It’s understandable that the vast majority of fantasy managers have shifted their focus to the NFL preseason to monitor fascinating storylines like Pierre Strong out-snapping D’Onta Foreman with the Browns, Braelon Allen looking like a savvy late-round sleeper with the Jets, how many routes Jaleel McLaughlin is running out of the backfield for the Broncos, or how exactly Tank Dell fits in with the new-look Texans’ offense. It’s almost football season. The problem is that it can be easy to forget about everything going on in the fantasy baseball landscape while injecting dozens of preseason football games into our veins. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered right here as we break down Adrian Del Castillo’s arrival with the Diamondbacks, Bowden Francis’s unexpected late-season breakthrough and journeyman reliever Edwin Uceta blossoming into an elite high-leverage option in Tampa Bay.
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Adrian Del Castillo, C, Diamondbacks
Available in 95 percent of Yahoo! leagues
With Gabriel Moreno still on the injured list recovering from a left adductor strain, which will likely keep him sidelined for at least several additional weeks, Del Castillo continues to take full advantage of his unexpected opportunity with the Diamondbacks. The unheralded 24-year-old backstop, who set the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League ablaze earlier this season with 24 homers in 100 contests prior to an early August call-up, went 2-for-4 with a grand slam, six RBI and also stole a base on Monday in a lopsided win over the Marlins. That epic performance comes with the caveat that it was against Miami’s abysmal pitching staff, but it counts the same for fantasy managers, which is all that matters. It’s becoming apparent that the Diamondbacks have something here in Del Castillo, who is batting .333 (11-for-33) with three homers, 14 RBI and one steal in just nine games since being called up earlier this month from Triple-A Reno. It’s an extremely small sample size at the highest level, but Del Castillo’s impressive over-the-fence pop makes him worthy of at least a speculative roster spot in all fantasy formats, especially given his recent hot streak and catcher eligibility. Roll the dice.
Bowden Francis, SP/RP, Blue Jays
Available in 75 percent of Yahoo! leagues
It’s flown a bit under the radar, especially given Toronto’s second-half slide into the abyss, but Francis has added a different dimension to his arsenal, mixing in a brand-new sinker in addition to leaning more heavily on his slider and splitter instead of his signature curveball, over the past few weeks since returning to big leagues in a starting role. The results have been spectacular as he’s allowed just three runs on seven hits with a 22/1 K/BB ratio across 19 innings in a trio of starts against the Cubs, Angels and Orioles, respectively, since August 7. The 28-year-old righty looked great in spring training, but was hit hard in a couple outings to earn a trip back to the minors. The changes to his pitch mix are reason for optimism that he’ll finally emerge as a viable mixed-league fantasy contributor. If you’re still reading this, you’ve probably been burned by Francis in the past, but we can tell you’re still a Francis truther. We’re simply asking that you find room in your fantasy heart to give him another shot over the next final few weeks of the year.
Edwin Uceta, RP, Rays
Available in 96 percent of Yahoo! leagues
With Jason Adam jettisoned to San Diego at last month’s trade deadline and Pete Fairbanks landing on the injured list earlier this week with a right lat strain, which could potentially end his season, it’ll likely be some combination of Uceta and Manuel Rodríguez handling the closing duties for Tampa Bay for at least the next few weeks, if not longer. Uceta is the more intriguing name for fantasy managers given his unexpected metamorphosis from journeyman middle reliever into one of the more impressive high-leverage arms in the game since arriving in Tampa Bay. The 26-year-old righty has compiled a microscopic 0.94 ERA, 0.59 WHIP and 35/4 K/BB ratio across 28 2/3 innings (18 appearances) this season for the Rays and has allowed just two earned runs in 11 appearances since last month’s All-Star break. He doesn’t offer premium fastball velocity, but he’s ramped up the strikeouts and also managed to avoid hard contact this season, by mixing in a brand-new cutter in with his existing sinker and changeup. At a bare minimum, Uceta is worthy of a speculative roster spot, even in shallow mixed leagues, on the possibility that he takes over Tampa Bay’s closing role and never looks back.