Fantasy baseball daily notes: Pitcher and hitter rankings for Monday
Here are Monday’s choices to get your week off on a strong note, with everyone available in at least half of all ESPN leagues.
Carlos Rodon (L), rostered in 5% of ESPN leagues, Chicago White Sox at Seattle Mariners: After another injury-riddled campaign in 2020, it looked like Rodon could be done. However, after initially non-tendering the southpaw, the White Sox brought Rodon back, perhaps encouraged by some success last season in a relief role. The 28-year-old lefty impressed in the spring, fanning 16 in 13 2/3 innings during Cactus League play. The Seattle lineup is improving, but not yet intimidating.
Daniel Ponce de Leon (R), 1%, St. Louis Cardinals at Miami Marlins: With Kwang Hyun Kim not yet ready to enter the Cardinals rotation, Ponce de Leon will receive a couple of turns to impress the St. Louis brass. The Marlins’ offense isn’t the pushover it’s been in prior campaigns, but it’s still not daunting enough to avoid. Ponce de Leon fanned 45 in 32 2/3 innings last season, but he also issued 20 free passes. If he can exhibit better control, Ponce de Leon will make a case for staying in the rotation even when Kim is able to return.
Matt Shoemaker (R), 1%, Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers: In 2016, Shoemaker threw 160 innings as he appeared to be finding himself as a quality major league starter. Since then, injuries have limited him to just 166 combined frames. Shoemaker has been effective between IL stints, so since he’s currently healthy, he’s in play, especially when slated to face one of the game’s weaker offenses.
JT Brubaker (R), 1%, Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds: Brubaker was a popular choice for a deep sleeper among fantasy analysts. Part of the allure is pitching in PNC Park, a favorable venue for arms. He’s also still honing his repertoire, using his secondaries more in hopes of winning a rotation spot. Monday’s contest is on the road in The Great American Ballpark, a hitter’s paradise, but Brubaker’s spring portends more strikeouts than he’s managed in the past, so he’s in the mix for those in deeper leagues in need of an extra starter.
Bullpen:
Watching him pitch isn’t for the faint of heart, but after opening weekend, it’s clear Cesar Valdez will handle closing duties for the Baltimore Orioles. He throws an 86 mph medium ball (sorry, I can’t call it a fastball) along with a bevy of other slow offerings that dip and dive. Valdez will throw a strike only when absolutely necessary, aiming to induce batters to swing at his tantalizing pitches just off the plate. It’s an approach with a limited margin of error, but since it is so different than that usual ninth inning fare, it can be effective.
For the latest team-by-team closer situations, please consult our Closer Chart.
Catcher — Victor Caratini (S), 2%, San Diego Padres vs. San Francisco Giants (RHP Anthony DeSclafani): With Austin Nola out until at least Thursday, Caratini has been handling most of the squatting duties for the Padres. He’s a better-than-average hitter for the position, though 2019 looks like an outlier in terms of power. Even though he’s a switch-hitter, Caratini has faced mostly right-handers, setting him up nicely against DeSclafani, who has historically struggled against lefty swingers.
First base — Jeimer Candelario (S), 26%, Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins (RHP Matt Shoemaker): For several years, talent evaluators spoke of Candelario’s latent power potential. Last season, it came to fruition with 21 of his 55 hits being of the extra-base variety, fueling a career best .503 slugging percentage. Candelario hopes to build on last season and is off to a strong start.
Second base — Ty France (R), 36%, Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox (LHP Carlos Rodon): France is a good reminder why average exit velocity is far more important for power than batting average. That said, last season’s .391 BABIP is due for a significant correction. Still, France is a dangerous line-drive hitter with the ability to turn on a mistake.
Third base — Evan Longoria (R), 15%, San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres (LHP Adrian Morejon): Longoria’s glory days are long behind him, but he can still handle southpaw pitching. The veteran would have been picked for this spot regardless, but he’s off to a great start, taking a lefty deep in each of the Giants’ first two games.
Shortstop — Jazz Chisholm (L), 10%, Miami Marlins vs. St. Louis Cardinals (RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon): A strong spring earned the Marlins Opening Day job at the keystone. Chisholm was the favorite heading into Grapefruit League play, but a three-steal game to close out the exhibition season sealed the deal. It may also serve as a harbinger of the 2021 campaign, as Chisholm has the speed to eclipse the 20 stolen base mark.
Corner infield — Rowdy Tellez (L), 9%, Toronto Blue Jays at Texas Rangers (RHP Mike Foltynewicz): Tellez was almost assured of making the Blue Jays’ 26-man roster, regardless, but George Springer opening the season on the IL left no doubt. Springer’s injury also opens up more playing time for Tellez as Teoscar Hernandez has to play in the field and not designated hitter. Foltynewicz has been historically vulnerable to left-handed power, which is Tellez’s calling card.
Middle infield — Andrelton Simmons (R), 7%, Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers (RHP Jose Urena): Simmons is a reminder that enjoying the platoon edge is important, but sometimes other factors take precedence. There is a good chance the potent Twins lineup puts up a few crooked numbers against Urena, so having some exposure could prove fruitful. Simmons usually puts the ball in play, giving him a solid chance to join the party.
Outfield — Jesse Winker (L), 44%, Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (RHP JT Brubaker): Winker missed some time over the weekend with an illness, but he should be back for Monday’s NL Central tilt with the Pirates. It’s rare to be able to stream a leadoff batter, but Winker’s spotty health history leaves him available in more than half of ESPN leagues. If he looks good early, it won’t be long before his rostership eclipses the 50% mark.
Outfield — Gregory Polanco (L), 4%, Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds (RHP Jose De Leon): Polanco is another batter whose rostership could surge with a hot start. Last season, Polanco fanned an unsightly 38% of the time, and early on this season, he’s still whiffing at an elevated clip. However, when he makes contact, it’s with authority. This is more gut that numbers, but if Polanco can regain confidence and get his strikeouts under control, he could be in for a bounce-back campaign.
Outfield — Jay Bruce (L), 4%, New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles (RHP Jorge Lopez): With Luke Voit out for the first quarter of the season, the Yankees asked Bruce to oil up his first baseman’s mitt. The veteran slugger has been striking out at an increasing rate as he ages, but he still has more than enough power to take advantage of the short porch at home. Over the past two seasons, Lopez has allowed a whopping 34 homers in just 162 2/3 innings.