It’s been a slow start for the Chicago Cubs this season, and an even slower start for shortstop Addison Russell.
If you drafted Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell with hopes that this would be his breakout season, you’ve been sorely disappointed. Heading into the 2017 season, many had Russell pegged as a potential top-five option at shortstop. But so far he’s played like a bottom-five shortstop.
Last season, Russell slashed .238/.321/.417. That’s nothing special, but when you consider he was only 22 years old, it looks a little more impressive. What was special, however, was the run production he provided the Cubs. Despite his mediocre slash line, Russell recorded 95 RBI and 21 home runs.
Believe it or not, some projected Russell to be better than Kris Bryant before he was called up. While that’s still at least a minor possibility, the odds of that being the case long-term are slim-to-none.
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What has changed?
Despite the growing pains of adjusting to major league pitching at such a young age, Russell proved he had significant pop for a shortstop and ended up being one of the Cubs’ best hitters with runners in scoring position.
This season has been an entirely different story for the once highly-touted prospect. This season, Russell is slashing .213/.283/.341 (.625 OPS) with 19 RBI and just three home runs.
With a .283 OBP and a strikeout rate of 20.6 percent, Russell is simply not seeing the ball very well this year. His hard hit rate is currently at 24.4 percent, well below the league average.
Russell is still providing top-tier defense for the Chicago Cubs, but by nearly every statistical measure, he’s been an offensive liability for the team. Which means he’s hurting your fantasy team as well. With a wOBA of .273, Russell has been dead weight at the plate. So much so that it’s getting hard to justify keeping him on your team at all.
What to do next
Plain and simple, Russell is no longer worth starting in your lineup. Especially if you’re only in a 10-team league. It wouldn’t be altogether crazy to drop him entirely, but you’ve got a couple other options to consider.
If you’re deep enough at other positions and have a bench spot to spare, it also wouldn’t be a bad idea to hold onto him and see if he begins to turn things around. Maybe there’s someone in your league who believes wholeheartedly that Russell is due for a big comeback soon. If that’s the case, then sell him and see what you can get.
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If you’ve made the decision to look elsewhere for a starting shortstop, you should first check to see if Jedd Gyorko is available. He’s currently slashing .322/.373/.555 with 20 RBI and seven home runs. Surprisingly, he’s unowned in 20.7 percent of ESPN leagues. If he’s already claimed, look for any of Didi Gregorius (50.6% owned), Andrelton Simmons (20.5% owned) or Tim Beckham (20.5% owned).