The impact of fantasy football on the fantasy baseball landscape is undeniable. Every year in September, many managers turn their attention to the gridiron, especially those who have already fallen behind in their baseball leagues. For those who have only glanced at MLB stats from September, here are some key players who have performed well enough over the past few weeks to alter their 2023 fantasy draft value.
Fantasy managers who watched Rodriguez hit the proverbial rookie wall in August (.701 OPS) before focusing on their fantasy football leagues are probably wondering why the youngster is a top 5 pick in many drafts this year. . His 1,202 OPS after September 1 left managers with great confidence that the difficulties in Rodriguez’s development will be only minor.
Alvarez suffered a hand injury while posting a .638 OPS in August before surging in September by recording his third 1.100+ OPS (1.176) in the last four months of 2022. One of the best pure hitters of baseball, Alvarez is a good option near the end of Round 1.
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Ward was a gem of the waiver wire in April and May (.347 BA, 10 HR) before being slowed by nagging injuries while hitting .222 with seven long balls over the next three months. Those who fled to fantasy football on Sept. 1 should know that Ward got back on track from that point on (.345 BA, 6 HR) and is now a solid option on his Yahoo ADP in the 150s.
I’m sure many of you are wondering “who is Bryan De La Cruz”? Well, for five months of the 2022 season, the answer has been “someone who’s buried on your waiver wire.” But the answer at the end of the season was “someone who hit .388 with six homers and 22 RBIs after Sept. 1.” Cruz has a path to a day-to-day role and deserves consideration as a late-round pick in the 12-team leagues.
An all-or-nothing receiver option in the first five months of 2022 (.201 BA, 19 HR), Raleigh produced a more balanced stat line when he hit .254 with eight long balls after Sept. 1. came with a reasonable .250 BABIP, giving optimism that the slugger could be less of an average drain at bat this year. With a Yahoo ADP of 205 choice, Raleigh is worth the investment at the end of the cycle.
Jansen thrived after Sept. 1 for the second season in a row, this time hitting .333 with an OPS of 1.007. With ADP in the 250s and .817 OPS over the past two seasons, Jansen is one of the best late-round receiver options, with his inability to stay healthy as the only remaining deterrent.
Managers who watched Meneses come out of the minors and post a .959 OPS in August should know that the latecomer stayed hot after Sept. 1 by hitting .318 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs. The 30-year-old could fall flat this year (similar to Frank Schwindel from a year ago), but he’s currently locked in a prime spot for the rebuilding Nats.
Bo Bichette (SS, Toronto Blue Jays)
A top-5 pick in most 2022 drafts, Bichette was disappointing for the first five months of the season (0.260 average, 17 HR) before changing his approach in the stretch and hitting .406 with seven homers , 27 RBI and 24 runs scored. after September 1. Bichette’s current Yahoo ADP (hovering around pick 20) seems low for a young player with that skill set.
[2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP]
Escobar struggled for most of 2022 before warming up after Sept. 1 (.321 BA, 8 HR, 25 RBI). His stretch run success came with a .355 BABIP which is a bit high but not enough to raise alarm bells, and he has a successful track record that includes totals of 28 homers in 2021 and 35 in 2019. Escobar is also part of a talented roster and could be more productive than most of the hot youngsters who accompany him in the later rounds of the 2023 draft.
In the first five months of 2022, Greene was all skills (average fastball speed of 99 mph) and no production (5.26 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 2.0 HR/9 rate). However, the rookie has dominated in his last four starts of the campaign (0.78 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 37:3 K:BB ratio), which left fantasy managers dreaming of the stats he could produce. in its second season.
Nick Lodolo (SP, Cincinnati Reds)
Greene wasn’t the only rookie Reds starter to wow fans throughout the stretch, as Lodolo recorded a 2.48 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 49:6 K:BB ratio on five departures after September 1st. boom-or-bust 2023 pitching staff by catching both Greene and Lodolo around pick 150.
Hunter Brown (PR, Houston Astros)
The Astros’ top prospect Brown was recalled Sept. 1 and recorded a 0.89 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 22:7 K:BB ratio over 20.1 innings in the streak. The 24-year-old currently only has relief pitcher eligibility on Yahoo, but he sits sixth on the Astros SP depth chart and is worth hiding until an established starter drops. with an injury.
Floro was an afterthought before September, having had no wins and three stoppages in the first five months of the season. But the right-hander took over the Marlins’ closing gig in September and had seven saves, a 1.17 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP in the final weeks of the campaign. Miami hasn’t done much to improve its bullpen this winter, which could lead to Floro retaining the ninth-inning role.
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