D’Backs trade for Brad Boxberger: Fantasy Fallout?

Brad Boxberger is on his way to the D’backs after being traded by the Rays today. What is the fantasy fallout of the news?

Once upon a time, Brad Boxberger led the AL in Saves for the Tampa Rays. Yet, after two mediocre and injury-riddled seasons, he now finds himself heading to the Arizona D’backs for pitching prospect, Chris Taylor.

Heading into 2018, what is the fantasy outlook for Boxberger after this news?

Over the last two years, Boxberger has missed extended time due to a forearm, and muscle strains in his left side. After two campaigns with over 60 innings for the Rays, Boxberger has failed to surpass 53 innings since 2015, as well as no SV.

Over 30 games for the Rays in 2017, he amassed a 3.38 ERA/40 K/1.15 WHIP line. He was able to post a 12 K/9 which was impressive and even better than his league-leading season, yet his walk rate climbed as well as his HR rate.

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The move from the AL East will help, but moving to Chase Field certainly, offset most of the possible location improvements. Even though the sample size is limited, he posted 16% LD, 42% GB, 42% FB, 50% Med and 36% Hard cont rates in 2017.

The GB rate is right in line with his 41 SV season, and the LD and FB rates last season were even better than 2015. But, the 42% FB rate is scary in Arizona and batters were having pretty good success squaring up the ball versus him last season.

Boxberger himself said that this will be his first healthy offseason in two years. That certainly sounds good, yet does not change the fact that he was injured, and missed extended time at that, back to back seasons.

From a fantasy perspective, Boxberger would be in the fantasy discussion if he was named the D’Backs’ closer. Fernando Rodney is a free agent and could be brought back, not to mention that they have relief ace, Archie Bradley waiting in the wings. So his path to a job is not clear.

The D’Backs looks to once again be a solid club and Rodney was able to post 38 SV a season ago, so the opportunities are there to be had.

Curtis Taylor was the return for Tampa and was ranked as the D’Back’s14th best prospect. He also happened to battle an injury last season but looked promising in low-A ball last season over his 13 starts.

Next: Athletics sign Yusmeiro Petit: Fantasy Fallout

Brad Boxberger may have once led the league in SV, but even then it seemed as though he overachieved. While he may say that he will be healthy to start the season, his history says otherwise. It will be a situation to watch this spring.