Fantasy Baseball: Will Eduardo Nunez Get A Fantasy Boost In Boston?
By Mike Marteny
Will Eduardo Nunez Get A Fantasy Boost In Boston?
Eduardo Nunez was pulled for a pinch hitter in the fifth inning Tuesday night because he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. This comes nearly a year to the day after the Giants acquired Nunez from the Twins for Adalberto Mejia. What did the Giants get this time around? Let’s see the deal:
It’s not like Nunez struggled in San Francisco. He played in 125 games for the Giants, hitting .293 with eight homers, 49 RBI, and 20 steals. Nunez did miss a couple of months due to injury, but he never really slumped on either side of the injury. This year, Nunez is hitting .331 with four homers and 17 steals in 75 games. He could provide a huge boost to the Boston lineup.
The most obvious increase for Nunez is going to come in runs scored. Boston scores nearly double what the Giants do, and I would expect Nunez to bat near the top of the order. However, the smaller dimensions in Fenway Park should increase his power output as well. If Nunez is available in your league, he should be picked up right away.
I am assuming that Nunez is not widely available. This is of course a huge revelation for A.L. only leagues. However, Nunez is one of the guys I will be trying to trade for because I’m assuming that his stats will get some sort of a bump. Those of you in need of runs scored or steals should target Nunez in trade talks if you haven’t already.
The biggest hit here will likely be for top prospect Rafael Devers. He will still get a couple more days since Nunez will not join his new team until Friday. However, Nunez is versatile enough that he can play second, shortstop, or even the outfield in a pinch. Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts are locked in at second and short respectively, so he will take at bats from Devers at third base. In fact, don’t be surprised if Boston sends Devers back down so he can continue to play every day.
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The assumption for the Giants is that they will call up Pablo Sandoval with Nunez gone, though no official move has been made. If Sandoval gets called up, he is worth a look for those of you that need help with batting average and RBI. He will be slotted in a run producing spot in the lineup should he get the call. That could make him tantalizing in deep an middle sized leagues.
Shaun Anderson is 6-3 with a 3.42 ERA in 18 starts over three levels of A ball this year. He is still at least two years away from anything in the majors. He only started one game at Florida in college, but the Red Sox were using him as a starter in the minors. The assumption is that the Giants will do the same for now.
Gregory Santos is so raw that he doesn’t even show up on the Red Sox top 30 prospect list. He is just 17 years old, but is dominating the rookie league with a 0.90 ERA in seven starts. He is still a long ways away from the majors, but the early returns look promising.
The Twins got a pitcher that was nearly ready for the majors for Nunez. San Francisco got two promising youngsters, but they wont be able to help the parent club for several years yet.
Next: Can Jaime Garcia Be Fantasy Relevant In Minnesota?
Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for the fantasy impact of all of the deadline deals and for DFS picks for MLB and the PGA tour. We also have fantasy football advice for the 2017 season!