Fantasy Baseball

The bottom half of the American League East is not the first place you would look for fantasy baseball help in the bullpen, but there is value in the relievers from the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays.

Cole Sulser and Jordan Romano are two of the hidden gems worth looking at if you need to replace Kirby Yates, one of a handful of high-profile players who went on the injured list or suffered setbacks that kept them out of the lineup over the past week.

Alex Bregman's production at the hot corner will be missed, but there is an up-and-coming prospect who could fill the void in some statistical categories while the Astros third baseman deals with a hamstring injury.

Hidden Gems to Stream for Week 4

Cole Sulser, RP, Baltimore

Sulser has emerged as the ninth-inning man in the Baltimore bullpen.

The right-handed closer conceded two earned runs and recorded five saves in 7.2 innings of work.

Although he has not appeared since Tuesday, Sulser is worth a look over the next 10 days since the Orioles clash with the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays on seven occasions. If Baltimore's offense takes advantage of their divisional rivals' average pitching staffs, Sulser could be in position to record a few saves.

With six favorable matchups on the horizon, Sulser is worth a pickup in place of Yates, who is out for the season after having elbow surgery. During that span, a better replacement could develop on a team expected to win more games, but for the time being, Sulser is worth plugging in.

Jordan Romano, RP, Toronto

Unlike Sulser, Romano will not earn you saves, but he could bring down your pitching staff's ERA while adding to the strikeout total.

The Toronto reliever has seven strikeouts in his past four appearances, including three against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. In 12 innings, Romano fanned 18 opposing batters and allowed a single earned run from an August 15 defeat to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Romano could add to those totals in some divisional matchups to finish out August. The Blue Jays face the Rays four times before hosting Boston and Baltimore for seven games.

If you do not want to use him as a replacement for Yates, Romano could fill in for Pedro Baez of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who went on the 10-day injured list with a groin strain Thursday.

Alec Bohm, 3B, Philadelphia

Alec Bohm has consistently reached base in the week he has been in the major leagues with Philadelphia.

The third baseman doubled in his debut August 13 and followed that up with three multi-hit games. Bohm has yet to hit a home run in 26 at-bats, but he has a trio of doubles and three RBI.

His RBI total could go up since he is batting behind Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto, who are both reaching base at a high rate.

Bohm's plate production is promising for fantasy owners in search of a replacement for Bregman, who left Wednesday's game at Coors Field with an injury that put him on the 10-day injured list.

The Phillies third baseman could also be used as a fill-in for Kris Bryant, who last appeared in the Chicago Cubs lineup Monday.

It may be worth picking up Bohm now because his fantasy value could rise if he flexes more power as he gets more comfortable against major league pitching.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from MLB.com.

Gerrit Cole's high standard on the mound has carried over from his time with the Houston Astros to the New York Yankees. 

The big-money free-agent signing has proved to be worth every penny for the Yankees—and for daily fantasy players each day he takes the mound. 

On Wednesday, Cole is scheduled to make his second start against the Tampa Bay Rays, the only team he has double-digit strikeouts in a single game against this season.

The 29-year-old will be the most coveted hurler in DFS contests, but he is far from the only ace who can lead you to success. 

Lance Lynn, Jacob deGrom, Trevor Bauer and Jack Flaherty are scheduled to pitch along with an underrated option who could produce at an equal, or higher, level to provide more flexibility within your squad. 

Top Daily Fantasy Baseball Plays for August 19

Gerrit Cole, SP, New York Yankees

Cole has been fantastic inside the confines of Yankee Stadium.

In his two home starts, the former Houston hurler fanned 12 batters, conceded nine hits and allowed a pair of earned runs. Sandwiched between those appearances was a 10-strikeout outing at Tropicana Field against the Rays. 

Cole will come up at a high price in FanDuel and DraftKings contests, but he has shown throughout the last year he is more than worth whatever figure is assigned to him. He has won his last 20 decisions and been the pitcher of record in four of his first five starts in pinstripes. 

If you choose to go with Cole, you may be limited to a selection of the top-priced hitters, but you could manage to pair him with Mookie Betts, Mike Trout or Juan Soto for a nice lineup foundation.

Merrill Kelly, SP, Arizona

The other pitchers listed above are strong alternatives to Cole, but most will come with a high price tag.

Arizona's Merrill Kelly could be the best value play that gives you close to the production you would get from Cole, Lynn, deGrom or Flaherty.

The 31-year-old has conceded five earned runs on 21 hits over 26.1 innings, and opposing hitters have a .212 batting average against the right-handed hurler. 

The Diamondbacks face a tough matchup in Oakland, but Kelly displayed in his previous two starts against the San Diego Padres that he can handle pitching against a strong lineup. He limited them to a single earned run on nine hits and struck out 11 batters. 

If you choose to build your lineup around expensive hitters such as Trout, Betts or Soto, Kelly should give you more budget flexibility while providing quality on the bump.

Brandon Nimmo, OF, New York Mets

Brandon Nimmo has been an on-base machine out of the leadoff spot for the New York Mets.

The 27-year-old has reached base on 22 walks and 21 hits. He also has four home runs, including one Tuesday against the Miami Marlins. 

Nimmo is 4-for-9 in the first two games of New York's series with the Marlins, and he has had a pair of three-hit performances in the last week.

Since he does not have a high level of power, he is still a relatively cheap option compared to other outfielders who top the DFS points chart on a nightly basis. 

Nimmo went 1-for-2 and drew a walk in his first matchup with Miami's Pablo Lopez, who is scheduled to oppose deGrom Wednesday. 

If he continues to get on base at a high rate, Nimmo could be a starting point for a Mets stack with either Pete Alonso or Michael Conforto to take advantage of the team's run production.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from MLB.com.

The fantasy baseball waiver wire is robust with outfielders who could replace some of the production lost because of the injuries suffered by Ronald Acuna Jr. and Giancarlo Stanton.

Acuna is out until at least Monday with a wrist issue, while Stanton was placed on the 10-day injured list during the third week of the Major League Baseball season.

Some replacements have already been scooped up in the initial wave of transactions following the injuries, and a handful of others could disappear from the waiver wire in the coming days as owners try to find the right players to slot in.

Anthony Santander and Robbie Grossman caught our attention by going yard Wednesday, while Dylan Moore has been solid at the plate and has positional versatility that could be valuable for the rest of the season.

Top Fantasy Baseball Replacements

Anthony Santander, OF, Baltimore

Santander has become one of the hottest fixtures on the waiver wire since he recorded a hit and one RBI in every game from August 7 to 13.

He flashed his power on two occasions in that stretch, including once in a win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday in which he also produced a double.

Santander's weekend matchup with the Washington Nationals should reap rewards for those who pick him up. He had four hits, one double, one home run and six RBI last weekend against Washington. At minimum, the Baltimore Orioles outfielder can be a weekend fill-in for Acuna, who missed two games against the New York Yankees and is out for the series with the Miami Marlins, per Gabriel Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Stanton's prognosis is more grim. The Yankees outfielder is expected to miss three to four weeks with a hamstring injury, per ESPN.

After Santander faces the Washington Nationals, he takes on the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox as part of a 10-game home stand. In 2019, the 25-year-old recorded 24 hits and 12 RBI in his meetings with the Blue Jays and Red Sox.

If Santander remains hot during that stretch, he could be used as a complement to Acuna if he returns Tuesday, or as a plug-and-play option when others are off or given a rest day.

Robbie Grossman, OF, Oakland

Grossman may not show up on your initial scour of the waiver wire, but he is one of the best deeper cuts to add right now. The Oakland Athletics outfielder has hit a home run in three of his past five games, two of which occurred against the Houston Astros.

In that five-game span, Grossman picked up seven hits, five runs and a pair of stolen bases.

He is not the top bat in an Oakland lineup that features Marcus Semien, Matt Chapman and Matt Olson, but he has been a reliable force in the bottom half of the order. The power run may not hold up since he has hit over 10 home runs once in his career, but the on-base consistency should remain the same.

Grossman is coming off back-to-back 100-hit seasons, and he provides more of an impact in stolen bases than other available options at his position. 

The next week should be favorable for him, as the next seven games come against San Francisco and Arizona. The Giants and Diamondbacks rank second and third, respectively, behind the Seattle Mariners for most earned runs conceded by a pitching staff.

Dylan Moore, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Seattle

Moore has already played at first base, third base, shortstop, left field and right field in three weeks for the Seattle Mariners.

His positional versatility and form at the plate have led to an uptick in waiver-wire pickups.

Moore owns five multi-hit performances—two of which were of the three-hit variety. He also had five RBI in two-day span Sunday and Monday.

The only downfall when comparing Moore to Grossman and Santander is the rough schedule he will face over the next week. Seattle plays seven games against Houston and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The first five of those clashes come on the road, and it is worth noting Moore hit two of his three home runs and had a pair of three-RBI games away from Seattle.

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

Giancarlo Stanton was off to a hot start to the 2020 season, but the New York Yankees slugger is now on the injured list due to a hamstring strain. This could create a scramble for fantasy players looking to replace him.

Stanton had looked like his old self with three home runs and a whopping 1.038 OPS through 14 games this year, although there are fortunately others available on the waiver wire who can help keep your team afloat in the short term.

All players available in more than 50 percent of ESPN leagues.

Ian Happ, OF, Chicago Cubs (34.6 percent owned)

The Cubs love to move players around the lineup, but Ian Happ has become a reliable figure for the Cubs this season after he was limited to just 58 games in 2019.

The center fielder, who can line up all over the field, is hitting .297 with a 1.031 OPS through 13 games this season, showing the type of power we haven't seen from him since hitting 24 home runs as a rookie in 2017. 

Happ isn't the most exciting fantasy player but he is a good bet for hits each game and can provide value in other phases, including walks, home runs and the occasional stolen base. 

If he adds eligibility at other positions, the 25-year-old could become even more valuable for fantasy teams.

Anthony Santander, OF, Baltimore Orioles (25.1 percent owned)

The Orioles are 7-7 without many household names in the lineup, but Anthony Santander will get more notoriety if he keeps hitting well.

The right fielder is hitting .250 with three home runs and four doubles on the year and has been especially hot as of late. Santander has gone 6-for-17 (.353 average) in the last four games with three extra-base hits and five runs.

Though he doesn't have a great approach at the plate—just one walk this season—the power is legitimate with 20 home runs and 20 doubles last year in just 93 games. Getting a full-time role in this lineup could allow him to put up quality numbers for your fantasy team.

Minus the on-base percentage, Santander could be the best like-for-like replacement for Stanton available on the market.

Dominic Smith, 1B/OF/DH, New York Mets (6.3 percent owned)

The Mets have been hit hard by injuries this season, while Yoenis Cespedes left an opening in the lineup after opting out of the season. J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith have gotten consistent playing time as of late, an especially important break for Smith after being blocked by Pete Alonso at first base.

Smith had a slow start to the year but has a three-game hit streak entering Sunday that includes two doubles and a home run.

The former top-100 prospect has hit well when given the opportunity, finishing 2019 with a .282/.355/.525 slash line and 11 home runs in 89 games. The problem has been the limited chances, which could turn around in 2020.

If he gets going, Smith could be a key part of fantasy lineups.

Clint Frazier, OF, New York Yankees (2.6 percent owned)

Considering he's not on the active roster, don't pick up Clint Frazier if you need immediate help. But if you have a spare roster spot, there are few options with higher upside than the 25-year-old.

Even though the Yankees didn't activate Frazier when putting Stanton on the IL, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com noted this was more out of convenience and they will re-evaluate the roster on Monday. It could create the opportunity for Frazier to join the team and directly fill in for Stanton at designated hitter.

It would be big for the Yankees and fantasy players because Frazier is oozing with talent, hitting 12 home runs in just 69 games last season. He also showcased his power during the exhibition games before this year:

There's a risk in wasting a roster spot but there is enough potential to make it worth it.

Pablo Lopez's first outing of the season for the Miami Marlins should catch the attention of fantasy baseball owners dealing with injury issues in the starting rotation.

Max Scherzer and Mike Soroka were among the high-profile arms to leave starts this week. With each start meaning more in the 60-game season, immediate upgrades are necessary to avoid a loss in the short fantasy regular season. 

Unfortunately for the Atlanta Braves, Soroka was not the only key contributor it sent to the injured list, as Ozzie Albies was placed there Wednesday. 

The good news for those with Albies on their rosters is a handful of in-form second basemen are available in a wide majority of leagues. 

The same can be said at closer, where Wade Davis and Roberto Osuna suffered injuries. Davis' replacement and a few others are featured on the waiver wire. 

Week 2 Waiver-Wire Advice

Pablo Lopez, SP, Miami

In a normal season, you could wait to see how Scherzer's status develops over the next few days, but in the 60-game campaign, you have to acquire a hot hand or two to pick up that production just in case he is unable to make his next start. 

Scherzer said that he was not worried about the injury that forced him out of the first inning Wednesday, per The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli.

"I'm really not concerned about this. For me, looking forward, I'm thinking in a couple days I'm going to be feeling pretty darn good. I don't think it's a major injury. I fully anticipate being back on the mound here sooner rather than later."

Lopez twirled a two-hit gem over five innings in his first start for the Marlins against the Baltimore Orioles. 

In his five scoreless innings, the 24-year-old struck over seven batters, and if he keeps that up, he will be coveted by more fantasy owners in the coming weeks. 

Even if Scherzer is healthy, Lopez could be a solid replacement for Soroka, who tore his right Achilles tendon in a start Monday night. 

Lopez, who is owned in nine percent of Yahoo leagues, per Fantasy Pros, faces more difficult matchups in the coming weeks in the National League East, but if he keeps that high strikeout total up, he would be worth the risk.

Leury Garcia, 2B/SS/OF, Chicago White Sox

No team has been harder hit at the middle infield positions than the Chicago White Sox, who had Nick Madrigal join Tim Anderson on the 10-day injured list Thursday. Albies' trip to the injured list the latest of the setbacks. 

Those injuries opened up more playing time for Leury Garcia, who is hitting .300 with an OPS of .799 through 11 games. 

Although he produced a pair of home runs July 25, Garcia is not expected to be a consistent power producer in the White Sox lineup. 

However, he does have a consistent ability to reach base. He has a trio of multi-hit games against three different opponents. 

If he performs well in the coming weeks, Garcia may be worth keeping as a bench option moving forward since he is eligible at second base, shortstop and outfield in Yahoo and ESPN competitions. 

Jairo Diaz, RP, Colorado

Jairo Diaz has taken advantage of his opportunity in Colorado's closer role with Scott Oberg and Wade Davis on the 10-day injured list. 

Diaz produced three saves in the last five days, with two coming at home against the San Francisco Giants. 

He could turn into a reliable replacement for Davis and Houston's Roberto Osuna, who "might've thrown his last pitch for the Astros", per The Athletic's Jake Kaplan.

If you need a closer, Diaz has to be selected off the waiver wire as soon as possible since he is owned in 48 percent of Yahoo leagues. 

If he continues to lock down the ninth inning for the Rockies, Diaz's ownership percentage could rocket in the next week or two given how well Colorado has played.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference

A handful of reliable fantasy baseball players have come from the Seattle Mariners roster in the first nine days of the 2020 MLB season.

Kyle Lewis, Kyle Seager and J.P. Crawford have performed well at the plate, but the most available commodity on the waiver wire is starting pitcher Marco Gonzales. The southpaw has pitched well in two starts and is one of a few hurlers worth taking off the waiver wire with two starts scheduled for the next week.

Zach Plesac has shone with a larger spotlight on him in Cleveland, and he is still available in half of Yahoo fantasy leagues.

If you are looking for help at the plate, the San Diego Padres' Trent Grisham could be a solid addition as he looks to continue his strong start while the team deals with Eric Hosmer's absence.

Best Fantasy Baseball Pickups

Marco Gonzales, SP, Seattle

Gonzales jumped on to the fantasy radar with 6.1 scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday.

The outing came after Gonzales limited the Houston Astros to three earned runs on four hits over 4.1 innings. Gonzales is in line to make a pair of starts in the next week at home against the Oakland Athletics and Colorado Rockies.

He is owned in 28 percent of Yahoo leagues, per Fantasy Pros, and that total could grow in the coming days with the schedule he has ahead. In fact, Gonzales and the Mariners have a fairly easy slate in August outside of a six-game run against the Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers.

If the Mariners continue to play well, Gonzales, Taijuan Walker and others could generate more fantasy attention.

Zach Plesac, SP, Cleveland

If Plesac is available in your leagues, now might be the best time to pick him up.

The nephew of former MLB pitcher Dan Plesac struck out 11 batters in his first start of the season against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.

Plesac is owned in 51 percent of Yahoo leagues, and if he turns in another strong outing, that number could skyrocket with quality pitching at a premium in the 60-game campaign. The 25-year-old will have another matchup with the White Sox over the weekend at Guaranteed Rate Park.

Before that, Plesac is in line to take on the Cincinnati Reds, who entered Saturday with the fifth-worst batting average in the majors at .204.

Trent Grisham, OF, San Diego

Grisham has one of the largest disparities in ownership between Yahoo and ESPN leagues. He is only owned in 34 percent of Yahoo competitions, while he is on the roster of 67 percent of ESPN teams.

Just like the case with Plesac, landing Grisham on the waiver wire is imperative over the next few days if you want him and he is available.

The left-handed outfielder hit his third home run of the season at Coors Field on Saturday night, and he has five hits in his past three starts. Grisham could carry more importance in the Padres order over the next week or two after Eric Hosmer was placed on the 10-day injured list with a stomach ailment.

San Diego's lineup has one more game Sunday to take advantage of the hitter-friendly conditions at Coors Field before it plays the next 13 games against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Arizona could present a favorable matchup for the entire Padres lineup since it has conceded 16 home runs.

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

With the injured list ballooning around Major League Baseball, quality fantasy streamers are at a premium entering Week 2.

While the small sample of a fresh season is always tricky to read—doubly so in a year as unique as this—there already seems to be a sufficient amount of replacement players worth your attention on the waiver wire.

Let's take a closer look at our favorite three streamers—available in 50-plus percent of Yahoo leagues, per FantasyPros—for the upcoming week.

Avisail Garcia, OF, Milwaukee Brewers (44 Percent Owned)

While Avisail Garcia hasn't set the fantasy world on fire just yet, his offseason move from Tampa Bay to Milwaukee still bodes well for his overall outlook.

In his lone season with the Rays, he paired 20 homers with 10 stolen bases. Any player providing double-digit marks in both categories will get attention, and the fact he did so in only 125 games hints at the kind of impact he could make with an even greater role (prorated to this 60-game season, of course).

He has friendlier confines now in Milwaukee, plus more high-level hitters around him. It would help if he hit a tad higher in the lineup—he's mostly batted fifth or sixth—but the Brewers have enough bats to produce from any spot.

With more than two weeks until Milwaukee's next scheduled off day, Garcia should have the opportunities and volume to bulk up any fantasy lineup he joins.

Zach Plesac, SP, Cleveland Indians (28 Percent Owned)

Zach Plesac teetered on the brink of fantasy relevance as a rookie in 2019. His 3.81 ERA was no worse than serviceable given the amount of offense produce last season, but he wasn't much of a strikeout source (88 K's in 115.2 innings pitched).

Either he just had one of those nights on Wednesday, or he's about to skyrocket his fantasy profile.

The 6'3", 220-pounder toyed with the Chicago White Sox in his first start of the season. He needed just 98 pitches to get through eight scoreless frames, totaling 11 punchouts with only three hits and zero walks allowed.

"Plesac pounded the strike zone; he changed speeds," Indians manager Terry Francona told reporters. "He was efficient."

Plesac is slated to face the Cincinnati Reds next time out, which seems like it'll be one of the trickier matchups for starting pitchers this season. But if he's as razor-sharp as he was Wednesday night, it may not matter who he's going up against.

Jose Peraza, 2B/SS/OF, Boston Red Sox (19 Percent Owned)

Jose Peraza started his Red Sox tenure with a bang, going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and two RBI his first time out. While his bat has been quieter since (four hits in six games), the residuals of that fantasy success could pay dividends down the line.

He hit out of the ninth slot on Opening Day and jumped all the way to fifth his next time out. He's only been back in the ninth spot once since, and he led off for the third time on Thursday night.

His fantasy stock tanked last season, when he bottomed out with a miserable .239/.285/.346 slash line, which led to his being non-tendered by the Reds last December. But if he gets his groove back in Boston, the 26-year-old still has time to become an asset.

With steals at a premium, his potential in the category can't be overlooked. He stole 67 bases between 2016 and 2018, and in the first season of that stretch, he only played 72 games. He also added 14 homers in the 2018 campaign, and while he shouldn't be relied on for power (he only has 14 homers in the rest of his big league career), there's a chance he isn't a complete zero in the category.

With no Mookie Betts, Boston hasn't been nearly as potent as it had in recent seasons. But that gives Peraza a chance to carve out a prime spot in the batting order, and there are still enough good hitters near the top of the lineup to knock him in if he gets on base consistently.

Brady Singer's performance in his Major League Baseball debut should help him establish a spot in the Kansas City Royals rotation.

The 23-year-old made a case to be a permanent fixture on the Kansas City roster with seven strikeouts against Cleveland on Saturday.

Singer is one of a handful of players who could be targeted by fantasy baseball owners in the coming days and weeks as they try to gain any type of advantage in the shortened season.

The Tampa Bay Rays' Yoshi Tsutsugo and Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs were not owned in a majority of leagues on Opening Day, but their exploits at the plate could lead to more additions.

Fantasy Baseball Players to Target

Brady Singer, RHP, Kansas City

Singer kept the Royals competitive with Cleveland by giving up two earned runs on three hits over five innings.

The University of Florida product set the tone for the Kansas City staff that conceded one hit after he departed the mound.

Singer's arrival came earlier than expected because of a handful of issues projected starters in the Kansas City rotation have been dealing with. Jakob Junis is on the 10-day injured list and Brad Keller is working back to game fitness.

If Singer remains in the No. 2 position in the rotation, he would face the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs in his next two appearances. Although those are not ideal matchups for the young hurler, he could benefit from the unfamiliarity of hitters with his pitches in five- or six-inning stints.

Singer could elevate on the waiver wire if he replicates his Saturday performance in those two contests.

Since pitching depth is crucial over 60 games, taking a flier on Singer is not a bad option. He is currently owned in 22 percent of Yahoo leagues and in 6 percent of ESPN competitions, per Fantasy Pros.

Yoshi Tsutsugo, 3B/OF, Tampa Bay

Tsutsugo caught our attention with a two-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

He may not be listed on top of the waiver wire, but he could be a shrewd pickup if he receives consistent at-bats.

Tsutsugo's position in Friday's lineup against Hyun-Jin Ryu could be a good indicator of how much playing time he earns. An 0-for-4 performance Saturday cooled off some buzz around him, but if he displays power in the middle of the Tampa Bay order, he could be a valuable add to your bench.

His availability at third base and outfield availability in Yahoo leagues could make him a plug-and-play option. He is only available as an outfielder in ESPN competitions.

Ian Happ, 2B, 3B, OF, Chicago Cubs

If Tsutsugo seems too risky, Happ may be a better, more versatile pickup.

However, it may be harder to snag Happ on the waiver wire since he is owned in 38 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Happ, who had a two-run homer Friday, will split time with Jason Kipnis at second base and should be utilized in the outfield and as a designated hitter. In games where Kyle Schwarber plays in the outfield, Happ could be a candidate to slot in at DH, and the two could flip spots throughout the season.

With the potential to earn more at-bats, Happ could be added right away and used in matchups against weaker teams in the AL and NL Central.

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