Fantasy Baseball 2017: 5 players to add in deep leagues
By Gavin Tramps
Many of you contact us asking for more fantasy baseball coverage for deep leagues and AL/NL only leagues, so here goes.
Now that the dust is settling after the trade deadline, fantasy baseball owners in all formats are looking ahead to see how to best equip their teams for the next few critical weeks, and then hopefully into the playoffs. If you play in deep leagues, then this article is for you.
With many teams already out of contention, the action on the waiver wire and corresponding ownership rates, are distorted by the inactivity of a number of owners. What I’m saying is, just because these players are not widely owned, does not mean you should disregard them.
We have selected five players for you should consider adding in your deep mixed or AL/NL leagues. All of them have ownership below 5% (in ESPN leagues).
Tyler Skaggs (SP-LAA)
Injury has hampered the former first-round pick, restricting him to just 46 starts since he debuted in 2012. He is currently on the 60-day DL, but after a rehab start on July 31, Jeff Fletcher muses of the possibility that the 26-year-old could rejoin the rotation on August 5, when the Angels next need a fifth starter.
Skaggs made five starts earlier in the season with a strikeout per inning and an ERA below 4.00. His best appearance was seven scoreless innings vs. Kansas City Royals on April 16, when he racked up nine strikeouts.
He utilizes a three-pitch mix of a ‘swing and miss’ fastball, and groundball-inducing curve and changeup. Although the left-hander has failed to live up to the hype of a former top-10 prospect, Skaggs still has bundles of potential.
The Angels need all of the rotation help they can get, so if he can put a couple of decent starts together, Skaggs could get the ball every fifth day until the end of the season.
Tommy Hunter (RP-TB)
If you play in holds leagues or formats that reward the skills of middle-relievers, then the Rays’ Tommy Hunter needs to be owned. Over the last 30 days, he is tied for the MLB lead with seven holds, which have come with a strikeout rate of over 10.0 SO/9. The 31-year-old’s ratios are as good as it gets, with 0.77 ERA and 0.77 WHIP.
In his 38 appearances (32 2/3 innings) this season, Hunter has struck out 38 batters at a career-high rate of 9.87 SO/9. If Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances have value in your league, then consider picking up Hunter off waivers. He won’t give you the same strikeout potential, but he will cost far less.
Another player with seven holds in July is the Twins’ Taylor Rogers, who is currently one of the most added players in leagues due to the speculation that he will take over the closer duties in Minnesota. In comparison to Hunter’s 0.77 ERA in 12 appearances, Rogers has allowed ten runs in the same number of outings, to saddle himself with an 8.18 ERA for July.
If we are to denigrate one of the newest closers for his concerning peripherals, then it is only fair to acknowledge another holds-specialist-turned-closer with elite stuff. Shane Greene is widely expected to take over the ninth-inning duties for the Tigers. In July, Greene secured five holds without allowing an earned run and with a strikeout rate over 10.0 SO/9. His ownership rate has jumped from 2% to 16.9% since Brad Ausmus announced that he would be the Tigers’ closer.
Brian Goodwin (OF-WAS)
Needing a solid player for my utility slot, I just paid a high price to secure the services of Edwin Encarnacion. The Indians’ slugger is almost universally owned, but perhaps I should have taken a flyer on the Nationals’ outfielder Brian Goodwin and his 3.4% ownership.
Over the last month, Goodwin has hit more home runs than Encarnacion and scored more runs. He has fewer RBI, but more stolen bases, and they are both hitting an identical .222.
There is no question that Encarnacion is the better player, but over the small sample of just one month, Goodwin can match the fantasy production of many more prestigious names.
The Fangraphs Scouting Report summarized Goodwin as:
"An interesting array of tools (he’s a plus runner who passes in center field and has above-average raw power) should allow him to carve out a long big-league career as a bench outfielder."
The 26-year-old is leading off and playing center field for the free-scoring Nationals. He needs to be owned in more leagues, but the 8% walk rate and 27% strikeout rate suggest that he will be a player susceptible to hot and cold stretches.
Steve Pearce (1B/OF-TOR)
Being the second best hitter on your team is usually a good accomplishment, but it probably says more about the disappointing production the Blue Jays are getting from Kendrys Morales, Jose Bautista, Troy Tulowitzki, Russell Martin and Kevin Pillar than it does about Steve Pearce’s resurgence.
He entered the season hoping to see the bulk of the time at first base, but Justin Smoak and his 155 wRC+ have secured that spot. With Morales only able to feature on the lineup card at DH, Pearce has been forced to battle for playing time in left field.
Pearce, with a career .255/.332/.442 slash line, hit five home runs with 16 RBI in July, including two walk-off grand slams. He became only the third player in history and the only player in the last 30 years to hit two walk-off grand slams in the same season.
Hitting fifth or sixth in the lineup, the 34-year-old needs the Blue Jays to get more men on base as he is batting .310 (1.007 OPS) with runners in scoring position.
Obviously, the Blue Jays are giving him extended playing time while he is hot, starting Pearce in eight of the last nine games. Maybe you should do the same.
Ben Revere (OF-LAA)
In the four seasons from 2012-2015, Ben Revere averaged 45 stolen bases and 83 runs with a batting average above .300. He was one of the four elite speedsters with Rajai Davis, Jose Altuve and Dee Gordon.
Then last season, a combination of injury, a change of approach and losing his spot in the starting lineup to Trea Turner, Revere slumped to a career-low 14 stolen bases and .214 AVG.
The move to Anaheim as the Angels’ fourth outfielder did not produce the bounce back that was hoped, as Revere hit just .229 in the first half of the season. However, there is renewed optimism based on his recent form.
With Cameron Maybin banged up on the DL, Revere has appeared in all but five of the Angels’ games in July, hitting .296 with seven steals. It is the stolen bases that give him value. No other speed threat is owned in just 1.5% of leagues.
Angels’ right fielder Kole Calhoun is listed as day-to-day with a hamstring issue, although the team is confident that he will not require a DL stint. Either way, it ensures that Revere will see more playing time.
Interestingly, both Revere and Pearce were both mentioned as final round fliers in our coverage of this season’s draft.
Brock Stewart (SP-LAD)
I was hoping to feature the Dodgers’ pitcher Brock Stewart on this list. He has an ownership of less than 2%, yet is in the rotation for the World Series favorites.
The right-hander has not allowed an earned run in 2017 but has picked up a save and a hold before moving to the rotation.
The 25-year-old made 21 starts in the minors last season, posting a 1.79 ERA with 129 strikeouts in 121 innings. The acquisition of Yu Darvish at the trade deadline will likely force Stewart from the Dodgers’ rotation and significantly reduces his fantasy value.
The remaining starters of Alex Wood, Hyun-jin Ryu, Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda are not renowned for their health, and Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy are currently injured and on the DL, so keep Stewart on the radar of your deep or AL/NL leagues.