As Week 6 draws to a close, in our standings fantasy stars are starting to distinguish themselves from the underperformers. While there were a few more injuries this week, none were as severe as the previous ones. On a brighter note, we're thrilled to announce the call-up of promising pitching prospect Paul Skenes.
Skenes, the 1st overall pick of the 2023 draft, has been dominating AAA pitching this season, boasting an impressive 0.99 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. He's been striking out an astounding 42.9% of batters he faces while allowing a minuscule .175 batting average against. While almost fully rostered in Yahoo and CBS leagues, it's advisable to scan the waiver wire in case he's somehow still available. Additionally, despite the need to manage expectations, it's hard to ignore his arsenal of three-plus (or even plus-plus) pitches.
In recent injury news, outfielder Jorge Soler was placed on the IL due to a right shoulder strain suffered during a game against the Phillies, while the Rangers faced another blow as Dane Dunning joined the list with a right rotator cuff strain. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds placed Christian Encarnacion-Strand on the 10-day IL due to a fracture in his right hand, while Wilson Contreras underwent surgery on Thursday for a right forearm fracture, which is expected to sideline him for at least 10 weeks.
As always, for a hitter to qualify for this list, he must be less than – or right around – 50% owned in Yahoo! Leagues. Additionally, a player will only appear on this list twice if they continue raking from weeks prior.
Abraham Toro 2B/3B, Oakland Athletics (17% Owned)
Abraham Toro continues to swing a hot bat, as he has at least one hit in 10 of his last 12 games and multiple hits in seven of those. They’re not cheapies either, as Toro has six doubles and a home run during that span. Additionally, Toro's swinging at more pitches in the zone and making a ton of contact when he does (89.7%), while simultaneously lowering his strikeout rate. While It’d be nice to see him walk more, he’s not going to hurt you too much in points leagues. Also, keep in mind that even though his BABIP is a little high at the moment, at one point he was the Houston Astros’ Minor League Player of the Year, indicating he has the pedigree for success.
Luis Garcia Jr. 2B, Washington Nationals (44% Owned)
I wrote about Luis Garcia Jr. back in Week 5, and he’s continued to rake since then. Garcia's roster percentage has doubled in that time while he has begun to hit near the top of the Nationals lineup – batting no lower than third in the order over the last week. He has continued to run wild (at least by his standards) and is currently hitting .321. Perhaps most notably, over the last two weeks, he's been able to maintain hard contact while walking almost as much as he's striking out.
Max Kepler OF, Minnesota Twins (41% Owned)
Since returning from the IL on April 22, all Max Kepler has done is mash, and his two-hit outing on Thursday extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Kepler has at least one hit in 15 of his last 16 outings and has a ridiculous (Ted Williams-esque) .434 average during that span (23-for-53). In points leagues, A good barometer of player performance is if they average roughly one point per at-bat. During those 53 at-bats, Kepler has 71 points. Encouragingly, his plate discipline has been astounding as he's been walking more than he has struck out (7:6).
Jonny DeLuca OF, Tampa Bay Rays (22% Owned)
After hitting .300 in a brief AAA stint, Tampa OF Jonny DeLuca has continued striking the ball well. While a small sample, a third of his hits have been line drives. Even though small samples can be challenging to parse through for meaningful data, DeLuca’s plate discipline continues to shine. Through 48 plate appearances across the two levels, DeLuca has seven walks and only three strikeouts.
While he’s not very likely to help much in the power department, he has been aggressive at the plate. DeLuca's first-pitch swing percentage is up 16 points from his time with the Dodgers (52.2%), and he's chasing less when he swings. Additionally, when DeLuca does decide to get the bat off his shoulder he’s making contact 80% of the time. Even though that pace is unsustainable, his Statcast numbers allude to a high-average player.
Jo Adell OF, Los Angeles Angels (33% Owned)
Angel's OF Jo Adell’s roster percentage has gone down a smidge since last week, but it’s unclear why. He did have a few down games, and the Angels dropped him in the lineup, but he’s still making great contact. Half of his six BBs on the season have come in the last week – while he's also chipped in two steals and a home run.
Additionally, Adell's .265 average stands at the best of his career, and Statcast seems to think he has some positive regression coming in that department with an xBA of .313. I also expect the power numbers to begin to jump up since he's currently in the 96th percentile with an xSLG of .564.
Deep League Options
Eddie Rosario OF, Washington Nationals (1% Owned)
After a dreadfully slow start to his season, Nationals OF Eddie Rosario seems to be heating up at the dish. It’s unclear how long it might last, but Rosario gets hot with the best of them when he’s locked in. Regardless, most of his metrics are well below his career averages – namely his BABIP (.153), which is almost 150 points below his .300 average from last year. Curiously, he’s hitting the ball hard at a higher rate than previously (39.7%).
Joey Ortiz 2B/3B, Milwaukee Brewers (4% Owned)
Milwaukee infielder Joey Ortiz emerges as a notable OBP option, boasting a remarkable near-16% walk rate. Though not consistently in the starting lineup, he appears to be the favored choice at third base for the Brew Crew. Recent games have seen him lose some playing time to Oliver Dunn; however, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, this decision isn't a result of unsatisfactory performance, and those in need of infield help for their rosters should take a look at him.
Brett Harris 3B, Oakland Athletics (0% Owned)
After going hitless in his major-league debut, A's 3B Brett Harris smacked his first two homers in a big-league uniform. Even though he only has two hits since then (one single / one HR), Harris does have six BBs over just 31 plate appearances, indicating his selectivity at the plate. Additionally, even though It’s the smallest of small samples, his BABIP isn’t even at .100 (.059), indicating positive regression could be ahead, as this is a player who regularly had a BABIP well over .300 throughout his minor league career.
Pitching/Streaming Options
Gavin Stone, Los Angeles Dodgers (41/40% Yahoo/CBS)
L.A. starting pitcher Gavin Stone initially had a slow start to the season but has shown signs of improvement in his recent outings. Over his last five starts, Stone has pitched six or more innings in four of them, securing three wins during this stretch. Benefiting from pitching for the Dodgers, Stone has been particularly impressive, allowing no more than two runs since April 13th, and just one run in his last three starts against TOR, MIA, and ATL. While his strikeout numbers haven't been exceptional, he has limited hard-hit balls to just 31% of the time. If you have room on your roster don't be afraid to take a look at him.
Hayden Wesneski, Chicago Cubs (17/9% Yahoo/CBS)
Aside from his previous two starts, Chicago starter Hayden Wesneski isn’t pitching too deep into games. However, those last two starts were quality, and Wesneski has pitched quite well on the year when called upon. This week he takes on the Braves, which isn’t ideal, but later on gets the Pittsburgh Pirates. While Hitters have an xBA of .226 against him right now, his 1.59 ERA is probably too low and unsustainable, but his xERA and xFIP (2.68 / 3.75) are super solid marks. He could be useful for your team this week.
Trevor Williams, Washington Nationals (24/18% Yahoo/CBS)
Trevor Williams also has two starts this week, but I won’t blame you if you only add him for the first. He’s lined up to take on the Chicago White Sox on Monday, and that should be a fine outing for him as the Chi Sox rank dead last in the league at scoring just three runs per game. While the first scheduled start is good, his second start of the week is less favorable, squaring off with Aaron Nola and the Phillies. Despite this, Williams has shined with a superb 1.96 ERA and a low .225 xBA against, indicating he could be useful if you're in need of a spot starter.
As Week 7 unfolds, it's evident that the landscape is dynamic, with players emerging as strong options amidst both triumphs and setbacks. Amidst injury woes affecting notable names like Jorge Soler and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, promising prospects like Paul Skenes offer glimmers of hope for fantasy managers seeking reinforcements. Meanwhile, seasoned players like Gavin Stone showcase resilience, gradually finding their stride to become reliable assets in both real and fantasy baseball realms.
