Welcome back to another FAABulous Sunday! Many of our competitors will be distracted today and this evening with the NFL kicking off, so take advantage! As with last week, I’m looking for players going well and looking to get a good number of plate appearances going forward. Let’s get to it!
Catcher
Alejandro Kirk (85% TGFBI, 22% Yahoo, 74% OC) – This is what we’ve been waiting all season for! Not just the 3 HR this week, but the PA over the past three. He has 22 PA this week coming into Sunday, had 17 last week, and had 22 two weeks back. With at least one home run and multiple RBI and runs each week, it’s time to get Kirk into all lineups, including in single-catcher leagues.
First Base
Darin Ruf (27% TGFBI, 3% Yahoo, 6% OC) – OF – Slashing .279/.401/.544 with 15 HR, 40 RBI, and 38 R in 274 PA this season, Ruf has performed equally as well vs right and left-handed pitching — .277 with 9 HR, 20 RBI, and 17 R in 128 PA vs LHP, and .280 with 6 HR, 20 RBI, and 21 R in 146 PA vs RHP. He’s in the lineup in the two-spot Sunday which should get him to double-digit PA for the week despite not playing since Wednesday. He had 23 PA last week and 15 PA the week prior. He’s one of the players the Giants have successfully shuffled in and out all season, but with a seven-game week ahead I look for an acceptable number of PA for a four-category producer in deeper leagues.
Second Base
Yonny Hernandez (29% TGFBI, 2% Yahoo, 16% OC) – 3B – If you’re in the need of SB help Hernandez plays nearly every day, has gotten on base at a .352 clip in his 26 MLB games, and has four of his eight SB in his past five games. The Rangers are turning everyone loose on the base paths – fifth in MLB in SB on the season and second the past couple of weeks – and have back-to-back seven-game weeks ahead.
Third Base
Brad Miller (51% TGFBI, 12% Yahoo, 4% OC) – 1B, 2B, OF – I have included Miller multiple times this season, most recently four weeks ago – “Miller has appeared in this article at multiple positions throughout the season, but typically when he’s been on at least a bit of a hot streak, not coming off of a 1 for 20 stretch like he has been on since his two-HR game on August 7. Despite that stretch, Miller has been streaky throughout his career, and I’m a little worried about Rhys Hoskins‘ expected return this week after receiving a cortisone injection Friday.” Hoskins is now out for the season and Miller is 14 for 47 (.298) the past three weeks with 6 HR, 11 RBI, and 9 R. The Phillies are off on Monday then play 13 straight days.
Shortstop
J.P. Crawford (90%TGFBI, 13% Yahoo, 46% OC) – Crawford has been the leadoff hitter for the Mariners since June 1, and that’s led to 77 runs scored thus far. He’s hitting .267 on the season, .313 the past couple of weeks with two of his year’s 8 HR, and Seattle only has two off days the rest of the way.
Outfield
Josh Lowe (0% TGFBI, 6% Yahoo, 0% OC) – Many anticipated Lowe’s return to AAA which occurred Saturday with Randy Arozarena back from paternity leave, but I was hopeful the Rays would find room to keep him and his AAA .282/.369/.540 slash line with 21 HR, 73 RBI, 69 R, and 24 SB in just 412 PA. For now, he’s 1 for 1 with a BB and a SB as a major leaguer. I noted him here as he was all set for this week’s featured image.
Kevin Pillar (32% TGFBI, 7% Yahoo, 4% OC) – Brandon Nimmo appears to be on track to return next weekend, ending Pillar’s run as the Mets’ everyday center fielder. I would anticipate Pillar still getting a start or two in that Phillies series making him viable in deeper leagues for the week. He’s been a solid contributor across the board the past three weeks with a .325 BA, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 9 R, and 2 SB.
Pitcher
Drew Rasmussen (39% TGFBI, 5% Yahoo, 7% OC) – My apologies to those that rode with me for Kyle Freeland’s 11 ER in 10 1/3 IP this past week after he had only given up 12 in his previous 30 IP. I’m treading right back into risky waters with Rasmussen this week, willing to hold my breath through Monday’s outing at Toronto to get his start next weekend at home vs Detroit. He’s started five straight appearances after a couple of opener starts earlier in the season, throwing four innings in three and five in the other two while not giving up over a run in any of the five. His K% is down as a starter as we would expect, but he has struck out 15 in those 22 IP. With the five-inning starts coming at Philadelphia and at Boston, I’m hopeful he can do the same at Toronto.
Héctor Neris (56% TGFBI, 39% Yahoo, 25% OC) – I haven’t included a speculative closer in quite some time, and we’re down to just three weeks to go for a job to be won. But since recording his most recent save on July 18 and giving up 3 ER in his following appearance, Neris has gone 23 appearances with 23 1/3 IP giving up just 1 ER (0.39 ERA) and striking out 34 (13.11 K/9). Meanwhile, in his 14 appearances for Philadelphia, Ian Kennedy has given up 6 HR (two in his most recent outing) in 13 2/3 IP leading to a 6.59 ERA. The Phillies enter Sunday 3 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the NL East and 2 1/2 behind the Reds and Padres for the NL Wild Card. A switch may be coming.
If one of the above or another player can really help me in a category the rest of the way, I’m spending up to 60% of my remaining FAAB tonight to hopefully ensure I get what I need. That will leave 20% of what I have left to fill in for any injuries that may arise in each of the next couple of weeks. As always, good luck tonight, and enjoy the games!
Photo from Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire | Design by Quincey Dong (@threerundong on Twitter)