Welcome back to another FAABulous Sunday! And here’s to a glorious holiday weekend to those celebrating! We all know what that means – don’t forget to get your bids in this evening! Some will, so we may be surprised at some bargains in certain leagues. Let’s get to some names!
Catcher
Alejandro Kirk (100% ME, 100% OC, 38% Yahoo) – Kirk is universally rostered in two-catcher leagues. What were once crowded catcher and designated hitter situations in Toronto have thinned out due to trades and injuries. The bump in playing time for Kirk in the middle third of the Blue Jays’ lineup makes him a nice add-in, even in the single-catcher leagues where he’s available.
Jonah Heim (0%, 1%, 10%) – The trade that brought Mitch Garver to Texas dampened my expectations for Heim, and he ranks 31st in MLB for plate appearances by a catcher. However, that’s only five PAs less than the 19th ranked catcher, and his production in those opportunities has been top five for catchers thus far. More plate appearances may lie ahead with Heim or Garver getting some DH time as well.
First Base
Christian Walker (100%, 9%, 4%) – Walker only has three hits so far, but two of the three were home runs and his BABIP is .059 after three consecutive seasons over .300. His K% and BB% are at or better than his career averages, and he hits clean-up daily. More hits, and more home runs, are coming.
Second Base
Nick Solak (47%, 1%, 3%) – Solak is hitting second on Sunday and may continue to hit higher in the lineup vs lefty starters. The Rangers face three of them this week, so we’ll see Solak in at least half of Texas’ starting lineups. Brad Miller is missing a second straight day with a stiff back – the Rangers are off on Monday and face a left-handed starter on Tuesday, so it will be Wednesday before we know if we’ll see Solak in left field vs some righties as well. If you have room, he’s a nice post-hype stash for shallower leagues as well.
Third Base
Maikel Franco (11%, 0%, 5%) – Franco is playing every day, hits fifth or sixth most days for a top-ten run-scoring lineup, and the Nationals have seven games this week. His 8 RBI over the past ten games are not surprising for his situation.
Short Stop
Elvis Andrus (2%, 0%, 3%) – I’m leaving Andrus right here from last week. Oakland has a seven-game week – four vs left-handed starters, and Andrus hits second vs lefties. A nice week for runs and stolen bases in Oakland.
Outfield
Josh Naylor (0%, 0%, 1%) – In 640 career PA, Naylor has a K% under 20% and has hit .251 with 16 HR, 59 RBI, 70 R, and 3 SB – he’s still just 24 years old, and has returned from his 2021 season-ending broken leg a bit sooner than some expected. The bump in PA due to the early return bumps him to a 20+HR projection with a handful of SB.
Raimel Tapia (72%, 43%, 16%) – I had Tapia penciled in here even before the Teoscar Hernández injury due to six right-handed starters on tap for Toronto. Since Hernández’s injury, Tapia has hit fifth, sixth, and leadoff once each in three games.
Chad Pinder (60%, 1%, 4%) – Hitting third in Sunday’s lineup, he led off yesterday, and he has hit fourth or higher in six of his eight starts. With what appears to be an increase in expected playing time, Pinder projects for mid-20s HR, 150 R+RBI, and a handful of SB with a BA that won’t hurt.
Pitcher
Dallas Keuchel (2%, 0%, 6%) – As I mentioned on this morning’s episode of On the Wire (@OnTheWirePod) with Lucas Biery (@lucasbiery33), proceed with caution; but I’m rolling with Keuchel for the two starts at Cleveland and Minnesota, especially with the injuries in Minnesota.
Dylan Coleman (0%, 0%, 0%) – Speculative closer in a situation where the Royals like to use Scott Barlow in high leverage situations regardless of when they arise and where Josh Staumont has been good as well. Coleman is a 70% 98 mph fastball, 30% 86 mph slider guy who struck out 100 batters in 64 IP across three levels in 2021 and has 6 K in 4 IP to begin 2022.
Carlos Hernández (100%, 50%, 3%) – With Sunday’s postponement, Hernández’s two-start week was pushed back as well – at home vs Minnesota and at Seattle.
Garrett Whitlock (100%, 94%, 38%) – This is a situation where I expect Whitlock to be dropped in places due to not closing or starting, but I’m grabbing him for next to nothing where I can for the multiple inning appearances following openers where he’ll have opportunities for wins in addition to his Ks and nice ratios.
Good luck tonight and enjoy the games!
Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Michael Packard (@artbyMikeP on Twitter & IG)