Fantasy Stock Watch: Eugenio Suarez rising, Matt Harvey falling
STOCK UP
Eugenio Suarez: He currently sports a .302/.385/.540 line and is on pace to finish with 32 homers with 107 runs scored and 102 RBI. He’s still available in 15 percent of Yahoo leagues and has been a top-50 fantasy player this season. Suarez is a good defensive player, and his wRC+ of 142 is top-30 in all of baseball. Great American Ballpark is one of the best hitter’s parks in all of baseball. Suarez looks like a steal for those who grabbed him no doubt later in drafts.
Michael Fulmer: Many questioned his further value after winning the AL Rookie Of The Year award last season, but Fulmer has been even better in 2017. He currently owns a 2.54 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. His BABIP is low but the Tigers have a good defensive team. Fulmer sure looks like the real deal.
[Fantasy Football is open! Sign up now and start winning season early]
Jedd Gyorko: He has a .340/.400/.620 line over 100 at bats this season. Gyorko has been a top-80 fantasy player, is eligible for four positions and is still available in 20 percent of Yahoo leagues. He’s hitting cleanup for the Cardinals.
Luis Severino: He has a 0.91 WHIP with 45 strikeouts over 39.2 innings. Pedro Martinez has been his mentor, and apparently it’s worked. Severino’s 29.2 K% ranks top-10 among all starters in baseball, and he’s done so with a 50.0 GB%. His average fastball velocity (97.2 MPH) ranks first in MLB. The next best is Gerrit Cole at 96.3.
Addison Reed: Jeurys Familia is going to miss multiple months after undergoing surgery to remove a blood cot from his right arm. The Mets have suffered a bunch of injuries and won’t win as many games as expected before the season, but Reed is now the team’s closer, and he currently sports a 22:0 K:BB ratio with a 0.89 WHIP. I’d go big on FAAB to get him.
STOCK DOWN
Matt Harvey: His velocity has been fine, but continued off field issues and a 10.43 ERA with a 2.25 WHIP over his last three starts have owners worried. And rightfully so. Harvey now sports a 26:18 K:BB ratio over 40.0 innings this season, which is beyond concerning. He sure looks like a huge bust. Harvey posted ERAs of 2.73, 2.27 and 2.71 during his first three years. It’s been 4.86 and 5.63 since. I bought into a bounce back, and I look wrong.
Francisco Rodriguez: The 35-year-old has a 7.82 ERA and a 1.89 WHIP. He’s lost his job as closer to Justin Wilson, who should now be owned in all leagues. Wilson has 23 strikeouts in 14.2 innings with a 0.55 WHIP and is available in more than 30 percent of leagues.
Kevin Kiermaier has had a rough few days.
Neftali Feliz: Another loser of his closer position. Feliz has somehow allowed five homers over 16.0 innings with an ugly 13:9 K:BB ratio. His stuff just simply isn’t the same as it once was. Corey Knebel, who currently has a 14.5 K rate, should be treated as a top-15 fantasy closer.
Jharel Cotton: He looked like one of the bigger future stars entering the year, but Cotton has been a huge bust. Just a disaster all around. He’s allowed 24 earned runs in 38.0 innings. Cotton has served up five homers over his last 11.0 innings pitched, and he’s since been optioned to Triple-A.
