In this space I’m going to help you to identify potential impact additions in fantasy baseball leagues. I’ll make an effort to tailor this column to all league sizes, recommending players that could be available in shallow, deeper and AL- or NL-only formats.
The time to grind is now. If you are in striking distance in your fantasy league, you must keep your foot on the gas pedal over the final seven weeks of the season. While others may have turned their attention to fantasy football, there are plenty of points to be gained in the standings.
Impact Fantasy Addition: Manuel Rodriguez
Maybe it’s time that fantasy managers started to take Manuel Rodriguez seriously. The 28-year-old right-hander is rostered in just two percent of all Yahoo leagues, despite a brilliant 1.80 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a 24/9 K/BB ratio across 25 innings on the season.
He has been especially dominant as of late, with 12 straight scoreless outings since July 23 (spanning 11 innings). During that stretch he holds a 13/2 K/BB and has allowed just four hits.
With Pete Fairbanks stationed on the injured list with a lat strain, the Rays have been mixing and matching their options in the ninth inning. Rodriguez might be the best of that bunch and if he performs well in the role, he could wind up being a quality source of saves over the final five and a half weeks of the season.
While he’s a better option in leagues that utilize daily moves instead of weekly, Rodriguez looks like a strong addition in all formats. Worst case scenario, you get minuscule ratios and a strong strikeout rate for the final month-plus of the season. Best case, you score a free dominant closer off of waivers that can help lead your fantasy squad to the top of the mountain before all is said and done.
Impact Fantasy Addition: JJ Bleday
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Bleday has yet to really live up to the hype of being the fourth overall selection from the 2019 draft class. A cursory glance at his overall numbers for the Athletics this season would leave most fantasy managers feeling underwhelmed.
If we narrow the focus to what he has done recently though, perhaps we would get a different impression. Over his last 30 games – dating back to July 14 – Bleday has slashed a healthy .308/.390/.596 with six homers, 16 RBI, 22 runs scored and even a stolen base for good measure.
That type of production certainly plays in all fantasy formats. To see that he’s rostered in just 27 percent of all Yahoo leagues at the moment is a travesty. He’s not going to start against left-handed pitching, but he should continue to mash against right-handers. Luckily for us, he’s got four right-handers on tap starting on Friday and makes for an outstanding addition to your fantasy squad for the weekend and beyond.
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