For all of Daulton Varsho’s recent success, he’s currently rostered in just 43 percent of Yahoo leagues. A case like this one is why these percentages can be misleading at this time of the year. As things usually go, there’s a gradual drop-off in people who are actually active in their leagues. First, it’s the more casual players who quickly lose interest and later on it’s the people who fall out of contention and don’t bother updating their rosters.
At this point, it’s obvious that Varsho should be rostered in all competitive fantasy leagues, but the bigger question is where things stand with him going into 2020. The 25-year-old is hitting .304/.396/.685 with nine home runs, 20 RBI, three steals, and 19 runs scored over his last 31 games dating back to mid-July. He’s shown a healthy increase in his contact rate compared to the small sample from last year, putting him more in line with the numbers he posted in the minors. That provides hope for his batting average along with the obvious power/speed combo.
Varsho is a bit of a unicorn, as his athleticism allows him to play the outfield as well as draw starts behind the plate. That’s likely to continue with Carson Kelly in the fold and it might actually be the best thing for Varsho in terms of staying fresh. He’s already catcher-eligible for next year, so we don’t have to worry about that, even as he’s shuffled in and out of the lineup. With the speed that Varsho offers, he deserves to be treated as top-10 catcher in drafts in 2022. And there’s certainly the upside for a heck of a lot more.
Have specific questions about your roster? Ask @djshort on Twitter.
MIXED LEAGUES
(Players rostered in under 50 percent of Yahoo leagues)
Note: Percentages are from the morning of Thursday, August 26th
Miguel Sano 1B/3B, Twins (Yahoo: 45 percent rostered)
Miguel Sano blasted a 495-foot homer on Wednesday against the Red Sox, which ties him with Ronald Acuna Jr. for the longest home run in MLB dating back to the start of the 2020 season. It was his third homer in his last four games (two games before his stint on the paternity leave list, two games after) as he continues a sneaky-good second half. The 28-year-old is hitting .250/.363/.526 with seven home runs, 22 RBI, and 21 runs scored over 32 games during that time. He’s still striking out a bunch, but not nearly as much as the past. In general, he’s sporting the best zone-contact rate of his career. Sano still has ridiculous power and he’d be a lot more interesting if he’s not a complete batting average liability.
Ian Happ 2B/3B/OF, Cubs (Yahoo: 42 percent rostered)
It took long enough, but Happ is finally starting to deliver on the attention he received in draft this spring. This isn’t to say that the first four months of the season are forgiven. Much like the Cubs, this has been a bad year for him. However, Happ is hitting .260 with 10 extra-base hits (including five homers) and an .849 OPS through 23 games in August. While that’s good, he’s also struck out 29 times in 85 plate appearances. Happ remains a flawed fantasy option, but he’s hitting third in the Cubs’ lineup and qualifies at three different positions. He at least makes sense as a plug-and-play option off the bench in mixed leagues.
Nicky Lopez 2B/SS, Royals (Yahoo: 39 percent rostered)
Starling Marte is making like Rickey Henderson out in Oakland, but Lopez is also blazing a trail on the bases. The 26-year-old has swiped 10 bases in his last 16 games, which makes him a perfect 18-for-18 on the year. It’s incredibly impressive given that he was 1-for-7 in stolen base attempts through his first two seasons in the majors. This is also a notable development from a fantasy perspective, as the appeal was limited previously due to his lack of power. Thanks to the gains in his contact rate, he’s hitting for average and getting on base, which has been enough to justify a spot near the top of the Royals’ order. Again, he’s an imperfect option in mixed leagues, but worthwhile depending on category need.
Brandon Nimmo OF, Mets (Yahoo: 23 percent rostered)
The Mets’ offense has dramatically underperformed this season, but you can’t blame Nimmo for that. He’s doing what he usually does: Grinding out at-bats with the best of them. His walk rate is third-highest in the majors (min. 250 PA) behind only Joey Gallo and Juan Soto. He’s also shown that his contact gains from last year are no fluke. In fact, he’s boosted it even further this year (80.7 percent, up from 78.7 percent last year) while also increasing his line-drive rate. His batting average should continue to be a strength, though his lack of help in power or speed is surely why he’s still out there in so many leagues. Still, with the volume at the top of the Mets’ lineup, he’s underrated.
Brad Keller SP, Royals (Yahoo: 21 percent rostered)
Maybe it’s surprising to see Keller here, but it really shouldn’t be. While the 26-year-old holds a 5.43 ERA for the year, he’s delivered a 3.35 ERA and 50/18 K/BB ratio in 48 1/3 innings over his last eight starts. The key to his turnaround has been a shift in his mechanics, resulting in an uptick in swinging strikes and less in the way of hard contact. If that isn’t enough to convince you to give him a chance, maybe consider his upcoming schedule. He gets the Mariners on Thursday followed by projected starts against the Indians, Orioles, Twins, Mariners, and the Indians for two more starts to close out the year. Obviously this is all subject to change, but none of these projected matchups should scare you away.
Abraham Toro 2B/3B, Mariners (Yahoo: 21 percent rostered)
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto took a lot of heat for trading Kendall Graveman to the Astros before the July 30th deadline, including from his own clubhouse, but the deal has worked out nicely thus far. Toro holds a .320/.400/.474 batting line with three homers, 10 RBI, and 13 runs scored through his first 26 games with the Mariners. He’s sporting a seven-game hitting streak and has been the primary No. 5 hitter for the M’s all month. Toro doesn’t boast elite exit velocity or barrel percentage, but he’s making contact and he’s making it count. Keep rolling with him in mixed leagues for now.
Adam Ottavino RP, Red Sox (Yahoo: 18 percent rostered)
Garrett Whitlock RP, Red Sox (Yahoo: 14 percent rostered)
Matt Barnes earned his first All-Star selection this season, but things have gone haywire for him this month, as he’s allowed 10 runs on 11 hits (including three home runs) and five walks over 5 1/3 innings. He’s blown each of his last two save chances and had to be bailed out by Hansel Robles after failing to retire a batter on Tuesday. Robles isn’t exactly a stable option himself, so Ottavino and Whitlock are probably the best options if Alex Cora decides to give Barnes a break. With the Red Sox fighting for a playoff spot, it’s possible. Ottavino’s control induces agita at times, but he boasts considerable late-inning experience and excels at yielding soft contact. Whitlock is the upside play, as he’s been the better pitcher this year. It’s just a matter of whether Cora would rather use him in higher-leverage spots earlier in games. In truth, Whitlock can be useful in mixed leagues even if he isn’t getting saves.
LaMonte Wade 1B/OF, Giants (Yahoo: 13 percent rostered)
I mentioned Nimmo above, but Wade is a very different leadoff hitter. He’s looking for a pitch to drive over the fence as opposed to a way to get to first base. And hey, it’s working for him. Wade has blasted 17 home runs in just 254 plate appearances this season. His .533 slugging percentage is higher than the likes of Jordan Alvarez, J.D. Martinez, Marcus Semien, and Aaron Judge. His quality of contact suggests that his power is the real deal. Yes, the Giants have a lot of moving pieces, but it’s surprising that he hasn’t picked up steam in more fantasy leagues. Either way, Wade has been another great find for Farhan Zaidi. Sorry, Twins fans.
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Deeper Dandies
(Players rostered in under 10 percent of Yahoo leagues)
Corey Dickerson OF, Blue Jays (Yahoo: 3 percent rostered)
Dickerson isn’t a flashy option, but that’s what makes him a sneaky add in deeper mixed leagues. Acquired from the Marlins back in June, the 32-year-old didn’t make his Blue Jays debut until August 3 due to a foot injury, but he’s put up an .841 OPS with seven extra-base hits (including three homers), 10 RBI, and nine runs scored over 19 games with his new team. Again, not flashy, but some of this is about context. Dickerson has been a regular between left field and the DH spot while finding a home in the No. 5 spot in the Blue Jays’ lineup. The .282 career hitter is in a good situation and the counting stats should be there.
Lane Thomas OF, Nationals (Yahoo: 1 percent rostered)
I didn’t expect this, but maybe we should have known better since an outfielder who gets traded away from the Cardinals becomes a ticket to relevance. I’m half-joking here. Still, Thomas has been an on-base machine since coming over from the Cardinals in the Jon Lester deal, hitting .435/.552/.609 through 29 plate appearances. He’s taken over the leadoff spot for the Nationals and has even begun to push Victor Robles aside in center field. Thomas had a 27-homer season between Double- and Triple-A in 2018, but that sort of power is more of an outlier. With his good speed and strong approach, he could be a useful all-around option in deeper formats.
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Weekend Warriors
Friday:
Steven Matz at Tigers
J.A. Happ at Pirates
Matz has had an up-and-down first season with the Blue Jays, but he’s been on the upswing during the second half, posting a 2.27 ERA over seven starts. He’s allowed one earned run or fewer while going at least five innings in three out of his last four starts. The strikeouts haven’t been there during this run, but he generating a ton of weak contact. As for Happ, he’s turned his season around with a 1.99 ERA through four starts with the Cardinals. He’s a fly ball heavy pitcher, so there’s risk involved, but he’s worth rolling with against Pittsburgh’s offense.
Saturday:
Adrian Houser at Twins
Carlos Hernandez at Mariners
Houser was pulled after 68 pitches in his return from the COVID-19 injured list on Sunday against the Nationals, but he should be ready for something closer to a normal workload next time out. The southpaw has had control issues this season, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting up a 2.45 ERA over his last eight appearances. The Royals have themselves a fun story with Hernandez, who holds a 2.05 ERA over his last five starts. He brings serious heat with his fastball and gets whiffs with his wide assortment of pitches. Oddly his control has been a little better in the rotation than in the bullpen, so hopefully he can keep that going this weekend.
Sunday:
Tanner Houck at Cleveland
Daniel Lynch at Mariners
Ranger Suarez vs. Diamondbacks
Hopefully Houck is up for good this time. He was pulled after 4 2/3 innings on Tuesday against the Twins and has yet to throw more than five innings in the majors, but you can’t question the talent. Lynch really appears to be coming into his own of late, posting a 2.27 ERA over six starts since returning from the minors in late-July. Suarez was awesome out of the bullpen and has kept it going since moving into the rotation, posting a 2.11 ERA over five starts this month. He pitched into the seventh inning last time out, a big step for him.
AL ONLY
Jahmai Jones 2B, Orioles (Yahoo: 0 percent rostered)
In the midst of their lengthy losing streak, the Orioles ushered in a shake-up of their infield this week by designating Maikel Franco for assignment and optioning Richie Martin to Triple-A while calling up Jones and Kelvin Gutierrez. Jones, who was acquired in the Alex Cobb deal with the Angels last winter, batted .238/.329/.417 with 10 home runs and 10 steals over 69 games in Triple-A this season. His star has certainly faded in the prospect world, but he’s worth watching due to his pop and speed. The Orioles also figure to give him chances as they try to figure out who will be part of their future.
Leody Taveras OF, Rangers (Yahoo: 7 percent rostered)
Taveras was a popular breakout pick in some early fantasy drafts in the spring, but obviously that didn’t work out. The 22-year-old went 4-for-46 (.087) with 23 strikeouts before being demoted in late-April. He hit .245/.343/.475 with 17 home runs and 13 steals over 87 games in Triple-A before returning to the majors this week. There’s every reason for the Rangers to try to stick with him for the stretch run. If they do, the appeal from the spring is still here. The Rangers have also called up pitching prospect Glenn Otto, who was acquired from the Yankees in the Joey Gallo deal, though a debut against the Astros on Friday is a tough one from a fantasy perspective. He’s more of a wait-and-see.
NL ONLY
Michael Chavis 1B/2B/OF, Pirates (Yahoo: 1 percent rostered)
Chavis thrived in Triple-A after being acquired from the Red Sox before the July 30 trade deadline, earning a call-up with the Pirates this week. He’s already hit a 429-foot homer since his call-up and has hit leadoff in each of the last two games. The 26-year-old has struck out in 33.3 percent of his plate appearances in the majors, but landing with a rebuilding team like the Pirates might be the best thing for him. With his power and multi-position eligibility, he’s worth a speculative add.
Freddy Galvis 2B/SS, Phillies (Yahoo: 5 percent rostered)
Galvis was acquired from the Orioles at the trade deadline, but due to a right quad strain, he didn’t make his return to the Phillies until Wednesday night. He made the start at shortstop and there could be more playing time on the way with the way Didi Gregorius has struggled this season. Galvis’ power potential could come in handy in deeper leagues.
