Welcome back to another FAABulous Sunday! Injuries have continued at a record pace, and we’ve had several call-ups as a result, so let’s get right to some interesting names for this week’s FAAB consideration!
Catcher
Eric Haase (17% TGFBI, 3% Yahoo) – Since taking over as the Tigers’ everyday catcher on May 13, Haase has more multi-HR games (three) than he had career HR prior (one). His 70 raw power and 55 game power prospect grades have been evident throughout his 10-year minor league career, most recently hitting 28 HR in 401 PA at AAA in 2019. There may be playing time concerns if Wilson Ramos returns from his second IL stint with back issues, but I’m not too worried as he had two hits in 24 PA and was in the lineup as the DH in five of the six games he played between IL trips. He’s not going to hit 5 HR every four days or seven every 70 PA, but double digits rest of season are realistic.
Yan Gomes (98% TGFBI, 17% Yahoo) – It seems as if Gomes became a boring old guy overnight, but this is his 10th MLB season. As with most boring old guys we know what to expect – .250 BA, 15 HR, 50 RBI, and 50 R. That definitely plays in the very few 15-team, two-catcher leagues he may be available, and will do in a pinch in shallower and one-catcher leagues. We all love upside, but there’s something to be said for just nice decent production.
First Base
Chris Gittens (0% TGFBI, 0% Yahoo) – With Luke Voit, “a few weeks,” from returning, the Yankees have turned to the 6’4″, 250-pound, 80-grade raw power Gittens to jumpstart the lineup that leads MLB in games scoring three runs or less. As you probably suspect, he’s a high K, high BB, high HR guy that hit .281 with 23 HR, 77 RBI, and 58 R in 478 PA in 2019 at AA. He has followed that by posting a .283 BA with 4 HR, 11 RBI, and 16 R in 74 PA at AAA in 2021. Expect a BA closer to .200 than .280, but the power is for real.
Patrick Wisdom (0% TGFBI, 28% Yahoo) – As I discussed with Adam (@EightyGrade) and Chris (@baseballpods) on this morning’s episode of On the Wire (@OnTheWirePod), in a season that has already had several great stories to root for, Wisdom is a guy that’s easy for me to enjoy watching and reminds us that we play fantasy baseball to have fun! A first-round (21st overall) draft pick by the Cardinals in 2012, the 29-year-old has taken advantage of his third opportunity with his third club in the past three full seasons with 5 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R, and even an SB in his first 32 PA. He’s been in the lineup at third base nearly every day and should gain that eligibility in leagues that require 10 games early this week. It’s heating up in the Midwest, so while he won’t hit four home runs every week, this past week may not be the last time this season he does.
Second Base
Luis Urías (68% TGFBI, 6% Yahoo) – 3B, SS – With Kolten Wong back on the IL, Urías has found himself in the leadoff spot the past three games. He’s been very inconsistent this season with eight multi-game hitless streaks leading to just a .217 BA, but he’s on pace for 20 HR and 75 RBI (that will slow if he continues to lead off), and his SB and R numbers should get a boost while Wong is out. His minor league numbers and plate discipline suggest an improvement in BA is realistic which would boost his counting stats across the board. He just turned 24 years old on Thursday.
Jonathan India (93% TGFBI, 12% Yahoo) – 3B – India started 5 for 25 with 10 RBI and 4 R in the Reds’ first six games of the season. He was picked up everywhere he wasn’t drafted and rewarded those believers with just six hits and seven walks in 67 PA over the next month plus. Since May 13, in 74 PA he has 20 H and 11 BB with 4 HR, 10 RBI, 8 R, and 3 SB. The Reds play all six games this week at home, so expect the rebound to continue.
Third Base
Willi Castro (63% TGFBI, 12% Yahoo) – 2B, SS – Another popular guy in draft season and early add where he wasn’t drafted, Castro’s .232 BA, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 21 R, and 2 SB aren’t all that appealing a third of the way through the season. However, over his past month, he’s hit .288 with 3 HR, 14 RBI, 13 R, and 2 SB. He also just turned 24 years old, so it appears he may have been given up on a bit early in many leagues.
Jake Lamb (2% TGFBI, 1% Yahoo) – 1B, OF – Lamb hasn’t had over 238 PA since 2017 but does have 37 appearing in 12 games since May 13, with 4 HR, 7 RBI, and 9 R. He and his .278 BA are in the lineup again this afternoon hitting second between Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada. There is playing time and injury risk here, but it shouldn’t cost much to check out for a week or two.
Short Stop
José Iglesias (37% TGFBI, 4% Yahoo) – As we have discussed over the past few weeks – yes, SS is a deep position – but no, there aren’t many available on the wire, especially in 15-teamers and deeper. I’d look at the availability of multi-position eligible Castro and Urías mentioned above as my first options. If not, Iglesias returned from the IL on Saturday, and his .274 BA, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 21 R, and 2 SB will do you’re in need.
J.P. Crawford (63% TGFBI, 4% Yahoo) – Crawford is back in the leadoff spot for an injury-riddled Mariners lineup and has seized the opportunity with 7 H, 2 BB, 1 HR, and 1 SB in 22 PA over five games. He may stick at the top of the lineup for quite some time with Kyle Lewis out for several weeks and Jarred Kelenic’s early struggles. He had 24 R typically hitting in the five or six spots, so a 75 R pace the rest of the way is realistic.
Outfield
Austin Slater (95% TGFBI, 6% Yahoo) – It’s tough to start Slater in weekly lineup leagues knowing the lack of PAs, but they have come consistently as he’s had double-digit opportunities each week this season (needs two today to continue that streak). The Giants are scheduled for 13 games over the next two weeks, so I’m looking for his 20 HR/20 SB pace to continue. Be careful if you’re lagging in the RBI and/or R categories unless you’re in a daily lineup league.
Bradley Zimmer (0% TGFBI, 1% Yahoo) – In parts of five MLB seasons, Zimmer has accumulated 534 PA, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 61 R, and 27 SB while hitting .225. The one-time top prospect for Cleveland hasn’t played more than 34 games since his 2017 rookie season when he put up 8 HR, 39 RBI, 41 R, and 18 SB while hitting .241 in just 332 PA. He strikes out a ton, but has already stolen three bases since his return to the lineup on May 27 and has only been caught three times in 30 career attempts. Cleveland has a five-game schedule this week, but with three coming vs Seattle and fewer ABs limiting the potential BA damage, I’ll roll with him in leagues where I need SB help.
Pitcher
Tony Gonsolin (100% TGFBI, 53% Yahoo) – Universally rostered in TGFBI and other 15-team leagues as he has been snagged over the past two to three weeks where he was available, Gonsolin is available in almost half of Yahoo leagues. The pitch count is a bit of a concern, but he progressed from 38 to 55 to 60 in his three rehab starts spanning 10 1/3 IP. He gets to visit Pittsburgh out of the gate, and Texas heads to LA over the weekend, so even 70 and 85-90 pitches or so respectively are too enticing to pass up.
Josh Staumont (83% TGFBI, 36% Yahoo) – Staumont was reinstated from the IL today, so double check to see if he was dropped. He may not get the first save opportunity or two, but expect him to work his way back into the role soon, especially if his knee soreness had anything to do with his couple of shaky outings before hitting the IL.
Paul Fry (33% TGFBI, 15% Yahoo) – I’ve stayed away from the Baltimore Closer carousel so far this season, and Hunter Harvey is back as well, but even without Friday’s save, I really like Fry’s game log. In 23 appearances he’s allowed a run in just three, three of his five appearances without a strikeout were one-out appearances, and he has multiple strikeouts in 12 of his last 20. He’s worth a shot for me.
Zach Davies (67% TGFBI, 23% Yahoo) – Like Brad Keller that I mentioned last week (still just 50% TGFBI, 13% Yahoo), Davies got off to a slow start after being a popular guy in draft season. They’ve both been better recently – Davies had given up three runs or less in six straight starts (10 ER in 35 2/3 IP) before his last outing (we weren’t Gombered, we were San Francisco’d), and Keller has done the same his past eight with 18 ER in 43 2/3 IP. They also both line up for potential two-starts the week of June 14, so this is the week to grab them for less FAAB than it will take if they’re still available next week.
As always, good luck tonight and enjoy the games!
Photo from Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire | Design by Quincey Dong (@threerundong on Twitter)