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Fantasy Baseball: Matt Carpenter Returns from Fatigue, Continues to be Red-Hot

By Robert Townsend

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Over the weekend, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter was forced to sit for four straight games because of what the team termed “extreme fatigue.” This condition was not combined with any kind of sickness like a virus or heart issue, so it’s very likely that Carpenter was simply overworking himself during a season where he’s looking like a lock to be an All-Star. As a top-5 fantasy third baseman and top-20 batter, he’s been invaluable up to this point and an injury could be devastating to fantasy owners.

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May 2, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman

Matt Carpenter

(13) throws out Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop

Jordy Mercer

(not pictured) during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Pirates 2-1 in 11 innings. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The diagnosis of fatigue actually makes sense from a statistical standpoint. On May 1st, Matt Carpenter had an OBP of .446 and an OPS of 1.102. By May 6th, the last game he played before sitting for the weekend, his numbers dropped to .403 and 1.023, going 4-22 in the six-day span. He also struck out 7 times during that time after only striking out 11 times in all of April. Obviously variance is common this early in the season, but clearly the rest was needed.

On Tuesday, Carpenter returned to the lineup against the Cleveland Indians. To the relief of fantasy owners, he looked great. He went 2-5 on the night with a double, scoring two runs and batting in another. After the game, he told reporters that he feels great and is ready to get back to contributing for the team.

If you play daily fantasy, this should be a sign that Matt Carpenter is someone you can rely on when he’s in a good matchup and is starting. And in leagues where you have to set up a weekly lineup, he also should be given the same level of trust. Just pay attention to his news to make sure that you’re ready if he is going to sit out another few games. He’s not an old guy even in terms of professional sports, and has played nearly every game during his past two seasons as a pro. Hopefully this will be his last extended rest of the season and he continues to be a top third baseman all year.

Next: Deflate-Gate: NFL Suspends Tom Brady For Four Games

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