93 mph on a fastball that can reach triple digits and never had the opportunity to throw his trademark splitter."

So what was the issue?

Danny Vietti of CBS Sports tweeted a side-by-side comparison of his mechanics from 2018 and his 2020 debut, highlighting the fact that his front side was opening up too early and his arm was dragging as a result. That would explain the reduced velocity.

The Angels staff no doubt picked up on that as well.

Does that mean he's going to right the ship next time out?

Who knows, but he's still worth stashing on the bench for at least a few more starts while he tries to sort things out. Keep in mind, it had been 693 days since the last time he pitched in an MLB game. There was bound to be some rust.

If someone in your league drops him and you have a bench spot you're willing to use on a stash for the next couple of weeks, the payoff could be huge.

What would you do with Corey Kluber? Drop, stash or IL? (@bondjbond)

Corey Kluber was my pick for AL Comeback Player of the Year, and I spent much of the offseason talking about how the Cleveland Indians' decision to sell low on the two-time Cy Young winner was a mistake.

He lasted one inning in his 2020 debut before landing on the injured list.

"He just said a little tightness behind the shoulder," manager Chris Woodward told reporters after the game. "So we got him out of there as soon as he felt not normal. He is a tough guy and has pitched a lot of innings in the majors. When he says something is related to his arm, we are concerned."

On Monday, he was diagnosed with a Grade 2 tear of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder. While the injury did not require surgery, he received a platelet-rich plasma injection and will be shut down for the next four weeks.

That means there's a good chance he will not be able to rebuild his arm strength in time to return before the 2020 season is over. With an $18 million club option decision awaiting this offseason, he'll be extremely motivated to return, but time is not on his side.

If you have an open IL spot, by all means stash him for the time being. If not, it's unlikely you are going to regret dropping him.

Any advice on the Justin Verlander situation? (@NBL21_bombasquad)

After watching Gerrit Cole walk in free agency, along with the departure of fellow veteran Wade Miley, the last thing the Houston Astros needed was to lose the reigning AL Cy Young winner.

Justin Verlander looked sharp on Opening Day, allowing three hits and two earned runs while striking out seven in six innings of work. He threw 73 pitches.

"It definitely feels like I’ve come a long way since May or April ... or March," he told reporters after his strong season debut. "It’s crazy to think of how much stuff has changed since then. I had the groin surgery, healing the lat [injury in spring]. A lot of work to get here. It does feel nice, but every year has its different ups and downs and different obstacles to deal with."

However, he later revealed that he felt tenderness in his forearm during his Opening Day outing, and on Saturday he was diagnosed with a strained forearm following an MRI.

After initial reports that he was done for the season were disputed by Verlander, manager Dusty Baker said he would be "shut down for a couple weeks" before being reevaluated.

There's no better use for your IL slot than to stash Verlander until he either returns to action or it is announced that he is done for the year. If you don't have an IL spot, stash him on the bench at least until he's reevaluated.

As far as potential replacements, keep a close eye on top prospect Forrest Whitley. He could eventually get the call to fill his spot in the rotation.

Should I drop Craig Kimbrel for Seth Lugo? (@NM42)

I'd bench Kimbrel for now. If he blows up again, pulling the plug is not a bad idea if you have alternative sources of saves. Just be warned, he could wind up being this year's Jose Leclerc and eventually return to top-tier form.

As for Lugo, regardless of what you do with Kimbrel, he's worth an add. His multi-inning ability and elite strikeout numbers make him extremely valuable. There's also an outside chance that he moves back into the rotation if Rick Porcello or Michael Wacha struggle. He has already made it clear he prefers to start.

Someone in my league just gave up on James Paxton. Worth snagging? (@rickjamesharden)

James Paxton allowed five hits and three earned runs while recording just three outs in his 2020 debut.

"I just felt a little sluggish tonight and my arm didn't feel like it was really live," Paxton told reporters after averaging 92.0 mph with his fastball, down from 95.7 mph last season, per Brooks Baseball.

After going 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA and 186 strikeouts in 150.2 innings last year, Paxton has far too much upside to give up on after one start. If someone in your league drops him, he's well worth stashing on the bench and monitoring over his next few starts. The potential payoff is significant enough to clog up a roster spot for the time being.

My best pitchers are on the IL right now. Any starters on the market worth adding? (@blasedellavalle)

Here are seven starting pitchers I like who are owned 50 percent of leagues or fewer. This is for the purposes of a long-term addition, not just streaming for their next start, though it would be wise to play the matchups with these guys:

• Mitch Keller, PIT
• Brady Singer, KC
• Corbin Burnes, MIL
• Aaron Civale, CLE
• Matt Shoemaker, TOR
• Alex Cobb, BAL
• Chris Bassitt, OAK

A healthy Alex Cobb has a chance to make a run at AL Comeback Player of the Year honors. He allowed four hits and one earned run with six strikeouts in 5.1 innings in his debut. There's a reason he was given that four-year, $57 million contract.

Should I pick up Dansby Swanson? (@r_e1)

Dansby Swanson is hitting .391 with two doubles and two home runs in his first 23 plate appearances this season. Is the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft finally ready to break out?

CBS Sports fantasy baseball writer Scott White tweeted: "He probably deserved more hype than he got leading up to the season, but shortstop is so insanely deep that there wasn't much need for him."

He spent most of the second half last year battling injury, and that overshadowed a brilliant first half during which he hit .270/.330/.493 with 17 home runs and 57 RBI. If he's still available in your league, pick him up immediately!

Should I pick up Colin Moran? (@austin27rn)

Those 11 games that Colin Moran played at second base last year make him an extremely attractive waiver-wire pickup, since he's eligible at 2B, 3B, MI and CI for the sake of fantasy.

The 27-year-old has always had intriguing potential dating back to being drafted No. 6 overall in 2013, and he's off to a hot start with a .300 average and an NL-leading three home runs in 22 plate appearances.

By all means, ride the hot hand and add him to your roster. He could prove to be a valuable bench piece even after he cools off a bit given his positional versatility and RBI potential.

Who are some great hitters that are super underrated? I'm playing in a Yahoo fantasy league against my family and I need to impress. (@maxesplin5)

Here are seven hitters I like who are owned in 50 percent of leagues or fewer:

• Mark Canha, OAK (1B, OF)
• Teoscar Hernandez, TOR (OF)
• Colin Moran, PIT (2B, 3B)
• Trent Grisham, SD (OF)
• Ian Happ, CHC (2B, 3B, OF)
• Luis Arraez, MIN (2B, 3B, OF)
• Nick Solak, TEX (2B, 3B)

Once again, positional versatility is going to be extremely valuable this year while trying to navigate roster issues. Don't sleep on guys like Ian Happ and Nick Solak being useful bench pieces in 12-team leagues.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and MLB.com, unless otherwise noted. All fantasy ownership numbers accurate through Tuesday.