Mariners Dee Gordon Fractures Toe: Fantasy impact

The Mariners will be without Dee Gordon for an unknown amount of time as he recovers from a fractured toe. How do fantasy owners recover from this news?

The Seattle Mariners cannot catch a break. They’ve dealt with numerous pitching injuries over the last couple of seasons. This year, the Mariners have been without a few bats in their lineup. The most recent injury is to second baseman-turned-outfielder Dee Gordon. He fractured his big toe and will be out for a bit.

MLB Trade Rumors reports that the Mariners said Gordon fractured the toe on May 9 and refractured it on May 20. This adds to the injury list the Mariners have dealt with throughout the season.

Nelson Cruz was out for a couple of weeks. Robinson Cano was set to miss some time with a fractured hand but a PED suspension will keep him out of the Mariners lineup for 80 games. Not having their top three bats in the lineup will make it difficult to compete in the American League West.

More from Fantasy Baseball

The Mariners traded for Gordon and moved him to center field. He wasn’t doing poorly defensively, posting a .963 fielding percentage in the outfield.

In 45 games at the plate, Gordon was hitting .304 with one home run, 13 RBIs, 25 runs scored and 16 steals. This is more of the same from Gordon, one of the few hitters that can provide a high batting average and 30-plus steals.

The Mariners will be without their starting second baseman and their backup option. As a result, the team will go with a platoon of Gordon Beckham and Andrew Romine at second base. The Mariners called up Dan Vogelbach to take his spot on the roster.

I would not look to add any of those players. Having a part-time player taking up a full spot on your roster doesn’t help. You are better off adding someone outside of the Seattle system like Daniel Descalso, who has second base, third base and outfield eligibility. He has five homers but hitting .258 in the process.

Another replacement option is Daniel Robertson. The Tampa Bay Rays infielder is eligible at second base, third base and shortstop. He is hitting .273 with five home runs and 15 RBIs.

If you need an outfield-only replacement, Aaron Hicks is doing well recently. Over his last 15 games, he is hitting .268 with three home runs, eight RBIs and 10 runs scored. He’s owned in just 37.1 percent of ESPN leagues.

Next: Indians recall Adam Plutko

If you own Gordon, you have to keep him on your team regardless of how long he’s out and league format. He’s a one of a kind player with great contact and speed, something rare in today’s game.

Home/Fantasy Baseball