Fantasy Baseball

Major League Baseball's final stretch of games before the All-Star break gives teams, players and fantasy owners a reprieve to assess where they are at heading into the season's stretch run.

This has been a big year for offense across the sport, with hitters on pace to shatter the single-season home run record, which was set in 2017 (6,105). The rate at which balls are leaving the park is good news for fantasy owners in need of pop in their lineups, though it also makes it harder to find quality pitching.

With starting pitchers still one of the greatest commodities in fantasy baseball, the waiver wire will be a huge asset as you search for help for the week to come.

Here are the best players available for you to add, either as a stopgap or as a potential long-term solution to flesh out your roster.

         

Scooter Gennett, 2B, Cincinnati Reds

Admittedly, it's cheating a little bit to recommend Scooter Gennett because he's a known quantity and was an All-Star last year.

Despite being on the fantasy radar coming into the season, owners have started to give up on Gennett. The Cincinnati Reds slugger is available in 38 percent of Yahoo leagues and 53 percent of ESPN leagues.

Some of the hesitation around Gennett stems from the fact that Friday was his first game of the season because of a severe groin strain suffered during spring training.

As a result of missing 78 games, expecting Gennett to immediately return to his .310/.357/.490 slash stats from 2018 would be unfair. He does have a favorable schedule to get off to a hot start, with one more game against the Chicago Cubs before series with the Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Indians to end the first half.

The Brewers rank 23rd in MLB in starters ERA (5.06). The Cubs and Indians rank among the top 10 teams in starters ERA, though both clubs lack quality depth in their rotations. Cleveland is playing without Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, and Mike Clevinger lasted 1.2 innings on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles in his return from the injured list.

Put Gennett on your roster now, even as a stash player, because he is a high-ceiling hitter who can play at an All-Star level when the second half begins.

                    

Carlos Martinez, RP, St. Louis Cardinals

An injury to Jordan Hicks has increased Carlos Martinez's fantasy value exponentially for the remainder of the season.

Hicks' 2019 campaign came to an end Wednesday, when the flamethrower had Tommy John surgery after an MRI revealed a torn UCL in his right elbow. The 22-year-old was having a solid season, with a 3.14 ERA, 31 strikeouts and 14 saves in 29 appearances.

With Hicks out for the rest of this season and, likely, most of 2020, Martinez instantly becomes the most valuable relief pitcher on the Cardinals roster. The 27-year-old has been put back in the closer's role for manager Mike Shildt.

After missing more than a month to start the year with a shoulder strain, Martinez has looked effective pitching out of the bullpen. He has a 3.00 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 15 innings over 13 appearances.

Another encouraging sign for Martinez is four of his five appearances from June 9-21 were more than one inning. His history as a starter gives Shildt the luxury of using him for multi-inning save opportunities.

Given the value of saves, it's a surprise fantasy owners haven't swarmed to Martinez in the days since he was named St. Louis' closer. The right-hander can be found in 40 percent of Yahoo leagues and 60 percent of ESPN leagues for the time being, but expect that to change quickly as more people catch on.

                   

Brendan McKay, SP/1B, Tampa Bay Rays

In the prospect world, Brendan McKay is the latest highly touted rookie to make his MLB debut in 2019. The 23-year-old had an outstanding amateur career, winning the 2017 Golden Spikes Award at Louisville as the nation's best amateur player en route to being the No. 4 overall pick that same year.

McKay is unique because of his ability as a two-way player, similar to Shohei Ohtani. He doesn't appear to be as gifted at hitting as the Los Angeles Angels star is, but his pitching prowess has put him high on prospect lists.

MLB.com ranked McKay as the No. 23 overall prospect prior to his call-up on Saturday, offering this scouting report:

"McKay operates with a 92-95 mph fastball and commands it exceptionally well against hitters on both sides of the plate. Both his curveball and cutter project to be above-average pitches, with the latter currently ahead of the former, and he's developed good feel for a changeup as a pro after using it sparingly in college. Everything he throws plays up because he has plus command and knows how to sequence his pitches. As a hitter, McKay demonstrates a patient, discerning approach, with a knack for getting on base, though his overall impact with the bat has been underwhelming as a pro."

Logic would say the Tampa Bay Rays will use McKay solely on the mound. The southpaw put up a 1.66 ERA with 88 strikeouts and just 38 hits allowed in 66.2 innings over 13 appearances in Triple-A this season.

As a hitter, McKay has a .216/.348/.356 slash line in 444 at-bats in the minors. He's still receiving consistent plate appearances, and Rays manager Kevin Cash believes that will continue following his promotion.

"I did explain to him that it's not going to be the routine that he's been on where he's been DHing three or four times in a row," Cash told reporters Friday. "I'd like to see him have at-bats and certainly don't want to shut him down from hitting over the period he's with us."

Simply because of the value a player can add playing as a hitter and pitcher, McKay will be worth taking a flier on. His future seems to be as a pitcher, and he's got the dominant stuff and command needed to succeed right out of the gate.

McKay is easily available in a vast majority of leagues. Only 5 percent of owners in ESPN leagues have picked him up, slightly higher than the 4 percent he's owned by in Yahoo leagues.

                      

Fantasy information via FantasyPros.com.

Much to the chagrin of fantasy baseball players everywhere, there's no option to turn off MLB injuries.

Just about every team—real and fantasy alike—has been besieged by ailments through the season's opening three months. Some stars are irreplaceable, but managers have little choice but to settle for the best alternative. Others, meanwhile, have results easier to replicate off the waiver wire. 

On the bright side, Jose Altuve, George Springer, Aaron Judge and Joey Gallo have all recently returned from the injured list. Mike Clevinger, Noah Syndergaard, Caleb Smith are slated to soon provide solace to those hurting on the pitching front. Unfortunately, they're simply getting replaced with a new wave of sidelined performers.

Even if they're not all rest-of-season mainstays, the players noted below can help fill the void for these injured stars as short-term stopgaps.

      

Injury Report

Giancarlo Stanton, OF, New York Yankees

Giancarlo Stanton's return didn't last long. A week after coming back from a biceps strain, with his return delayed by shoulder and calf injuries, the star slugger injured his knee while sliding into third base.

Another lengthy absence is in the cards. According to ESPN's Coley Harvey, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman identified August as "the sweet spot" for his return. 

Stanton, who crushed 59 home runs during his 2017 NL MVP campaign, will now pass the All-Star break with just one long ball. While no free agents brandish his same power ceiling, there are at least viable options to recoup some lost power.

Jorge Soler (47 percent) and Franmil Reyes (41 percent) remain rostered in under half of Yahoo leagues despite respectively swatting 21 and 22 homers. Either outfielder can stick around for the long haul.

Per Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling, Justin Smoak could return from a quad injury Friday. While he was batting just .225, the underlying numbers hinted at a forthcoming breakthrough.

The 32-year-old was also setting personal bests in strikeout (16.5 percent) and walk (18.0 percent) rate while swinging at the fewest pitches off the plate in his 10-year career.

These developments show in the Statcast data, per Baseball Savant, as he went on the shelf with a stellar .410 expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA). 

Adding an impetus to grab Smoak immediately if activated this weekend, the Toronto Blue Jays play seven games culminating in a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles next week. Those needing a quick power fix can also turn to Toronto outfielders Randal Grichuk (22 percent) and Teoscar Hernandez (one percent).

Although certainly not a conventional bopper, Alex Verdugo brought a .300/.350/.481 slash line into the Los Angeles Dodgers' four-game series at Coors Field. The Colorado Rockies are scheduled to start righties in each of the next three games, which is great news for the left-handed rookie.

     

Tyler Glasnow, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Investors have been without Tyler Glasnow since May 10, when he fractured his forearm in his eighth start of 2019. Considering his early-season dominance (1.86 ERA, 55 Ks in 48.1 IP), gamers had little choice but to wait patiently in hopes of him returning around the All-Star break.

That's no longer a possibility, though, as the Tampa Bay Rays will shut him down for three weeks following a recent setback. Per Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, the 25-year-old could optimistically be looking at a mid-August return. Managers in a roster crunch may be better served using the spot to stream starters.

Merrill Kelly remains rostered in just 40 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues after ceding two runs with nine strikeouts Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. He gets a rematch against the feeble NL West foe Friday, this time at the cavernous Oracle Park.

The 30-year-old rookie may be proving more than a convenient matchup play. He wields a 2.36 ERA and 32 strikeouts in five starts this month. While he has mustered a middling 57.8 first-pitch strike and 9.5 swinging-strike rate this season, those marks have jumped to 65.4 and 12.0 percent, respectively, in June.

Since San Francisco sports MLB's second-lowest slugging percentage behind the Miami Marlins, keep exploiting their anemic lineup with a pair of San Diego Padres pitchers next week.

Rookie Logan Allen has started his career by allowing two runs in as many starts, tallying five strikeouts in each turn. While Eric Lauer is far less exciting, he'll host the Giants at Petco Park, where he has flourished with a 2.70 ERA.

       

Jordan Hicks, RP, St. Louis Cardinals and Blake Treinen, RP, Oakland Athletics

A pair of prominent closers have already gone down this week, creating a major loss for some and an opportunity for others to snag saves on the waiver wire.

Blake Treinen won fantasy leagues last year by registering a 0.78 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 80.1 innings. This year, he has a ghastly 1.53 WHIP with as many walks (21) relinquished in 45 fewer innings. He surrendered three runs without recording an out in his last appearance before the Oakland Athletics placed him on the injured list with a right shoulder strain.

Although described as mild, there's no timetable for his return. Liam Hendriks is the clear add, as he has registered Oakland's last two saves and lowered his ERA to 1.42 with 10 consecutive scoreless outings. His consensus rostered rate is still just 31 percent. 

According to MLB.com's Martin Gallegos, A's manager Bob Melvin confirmed Hendriks as his new stopper while commending the 30-year-old's ascent up their bullpen hierarchy. 

"He's moved all the way up from a guy that was pitching behind in games for the most part, and now he's got himself in the closer's role," Melvin said. "It's not easy to close a game when you haven't done it often, and against a pretty good lineup. That was impressive."

The St. Louis Cardinals suffered an even bigger blow to the back of their bullpen. Jordan Hicks will miss the remainder of 2019—and part of 2020—to repair a torn ACL by undergoing Tommy John surgery. Per Stu Durando and Rick Hummel of St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Carlos Martinez will receive the vacated save opportunities.

John Gant, who drew praise from Mozeliak days earlier, is also worth adding in case he factors into the picture. Yet he's claimed in more leagues (48 percent) than Martinez (46 percent), who has notched a 3.00 ERA in relief this season.

                 

Note: All advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs unless stated otherwise. Rostered rates, updated as of Thursday evening, obtained from FantasyPros. 

The peaks and valleys of a Major League Baseball season present a rare opportunity in fantasy circles to catch an underperforming player at the right time and maximize their value to your roster. 

At this point of the year, there's a strong indication who your best fantasy players are and those expected stars who have disappointed. Since rosters are always in a state of flux, for a variety of reasons like injuries and the weird randomness of baseball, the waiver wire is an asset to constantly explore. 

Looking at the MLB week ahead, here are some key names to keep on your radar as you search for ways to keep your roster going strong. 

              

Jorge Soler, OF, Kansas City Royals

Dating back to his original signing with the Chicago Cubs in 2012, Jorge Soler was always a player loaded with star potential. He was a consensus top-20 prospect in MLB as recently as 2015.

Now seven years into his career, the 27-year-old has often been unable to consistently showcase his ability due to injuries. He has only played more than 100 games in a season once (2015), which may have played a part in Chicago dealing him to the Kansas City Royals in December 2016 for closer Wade Davis. 

There have been positive signs from Soler since the start of 2018 as he's gotten acclimated to the Royals. He has a .250/.327/.492 slash line in 140 games over the past two seasons, but his hot start last year was ruined by a foot injury that kept him out for the final 93 games. 

This season has seen the Cuban pick up where he left off in 2018. He's tied for fourth in the American League with 21 homers and has a higher slugging percentage (.512) than Rafael Devers, Francisco Lindor and Mookie Betts. 

Fantasy owners have been slow to latch on to Soler, for obvious reasons. He's available in 47 percent of Yahoo leagues and 56 percent of ESPN leagues. 

There's always the concern that a fluke injury will put Soler on the shelf because of his track record. But the power he provides is rare to find on the waiver wire at this point in the season. He's worth adding as a utilityman as long as he's healthy and in the Royals' starting lineup. 

              

Jason Kipnis, 2B, Cleveland Indians

The prospect of betting on Jason Kipnis at this point in his career seems like a dangerous one. Going by OPS+, he hasn't been a league-average hitter since 2016. His current OPS of .692 would be the second-worst of his career (.640 in 2014). 

Just looking at his slash line this season (.248/.305/.387) isn't an encouraging sign that he's figured things out, but the Cleveland Indians second baseman does seem more comfortable in the box than he has in a long time. 

Since his OPS dropped to a season-low .438 on May 3, Kipnis has put up a solid .271/.323/.447 slash line in 44 games. Even more promising is four of his six homers came in a nine-game span from June 16-24. 

Even if you don't want to bet on the 32-year-old maintaining this pace for the rest of the season—a reasonable assumption, based on his track record—Cleveland's schedule prior to the All-Star break is set up for the offense to be successful. 

The Indians' next seven games are against the Royals and Orioles. Those pitching staffs rank in the bottom 10 in MLB in ERA, batting average against and OPS allowed. 

If you're looking for a buy-low candidate at second base or the utility spot, Kipnis is only owned in 10 percent of Yahoo leagues and eight percent of ESPN leagues right now.

            

Liam Hendriks, RP, Oakland Athletics

Much like in MLB, fantasy owners need to keep a close eye on relief pitching due to the extremely volatile nature of the job. 

For instance, Oakland Athletics closer Blake Treinen was the second reliever off the board during drafts with an average draft position of 61.8. He didn't provide much return on investment with a 4.08 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 21 walks in 35.1 innings before being placed on the injured list Sunday with a strained right shoulder.

Fantasy owners scrambling to find a replacement for Treinen don't have to look very far. Liam Hendriks has been slotted in as Oakland's closer for the time being. The right-hander has been terrific in 2019 with a 1.49 ERA, 28 hits allowed and 50 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. 

Even though Treinen was struggling with his consistency this season, he still had 18 save opportunities and converted 16 of them. 

Hendriks has been just as effective against right-handed hitters (.566 OPS) as he has against lefties (.515 OPS) this season. Manager Bob Melvin has used him for more than three outs 14 times in his 35 appearances. 

The market for Hendriks will certainly pick up as more fantasy owners become aware of his new role. For now, though, the 30-year-old is widely available in 61 percent of Yahoo leagues and 86 percent of ESPN leagues. 

          

Fantasy information via FantasyPros.com 

At this point in the fantasy season, there are few surprises left to be found if your roster is in need of an upgrade or a replacement for an injured player.

Hope isn't lost, though. It just requires more diligence and some risk-taking, which are always crucial elements to success over the course of a long season. The waiver wire has churned out some gems in recent weeks, including Jay Bruce, Lance Lynn and Scott Kingery.

Looking at the upcoming week, here are names to keep in mind if your roster needs a boost as the calendar gets set to turn from June to July.

                   

Oscar Mercado, OF, Cleveland Indians

Since being recalled from Triple-A on May 14, Oscar Mercado has quickly established himself as the best outfielder on the Cleveland Indians roster.

The scouting report on Mercado coming up through the minors hyped up his defensive skills and above-average raw power, but there were questions about whether he would make enough solid contact to hit homers.

"Mercado walked more this year at the expense of some power, but the raw power and swing path for 20-plus homers are still there, and now it looks like his approach is good enough to get him there," ESPN.com's Keith Law wrote in February.

The sample size is only 31 games, but Mercado looks like he's developed into a solid hitter with power. The 24-year-old has hit .316/.362/.500 with four home runs and six stolen bases in 24 games from May 23 through June 21.

Mercado also adds value running because he's got enough speed and good instincts to steal bases.

Cleveland has essentially ensured Mercado is its centerfielder of the future after Leonys Martin was designated for assignment Saturday.

Another reason to be optimistic about Mercado's short-term upside is Cleveland's schedule. The Indians host the Tigers again Sunday, followed by nine games against the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles.

Mercado is still available in 51 percent of Yahoo leagues and 76 percent of ESPN leagues. He's worth a look as a backup or utility player on your roster heading into the All-Star break.

                

Carson Kelly, C, Arizona Diamondbacks

Catcher is one position to regularly highlight in fantasy because it's so difficult to find a star at the position. There is a clear top-tier—Gary Sanchez, J.T. Realmuto, Willson Contreras and James McCann—and everyone else is fighting to make an impact in fantasy.

One pleasant surprise is Carson Kelly of the Arizona Diamondbacks. A former second-round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals, Kelly was traded to Arizona in December as part of the package for Paul Goldschmidt.

Kelly struggled to receive consistent playing time in St. Louis because he was blocked by Yadier Molina. Now that he's been put in a prominent position with a new organization, the 24-year-old has thrived, with a .262/.337/.510 slash line with eight homers, 12 doubles and 24 RBI in 53 games.

Any concern about an early-season small sample size should be alleviated by the fact that Kelly was a well-regarded prospect who reached No. 39 on MLB.com's Top 100 prospect list before the 2017 season.

Kelly's power has been slow to develop—he had 52 homers in 622 career games in the minors—but he's tapped into it with a team that is going to put him in the lineup every day.

The fantasy market for Kelly has been slow to develop, with just 4 percent of owners in Yahoo leagues taking a flier on him.

                      

Sonny Gray, SP, Cincinnati Reds

In the wake of Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill's shutting down until at least August with a strained flexor tendon, owners in need of a starter to take his spot would do well to look at Sonny Gray.

With the exception of a significant difference in ERA, a strong case can be made that Gray has been the more valuable fantasy pitcher than Hill in 2019.

Hill's 2.55 ERA attracts a lot of attention, and he's striking out slightly more hitters per nine innings (10.4) than Gray (10.1). But Hill was also giving up a lot of homers (10 in 53 innings) despite playing his home games in the spacious Dodger Stadium.

Gray's 4.03 ERA doesn't immediately jump off the page, but he's quietly had an excellent rebound season after last year's disastrous turn with the New York Yankees.

The Cincinnati Reds starter is averaging a career-high 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings, and his 7.8 hits allowed per nine innings are in line with what he was allowing during his best seasons with the Oakland Athletics.

Gray has already thrown 23 more innings than Hill (76), and he's allowed two fewer homers (eight).

Fantasy owners haven't been keen to believe Gray's season is for real. He's only owned in 27 percent of ESPN leagues and 54 percent of Yahoo leagues. Now is a good time to grab the right-hander to see whether he can maintain this performance over the rest of the season.

                     

Fantasy availability via FantasyPros.

Injuries are an unfortunate part of Major League Baseball that also cause a huge ripple effect in the fantasy realm. 

The waiver wire is the best friend to every fantasy owner because it offers a lifeline to stay afloat while waiting for an injured star to return.

In the case of players with long-term ailments, the waiver wire is your best chance to find value and continue the quest for a championship heading into the second half of the season. 

Looking at the recent wave of injuries around MLB, here are a few high-end players still available in most leagues fantasy owners can add to their roster for at least a short-term boost. 

        

Injured Player: Rich Hill, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers rotation was dealt a blow Wednesday night when Rich Hill was forced to leave his start against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the second inning with a forearm injury. 

Per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, the pitcher said after the game his elbow had been bothering him for his previous two starts.

Hill has been terrific for the Dodgers and fantasy owners with a 2.55 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 61 strikeouts in 53 innings this season. Injuries are nothing new for the 39-year-old, who hasn't appeared in more than 25 games since 2013 when he was pitching exclusively out of the bullpen.

While fantasy owners wait for Hill to get back to full strength, one under-the-radar option to target is Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly. 

He has had a long journey to MLB, starting with being drafted three different times and spending four years in the Tampa Bay Rays' system. He played four seasons with the SK Wyverns in South Korea before signing a two-year deal with Arizona last December. 

Now 30 years old, Kelly has been solid with a 3.99 ERA, 68 strikeouts and a 1.27 WHIP in 15 starts. While those numbers don't jump off the stat sheet, he's been much better in June. The Texas native has a 2.22 ERA and 23 strikeouts to two walks in four starts this month. 

Kelly isn't a big strikeout guy, but he is going to be around the strike zone and does a good job keeping the ball in the park (12 homers allowed in 88 innings) to be effective as a back-end fantasy guy. He's available in 64 percent of Yahoo leagues and 75 percent of ESPN leagues.

       

Injured Player: Justin Smoak, 1B, Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Tuesday that first baseman Justin Smoak was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left quad. 

An official timetable for his return hasn't been established, but losing his bat is significant for fantasy owners. He's only hitting .225 in 62 games, but he's been productive in other ways with 12 homers, 34 RBI and 29 runs scored. 

If Smoak was holding down the utility spot in your lineup, a strong replacement candidate is New York Mets third baseman Todd Frazier. They are similar players in some ways—low batting average and solid power output. 

Frazier has shown no lingering effects from his stint on the injured list in April due to a strained oblique. He is hitting .255/.344/.410 with six homers, 24 RBI and 20 runs scored in 50 games since coming back. 

One encouraging sign for the 33-year-old is how he's fared since his batting average hit a season-low .143 on May 11. His slash line of .304/.414/.473 in 34 games from May 14 through June 19 is in line with what Rafael Devers of the Boston Red Sox has done all year (.307/.360/.503).

Frazier is only owned in three percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues right now. He's readily available to anyone in need of a short-term answer at third base or the utility spot in the lineup. 

       

Wild Card: Zack Collins, C, Chicago White Sox

While there isn't necessarily a key injury at catcher that should cause anyone to panic, the position is in such dire straits that it's always worth keeping an eye on interesting developments behind the dish. 

Unless you were fortunate enough to get a top-tier catcher like Gary Sanchez, Yasmani Grandal, J.T. Realmuto or Willson Contreras, odds are good you're struggling to find production at the position. There have been some pleasant surprises like Roberto Perez and Robinson Chirinos who have added depth. 

But there's certainly a lack of depth that makes any catching prospect who gets called up worth watching. The latest example is Zack Collins of the Chicago White Sox. The 10th overall pick in the 2016 MLB draft made his debut as a pinch-hitter on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs. 

Collins was having a solid season in Triple-A before his promotion. He hit .250/.374/.482 with nine homers in 164 at-bats with the Charlotte Knights. 

Per MLB.com's scouting report, the 24-year-old's best tool is above-average power and his "combination of bat speed, strength and launch angle with his left-handed swing gives him prodigious power to all fields."

Being a patient hitter allows Collins to work deep counts, but he's struggled to hit for average throughout his professional career (.234 average in 324 minor-league games). 

As long as he is able to make enough contact, there's enough power in his swing to generate 10-15 homers. His playing time behind the plate could be limited because James McCann is having a terrific season, but Yonder Alonso's struggles at DH (.586 OPS) could give him an extended look for manager Rick Renteria. 

Collins is available in 98 percent of Yahoo leagues and 99 percent of ESPN leagues. His ability to be used at catcher on your roster gives him enough upside to be worth a look, at least for a couple of weeks as the White Sox determine his playing time. 

        

Fantasy availability via FantasyPros.com

With the MLB All-Star break right around the corner, the goal of most fantasy baseball owners is to finish the next two-and-a-half weeks on a high note to set the tone for a strong second half to the season. 

One of the ways to gain an advantage in your leagues is to scour the waiver wire for a few sleepers who can make an immediate impact on your roster.

Some of the best sleepers available are younger players on contending teams, but if you also do some digging on rosters of teams at the bottom of the standings, you might be able to find a player who contributes right away.

                       

Merrill Kelly, SP, Arizona 

Merrill Kelly experienced a drop-off in his recent form Tuesday in an 8-1 loss to Colorado, but he is still worth a taking a look at on the waiver wire. 

In his first three starts of June, the 30-year-old gave up 12 hits and two earned runs over 21 innings to earn three straight wins for Arizona. 

Now might be the best time to pick up Kelly since some potential buyers could be turned off by his performance against one of his team's NL West rivals. 

One of the reasons why he is still considered a sleeper pick is he was a bit inconsistent before his trio of quality starts. 

Two of those victories came on the road against Toronto and Philadelphia, and the Houston native is likely to have a chance to earn a third road win in June against San Francisco at the end of the month. 

If anything, Kelly is worth taking a look at between now and the All-Star break to see if he can make a significant impact on your pitching staff. 

If the risk does not pay off, he could always be dumped in favor of another hot pitcher in July. 

                       

Oscar Mercado, OF, Cleveland

Oscar Mercado will not be a sleeper pick for much longer if he continues at his current pace at the plate. 

The rookie outfielder is on a five-game hitting streak that has featured three multiple-hit games, including two hits in Tuesday's win over Texas. 

Mercado's production at the plate was a bit sporadic in May, but he has turned into a more consistent option since the start of June. 

In June, the 24-year-old has six multiple-hit games and he has scored a run in each of his last five games. 

Mercado's ability to get on base is the first of many intriguing qualities that stand out when evaluating his growing resume. 

He is not going to overwhelm opposing pitching staffs with his power, but you can't deny how much potential he has as a fantasy option moving forward because of his high volume of hits and runs. 

With a pair of three-game series against Detroit and Kansas City upcoming, now is the perfect time to swoop for Mercado before he is unavailable in most leagues. 

                  

Kevin Newman, SS, Pittsburgh 

Pittsburgh's Kevin Newman is another player who can produce for your team at a high level by getting on base on multiple occasions in a single game. 

Since the 25-year-old plays for a last-place team, he may be flying under the radar, but he is more than deserving of a waiver-wire pickup following an eight-game hitting streak. 

In June, Newman has recorded two or more hits in a game on five occasions, including the last two games against Miami and Detroit. 

As with Mercado, picking up Newman requires sacrifices in the power department since he has hit two home runs and only driven in 19 runs. 

Even though the Californian comes with some risks, he is worth a shot at this point in the season since he has proved he can reach base on a consistent basis. 

One factor that is also worth considering with Newman is he has played multiple infield positions and one game in left field for the Pirates, which could help with versatility on certain nights for your lineup. 

                      

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.

Fantasy baseball managers can no longer brush off shortcomings by pointing to the calendar and remarking on how early it is in the season. With 2019's midway mark rapidly approaching, few teams can afford to maintain the status quo.

Depending on the league's depth and activity, the waiver wire could be a bit more barren than it was in April. It should be far too late to snag Lucas Giolito, Frankie Montas, Tommy La Stella, Franmil Reyes or Yordan Alvarez for free—if not, get on that now. There are nevertheless plenty of viable contributors who remain unclaimed in most formats.

The following three players are all rostered in well under half of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, as reflected by FantasyPros' consensus ownership rates taken Saturday. Although the first two are recommendations for smaller mixed leagues, the third remains available just about everywhere despite swinging a scorching bat and receiving more reps.

              

Sonny Gray, SP, Cincinnati Reds: 36% Rostered

Prior to Sunday afternoon's start against the Texas Rangers, Sonny Gray has the same fielding independent pitching (3.02 FIP) as Walker Buehler and Blake Snell. Even those who would rather look at the actual results shouldn't sneeze at his 3.65 ERA and 1.22 WHIP accompanied by 71 strikeouts in 66.2 innings.

That makes him a top-50 starter who should be owned in an overwhelming majority of leagues. He's instead more widely available than Marco Gonzales, Zach Plesac and Nathan Eovaldi.

Is it possible that, in 2019, managers are still scared away by his 2-6 record? It admittedly isn't easy to rack up wins while only once recording an out past the sixth inning all season. However, Gray has also ceded more than three runs in just one of his 13 starts. The Cincinnati Reds have too much offensive firepower to stay cold at the plate, so don't pay much attention to his misfortune.

There are a couple of more valid concerns. Chief among them is calling Great American Ball Park home. According to ESPN.com's park factors, only Coors Field has fostered a higher scoring environment this season. The 29-year-old righty has paid the price by posting a 4.09 ERA inside the bandbox. 

Gray also mustered seven combined strikeouts in his past two outings after notching at least seven in three starts to close May. His 10.3 swinging-swing percentage is strong, but not elite enough to comfortably project more than a strikeout per frame going forward. Matching his 8.5 strikeouts per nine (K/9) from 2017 and 2018 is a more reasonable expectation.

Even when weighing those caveats, Gray will hold his own simply by maintaining his ERA and WHIP, both of which are in line with his career numbers. Combine that with a healthy number of punchouts and a heavy helping of ground balls, and he's an especially strong fourth or fifth starter for a manager who can carefully play the matchups.

               

Ramon Laureano, OF, Oakland Athletics: 25% Rostered

Ramon Laureano entered 2019 as a sleeper too popular to garner the label. After hitting .288/.358/.474 in a late 2018 audition, the Oakland Athletics outfielder drew an average draft position (ADP) of No. 181 in National Fantasy Baseball Championship (NFBC) drafts from March. Someone reached as high as No. 71 to attain the popular 20/20 candidate.

He has validated that hype by registering nine home runs and eight steals in 71 games. Investors, however, grew tired of the 24-year-old once he hit a lackluster .234/.291/.355 through April. Rather than sticking to their preseason projections, they found another shiny new toy on the waiver wire.

Rostered in just a quarter of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, his ADP from NFBC's in-season drafts (conducted in late May) plummeted to 304. This is someone who has delivered numbers nearly identical to those of Victor Robles.

Laureano isn't going to win any batting titles with an aggressive approach that has yielded a 4.7 percent strikeout and 25.4 percent walk rate. However, he hits the ball hard enough to avoid becoming a liability in the category. Statcast credits him with a .261 expected average (xBA) that at least supports his ability to sustain his .255 clip (h/t Baseball Savant).

Because of his outrageous arm in center field, Laser Ramon has a secure spot in a solid Oakland lineup. With only 18 players reaching double-digit steals, his power-speed combo is alluring in any five-by-five mixed league.

               

Dominic Smith, 1B/OF, New York Mets: 2% Rostered

Dominic Smith has started nine of the past 13 games for the New York Mets (one was played under American League rules against the New York Yankees). He's batting .337/.430/.547 in 100 plate appearances.

Although obtained in a small sample size, Smith has a higher weighted runs created plus (164 wRC+) than Freddie Freeman, Anthony Rizzo and teammate Pete Alonso. He's also younger than Alonso, who supplanted him as the club's current and future first baseman.

Smith, who turned 24 on Saturday, struggled in his first two MLB go-arounds. The once highly touted prospect hit .210 in 105 games dispersed over the past two years. He fell down the totem pole before showing up to camp in better shape and excelling during spring training.

Back in March, per Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News, Smith credited his turnaround to treating his sleep apnea during the offseason.

"I have more energy now," Smith said. "I come to the park feeling good."

As of Saturday, his contact rate has jumped five percent from last season and his walk rate has skyrocketed from 2.7 to 13.0 percent. His hot hand has prompted the Mets to frequently keep him in the lineup—recently as their cleanup hitter—in left field.

Although every batted ball will be an adventure as he maneuvers an unfamiliar position, Smith is worth a speculative add for as long as he's playing. While his batting average is sure to drop once a .403 batting average on balls in play (BABIP) regresses, he still has the makings of a post-hype success story.

               

All advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

Two weeks after one of the top shortstops in Major League Baseball was placed on the injured list, another one landed there Thursday.

Replacing the high level of production from Carlos Correa, and now Corey Seager, is a difficult task for fantasy owners since few shortstops available on the waiver wire can provide that much of a punch at the plate.

On the other end of the injury spectrum, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are on the verge of returning to the New York Yankees lineup, but it might be wise to keep an extra outfielder or two on your roster in order to see what the pair of sluggers do in their first at-bats back in the majors.

                        

Waiver-Wire Advice

Go After Gurriel as Utility Middle Infielder

Replacing Seager—on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain—will not be easy, but there are a few options, like the Toronto Blue Jays' Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who could help soften the blow of losing the Dodgers shortstop.

In his past five games, the 25-year-old has recorded two hits or more on three occasions for the Blue Jays against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Baltimore Orioles.

Gurriel has also scored a run in three consecutive games, but the one downside is he is in possession of only five home runs this season.

The Cuban is not going to produce for your fantasy team in a similar manner to Seager, who has eight home runs, 38 RBI, 21 doubles and a .278 batting average, but he can provide some versatility in addition to his hot streak at the plate.

Gurriel is listed as a shortstop, second baseman and outfielder in Yahoo fantasy baseball leagues, where he has been added more than any other shortstop.

On days when the schedule is light, or times when you want to work your lineup around for better matchups, he could be slotted into the second base or outfield spots to maximize your numbers.

If you want to have an eye on the future with Gurriel, Toronto has an extended run of home games from June 28-July 7 that could add to the middle infielder's production.

                             

Use Caution with Returns of Judge, Stanton

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters the team could activate Stanton from the injured list as early as Tuesday, per NJ.com's Brendan Kuty.

And Judge, who is on a rehab assignment with Single-A Tampa, told the Associated Press he is game-ready (h/t Newsday's Erik Boland).

In the long term, Judge and Stanton should be solid fantasy options, but we should not expect out-of-this-world numbers from both outfielders the second they step back in a major league batter's box.

So it's wise to explore the waiver wire for outfielders you can plug in to your lineup for a few days if the pair of New York sluggers need time to adjust.

The Oakland Athletics' Ramon Laureano, who hit a home run and totaled five RBIs Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, is one of the intriguing options you could go after to bridge the gap to an in-form Judge and Stanton. He has 64 hits in 69 games with 13 doubles, nine home runs and 28 RBI.

The Miami Marlins' Garrett Cooper, who is also eligible at first base in Yahoo leagues, has recorded a hit in all but one of his games in June. During his impressive stretch at the plate, he has five multi-hit games and eight RBI.

If Laureano and Cooper continue to play well, they might end up replacing the outfielders you have on your roster to partner Judge and Stanton at some point.

At the bare minimum, they are solid options to play while the Yankees stars shake off the rust. And if another injury pops up on your outfield roster, they could be long-term contributors in your squad.

                      

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

Closing in on the halfway mark of the 2019 Major League Baseball season, there have been plenty of surprises on the field that have had a profound impact on fantasy teams. 

Few people would have predicted coming into the year that the Minnesota Twins would be leading MLB in OPS (.856), OPS+ (127), runs scored (382) and total bases (1,141) going into Tuesday night's game against the Seattle Mariners. 

Since we have a significant sample size by which it's possible to judge which players are trending upward and who looks like a disappointment, here are the key names to target on the waiver wire this week. 

        

Yandy Diaz, 1B/3B, Tampa Bay Rays

Since being acquired by the Rays from the Cleveland Indians as part of a three-team trade during the offseason, Yandy Diaz has turned into one of the key players for a club challenging the New York Yankees atop the American League East. 

The 27-year-old did miss two weeks from May 20-June 1 with an ankle injury, but he has since returned to the lineup without any apparent restriction. He hit .324/.405/.432 in his first nine games back. 

One reason for Diaz's improved performance in 2019 is because the Rays got him to tap into more power without significantly altering his swing mechanics:

I dug into the story of baseball internet hero YANDY DIAZ, now hitting .308/.386/.615 with a 1:1 K:BB.

MORE-> https://t.co/XDBKj3rHJD

The takeaway here is not "more launch angle." It's "more launch angle *on hard-hit balls.*"

2017: 1.6 deg
2018: 8.1 deg
2019: 11.3 deg 👀 pic.twitter.com/tnajx5PwEG

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) April 9, 2019

Perhaps it's because the Rays don't generate a lot of attention from fans in their own city, let alone from national audiences, but Diaz only being owned in 33 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues is almost criminally low. 

The Cuban entered Tuesday with more homers (10) than Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (nine) and ninth among all AL third baseman with 24 RBI. 

There is no reason for a player like Diaz, who should be a fantasy regular at this point, to still be available in 67 percent of all leagues. He's having a breakout season with the kind of plate discipline and power to keep up his performance the rest of the year. 

           

Roberto Perez, C, Cleveland Indians

The state of catching in MLB is dire. 

Per FanGraphs, there are only five catchers who have enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title.

From that group, J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies, Yasmani Grandal of the Milwaukee Brewers and Willson Contreras of the Chicago Cubs are the only ones who have been worth more than one win above replacement. 

Trying to find an impact fantasy catcher has become an extremely difficult task, for many reasons. The standard for players at the position is tied to their defensive value, and anything they contribute on offense is almost a bonus. 

One pleasant surprise this season has been Roberto Perez of the Indians. He was given the starting job for the first time in his career after Yan Gomes was sent to the Washington Nationals during the offseason. 

The 30-year-old has already set a career high with 11 homers⁠—one more than his combined total from 2017-18—and has been an underrated offensive asset in 2019:

https://twitter.com/kvnbsbl/status/1137480022430797824

There are certainly limitations to Perez's upside in fantasy. His .232 average entering Tuesday was the best of his career in a season when he's had at least 100 plate appearances, but his strikeout rate of 26.7 percent, while high, is actually lower than New York Yankees star Gary Sanchez (27.6).

Perez is readily available in 99 percent of ESPN fantasy leagues and 86 percent of Yahoo leagues. Unless you have one of those top-tier catchers on your roster, there's no reason not to take a flier on a player who is going to get regular at-bats and to this point has taken advantage of an expanded role. 

           

Anibal Sanchez, SP, Washington Nationals

To this point, Anibal Sanchez's season can be divided into two parts. The first part runs from April 3-May 16 when he had a 5.10 ERA, 46 hits allowed and an .816 OPS against in nine starts. 

The Nationals placed the 35-year-old on the injured list May 17 with a sore hamstring after lasting just 1.1 innings against the New York Mets the previous day. 

In three starts since coming off the injured list, Sanchez has been terrific with a 1.04 ERA, 15 strikeouts and nine hits allowed over 17.1 innings.

Aníbal Sánchez had a 1.66 ERA since the start of May.

He lowered it.

END 8 // #Nats 6, White Sox 1 pic.twitter.com/JVlVZ8JtkY

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 11, 2019

Three starts is a small sample size, and two were against a Chicago White Sox team that ranks 21st in MLB in runs scored.

If you want to be really optimistic about Sanchez keeping up this pace for the remainder of the year, you can rightly point out he was also very good last year with a 2.83 ERA in 25 appearances for the Atlanta Braves. 

Sanchez's fantasy value is rising right now, even though he's not overpowering lineups and is being closely monitored by Washington's coaching staff. He hasn't thrown more than 89 pitches in a start since May 5. 

Fantasy owners have largely kept away from Sanchez to this point. He's only owned in 29 percent of Yahoo leagues and seven percent of ESPN leagues.  

If your roster currently has a starter on the injured list or lacks depth, Sanchez is one of the best available options who won't cost you anything except a roster spot. 

         

Fantasy availability via FantasyPros.com  

To the delight of fantasy baseball managers, MLB teams are listening to the game's marketing slogan and letting the kids play.

Early in the preseason, several top prospects looked poised to start 2019 in the minors. Like Ronald Acuna Jr. last season, they would "work on their defense" in the minors for a few weeks before suddenly morphing into polished players once their clubs gained an extra year of service time. Some teams, however, unexpectedly skirted those formalities.

The Chicago White Sox bought out Eloy Jimenez's arbitration years with a six-year contract before he made a major league appearance. With no financial incentive to delay his debut, the prized slugger made the Opening Day starting lineup.

Injuries to Jed Lowrie and Todd Frazier cleared a role for Pete Alonso, who crushed his way on to the New York Mets with a sizzling spring. Perhaps most surprising of all, the San Diego Padres showed they mean business by welcoming shortstop Fernando Tatis and pitcher Chris Paddack to the majors.

Those four neophytes would have made excellent sleeper picks if drafting weeks ago. For those procrastinators assembling rosters after the season commenced, good luck getting any of them at a reasonable rate.

Anyone who wants Jimenez, Alonso, Paddack or Tatis in a late draft likely must reach a round or three. It should also be far too late to snatch any of them off the waiver wire, so they no longer qualify as sleepers.

After ranking the top rookies for 2019 re-draft leagues—the list would look much different for dynasty formats—let's instead highlight two rookie hitters trending in the opposite direction. Whether starting on the bench or in the minors, these exciting prospects could fall through the cracks.

While the other pitcher is on the rise, he may still merely require a bench flier.

                       

Top Fantasy Baseball Rookies (2019 Re-Draft)

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, TOR

2. Eloy Jimenez, OF, CHW

3. Victor Robles, OF, WAS

4. Pete Alonso, 1B, NYM

5. Chris Paddack, SP, SD

6. Garrett Hampson, 2B, COL

7. Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, SD

8. Nick Senzel, 2B/3B, CIN

9. Kyle Tucker, OF, HOU

10. Kyle Wright, SP, ATL

11. Forrest Whitley, SP, HOU

12. Austin Hays, OF, BAL

13. Jesus Luzardo, SP, OAK

14. Alex Verdugo, OF, LAD

15. Luis Urias, 2B/SS, SD

                

Kyle Tucker, OF, Houston Astros

Nothing thrills the fantasy community more than an incoming prospect with boundless potential. That joy, however, quickly evaporates if he's not immediately awesome.

Last season, everyone giddily awaited Kyle Tucker's debut. They had good reason for excitement, as the outfielder batted .332/.400/.590 in Triple-A.

Promoted in July, he proceeded to go 9-for-64 without a home run in a minuscule sample size. Just like that, 2019 drafters treated MLB.com's No. 8 prospect as yesterday's news.

While Tucker begins the season in the minors, his path back to the majors is far from perilous.

Josh Reddick is a solid starter, but not someone who demands job immunity on a World Series contender. He also hasn't played 135 or more games in any of the past three seasons.

Carlos Correa missed Opening Day with a neck injury. Although he's slated to play on Sunday, a prolonged absence could open up a spot for Tucker.

Michael Brantley played just 101 games in 2016 and 2017 combined, so expect Tucker to work his way back to Houston this season. Don't discount an elite talent with five-category upside because of 72 poor plate appearances.

                  

Garrett Hampson, 2B, Colorado Rockies

Just a few days ago, Garrett Hampson would have joined the rookies from the introduction who carry too much hype to ascertain at a fair cost. Although a recent development may jeopardize this buying opportunity, his price may still drop in light of Ryan McMahon's starts at second base for the Colorado Rockies.

Hampson earned an extended look and fantasy adoration by tallying four home runs and seven steals in spring training. But so did McMahon, who went 25-for-59 with nine doubles and three long balls.

While Hampson also made the Opening Day roster, the 24-year-old middle infielder didn't start until the season's third game. Just like that, an immensely popular sleeper could fall by the wayside.

There's too much upside to give up so soon. A career .315/.389/.457 hitter in three minor league seasons, Hampson swiped 123 of 146 tries. Give him playing time in Coors Field, and he will make a major dent.

"We have a lot of good players, so there is no way I'm bitter," Hampson told the Denver Post's Patrick Saunders on Friday. "I'm not freaking out or worrying about anything. I know my time will come."

The following day, he started at second with McMahon handling first-base duties. It appears his time is now:

1B Daniel Murphy has a fracture left index finger. He will see a specialist on Monday and said he expects to be on the 10-day injured list.

— Nick Groke (@nickgroke) March 31, 2019

If Daniel Murphy is sidelined, Hampson and McMahon should both receive regular reps. Perhaps they both can lock down starting roles after Murphy's return if the Rockies realize Ian Desmond is a sunk cost no longer worth salvaging.

                

Kyle Wright, SP, Atlanta Braves

Injuries to Mike Foltynewicz and Kevin Gausman opened up spots in the Atlanta Braves' rotation. Despite allowing 10 runs in 12.2 spring frames, Kyle Wright impressed enough to lock down a chance.

Although a poor final outing derailed his strong spring, the 23-year-old righty also compiled 18 strikeouts. The No. 5 pick in 2017 posted a 3.46 ERA in the minors last season with a 54.5 ground-ball rate in 20 Double-A turns, per FanGraphs.

The Vanderbilt alum brings a polished four-pitch repertoire to the table, and he even reached triple digits on the radar gun earlier in March:

#Braves RHP Kyle Wright's first inning: 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 18 pitches, 9 strikes. Fastball sat mostly between 94-96. Topped out at 100 on his second pitch of the game but walked that batter on five pitches. Got more under control as inning went on. Both K's came on breaking stuff.

— Sam Dykstra (@SamDykstraMiLB) March 11, 2019

It's also possible, however, that Wright's big-league stay is short. Gausman and Foltynewicz may both rejoin the squad in early April. Starting with Sunday's season debut over the Philadelphia Phillies, Wright must quickly prove his merit to outlast Max Fried and Bryse Wilson.

Wright is a worthy dart throw in the final rounds. Drafters could enjoy a promising breakout arm, but there's no harm in dropping him otherwise. Such roster flexibility is ideal to pounce on early-season breakouts.