Each week, we’ll look at a handful of players who fantasy managers should consider picking up in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. Many of these players will have the most value in larger leagues where waiver wire options aren’t as plentiful. Still, they could also occasionally be useful additions in other, more standard-sized leagues, depending on your options at each position.
All roster percentages mentioned in this column are via FantasyPros as of Friday afternoon.
Dean Kremer – 6%
The Baltimore Orioles‘ rotation has not been a strength for the team so far this season. Entering play on Friday, Baltimore’s rotation ranked last in the league in collective fWAR with a -0.2 number. The American League East club was the only franchise to get a negative fWAR from its rotation so far.
Baltimore was also last in FIP (5.48) and second to last with a 16.0% strikeout rate. In terms of the FIP, no other team in the league’s rotation was sporting a FIP north of 4.95 as of the start of Friday.
Kremer, who was mentioned in this column earlier this season, has pitched to a 5.24 ERA and a 4.90 FIP in eight starts and 44.2 innings this season. However, he’s given the club a considerable boost as of late.
The veteran has scattered six hits, two earned runs, three walks, and a home run in his last two starts, spanning 14 innings. In the process, he’s struck out 10 batters.
The right-hander’s most recent outing came against the Minnesota Twins on May 8, in which he struck out eight batters in seven innings and held the Twins to three hits, two earned runs, two walk,s and a homer, logging a strong 38% CSW rate in the process.
Considering his full-season FIP, Kremer might not be someone to start on a regular basis, but he’s shown he can find success and provide solid fantasy production in the right matchups.
One of those matchups could be in his next start. Assuming Baltimore’s rotation continues as is without any interruptions, Kremer’s next scheduled start will be a rematch with the Twins, this time at home.
Steven Okert – 2%
Steven Okert hasn’t posted significant saves and holds totals this season to the point where he’s a must-add purely because of terms of production in those categories. The veteran 33-year-old reliever has chipped in with a save, two holds, and a pitcher win in 15 appearances and 18 innings for the Houston Astros so far. Quality fantasy production to be sure.
But it’s more the combination of that production and the fact that Okert has been pitching like the type of reliever to add to help keep your weekly ERA and WHIP numbers down that makes him worth a look for fantasy managers in deeper leagues.
The left-hander is off to a strong start for the American League West franchise, pitching to a 1.50 ERA and a 1.99 FIP in those aforementioned 18 innings of work, thanks in large part to some elite bat-missing metrics so far.
The former Twins, Marlins, and Giants hurler ranks in the 93rd percentile or better in strikeout rate and whiff rate. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he’s also been excellent at limiting walks as well. Opposing batters have walked just 3.1% of the time against the veteran.
The veteran is tied for the team lead in fWAR among relievers with Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader, but trails Abreu and Bryan King (both with nine) by a considerable margin for the team lead in holds.
If Okert suddenly starts getting more chances for holds, he’d instantly become an impact bullpen option in saves+holds fantasy leagues.
Stephen Kolek – 2%
Stephen Kolek has made just one start for the San Diego Padres this year, earning a win as he limited the Pittsburgh Pirates to four hits and two walks in 5.1 shutout innings. The right-hander generated just six swings and misses and finished with four strikeouts and a 25% CSW rate, but he didn’t allow a barrel and came away from the one start with a 64.3% ground-ball rate and a 35.7% hard-hit rate.
If he can continue both of those trends moving forward, the 28-year-old could be worth a look as a streaming option for fantasy managers in the right matchups.
And the San Diego Padres have plenty of fantasy-friendly matchups on the schedule in the next few weeks.
They have three games in Colorado starting Friday. Kolek will start one of those contests on Saturday, to be specific.
Assuming the Padres rotation continues as is without any interruptions and that Kolek continues to stick in the rotation, the right-hander’s next four starts would come against the Seattle Mariners (at home), the Toronto Blue Jays (on the road), the Miami Marlins (at home) and the San Francisco Giants (on the road).
The Mariners start might be one to avoid, considering how well Seattle has been hitting as of late. Entering play Friday, the Mariners were second in the league in wRC+.
Otherwise, it could be a fairly fantasy-friendly slate of games for the 28-year-old.
Miami, Toronto, and San Francisco all rank in the bottom half of the league in wRC+. And while Kolek didn’t miss many bats his first time around, the Marlins did enter play Friday with the league’s sixth-highest collective strikeout rate (23.0%).
Graphic by Carlos Leano.
