Fantasy Baseball

The Texas Rangers are in the middle of a slump with 11 losses since August 7, but one hitter has stood out on an individual level during that stretch. 

Outfielder Willie Calhoun is heating up at the plate, and although he has not helped the Rangers win games, he could work wonders for certain fantasy teams. 

The 24-year-old is one of a few players who have not received a ton of fantasy looks despite performing well recently. 

Another player to watch is a pitcher in the middle of a pennant race with the Milwaukee Brewers who is retiring hitters with relative ease. 

                                                                    

Best Sleepers To Pick Up

Willie Calhoun, OF, Texas

Calhoun was the lone player in the Texas lineup to record two hits and produce a run in its loss to the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday afternoon. 

The multi-hit performance from the outfielder was an extension of the form he has displayed throughout August. 

Calhoun has a pair of base knocks in six games this month, with five of them coming since the Rangers opened a home spell against Minnesota August 15. 

Even though he has been hot of late, he is still only marginally owned in Yahoo and ESPN leagues, per Fantasy Pros, with a combined 28 percent of players putting him on their roster. 

The rest of the month should shake out well for the Californian with two additional contests against the Angels and a four-game set that extends to September 1 versus Seattle at home.

In between those matchups is a six-game road swing against the Chicago White Sox and the Angels, which is far from the most treacherous stretch the Rangers will face this season. 

Both the White Sox and L.A. are under .500 and out of the playoff hunt, and they do not possess great home marks. Chicago is 30-31 at Guaranteed Rate Field and the Angels are 33-31 at Angel Stadium. 

Calhoun possesses a lower batting average and on-base percentage on the road than he does at home, but his OPS and slugging percentage are better on his travels, so there should not be much concern about the change in ball parks after Texas' latest home stand ends. 

                       

Adrian Houser, SP, Milwaukee

Adrian Houser conceded two earned runs on five hits over 13 innings in his last two starts. 

Despite throwing well for the third-place side in the National League Central, the 26-year-old is owned in a meager 17 percent of Yahoo leagues and four percent of ESPN competitions. 

Houser could make an immediate impact on your fantasy team since he is slated to take the mound Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. 

The strength of his next opponent and the location of the game should not be an issue since he went into Nationals Park Friday and silenced Washington's red-hot bats. 

The two runs plated by the Nationals Friday marked the only time from August 14-19 in which they scored fewer than 10 runs. 

In fact, Houser conceded a single earned run in two of his last three road appearances, and he let up four to the Chicago Cubs in the other. 

The schedule remains tough for the Oklahoma native and the Brewers, with St. Louis, Houston and the Chicago Cubs coming to Miller Park and a three-game set at Wrigley Field on Labor Day weekend. 

Given his recent showing against the Nationals, the strength of the NL Central contenders and the Astros should not be a reason to look away from adding Houser. 

                           

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference. 

Fantasy baseball team owners need to pull out all the stops in the stretch run leading to the postseason.

Finding and taking the best two-start pitchers is critical, and the same goes for streaming hitters with advantageous matchups.

Week 20 of the fantasy season has one two-start pitcher who's a better option than the rest, and we'll take a deep dive into that selection below.

In addition, you can find quick notes on four hitters to consider.

                       

Waiver-Wire Players to Pick Up for Week 20

Tampa Bay Rays SP Brendan McKay (33% in Yahoo Sports Leagues)

Is it concerning that Tampa Bay Rays rookie Brendan McKay has a 5.08 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 33.2 innings this season? Sure.

But McKay has a few things going in his favor.

First, he's punched out seven or eight batters in four of his past five starts, with the lone exception being a five-strikeout performance in just 3.1 frames of work against the Chicago White Sox. In total, the 23-year-old has struck out 27.4 percent of batters, per FanGraphs.

Second, McKay's competition isn't fierce, as he's slated to face the Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles.

Baltimore had the league's fifth-lowest OPS against left-handers entering Saturday. Seattle is a more respectable 13th, but the M's have MLB's fourth-highest strikeout rate against southpaws, according to FanGraphs.

In addition, McKay will face the M's at home, which is a pitcher's park, as evidenced by ESPN's MLB Park Factors list.

McKay is also a far better pitcher than his 5.08 ERA implies, with him sporting a 4.01 xFIP.

Hitters have been quite lucky against McKay, demonstrated by a massive .352 BABIP. That should normalize closer to a .300 average at some point, so positive regression may be forthcoming.

The stars are aligning for McKay to bounce back, and two-thirds of Yahoo Sports leagues have him on the waiver wire. If your league is in that boat, take McKay before his Tuesday start against Seattle.

                       

Kansas City Royals OF Alex Gordon (45%)

Yes, Kansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon is ice cold, mustering only three hits since August 5. However, Gordon is a .260 hitter who's bound to bounce back at some point.

This week could do the trick, with three games against the Orioles, who are last in the league with a 5.95 staff ERA.

Somehow, Gordon hasn't faced the O's all season. Perhaps a few games against Baltimore is just what he needs for a turnaround.

                   

Minnesota Twins 1B/DH CJ Cron (31%)

Minnesota Twins first baseman/designated hitter CJ Cron is in the same boat as Gordon; he may be slumping, but the 29-year-old is better than he's showed recently and could break out thanks to some plus matchups.

Cron has three games each with the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers on the horizon, and those two AL Central rivals are 22nd and 28th in team ERA, respectively. A power surge isn't out of the question.

               

Los Angeles Angels 1B/DH Albert Pujols (10%)

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols' .734 OPS may not be appealing, but he's worth considering thanks to four games at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, which is the second-friendliest hitter's ballpark in the league, per ESPN's MLB Park Factors.

Perhaps Pujols cranks a long fly ball in the Arlington heat that sneaks over the wall as opposed to landing in a glove elsewhere.

                     

San Francisco Giants OF Kevin Pillar (22%)

If you want to ride a hot streak, consider San Francisco Giants outfielder Kevin Pillar, who is hitting .516 with four home runs and 11 RBI in his past seven games.

Pillar faces a significant obstacle in his home stadium of Oracle Park, which MLB Park Factors routinely lists as one of the most pitcher-friendly stadiums on a yearly basis.

Now he will travel to the more hitter-friendly Wrigley Field for three against the Chicago Cubs. A two-game set against the Oakland Athletics is more of a challenge because of cavernous RingCentral Coliseum, but Pillar has the speed for extra bases if he hits a liner into the deep outfield gaps. He can also swipe bases, with 10 on the season.

                 

Percentages represent the amount of Yahoo Sports fantasy baseball leagues in which a player is rostered. Only players available in more than half of leagues were considered. Figures are as of Saturday, August 18.

Two of the most reliable hitters in fantasy baseball have been sidelined recently, causing some owners to scour the waiver wire for replacements. 

Less than a week after Nelson Cruz was sent to the injured list, Jeff McNeil was removed from the New York Mets' active roster to heal a mild left hamstring strain. 

Losing Cruz's power and/or McNeil's ability to get on base is tough at this point of the fantasy season with only a few weeks before playoffs kick off. 

The good news in this situation is outfield has a wider pool of players to choose from, which could lead to you taking advantage of a sleeper, or finding a player on the waiver wire you did not expect to be there because of the depth at the position. 

                             

Top Fantasy Baseball Injury Replacements

Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

Teoscar Hernandez's performance has gotten lost in the shuffle with Toronto calling up prospects with MLB pedigree. 

Since the start of August, the 26-year-old has a trio of multi-hit games and reached base on 16 occasions in the month going into Thursday. 

Hernandez is widely available in ESPN and Yahoo leagues, as 16 percent of players in both competitions have him on their roster, per Fantasy Pros. 

With the prognosis on McNeil's hamstring positive, the Dominican could be a short-term player in the outfield spots while the Mets outfielder rests up.

McNeil, who is hitting .332 with a .929 OPS, confirmed to reporters the MRI on his hamstring revealed there was no major damage and he is hopeful to be back on the diamond soon, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. 

"It's kind of what we thought it would be—we didn't think it was that bad or anything," he said. "The MRI kind of confirmed that and hopefully we'll be back out there soon."

The Blue Jays have six games with the Seattle Mariners scheduled over the next nine days with a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers sandwiched in between. 

Since Toronto is not facing stiff competition in six of the next nine games, Hernandez fits as a logical replacement for McNeil.

If McNeil is out longer than expected, you might be forced to turn away from Hernandez, as Toronto faces Atlanta and Houston at the turn of the month. 

                      

Ian Happ, 2B/3B/OF, Chicago Cubs 

If you are looking for a power boost while Cruz works his way back from a ruptured tendon in his left wrist, Ian Happ is worth a look. 

Before Cruz went on the injured list, he produced five home runs and 14 RBI in August, while Happ has four home runs since August 5 and put together a quartet of multi-hit games since hitting his first dinger of the 2019 campaign. 

The 25-year-old carries some lineup flexibility since he is eligible at second base, third base and outfield in Yahoo leagues, where he is owned by 27 percent of teams. 

Happ is only available at third and outfield in ESPN leagues, which may play a part in him being on 13 percent of rosters there. 

Just like Hernandez, the Pittsburgh native carries more short-term value while the more important parts of your roster get healthy for the stretch run. 

With Ben Zobrist on a rehab assignment in Triple-A, Happ's playing time could be cut in the next week or two, but if you are using him as a Cruz replacement, you should not need him for more than 10 days. 

According to MLB.com's Russell Dorsey, Cruz's wrist does not need to be operated on and he was already back with the Twins on Tuesday. 

Since Cruz was placed on the 10-day injured list last Friday, he is not eligible to return until Monday, and if you want to give him a day or two to get back into a rhythm, you are looking at the middle of next week for him to make a significant impact again in the best-case scenario.

                              

Dinelson Lamet, SP, San Diego Padres

Dinelson Lamet is a player to keep an eye on to replace any injured starters for the rest of the season. 

In his last two starts against Seattle and Colorado, the 27-year-old struck out 19 batters while giving up two earned runs on five hits in 12 innings. 

Lamet's August lines are upgrades from the numbers he produced in July, with his highest single-game strikeout total being seven on two occasions. 

The right-handed pitcher, who next starts Saturday versus Philadelphia, could be an option for owners dealing with the injury concerns surrounding Gerrit Cole. 

Right hamstring discomfort forced the Houston pitcher out of his most recent start Tuesday, and according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, he will miss his next turn in the rotation. 

Since you will not be able to benefit from Cole this week, and possibly next, Lamet could be called on to fill the void since he has a 31/12 ownership split on Yahoo and ESPN. 

The Dominican could also be viewed as a replacement for David Price, who has been sidelined by a cyst in his left wrist.

Price has played catch since hitting the 10-day injured list, but no update has been given on a concrete return date. 

After Saturday, Lamet is likely to start at home versus Boston and at San Francisco, two favorable matchups based off his opponents' places in the standings.

                                        

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.

Injury information from MLB.com.

A home spell at Coors Field is a welcome sight for any Colorado Rockies hitter, and it could end up benefiting your fantasy team if certain players are available on the waiver wire. 

In particular, infielder Ryan McMahon has a large disparity in his home and away numbers, which make him an inconsistent option overall, but he is one to take advantage of when the Rockies are at home. 

In addition to McMahon, another hitter out of the National League West is worth looking at due to the recent hot streak he has put together at the dish. 

On the mound, the sleeper options may be a bit thin, but there are some intriguing prospects, including one who is thriving on a surging squad. 

                         

Sleepers to Watch

Ryan McMahon, 1B/2B/3B, Colorado 

The Rockies have 10 home games left in August, which is significant for fantasy players considering the addition of McMahon. 

Entering Tuesday, the 24-year-old had a .301 batting average, nine homers and 33 RBI at Coors Field.

If you go across his season numbers, all of McMahon's totals are significantly better at home than on his travels. 

Since July 19, the Rockies have played just eight games at home, and in those contests at Coors Field, he totaled seven hits, including three against San Francisco to open August. 

The next few weeks look even better for McMahon upon glancing at Colorado's opponents, with last-place teams Miami and Pittsburgh, and struggling Boston, coming to town.

One of McMahon's two road matchups could play in his favor, as he boasts a .931 OPS with four doubles and seven RBI at Chase Field, where the Rockies visit Arizona from August 19-21. 

The infielder eligible at first, second and third base is owned in 35 percent of Yahoo leagues and 14 percent of ESPN competitions, per Fantasy Pros, so he should be available to a good amount of players. 

                          

Francisco Mejia, C, San Diego 

Francisco Mejia's ability to get on base at a high volume in August should have already intrigued you. 

The San Diego catcher racked up 13 hits over a five-game span from August 4-11 to catch attention on fantasy radars.

However, not all owners have caught on yet since he is on rosters in 39 percent of Yahoo leagues and six percent across ESPN. 

The low ownership percentages mean Mejia should be there for a pickup if you need help at catcher. 

The one concern you could have about the 23-year-old's production is the two RBI he put up during his recent on-fire stretch.

But the lack of runs driven in were covered up by the six times he crossed the plate himself, which adds up to scoring almost half of the times he reached base. 

If Mejia is capable of putting up similar numbers, he could be beneficial if your current backstop is slumping. 

                        

Mike Montgomery, SP, Kansas City

Before his Saturday start, Mike Montgomery put up decent numbers since returning to the Kansas City Royals in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. 

Then, he twirled a 12-strikeout gem over seven innings against Detroit to prove himself as a potential roster add for the coming weeks. 

Montgomery has 19 punchouts over his last two starts, and he conceded seven earned runs in his four most-recent appearances. 

Those numbers suggest the 30-year-old could be a value fantasy add, despite playing for a team that is 29 games back in its division. 

Montgomery is owned in a minuscule amount of leagues, so you could take a risk on him to see if he continues pitching well. 

His next two starts should come at home versus the New York Mets and in Cleveland before Kansas City plays 10 games at Kauffman Stadium from August 26-September 5.

It might be worrisome to pick up Montgomery with the Mets and Indians upcoming on the schedule, but if he is able to limit the threats posed by the pair of contenders, he could end up as one of the steals of the month. 

                                                  

Seth Lugo, RP, New York Mets 

Seth Lugo has conceded one earned run since the start of July. In addition to that, the Mets reliever earned a win, save and hold in his first three appearances of August. 

During his dominant run, the 29-year-old has given up four hits, two of which occurred at the start of July. Even if he does not record a win or save, his near-perfect recent record should be intriguing to some owners in need of some bullpen assistance. 

The Louisiana native is owned in just under 40 percent of Yahoo leagues, while 15 percent of ESPN players have added him to their rosters. 

Since Lugo has performed so well lately and the Mets are in need of relievers to finish off victories, he should get plenty of opportunities to extend his in-form run on the mound as the season goes on. 

                          

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference. 

Aristides Aquino has taken the baseball world by storm over the past week, and if you are lucky enough, you can benefit from his presence on your fantasy team.

The Cincinnati Reds outfielder should be viewed as the top player to add from the waiver wire because of his incredible home run streak.

Aquino is one of a few players to have caught the eye with their power at the dish, but the Reds outfielder has more availability than others in both Yahoo and ESPN leagues.

If the 25-year-old native of the Dominican Republic is not eligible for a pickup in your league, there are other options to consider to help improve your squad over the next week and beyond.

                            

Notable Waiver-Wire Pickups

Aristides Aquino, OF, Cincinnati 

Entering Saturday, Aquino had four home runs in eight games, including one in three consecutive games for the Reds.

In Saturday's victory over the Chicago Cubs, Aquino mashed three dingers over the fence at Great American Ball Park.

🔴 Ties MLB record for most home runs (7) in first 10 career games

🔴 First rookie to hit a homer in three consecutive innings

🔴 2nd player in MLB history with a 3-HR game within his first 10 career games

An unforgettable night for @Aristide_Aquino! #BornToBaseball pic.twitter.com/dXD42DptA5

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 11, 2019

As of Saturday night, the outfielder was owned in 44 percent of Yahoo leagues and a meager 10 percent in ESPN competitions, per Fantasy Pros.

Fantasy owners have taken notice of Aquino's power surge, as more than 13,000 teams added him to rosters on Saturday on Yahoo.

Obviously, Aquino is not going to hit three home runs every time he enters a MLB stadium, but you have to at least ride the wave by bringing him on for the next week.

Six of his seven home runs have come in Cincinnati's ball park, and Aquino could benefit from more home cooking against the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres during a seven-game home stand that begins Thursday.

Three road games against the Washington Nationals and a tough matchup versus Jon Lester in Sunday's finale between the Reds and Chicago Cubs could turn away some owners, but he is worth the pickup because of his incredible week.

Even if he does not knock a ball out of the park, Aquino provides value since he is in possession of a seven-game hitting streak.

                         

Gio Urshela, 3B and Mike Tauchman, OF, New York Yankees

There is still room in some leagues to add the New York Yankees pair of Gio Urshela and Mike Tauchman before it is too late.

Urshela, who has eligibility at third base and shortstop, is owned by 61 percent of Yahoo players and 32 percent on ESPN, while outfielder Tauchman holds a 57/30 split on the two sites.

Urshela triggered a rash of fantasy players to slam the add button with five home runs over three games, including back-to-back two-dinger performances versus the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays.

During his 10-game hitting streak, the 27-year-old infielder picked up two or more hits on seven occurrences.

Tauchman has reached base at a similar rate in August, with a quintet of multi-hit games before Saturday, including a double homer game of his own August 5 in Baltimore.

In the 5-4 loss to Toronto on Saturday, Urshela and Tauchman had a hit each, with the third baseman driving in two runs and the right fielder also reaching base on a trio of walks.

Since both players have displayed an extended period of success, they are more than worthy adds if they are still available on the waiver wire.

                                 

Brendan McKay, LHP, Tampa Bay 

Brendan McKay is one of a few pitchers who could help your team next week through two mound appearances.

The southpaw, who is owned by 37 percent of teams on Yahoo and one-fifth on ESPN, most recently started Wednesday, so he should be in line for either Tuesday's series opener with San Diego or Wednesday's matchup at Petco Park.

If he starts on normal rest Tuesday, McKay could return to the hill Sunday for the final of three contests with the Detroit Tigers at home.

In three of his past four starts, the left-handed hurler has struck out at least seven batters, but there could be some concern over the 12 earned runs conceded in three previous starts.

After giving up six earned runs to the Chicago White Sox, McKay conceded three each to Boston and Toronto.

Although those are not the most promising numbers, he could face a pair of teams under .500 in the next week.

In the first of his two road appearances, McKay silenced Baltimore's bats over 5.1 innings, which is a sign of what he could produce in San Diego.

If McKay gets a shot at another struggling team in Detroit, he could be even more beneficial to fantasy rosters since the Tigers have only scored five or more runs three times since August 1.

The same could be said about the Seattle Mariners, whom McKay would take on if he does not start versus Detroit, as they failed to notch five runs in their first six matchups in August.

                                  

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference. 

With the fantasy baseball playoffs bearing down on some and lurking just over the horizon for the rest, the importance of deft injury management has never been higher.

Ideally, you've bankrolled enough random acts of kindness over the past 12 months to build up the karma necessary to catch a break from the injury bug. But if you're among the unfortunate many to be dealt a debilitating injury blow, don't panic. The sky isn't necessarily falling on your season.

It will if you don't respond correctly, but that's why we're here. We've selected the top waiver-wire replacements for the biggest fantasy stars struck down by injuries of late.

                       

Waiver-Wire Targets

Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

Losing Edwin Encarnacion to a fractured wrist surely felt like a gut punch to New York Yankees fans and his fantasy owners alike. What separates the latter from the former, though, is their option to view this as an opportunity to add value.

Since Encarnacion may have been slotted into your utility spot, players from any position might work as his replacement. If that's the case, pounce on  electric Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette if one of your leaguemates hasn't done so already. He's owned in 60 percent of Yahoo leagues and 47 percent of ESPN's, so it depends on your league size and activity.

Bichette, son of four-time MLB All-Star Dante Bichette, entered this season and last as a top-10 prospect in the eyes of Baseball America. That feels like it undersells his talent based on the roaring start to his big league career.

He's played 11 games and has at least one hit in all of them. Eight have been multi-hit efforts, and four of which have featured a home run. The last nine have all included a double, an MLB record. He has 20 hits, and 13 have been of the extra-base variety.

"Growing up, my dad always told me to swing hard, to run hard, to throw hard," Bichette told reporters. "Every time you take BP, hit the ball as far as you can. Whenever we throw, throw as hard as you can. It just goes on and on. For me, it's just kind of second nature."

The 21-year-old's aggressive approach is paying off, both for the Blue Jays and his fortunate fantasy owners.

                     

Aristides Aquino, OF, Cincinnati Reds

Seeing David Dahl's recent ankle injury elicited a range of reactions. The first was probably "not again" since the first-time All-Star was finally showing what he could do with a clean bill of health. The second was likely along the lines of "Well, it could have been worse" given an MRI revealed only a high-ankle sprain and not a more severe ailment.

At the time, there's zero chance the third was, "Hey, I should go grab Aristides Aquino to cover for Dahl." But a week removed from Dahl's injury, that's looking like the best possible response.

Aquino was only called up on August 1, and he's already causing a fantasy splash—well, more like a fantasy cannonball. The 6'4", 220-pounder has three homers in his past five games, the most recent of which was a 118.3 miles-per-hour rocket, a harder home run than any player not named Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez or Pete Alonso has hit since the Statcast was introduced, per MLB.com's David Adler.

While you might be understandably wary of tying your late-season hopes to a prospect only seven games into his big league season, Aquino's breakout could have staying power.

He opened his batting stance before the campaign and changed his statistical output almost immediately. After hitting just .240 with 20 homers in 114 games at AA last season, he was raking with a .299 average and 28 long balls in 78 games at AAA before his promotion.

"At the beginning, I started opening up and then I began to start seeing the results," Aquino told reporters. "I just kept going and going."

Aquino looks like a power hitter, and now he's playing like one, too. If you're willing to think outside the box with Dahl's replacement, this is the most exciting option you'll find, and he's readily available in more than 80 percent of Yahoo leagues and more than 95 percent of ESPN leagues.

                   

Scott Oberg, RP, Colorado Rockies

If you bought a season ticket for the Craig Kimbrel experience, you're probably trying to get someone to process your refund. He didn't debut for the Chicago Cubs until late June, gave up three earned runs his second time out and owns a bloated 5.68 ERA through 14 appearances.

Now he's sidelined by knee inflammation, freeing his fantasy owners to try something different.

We can't recommend turning to Scott Oberg enough, especially now that the Colorado Rockies have finally veered away from Wade Davis and his ghastly 6.61 ERA. Oberg, meanwhile, sports a tidy 1.53 ERA to go along with a quality 1.03 WHIP and a career-best 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

Oberg is still available in 46 percent of Yahoo leagues and more than 80 percent of ESPN leagues. Those numbers will shrink sooner rather than later.

There is still plenty of time to find hidden gems to help your fantasy baseball teams over the next two months. 

Some of the top sleepers available play for teams that do not exactly spring to mind when searching for fantasy additions. 

Solid pitching and hitting options are reasonably easy to acquire in most leagues from franchises at, or near, the bottom of the standings.  

There are also a few intriguing players putting together good runs at the plate for contenders, and thanks to their expanded roles, they could end up providing fantasy owners with more success than they might already be having. 

                               

Jordan Yamamoto, SP, Miami 

Miami's Jordan Yamamoto opened August with an eight-strikeout performance in a 5-4 win over Minnesota Thursday. 

The 23-year-old conceded four earned runs off seven hits in the victory, but he did not allow a batter to reach a walk over six innings. 

The outing against the Twins was a step in the right direction for Yamamoto, who suffered his first two losses in the previous starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks. 

Before suffering back-to-back losses, he won four of his first six appearances and gave up zero earned runs in three of them. 

Yamamoto is owned in 37 percent of Yahoo leagues and 35 percent in ESPN competitions, per Fantasy Pros. 

Because he gave up 15 earned runs over his last three starts, there could be some concern in acquiring the Hawaiian, but he has been consistent with striking out batters and allowed more than five hits on one occasion. 

Yamamoto faces a tough test against the surging New York Mets Thursday afternoon at Citi Field.

While pitching on the road could be a concern for some hurlers, two of his scoreless outings came in St. Louis and Atlanta. That is important to note since the Marlins have a pair of six-game road trips in August and September in which Yamamoto will likely pitch. 

                               

Niko Goodrum, IF/OF, Detroit 

Rarely do you find an effective hitter with positional flexibility like Detroit's Niko Goodrum.

The 27-year-old, who has 10 home runs, 40 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 99 games, is eligible at all infield spots and the outfield in Yahoo leagues. 

Goodrum has primarily started in the middle infield over the last week, but he has lined up at first base and all three outfield positions since the start of July. 

The former Minnesota Twin moved on to our radar with a three-hit night Friday against Texas and with a pair of base knocks two days later versus the Rangers. 

In the first contest of Tuesday's doubleheader with the Chicago White Sox, Goodrum went 1-for-3 at the dish with a double to give him seven hits in five games. 

The uptick in production to kick off August is an extension of the solid form he was in for a good amount of July. 

In addition to recording an eight-game hitting streak at the back end of July, Goodrum tallied six multi-hit games. 

The versatile Tiger is on the roster of 29 percent of Yahoo teams and less than half of that on ESPN. 

Given his availability on the waiver wire and consistency at the plate, Goodrum is worth a look to provide a boost to any position on your squad. 

                            

Ender Inciarte, OF, Atlanta

Ender Inciarte is one of two Atlanta outfielders, along with Adam Duvall, stepping up to fill the void of the injured Nick Markakis. 

The left-handed center fielder is not going to bring much power to your lineup, but he has displayed an ability to reach base more than once lately. 

Since July 27, Inciarte has a quartet of multi-hit performances and has scored on six occasions. 

Getting on base is one thing, but being able to race around them to cross the plate provides an extra element to lineups that could make the difference in matchups on certain nights. 

As long as Inciarte is able to consistently put in quality at-bats for the Braves, he can be viewed as a solid outfield pickup.

In ESPN leagues, the 28-year-old has been swooped up by 51 percent of players, but his availability increases on Yahoo, with only 31 percent of owners are utilizing his services. 

Most of Inciarte's recent success has come on the road, which means the six contests left at Minnesota and Miami should not hamper his approach at the plate before the Braves return home for a nine-game stretch. 

                            

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference

The latest batch of setbacks suffered across Major League Baseball put some significant fantasy baseball pieces on the injured list. 

Two contenders in the National League are dealing with blows to their starting rotations, while the top teams in the American League had to reshuffle their respective depth charts at a few positions. 

Houston was able to use trades to help with its injury issues, and those players acquired could be viewed as direct fantasy replacements for injured stars. 

Milwaukee is dealing with some of the worst injury luck of the season, and it has to call upon lesser-known pitchers to fill the void at the top of its rotation. 

Not all of the best-possible pickups are the next men up for their teams, as a few players across the league could help replace the production of injured sluggers in fantasy lineups. 

                            

Best Replacements for Injured Players

Joe Biagini, RP, Houston 

With Ryan Pressly on the injured list with right knee soreness, recently acquired Houston reliever Joe Biagini has a chance to increase his fantasy value. 

Biagini is owned in 3 percent of Yahoo leagues and 1 percent in ESPN competitions, per Fantasy Pros, so you should have no problem picking up the former Toronto reliever. 

In his last nine appearances for the Blue Jays, Biagini conceded three earned runs over 10 innings of work. 

In all but one of the outings during that span, the 29-year-old recorded at least one strikeout, which is a positive for Houston's bullpen effectiveness in front of Roberto Osuna. 

Since he is not going to be the closer in Houston, Biagini will not make a massive impact on fantasy rosters, but he has been consistent enough over the last few weeks to warrant a roster position while Pressly is on the injured list. 

Biagini's value may fluctuate when Pressly gets back because the Astros would be in possession of those two, Osuna and Chris Devenski at the back end of the bullpen, and the opportunity to throw a full inning on a consistent basis could go away with the Astros matching up their arms against opposing bats. 

But for now, Biagini is worth a look because of the value he carries with his new employer and the lack of interest he has received on the fantasy market. 

                     

Chase Anderson, SP, Milwaukee

Milwaukee is dealing with all sorts of injury issues in its rotation at the moment. 

Brandon Woodruff is out at least six weeks with a left oblique strain, Jhoulys Chacin is sidelined by a right lat strain and Gio Gonzalez is experiencing left shoulder tightness. 

That leaves Chase Anderson as one of the few reliable options in the starting five during a contentious NL Central race with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. 

In his six July starts, Anderson allowed two earned runs on five occasions and held the Atlanta Braves scoreless over 5.2 innings July 17. 

If you are looking to replace any of the Brewers starters, or even Washington's Max Scherzer, who is dealing with a mild upper back strain, Anderson is worth a look because of his consistent low numbers. 

Anderson is owned in 26 percent of Yahoo leagues and less-than-half of that number on ESPN, which gives you plenty of time to pick him up. 

In addition to being readily available on the waiver wire, Anderson displayed even more promise by giving up one earned run on two hits in six innings versus Oakland Thursday. 

With his next start expected to come against Pittsburgh, Anderson is worth a look for the next few weeks while other players at his position get back to full strength.

                          

Miguel Sano, 1B/3B, Minnesota

Miguel Sano's fantasy value increased during the final eight days of July, as he produced a quartet of multi-hit games for the Minnesota Twins. 

The first baseman is not as available as the pitchers mentioned above, but he should still be on the waiver wire in a good amount of leagues, as he is owned by 47 percent of teams on Yahoo and 30 percent on ESPN. 

Sano's production at the dish should help owners of Luke Voit cover up the power void left by the New York Yankees first baseman, who is suffering from a sports hernia. 

The 26-year-old Minnesota slugger hit six home runs in July and drove in 16 runs, with his two-homer, five-RBI performance against the Yankees on July 23 the standout showing. 

Although he has played most of his games at third base, Sano is splitting time at first for the Twins with C.J. Cron on the injured list. 

Look for Sano to have some success in Minnesota's weekend series with Kansas City, which begins a 10-game homestand for the AL Central leader. 

Sano has three home runs and three RBIs in six games this season against the Royals, who are 27 games back of the Twins in the division.

                     

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference

Injury information from MLB.com

The 2019 trade deadline has finally passed, with a flurry of deals right at the 4 p.m. ET cutoff changing both the championship picture in Major League Baseball and fantasy leagues. 

Here is a look at what to expect from some of the major names who were sent to new teams Wednesday.

   

SP Zack Greinke

The Astros made the most surprising splash before the deadline, becoming instant World Series favorites by landing Greinke, who will join a rotation that already includes Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley.

There's not much about Greinke's fantasy value that changes now, except he'll be in line for a few more wins. He remains one of the best pitchers in baseball, posting a 10-4 record with a 2.87 ERA and 0.94 WHIP while pitching for a Diamondbacks team barely keeping its head at the .500 mark.

Greinke will remain a high-end starter you're putting out there in weekly and daily leagues every time he steps on the mound. 

   

OF Yasiel Puig

Puig was traded for the second time in less than a year Tuesday night when the Reds sent him to Cleveland as part of a three-team deal that landed Trevor Bauer in Cincinnati. 

The Indians are getting Puig at a time when he's playing some of the best baseball of his career. Over the last two months, Puig has hit .290/.340/.568 with 12 home runs, 29 runs batted in and seven steals. He's gone from borderline droppable in shallow formats to putting himself in range of a 35-25 season—a highly valuable commodity who has won some categories in some weeks.

It's unclear how much will change in Cleveland. The Indians are a better team but not an especially explosive offense. They have scored only 12 more total runs than the Reds this season.

Puig's power numbers may take a drop, going from the friendly confines of Great American Ballpark to Progressive Field. Great American Ballpark is ranked 10th by ESPN in ballpark factor while Progressive Field ranks 19th, though their power numbers are similar.

Puig's biggest detriment may wind up being what will assuredly be a suspension for his role in a brawl with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. Always a high-variance player, Puig will be forced to sit out when his bat is red hot.

You have to continue deploying him regularly until he proves otherwise, but this trade (and suspension) may be the thing that finally cools him down.

   

P Trevor Bauer

Bauer has been an innings eater and one of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball this season but could see some of his numbers rise in Cincinnati. He's already given up 22 home runs, and his 1.21 WHIP and 3.79 ERA are far from dominant.

Going into a bandbox like Great American Ballpark won't do much to help Bauer avoid giving up the long ball. It's possible, perhaps even likely, that he'll see his ERA creep north of the 4.0 mark and become less valuable down the stretch.

The strikeout numbers and his ability to go deep into games makes him valuable; his situation is just one to monitor going forward. He may become a matchup play as the fantasy playoffs begin.

   

OF Nicholas Castellanos

The Cubs bolstered their versatility by acquiring Castellanos, who can play either corner outfield spot or move into the infield at third base.

From a fantasy perspective, Castellanos has had a down season. He's hitting .273/.328/.462 with 11 home runs and 37 runs batted in, striking out 96 times. With only outfield eligibility, Castellanos is a fourth outfielder in fantasy or third in deeper leagues. 

Moving to Chicago should provide a major boost, especially in the RBI category. Castellanos has an MLB-high 37 doubles, many of which came with no one on base in a weak Tigers lineup. That should not be the case with the Cubs, where he'll join a lineup that includes Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, et al. 

Castellanos could be a sneaky buy-low candidate in some leagues for the stretch run.

   

RP Shane Greene

The Braves continued adding pieces to their bullpen at the deadline, highlighted by acquiring Greene from the Tigers. Greene made his first All-Star appearance in 2019, recording 22 saves in 25 opportunities while giving up only five runs and striking out 43 batters in 38 innings pitched.

The righty's value moving forward will be dependent on how the Braves use him. If they choose to replace a struggling Luke Jackson in the ninth, then Greene should get the first chance and becomes a must-add given his performance level this season. 

That said, it'd be smart to remain wary of Greene as an elite fantasy option. He has no track record of this success level, and the Braves also acquired Mark Melancon at the deadline. If Greene even shows the slightest sign of struggling, Melancon is a three-time All-Star who could find himself in the ninth inning role.

That is if Greene even gets the shot in the first place. 

   

2B Scooter Gennett 

The 2019 season has been anything but a dream for Gennett, who has been limited to 20 games due to injury a year after making the All-Star team. He's been limited to 20 games due to injury, been largely ineffective when on the field and completely irrelevant from a fantasy perspective.

The Giants will have to hope a change of scenery does the trick after acquiring him for a player to be named. 

Gennett remains someone not worth rostering outside of NL-only leagues until he proves he can pick up his production. The 2017 and 2018 versions of Gennett were fantasy stars at the weak second base position, but this is a hard mean-regression campaign. He'll also be leaving a homer-friendly ballpark in Cincinnati for a pitcher-friendly field in San Francisco.

Gennett remains a stay-away for now.

    

OF Corey Dickerson

By contrast, Dickerson has remained effective when in the lineup despite an injury-riddled campaign. He's hitting .317/.376/.556 with four home runs and 25 runs batted in while playing in 43 games.

The Phillies are adding him to an outfield that has been undone by injuries, particularly to former Pirate Andrew McCutchen.

Dickerson will be someone to monitor in all formats as he makes the trip across Pennsylvania. He's a must-add in NL-only formats where he's available and deeper leagues, as he'll have more opportunities to drive in runs in the Phillies lineup. 

Just like MLB contenders, fantasy managers will spend the final days of July in search of upgrades. While many leagues extend their trade deadlines into August, a storm of major injuries requires immediate attention.

This week has seen three stars land on the injured list for the second time this season. Each of them brought elite ability to the table, so the waiver wire won't provide any perfect fill-in options. Yet spurned gamers can at least ride some hot hands and target players who will lessen the loss in one or two particular categories.

As the stretch run nears, let's highlight these debilitating injures and examine free-agent adds rostered in under 35 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, per FantasyPros' consensus rates. 

               

Injury Report

Gary Sanchez, C, New York Yankees

On the verge of a triumphant comeback, Gary Sanchez leads all catchers in home runs (24) and RBI (58) even though he cratered hard (.358 OPS) during a woeful July. If the slump didn't do it already, a left groin strain forced him to forfeit his spot as fantasy's premier backstop.

According to NJ.com's Randy Miller, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone would not estimate the 26-year-old's expected return from the injured list, but he did say his catcher avoided a more severe injury with a Grade 1 diagnosis.

"So in the scale of strains, I guess it's minor," he said. "Somewhat good news. Still, [he's] going to need some time."

This may not offer much solace to those losing Sanchez, but the waiver wire isn't too bleak behind the plate.

Those primarily focused on replacing his power should turn to Roberto Perez. Rostered in just 19 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, the 30-year-old is slugging .473 with a career-high 16 home runs for the Cleveland Indians.

Perez has cooled down from a sizzling June, but Statcast still credits him with personal bests in hard hits, launch angle and barrels. As of Thursday, his .337 weighted on-base percentage (wOBA) mirrors his expected wOBA, so he can continue to provide some cheap pop.

Looking for a hotter hand? Travis d'Arnaud is batting .265/.333/.529 with 11 home runs in 46 games since joining the Tampa Bay Rays.

Fueled by July 15's three-homer outburst against the New York Yankees, the former front-line prospect has posted a 1.152 OPS in 10 second-half games.

While his 29 percent rostered rate keeps climbing, there's still time in a majority of formats to see whether d'Arnaud can sustain his post-hype breakout.

       

Blake Snell, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Blake Snell is heading back to the injured list. Per The Athletic's Josh Tolentino, last year's AL Cy Young Award winner will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow.

The Tampa Bay Rays will hope the 26-year-old will return at some point this season, but this procedure cost Nathan Eovaldi around three months. Snell is set to miss at least four weeks, which is a crushing blow this late into the campaign.

Despite his 4.28 ERA, the lefty delivered 136 strikeouts in 101 innings. Managers will have to roll the dice on high-risk, high-reward hurlers in hope of recuperating some of his lost production.

For better and worse, Reynaldo Lopez fits that bill. The 25-year-old righty carries an unsightly 5.52 ERA and 1.45 WHIP this season, but he has flaunted immense upside by tallying 25 strikeouts with just four runs relinquished over his last three starts.

Watch this 3-pitch K sequence from Reynaldo Lopez:

83 mph changeup away
96 mph down
97 dotted perfectly up-and-in

Straight FILTH. pic.twitter.com/Vb7QWYVKkQ

— Nick Pollack (@PitcherList) July 25, 2019

During this brief surge, Lopez has recorded the sixth-highest swinging-strike rate (16.8 percent) among all qualified starters. He has also attacked the plate, throwing first-pitch strikes to 67.1 percent of batters faced. Despite the recent hot streak, his rostered rate is just 21 percent leading up to a scheduled two-start week.

Lopez's most recent opponent, Zac Gallen, defeated the Chicago White Sox by collecting nine strikeouts in seven scoreless innings. The heavily hyped rookie is oddly also available in 79 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues while touting a 2.76 ERA and 10.7 strikeouts per nine (K/9) through six starts.

His debut garnered significant buzz after he cemented a 1.77 ERA and 0.71 WHIP in Triple-A. Although he struggled with command at the onset, the 23-year-old has done little to squash visions of a useful mixed-league contributor.

             

Joey Gallo, 1B/OF, Texas Rangers

Joey Gallo had struggled mightily in his return from an oblique injury. In 14 July games, the Texas Rangers slugger batted 7-for-52 with 31 strikeouts.

The 25-year-old won't get a chance to turn the corner anytime soon. Per The Athletic's Levi Weaver, he will undergo surgery on a broken hamate bone in his right wrist. The report noted the procedure typically requires three to six weeks of recovery time.

As Weaver also wrote, Matt Olson's triumphant return offers inspiration for Gallo's long-term prognosis. However, the Oakland Athletics first baseman sat out six weeks and struck out two times in each of his first four games back.

Gallo is another player with an irreplaceable skill set, but there's an off-brand facsimile who can offer plenty of power from the waiver wire.

Miguel Sano, who holds a 29 percent rostered rate, draws the closest parallel as an extreme three-true-outcomes slugger.

Although the 26-year-old's .236 batting average may not rise much higher because of an enormous 37.4 percent strikeout rate, he has already pounded 17 homers with an .900 OPS in 219 plate appearances.

Having gone yard four times in his past six games, Sano could make a huge impact if heating up in the middle of a formidable Minnesota Twins lineup.