With the news that Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips will miss 6-10 weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb, this likely leaves a huge hole in your fantasy lineup. It does in mine. And if you are one of the unfortunate that has Phillips and Yadier Molina on the same team, I feel your pain. Twice.
Here are a few players that could help ease the loss. Phillips was hitting .272 with 7 homers and 40 RBI. I will try to find you replacements that come close to those numbers.
The standard players will be available in 15-50 percent of leagues. Moderate will be 51-90 percent of leagues. Deep will be players owned in ten percent or less of ESPN leagues.
Jun 25, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett (2) is greeted in the dugout by his teammates after hitting a grand slam home run in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Standard:
Scooter Gennett, Brewers: Yes, he is technically still in a platoon with Rickie Weeks, but Gennett is clearly the better part of this deal. He has also been seeing some starts against lefties, so I will live with the occassional extra day off to land his .301 average with 7 homers and 29 RBI. Those numbers are very similar to Phillips, and he is available in over 40% of leagues.
Aaron Hill, Diamondbacks: This season has been a disappointment for Hill. I will admit to dropping him more than once, and it was not without reason. Hill is hitting just .241 on the year, and is under the Mendoza line in July. That said, he still has 6 homers and 44 RBI. If you can take the hit in average, he is worth picking up.
Moderate:
Omar Infante, Royals: Infante is flying under the radar in Kansas City, but he has quietly put up decent numbers. He is hitting .270 with 5 homers and 44 RBI, which is very close to what Phillips was giving you.
Kolten Wong, Cardinals: His season started out rough, and landed him back in the minors for a spell. He is doing much better upon his return. He has five homers in the last seven games. He is worth adding in any league!
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Deep:
Gordon Beckham, White Sox: He has the same homer total as Phillips, but the similarities end there. He is hitting .236 with only 25 RBI, but in a deep league this might be the best you can do.
Luis Valbuena, Cubs: As long as he is with the Cubs, he will play somewhere. His average has dropped a bit to .251, but hs still has five homers and 24 RBI.
Rougned Odor, Rangers: His numbers aren’t as good, but Odor has more upside. When it comes down to it, his .253 average, three homers, and 17 RBI aren’t bad for 158 at bats. Valbuena is the more consistent option, but for those of you willing to take a chance on youth, Odor could provide a nice reward.