Welcome back to another FAABulous Sunday and happy Fathers’ Day to all of the amazing dads out there! For those that today may be difficult for, much love! We have roughly 100 of 162 games to go in roto leagues and we’re about half way to the postseason in H2H leagues. The hits keep coming – not just of the extra-base variety, but on the injury front as well. This is when leagues are won, so keep grinding! Let’s get to some names!
Catcher
Brian Serven (57% ME, 9% OC, 1% Yahoo) – Now the number one catcher in Colorado, Serven has begun his big league career hitting .321 with 3 HR, 9 RBI, and 8 R in his first 19 games. He’s not a .300 hitter, but he had posted a .273/.406/.506 slash in 23 games at AAA to begin the season. It’s very difficult to roster and extra catcher in any league – whether we’re talking 15-team, two-catcher leagues or 10-team, one-catcher leagues; however, the MLB schedule has been very good to us when it comes to streaming Rockies. For the four weeks leading into the All-Star break, Colorado is either at home or away for the entire scoring period. Unsurprisingly, the Rockies have the best team OPS in MLB at home (.795) and near-worst team OPS on the road (.623). If possible, pick Serven up this week, but don’t start him until next.
Jorge Alfaro (87% ME, 37% OC, 6% Yahoo) – For those in need of help at catcher this week, as Ryan Bloomfield (@ryanbhq) pointed out on this morning’s episode of On the Wire (@OnTheWirePod) with myself and Adam Howe (@EightyGrade), Alfaro has taken over the primary catching duties in San Diego with four starts last week and four more through Saturday of this scoring period. The Bat X has him as the 15th best catcher for 5×5 roto leagues the rest of the way, and the Padres have a seven-game week.
First Base
Ji-Man Choi (75% ME, 10% OC, 10% OC) – Yes, starting players from Tampa can be tough in regard to the matchups they play when we’re attempting to maximize playing time on our fantasy teams. Choi has received at least 15 AB in each of the past six scoring periods, has started at least five games in each of the past three, typically hits in the top four of the Rays’ lineup, and has hit .351 with 3 HR, 15 RBI, and 9 R the past three weeks. Looking a week ahead, Tampa has five games at Toronto next week, one of the top ballparks in MLB this season for home runs.
Second Base
Brendan Donovan (96% ME, 60% OC, 59% Yahoo) – 3B, OF – Donovan was used as a pinch hitter, pinch runner, and fill-in utility player for the first couple of weeks after joining the Cardinals on April 25. By May 10 he had played his way into a fulltime super-utility role and has hit .344 with 1 HR, 21 RBI, 21 R, and 1 SB since. He has been a top 20 second baseman for the season with 100 less PA than many ahead of him. He’s in the two-spot today for the fifth consecutive game for the fourth highest scoring team in MLB, and St Louis has only one day off the next four weeks.
Third Base
Ezequiel Duran (100% ME, 48% OC, 34% Yahoo) – Still available in over half of 12-team and shallower leagues, Duran was turned loose on the basepaths this week. It was great to see Texas allow him to steal a couple of bases after being caught in his first attempt – we know the Rangers love to run. He now has 9 HR, 39 RBI, 43 R, and 9 SB at AA and with the big club combined (58 games) while hitting over .300 at both levels this season. Texas only has five games this week, so you may want to reserve him, especially for the first half in NFBC formats.
Shortstop
Kyle Farmer (100% ME, 70% OC, 62% Yahoo) – Cincinnati has been a .500 ballclub (20 – 20) since their 3 – 22 start and they’ve moved up to 16th in the league in runs scored thanks to Great American Smallpark. Farmer has appeared here before and will continue to as long as he’s available in 30% of 12-team OC leagues and nearly 40% on Yahoo. There are not a lot of shortstops available, especially the 11th most valuable (18th most valuable middle infielder) so far this season in 5×5 roto. Francisco Lindor and Trea Turner are the only shortstops that have driven in more runs. The Reds are home three of six games this week, then after three in Wrigley to begin next week they’re back home for 11 games in 10 days!
Outfield
Orlando Arcia (0% ME, 0% OC, 19% Yahoo) – Filling in for the injured Ozzie Albies, Arcia will become second base eligible later this week. Atlanta has become a lineup that is appealing regardless of lineup position, so I’m not too worried about Arcia being in the bottom third – he’s going to be IN the lineup everyday. Atlanta is another team with only one off-day the next four weeks.
Nomar Mazara (34% ME, 2% OC, 2% Yahoo) – San Diego has a seven-game week and five appear to be vs right handed starters. Mazara has only one HR since being called up a couple of weeks ago, but he’s hitting .311 with 10 RBI and 6 R while, most importantly, being allowed to remain in games vs lefty relievers. He hits sixth or seventh most days in the sixth highest scoring lineup in baseball.
Pitcher
Kendall Graveman (60% ME, 11% OC, 53% Yahoo) – Graveman will be expensive this evening,. The hope is the thought that Liam Hendriks will only be out two more weeks keeps the price down a bit. Forearm strains scare me, and I’m not counting on the three week timeframe for Hendriks’ absence. Graveman is the White Sox closer until Hendriks returns – they haven’t had a save opportunity this week, and he hasn’t pitched – every other bullpen arm has appeared, most multiple times. The White Sox only have one day off prior to the break.
Jon Gray (100% ME, 96% OC, 40% Yahoo) – Universally rostered in 15-teamers and nearly so in twelves, Gray is available in 60% of Yahoo leagues and is set to face Washington, at Kansas City, at Baltimore, Oakland, and Seattle as we head into the break.
David Peterson (81% ME, 22% OC, 13% Yahoo) – The thought that the Mets’ pitching staff was getting healthy has made Peterson more available than he would be had we known he would be starting vs the Marlins – the last team in the league vs lefties with a .591 OPS – on Monday. There is a possibility he’ll get Miami again on the weekend. If not, due to Max Scherzer’s return, he’ll have Houston in his next start – not as bad as it sounds as they are 15th in the league with a .712 OPS as a team vs southpaws.
As always good luck tonight and enjoy the games!
Feature image by Michael Packard (@CollectingPack on Twitter) / Photography by Frank Jansky & John McCreary / Icon Sportswire