MLB Week 11 FAAB Insights

Welcome back to another FAABulous Sunday! It’s now more true than ever that our bids are league, team, and format dependent; but there are some interesting names that we can all take a look at. Let’s get to it!

 

Catcher

 

Austin Nola (78% TGFBI, 37% Yahoo) – Nola could be close to returning to the Padres, as he was “a week or two away,” on June 4. The 11th catcher off the board in March NFBC drafts had only 59 PA with a home run and 11 RBI while getting on base at a .373 clip prior to his most recent IL stint. As much as I hate to use a roster spot for a catcher not in my lineup, if you have the room, you can save some FAAB dollars by grabbing him a week or two before he heads out on his rehab assignment.

Ryan Jeffers (63% TGFBI, 2% Yahoo) – With Mitch Garver’s groin injury, Jeffers was recalled on June 2 and has started seven of the Twins’ 10 games behind the plate. He’s 7 for 29 with two HR upon his return to the MLB roster, and has a secure spot with Garver’s long term injury.

 

First Base

 

Daniel Vogelbach (10% TGFBI, 2% Yahoo) – With Travis Shaw hitting the 60-day IL, Vogelbach looks to see everyday playing time for the foreseeable future in Milwaukee. He’s hitting .308 in June with 3 HR, 4 RBI, and 7 R. The Brewers have a seven-game week on tap with four of those games on the road in Colorado — music to any hitter’s ears, especially with temperatures forecasted in the 90s all week long.

Rowdy Tellez (54% TGFBI, 2% Yahoo) – Tellez is hitting .282 over the past three weeks, but with only one home run in that span, the most important number is his 44 plate appearances. His quality of contact numbers are what we expected, his O-swing rate is 3.4% below his career average, and his K rate is very respectable for someone with his power, at 21.3%. The home runs are coming!

 

Second Base

 

Andy Burns (0% TGFBI, 0% Yahoo) – UT-only eligible on NFBC due to seven PA in 2016, Burns is the latest Dodger to be called upon to help amid their continuing rash of injuries. He was in the lineup as the starting second baseman hitting seventh, but is shortstop-eligible on Yahoo. The 30-year-old was hitting .330 with 5 HR and 7 SB in 30 games at AAA prior to his season debut on Saturday evening. Corey Seager isn’t expected back until early July, so Burns may have two to three weeks to stake his claim to a spot in the Dodgers’ lineup going forward.

 

Third Base

 

Maikel Franco (59% TGFBI, 6% Yahoo) – With home runs and multiple runs and RBI in three consecutive weeks, Franco is heating up along with the weather in Baltimore. He’s hit for a higher batting average in the past as week, so it could get even better. The Orioles have consecutive seven-game weeks as well.

 

Shortstop

 

Nick Gordon (2% TGFBI, 3% Yahoo) – Gordon has played 18 games this season at AAA and MLB combined and has 10 SB — that’s a 90 SB pace for the season. He’s off to an 11-for-31 start with five SB in five attempts, and a home run to boot. He hasn’t stolen as many bases in his professional career as his brother, Dee Strange-Gordon, but if he continues to get playing time in the Twins’ injury-riddled lineup, he can definitely contribute in the scarce category.

 

Outfield

 

Miguel Andújar (63% TGFBI, 33% Yahoo) – With 5 HR, 8 RBI, and 14 R in 28 games, Andujar is back on the 2018 pace that we were hoping would return. The .270 BA makes him a true four-category contributor, and the Yankees’ lineup is sure to pick it up, right?

 

Pitcher

 

Adrian Houser (68% TGFBI, 16% Yahoo) – Since giving up six ER vs. the Reds on May 21, Houser has three consecutive starts with a run or less in at least five IP. He got Pittsburgh today and lines up for a start at Colorado this week. That will keep his price down this evening, and he lines up for the Rockies again next week — that time on the road.

Zack Britton (7% TGFBI, 9% Yahoo) – Aroldis Chapman has given up runs in three of his last seven appearances and has one save since May 20. He hasn’t hit 100 mph since June 2 and was sitting 96-97 mph his past couple of opportunities. That’s still some gas, but I’m making a speculative pickup here where I have the room.

 

Short and Sweet

 

I didn’t list as many individual names as usual this week. As mentioned earlier, league size, format, and team needs make things so team specific right now. Be sure to check who has been dropped! I have also noticed that in my twelve-team leagues, I’ve hung onto some guys too long. Guys like Hunter Renfroe and Amed Rosario, who I’ve included here before and roster in 15-teamers, are available and I should have added them long ago.

As always, good luck tonight!

 

Photo from Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire | Design by Quincey Dong (@threerundong on Twitter)