It was a relief to have a break from injuries during the All-Star festivities, but that respite is over, and we've been hit hard this past week. If a recent injury has impacted your fantasy team, stop everything and check if Lawrence Butler (75% rostered on Yahoo!) is still available on your waiver wire—he’s a top priority right now. Otherwise, take a deep breath and read on.
The Atlanta Braves have placed second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist fracture) and pitcher Max Fried (elbow neuritis) on the 10-day and 15-day ILs, respectively. Fried's injury is minor, and Albies is expected to return in about eight weeks. The Seattle Mariners also added shortstop J.P. Crawford (hand fracture) and outfielder Julio Rodriguez (high ankle sprain) to the 10-day IL. Crawford will be out for four to six weeks, while Rodriguez will be reassessed in a week.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds, who had been starting every game, missed Wednesday’s game due to a back spasm suffered while exiting his car. He was placed on the bereavement list the next day, and the hope is that he’ll return by the weekend if the spasm isn't too severe.
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich also experienced a back flare-up and was placed on the 10-day IL. He opted for non-surgical treatment to avoid ending his season prematurely. Oakland Athletics reliever Mason Miller broke his non-pitching hand after a mishap with a massage table and was placed on the 15-day IL. Finally, LA Angels outfielder Mike Trout, who started the season strong, faced a setback after his rehab game on Tuesday due to soreness in his knee. He’s been sent back to L.A. for further evaluation, delaying his return.
As always, we’re here to help address your fantasy needs by highlighting some intriguing options while they’re hot. For a hitter to qualify for this list, he must be less than or around 50% owned in Yahoo! leagues. A player will only appear more than once if they continue to perform well. Let’s dive in!
Jeff McNeil, 2B/OF - New York Mets (40% Owned)
If you can't get A's OF Lawrence Butler, Mets 2B/OF Jeff McNeil is your next best bet. While he’s batting just .231 overall, the Mets’ second baseman has been on fire since the All-Star break. McNeil is 10-for-24 (.417) in the seven games since and has pushed his July triple-slash line up to a strong .290/.328/.613 with a .941 OPS.
He had a rough go of it in May and June that suppressed his overall line, but the BABIP is comically low by his standards (.241) and is due for regression. I didn’t think it would come in one cluster like this, but baseball has some whacky occurrences. McNeil is up to five homers this month – nearly matching his total from last year (10) – while chipping in 14 RBI and 11 runs scored. Those are his highest totals of any month.
Juan Yepez, 1B/OF - Washington Nationals (33% Owned)
Nationals 1B/OF Juan Yepez has cooled down considerably since the break, but is batting a ridiculous .350 over 60 at-bats since starting on July 5th. Ten of his 21 hits have gone for extra bases (eight doubles and two HRs), and he’s striking out a respectable 18.2% of the time. There’s probably some regression on the horizon as his BABIP is wildly high (.413), and Statcast has his xBA at .304.
That’s still pretty good regardless, and there’s a lot to like about his profile. K:BB rates tend to normalize pretty quickly, and it’s great to see him walking 9.1% of the time. His average exit velocity (87.4) and hard-hit percentage (41.7%) are career highs. Additionally, Yepez is pulling the ball more (56.3%), and has vastly lowered his average launch angle (9.9), allowing him to hit more ground balls (41.7%) and line drives (33%).
Colton Cowser, OF - Baltimore Orioles (31% Owned)
Orioles OF Colton Cowser hasn’t recaptured the hitting prowess he displayed early on, but he’s been very impressive over the last six games since the break. During that span, Cowser is batting an even .400 with a 1.300 OPS and a super solid 4:7 BB:K ratio. He’s definitely someone to monitor, as a breakout from a player of his caliber could make a significant contribution down the stretch.
The former fifth overall pick has flashed his upside already and as a prospect graded out with a 60 grade hit tool. His .292 BABIP is actually relatively low when we consider he regularly cleared .374 throughout his stint in the minors. While he has always struck out a bit too much, he’s also shown the ability to take BBs at a substantial rate, regularly clearing 16% through the lower levels and during his major league stint in 2023.
Michael Toglia, 1B/OF - Colorado Rockies (27% Owned)
I mentioned Rockies 1B/OF Toglia here last week, and not much has changed due to the plethora of injuries league wide. However, even with his excessive 31.3K%, Toglia has quietly underachieved. His .209 season batting average is nearly 40 points off his Statcast xBA (.245), and he boasts some intriguing advanced batted ball data.
His xSLG of .524 is good for the 93rd percentile on Statcast, and his hard-hit percentage is even better at the 96th percentile (53.4%). Of course, if K's hurt your fantasy squad, then he’s one you can bypass. Keep in mind though that Toglia is 7-for-23 (.304) since the break and has already hit seven long balls this month.
Xavier Edwards, 2B/SS - Miami Marlins (21% Owned)
Miami 2B/SS Xavier Edwards was featured in this column's “deep league options” portion last week and has done enough to graduate to the featured portion. Edwards has been white-hot in July, slashing a robust .388/.456/.433, while up to an excellent 13.3 BB%. While his plate discipline gains could stick, he’s unlikely to hit .380 over the rest of the year and Statcast agrees, giving him an xBA of .281.
Despite this, he’s worth paying attention to, as that xBA is still relatively high and he’s seemingly got the discipline needed to sustain these numbers. For what it’s worth, his average exit velocity (88.3) and hard-hit percentage (26.6%) are up significantly from a year ago. With this in mind, Edwards is worth an add in Roto leagues due to the provided bump in both average and steals.
Miguel Andujar, OF - Oakland Athletics (16% Owned)
Not only is Oakland OF Miguel Andujar a cheap way to reap some of the benefits of the torrid stretch Lawrence Butler is on, but he’s also quietly having a solid season. Andujar is batting .297 on the year with an exceptional 14.2 BB%. Not much has changed in his profile to indicate the resurgence might stick, but he is hitting the ball softer than last season.
He’s been excellent since the break, notching four multi-hit performances with two three-hit games. Additionally, The A’s outfielder has struck out just once over his previous 31 at-bats while knocking in five RBI and scoring four runs over his previous seven games.
Pitching/Streaming Options
Simeon Woods Richardson, Minnesota Twins (18/47% Yahoo/CBS)
Minnesota starter Simeon Woods Richardson has pitched very well this year. Despite not racking up staggering strikeout totals, he holds a 3.27 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Woods Richardson's xBA of .237 against is the lowest of his career and he has increased his K% (21.1%) while simultaneously dropping his walk-rate (6.9%). His two matchups this week offer a mixed bag as the Chicago White Sox present one of the easiest lineups for opposing pitchers while the New York Mets give a much more challenging task.
Richardson has been solid for the whole year except for June, when he sported a 4.50 ERA and allowed 13 runs over 26 innings. He should be fine against the Chi Sox this week, but I don't blame you if you’re a bit more hesitant to throw him out there against the Mets.
As we dive into Week 18, it's crucial to stay ahead of the curve given the recent surge of injuries. The All-Star break offered a brief reprieve from the injury reports, but with the players back in action, we've seen a fresh wave of setbacks impacting key fantasy assets. If you're dealing with injuries on your roster, prioritize adding Lawrence Butler if he's available, and keep an eye on the latest updates to adjust your lineup accordingly. The Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners, and other teams have been hit hard, but knowing which players are stepping up can help you mitigate the impact.
To navigate these challenges, consider adding some of the intriguing options highlighted this week. From Jeff McNeil's post-break surge to Xavier Edwards' impressive July performance, there are several players who could provide a valuable boost to your roster. Additionally, pitchers like Simeon Woods Richardson offer streaming potential with favorable matchups. By staying proactive and leveraging these emerging talents, you can strengthen your fantasy team and position yourself for a successful second half!
