RADIO
Dan Stephens looks at big fantasy baseball stories from Week 20 of the 2024 MLB season. What made the MLB headlines last week and what can you expect going forward?
Hello again, RotoBallers, and welcome back to another look at the week that was. Every Monday, I review the bigger stories from the previous week and assess their impact on fantasy baseball. Hopefully, this column helps you keep an eye on the league at large as the season winds down.
Another week and another closer was knocked off his pedestal. On Friday, The San Francisco Giants removed Camilo Doval from his role and then went the extra step of sending him to the minors to break out of his funk. Also on Friday, Luis Arraez admitted in postgame comments that the thumb injury that has been nagging him for the last couple of months is actually a torn ligament, though he has been given the green light to continue playing. And on Thursday, the White Sox finally cut ties with manager Pedro Grifol and named Grady Sizemore their interim manager.
Fantasy baseball revolves around an expansive league with a six-month-long season. The grind of the fantasy baseball season can result in tunnel vision and news that doesn’t directly relate to players we roster or actively follow can easily be overlooked. To stay on top of it all, bookmark our fantasy baseball news feed, download our mobile app, and next Monday check back for the next installment of this column.
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Camilo Doval Demoted To Minors
Last week the San Francisco Giants recognized the need for a shakeup of their bullpen hierarchy. In most cases, this would mean temporarily moving a closer to a lower-leverage role until the kinks are worked out. The Giants took things another step further on Friday, August 9. Instead of knocking Camilo Doval down a few rungs on the depth chart, the Giants sent him to Triple-A Sacramento.
Doval has 22 saves in the year and a 27.6 K%, but his contributions to those categories have come with a 4.70 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. The 27-year-old has blown five saves in 2024, the most recent of which came the day before his demotion. On August 8, Doval served up a three-run home run to Luis Garcia Jr., which tied that game in the ninth. The Giants came out ahead in extras (with Doval getting credit for the win), but the die was cast, and now Doval will work out his issues in Sacramento.
Fantasy impact: Doval’s demotion robs those still holding him of saves though his absence also means his ratios aren’t weighing down those categories either. His 14.3 BB% is among the worst in the league and is the impetus behind his putrid WHIP. The hope is that Doval can spend his time in Sacramento improving his command so he can rejoin San Francisco in their pursuit of a wild card spot.
BoMel explains the Giants decision to option Camilo Doval to Triple-A pic.twitter.com/jhXI9HEjsW
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 10, 2024
In the meantime, someone has to fill in for Doval. Manager Bob Melvin has acknowledged Ryan Walker’s effectiveness makes him a deserving candidate to close for the Giants but also expressed reluctance to remove him from the fireman role. Walker did get the save on Saturday and is the best bet to collect more for the time being. For those who missed out, keep an eye on Jordan Hicks, who is likely the next man up if Melvin opts to use Walker early.
Luis Arraez Has Torn Thumb Ligament
San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez revealed last Friday that the thumb injury that has lingered since late June is actually a torn ligament in the digit. Arraez first injured the thumb on June 25 while sliding into third base. He missed the next game but has made 28 starts in the Padres’ 33 games since the initial injury. Arraez has been told by doctors that he can continue playing through the injury and will not require surgery during the season.
In his comments to reporters, Arraez acknowledged that he continues to go out there because he loves the game, but the pain makes it difficult to play. The former Marlin faced his old squad over the weekend and Arraez went 6-for-15 with four runs scored in the series. His .306 batting average leads the National League.
Run, Luis! Run! pic.twitter.com/2lksBwFZa1
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 10, 2024
Fantasy impact: It is a marvel that Arraez is still maintaining a league-leading batting average while dealing with the pain of a torn ligament in his thumb. The Padres’ recent success has them in playoff contention, giving him all the more reason to play through it. While his determination is inspiring, there is the possibility that the pain becomes detrimental to performance or simply becomes too much to bear. Fantasy managers counting on the two-time batting champ’s production down the stretch should keep close tabs on his health and be aggressive in cycling through players on hot and cold runs to elevate their team's batting average.
Pedro Grifol Fired
The Chicago White Sox parted ways with manager Pedro Grifol on Thursday, August 8. The move comes two days after the team ended their 21-game losing streak, tied for the longest in American League history. The White Sox are in the midst of a historically bad season and owned a 28-89 record at the time of Grifol’s dismissal. He leaves his first managerial job with an 89-190 record. Grady Sizemore, who was in his first year on a Major League coaching staff, was named interim manager.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 8, 2024
Fantasy impact: Grifol was ineffective at the helm though his departure does not inspire any newfound confidence in any of the White Sox from a fantasy perspective. Catching a hot streak at this time of year can pay dividends by season’s end, so regulars can’t be ignored even if they are on bad teams. Andrew Benintendi may have finally figured things out, for one. Last week he went 6-for-20 and totaled four home runs over three consecutive games. Over the last month, he has hit .263 with seven home runs and 15 RBI.
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