Fantasy Baseball Pickups: Daniel Robertson and others to add
Daniel Robertson: The 24-year-old has been a pleasant surprise, erupting for a .364/.507/.636 line while taking nearly as many walks (14) as strikeouts (15). Robertson is eligible at 2B/SS/3B, has multiple hits in four straight games (including this shot Friday night) and is hitting fifth in Tampa Bay’s lineup. His batting average is sure to regress, but Robertson owns a 45.0 Hard%, and useful middle infielders aren’t easy to come by.
Marco Gonzales: The former first-round pick owns an ugly 5.56 ERA and 1.46 WHIP on the year, but that’s accompanied by an impressive 27:4 K:BB ratio. Gonzales’ 2.60 FIP and 23.5 K-BB% both rank top-12 among starters, and he’s been attacking the strike zone more now one year further removed from Tommy John surgery. Ignore the ERA and look at those strikeouts. Gonzales has allowed just 4.1 Brls/PA this season (to give reference, that’s right in line with Jose Berrios, albeit cherry picking). It’s not often a pitcher with a pedigree and these peripherals is this widely available (owned in just six percent of Yahoo leagues).
[Yahoo Fantasy Football leagues are open: Sign up now for free]
Ivan Nova: He lacks huge upside without overpowering stuff, but that’s partially why someone with a 1.03 WHIP and a 30:4 K:BB ratio is still available in 70 percent of leagues. Nova has benefited from an easy early season schedule, but since joining the Pirates in 2016, he’s produced a 3.83 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP over 286.2 innings. The Pirates field a good defense, and PNC is a pitcher’s park, so he’s worth adding.
Trevor Cahill: He’s injury prone and currently has an average exit velocity against in the bottom-10 among pitchers (93.6 mph), but Cahill was sneaky good with the Padres last season (before really struggling in Kansas City), and he’s looked mostly strong over two starts with Oakland in 2018, sporting an impressive 15.8 SwStr% (helping negate the hard contact). His climbing K rate continues to appear legit.
Tyler Mahle: He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning during an 11-strikeout performance last time out against a hot Braves team, and while his season ERA is still 5.00 (and pitching for Cincinnati is hardly ideal), Mahle is up to 31 Ks over 27.0 innings. Homers have been a major problem, but there’s upside with the young hurler, so grab him if you’re searching for strikeouts.
Aaron Altherr: I gave more of my thoughts on him here, and Altherr is now up to eight RBI over his past five games, starting seven in a row.
Kurt Suzuki: He’ll now be losing playing time to Tyler Flowers, who just returned from the DL, but the catcher position has been an utter disaster this year (and most teams are employing heavy timeshares), and Suzuki has quietly developed into one of the better hitting backstops.
Joakim Soria: He’s recorded back-to-back saves and hasn’t been scored on during any of his past seven appearances. Nate Jones is lurking and is fine, but Soria clearly has this job right now. He’s a closer currently owned in less than 40 percent of leagues.
Albert Almora Jr.: He’s started nine straight games and is hitting leadoff in a loaded Cubs lineup. Ian Happ owns an ugly 44.3 K%, and Almora has hit safely in all nine of those starts, so he could continue to see regular playing time.
Cameron Maybin: He’s off to a dreadful start at the plate, but he’s also drawn 12 walks, and don’t forget he stole 29 bases over just 336 at bats with the Angels last season. If you’re looking for speed grab Maybin, who’s available in 95 percent of leagues.
Jeimer Candelario/JaCoby Jones: Candelario is hitting .370/.420/.761 with three homers, nine RBI and 11 runs scored over his last 11 games and is batting second in Detroit’s lineup. Meanwhile, teammate Jones is getting a chance as Detroit’s starting left fielder, possesses a decent power/speed combo and ranks top-20 in average exit velocity (93.6 mph) this season. He’s owned in just five percent of leagues.
Jedd Gyorko: He’s back healthy and hitting, and while Gyorko isn’t guaranteed a starting role, he can play all around the diamond, and Kolten Wong is sporting a .188/.293/.266 line and could soon be benched. Gyorko is 1B/2B/3B eligible, is owned in less than 20 percent of leagues and clubbed 50 homers from 2016-2017 while averaging 126.5 games played.
Follow the Yahoo fantasy baseball crew on Twitter: Andy Behrens, Dalton Del Don, and Scott Pianowski
