Brayan Bello, SP, BOS (CBS: 12% rostered, ESPN: 1% rostered): The Red Sox are very quickly running out of starters and that situation is magnified with Nathan Eovaldi now dealing with a hip issue. Could they turn to their top prospect, Brayan Bello? The combined results this year between Double and Triple-A have been outstanding, especially the 84 strikeouts in only 62 IP.
Jon Berti, 2B/3B/OF, MIA (CBS: 12% rostered, ESPN: 3% rostered): The roster flexibility should have our attention, but it’s not void of some solid skills. Berti is currently tied for eighth with 11 stolen bases and is sporting a .382 OBP in 93 at-bats. He’s the perfect reserve bat for those craving the need for speed.
Alex Faedo, SP, DET (CBS: 25% rostered, ESPN: 4% rostered): The underlying stats scream regression, but Faedo is still showing up every fifth day and pitching well. Until that changes, get him rostered and rolling.
Oscar Gonzalez, OF, CLE (CBS: 19% rostered, ESPN: 4% rostered): We mentioned his hot start last week and he simply continues to rake. This week he’s gone 12-for-24 with four RBI bringing his BA up to an off-the-charts .417 entering Sunday’s play. We’re still waiting for that first home run, but it will come.
Cole Irvin, SP, OAK (CBS: 48% rostered, ESPN: 14% rostered): In ten starts he has gone at least five innings in all of them. He’s keeping the ball in the park and not giving up an inordinate number of walks. The low strikeout rates are a concern, but in these troubling times looks to be a decent option as a back-end type starter.
Alex Kirilloff, 1B/OF, MIN (CBS: 33% rostered, ESPN: 20% rostered): The Twins demoted Kirilloff on May 14 and since then he has been tearing it up down on the farm to the tune of 8 homers, 25 RBI, and 1.060 OPS in 117 at-bats at Triple-A St. Paul. It’s about time he made the trek across town and found his way back to the Twins’ active roster.
Casey Lawrence, SP, TOR (CBS: not rostered, ESPN: not rostered): Yusei Kikuchi has had an up and down season, with more downs than ups of late. Could the Jays turn to the 34-year-old Lawrence? You betcha and for good cause. He’s currently leading the International League with eight wins and a 1.77 ERA. With Grayson Rodriguez on the IL, the next closest in the ERA race is Jason Alexander who is currently at 2.64. Why not toss a dart in deeper formats?
Francisco Mejia, C, TBR (CBS: 17% rostered, ESPN: 3% rostered): Mike Zunino has found his way to the IL with left shoulder inflammation, an opportunity for Mejia to get an increased workload and build on the solid 2021 campaign.
Gabriel Moreno, C, TOR (CBS: 49% rostered, ESPN: 9% rostered): Danny Jansen has found his way to the IL with a fractured right pinkie giving top-prospect Moreno the opportunity to make his MLB debut. The power has yet to appear, but down on the farm he was hitting to a .380 OBP. Expect 2-to-3 starts weekly backing up the hot-hitting Alejandro Kirk until the return of Jansen. In ReDraft Leagues pay for what he is, not who he eventually becomes.
Andre Pallante, SP, STL (CBS: 5% rostered, ESPN: 1% rostered): After starting the season in a long-relief role, the Cards are stretching out Pallante and thus far the results have been outstanding as evident by that outstanding 1.04 ERA. He’s young and still very much a work in progress but if he can keep the walks down makes for an intriguing option in deeper Leagues.
Ryan Pepiot, SP, LAD (CBS: 8% rostered, ESPN: not rostered): The injury to Walker Buehler means the Dodgers will be looking for innings and very quickly at that. Pepiot held his own in an earlier promotion and is likely to be getting a second opportunity. He has posted a 1.77 ERA and struck out 55 in 40 2/3 IP in eight starts at Triple-A Oklahoma City, numbers that will surely have the Dodgers’ attention.
Victor Reyes, OF, DET (CBS: 1% rostered, ESPN: not rostered): The Tigers are hoping that the return of Reyes after a pair of quad issues that limited him to only 24 at-bats this year, will spark some life in the worst offense in the game. They immediately inserted him into the leadoff spot, and he responded with a 3-for-4 day. It’s a small step, albeit a very good one.
Lane Thomas, OF, WAS (CBS: 17% rostered, ESPN: 6% rostered): Thomas went 7-for-20 with seven runs scored this week and has now found a home at the top-of-the-order hitting in front of Juan Soto and Josh Bell. We mentioned last week that “better days were ahead.” It appears that they have now arrived.
Tyler Wells, SP, BAL (CBS: 9% rostered, ESPN: 10.0% rostered): The Orioles “ace” is quietly enjoying a solid season. In 12 starts Wells has allowed more than two earned runs only three times. In deeper formats that has value.
Closer Report
Seranthony Dominguez, RP, PHI (CBS: 10% rostered, ESPN: 2% rostered): The string of scoreless outings continues to grow and is now up to thirteen. Toss in the fact that Corey Knebel experienced shoulder soreness while warming up Saturday and didn’t pitch, and it’s time to get Dominguez rostered.
Daniel Hudson, RP, LAD (CBS: 28% rostered, ESPN: 9% rostered): Craig Kimbrel is working on his mechanics and with two saves, two losses, and seven earned runs allowed in his past six outings, there appears to be more work required. Hudson is now up to five saves on the season, three of which have occurred in his past five outings. Some Hudson insurance could pay off in a big way.
Michael King, RP, NYY (CBS: 37% rostered, ESPN: 29% rostered): The slew of recent pitching injuries are making it tougher and tougher to find starters, so why not look to a reliever with great strikeout rates? King fits the bill, with those 44 strikeouts in 33 IP. Until the return of Aroldis Chapman, he’s also moved into the setup role and is amassing holds on a consistent basis.
