How Will Alonso Do In The Wet Blue Yonder?
I know, it’s supposed to be wild blue yonder, but while the Pacific Northwest is somewhat wild, it is far more wet. Rising star Yonder Alonso was dealt to the Mariners after clearing waivers on Sunday. Here is the full deal:
This move may actually hurt Alonso’s fantasy value. Yonder does have 22 homers while playing half of his games in the cavernous Oakland Coliseum. Safeco Field will provide a significant upgrade there. However, the Mariners are more likely to platoon Alonso with incumbent Danny Valencia.
Valencia is versatile enough to play third base or the corner outfield slots, so his at bats may not decrease that much. Alonso’s however, promise to be cut by the move. If you have the bench room, hanging on to Alonso isn’t a bad idea in leagues of 12 or more, but he and Valencia have outlived their standard league usefulness.
Alonso will likely be replaced by Mark Canha at first base for the A’s. Canha hit 16 homers as a rookie in 2015, but played just 16 games last year due to injury. Canha spent 66 games at AAA this year, and is hitting .202 with four homers and 10 RBI in 104 at bats at the major league level.
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As we saw in his rookie season, Canha can be a suitable addition in deeper leagues, especially now that he doesn’t have anyone taking at bats away from him. He is likely a better option than Valencia right now, and will be better than Alonso if he can hit as a starter.
Alonso slugged 10 of his 22 homers in May, but has only ten since then. He is still hitting for average, but in more shallow leagues, you need more than average from your first baseman.
Boog Powell may see some time for the A’s as they are clearly building for next year. Powell had only 43 plate appearances in 23 games for the Mariners this year, hitting .194 with two RBI. His major assets are speed and defense. The Mariners already have a version of Powell. His name is Jarrod Dyson, and he is faster. That made Powell expendable, and was very worth it to land Alonso.
If you are desperate for steals in deep leagues and Powell gets enough at bats, feel free to pick him up. Just realize that the Oakland outfield is crowded enough that he may not see a lot of playing time.
Next: Can Tim Beckham Kickstart Your Fantasy Team?
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