Fantasy Baseball: Yu Darvish Could Dominate In Dodger Blue
By Mike Marteny
Fantasy Baseball: Yu Darvish Could Dominate In Dodger Blue
Yu Darvish was given a gift by the Texas Rangers. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. That moves Darvish from a hitter’s park in a hitter’s league to a pitcher’s park in a league without a DH. Here is what got Yu to the City of Angels:
Darvish is universally owned already, and I would recommend that you find the Darvish owner in your league and see if they are put off by his 6-9 record with a 4.01 ERA. If they are, pounce. Darvish is the kind of acquisition that could win you your league.
He will find run support easier to come by in L.A. Darvish also is in the position of being maybe the second or even third best starter on his own team! Clayton Kershaw is obviously the best, but with him in the DL, Darvish will be asked to fill those giant shoes. I’m thinking that he will do a good job of it.
This acquisition couldn’t have come at a better time for the Dodgers. Alex Wood has given up more runs in his last two starts that he did in May and June combined. Sure, a correction was coming, but it has been swift and severe. The Dodgers need a stopper, and that will be Darvish.
I would expect Darvish’s high strikeout totals to remain constant. The most telling improvement will be in the ERA department. I wouldn’t be shocked if he got it down to 3 before the end of the season.
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This huge pickup didn’t come without a price for the Dodgers. Willie Calhoun was the fourth ranked prospect in a loaded Dodgers system. He currently occupies the number two slot for Texas. He is hitting .294 with 23 homers and 67 RBI at AAA this year. He has little left to prove there, but he may not get a shot with the Rangers right away with Rougned Odor producing over the last month. If Calhoun gets the call when rosters expand, he is worth a speculative add if you have the bench room in all leagues for his power potential.
A.J. Alexy was 2-6 with a 3.67 ERA in 19 starts in class A this year. If the name sounds familiar, it should. Alexy made headlines when the threw a complete game in high school in 2016. Complete game. Big deal, right? The big deal was that he threw a staggering 164 pitches in that game! Alexy projects as a good number 2 or three starter, but he wont reach the majors for another couple of years.
Brendon Davis hit .241 with nine homers and 43 RBI in 94 games at class A so far this year. Like Alexy, Davis is a raw prospect, but he projects as a good hitter from a middle infield position. He too is a few years away from the majors.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about this deal is that the Dodgers got a legitimate ace without having to give up Alex Verdugo or Walker Buehler. That has to be considered a win in itself!
This may seem like a lot to give up for a rental, but many Asian players love to play on the West Coast because they are much closer to home. The Dodgers will have to pay heavily to keep Darvish past this year, but they are hoping to get a leg up on the competition by giving Darvish a two month trial in L.A. There is a good chance that he ends up signing here.
The Dodgers didn’t just bolster the rotation for a World Series run. They added a couple of bullpen arms with a couple of separate deals. The first was for Tony Cingrani.
Cingrani struggled with the Reds this year after losing the closer role to Raisel Iglesias this spring. He has a 5.40 ERA in 25 appearances, but like with Darvish, moving to a pitcher’s park could really help him out. Also, Cingrani will be called upon almost exclusively to retire left handed hitters. That clearly defined role could help him have some success for the Dodgers.
Cingrani’s peripherals aren’t really good enough to warrant a pickup even in leagues that count holds. However, keep an eye on his first few appearances for the Dodgers. If he looks dominant, give him a shot.
Scott Van Slyke may finally get some playing time, especially with Scott Schebler landing on the disabled list. Van Slyke has never had a clear path to at bats because there was always someone more talented that the Dodgers wanted to play. Now he moves to a hitter’s park.
Van Slyke does have decent power. He hit 11 homers in 2014, and has two this year in just 41 at bats, mostly in pinch hitting appearances. Don’t pay much mind to his low batting average. Not everyone is Lenny Harris. Many hitters flounder when only getting pinch hit at bats. Van Slyke is worth adding in deeper leagues, and may be worth an add in all formats if he hits the ground running in Cincinnati.
Hendrik Clementina hit .370 with four homers and 25 RBI in 24 rookie league games this year. He is very raw, but could become a solid backstop in the majors. If he does, it wont be for several years.
Here is the other deal that strengthened the bullpen:
Tony Watson started the season as the closer for Pittsburgh, but lost the job after blowing seven of 17 save attempts. He will be another lefty specialist for the Dodgers, and likely would be next in line should Kenley Jansen get hurt. He may be worth an add in leagues that count holds because he would seem to be the top left handed option late in the game.
Angel German is 1-0 with a 1.91 ERA in 21 games while saving seven of eight tries in class A this year. He could be the Pirates closer at some point, but it is likely several years away.
Oneil Cruz is also raw, at just 18 years old. However, he is already 6’6″ and hitting .240 with eight homers and eight steals in class A. Cruz is already number 19 on the Pirates prospect list, and could wind up tilting this deal far in favor of Pittsburgh.
Next: Can Jonathan Lucroy Turn His Season Around In Denver?
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