X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Daily Fantasy Baseball Analysis August 22: Face-Time: Heyward Ouchies

Face-Time

HEYWARDOn the same day, in two separate games, two players were struck in the face by a pitch. Atlanta's young talent Jason Heyward and Houston’s Max Stassi were both removed from their respective games after being struck in the face by pitches. Heyward was the recipient of a Jonathon Niese fastball to the right side of his cheek, fracturing his jaw and causing him to be out for the next four-to-six weeks. No reports have been issued on how long Stassi (who was playing in his second career game since being called up) will be out. Obviously, Heyward going down for weeks just as he had started to heat up from the leadoff spot is not what any fantasy owner wants, but you have to feel for Stassi as a baseball fan. Replacing Heyward in your outfield could be tough at this point. The Braves will likely go with a platoon of Jordan Schafer and Evan Gattis with a sprinkle of Joey Terdoslavich. That spells a fantasy "meh." Check out the waiver wire, as maybe no one noticed a guy like Will Venable in your league. And seriously, pitchers: if you cant keep the ball away from dudes' heads, you don’t belong in the majors making millions.

 

“Hunt”-ing for a closer

Orioles Manager Buck Showalter tip-toed around questions regarding the closer role Wednesday-- and it’s no surprise as to why: the team's Opening Day closer Jim Johnson has been one of the best and one of the worst closers in all of baseball this year. He does have 39 saves to his credit, but he’s also amassed nine blown saves. As long as the team is within five games of playoff contention, those blown saves loom large, ultimately forcing the manager to make a change. Last night Showalter went with a committee approach which failed miserably as Darren O’Day and Brian Matusz both allowed base runners before Buck called on Tommy Hunter who took 11 pitches to clean up the mess. It was Hunter’s fourth save on the season and he could be worthy of more opportunities. There’s a catch however-- the O's haven’t used Hunter on back-to-back days and are reluctant to do so.

 

AL Hot Shots

  • Alfonso Soriano woke back up after an 0-15 slump with a huge game-winning two run tater in the bottom of the eight. It was a nice way to cap off a night where we saw Ichiro Suzuki collect his 4,000th* career hit (spanning his Japanese and MLB careers).
  • Dayan Viciedo launched a grand slam in a 3-for-4 night as the Pale Hose topped the Royals.
  • Nick Swisher popped a two-run homer from the two-hole and has four HR in the last 10 games.
  • Jayson Nix was placed on the DL with a fractured left hand after being plunked. Derek Jeter is scheduled to return this weekend.
  • Felix Doubront pitched eight innings of one-run ball as the Red Sox torched the Giants 12-1. Doubront has allowed more than three earned runs just once in his last 18 starts.
  • Will Middlebrooks played 2B, Stephen Drew played SS, and they both homered.
  • Danny Farquhar notched his ninth save and has only one blown save to his credit. He’s been pretty lights-out and he receives a lot of opportunities since Seattle is often involved in close games.
  • Josh Reddick will have an MRI on his troublesome right wrist on Thursday. Chris Young will get an uptick in PT if Reddick goes on the DL.
  • Adam Jones went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the Orioles' 4-2 win over the Rays on Wednesday.

 

NL Hot Shots

  • Giancarlo Stanton, the week after I trade him away, is heating up. He was 2-for-4 with a home run against the Dodgers on Wednesday. He also homered the Tuesday and is now hitting .250 with 16 bombs. I hate my fantasy-self.
  • Shin-Soo Choo went 4-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored as the Reds held on to beat the Diamondbacks 10-7.
  • Anthony Rizzo hit two bombs from the two-hole on Wednesday, but the Nats still pulled out the win in DC as Jake Arrieta tossed up a six-ER dud.
  • Rex Brothers owners: keep a firm grasp on your lefty-- Rafael Betancourt blew his second save as the Phillies pounded him for three hits and a walk in the bottom of the ninth.
  • Ian Kennedy tossed his best start of the season with eight K over seven scoreless innings to defeat the Pirates.
  • Ian Desmond missed Wednesday’s game due to back tightness. Hopefully Des can get back on the field ASAP.
  • Daniel Murphy went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and is now hitting .277 while riding an eight game hitting streak.
  • Allen Craig homered and doubled Wednesday driving in two RBI after not nocking in a run over his last six games.
  • Aramis Ramirez went 2-for-3 with a homer and two walks against the Cardinals on Wednesday.
  • Chris Johnson hit a three-run round-tripper to propel the Braves to victory and Craig Kimbrel locked up save numero 40.

 

==========

If you want this article and other high-end fantasy baseball analysis delivered to you on a daily basis, sign up for our daily newsletter. And be sure to check out our 2013 Waiver Wire Watch List (updated daily) for in-depth analysis on gems that you may be able to find sitting on your waiver wire.  It’s one of the best fantasy baseball features currently on web!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs With Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal With Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Josh Jung

Sent to Triple-A
Jurickson Profar

Officially Reinstated and Hitting in Five-Hole on Wednesday
Spencer Schwellenbach

Going on Injured List With Fractured Elbow
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
Jamari Thrash

Establishing Himself as Reliable Option
Grayson Murphy

Could Provide Rotational Pass-Rush Depth
Joe Andreessen

in a Good Position to Compete for Backup Job
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Bhayshul Tuten

Needs to Improve Pass Protection
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Brandon Woodruff

Likely to Pitch on Sunday in Miami
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
EDM

Andrew Mangiapane Signs Two-Year Pact With Oilers
SEA

Ryan Lindgren Joins Kraken on Four-Year Contract
PHI

Christian Dvorak Heads to Philadelphia
Logan Stankoven

Signs Long-Term Extension with Hurricanes
NYI

Jonathan Drouin Joins Islanders on Two-Year Contract
NJ

Devils Hand Connor Brown a Four-Year Contract
SJ

John Klingberg Lands in San Jose
William Eklund

Signs Three-Year Extension with Sharks
Will Cuylle

Agrees to Two-Year Contract with Rangers
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Josh Hader

Stays Perfect In Save Conversion On Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Shane Baz

Fans 11 Against Athletics
Grant Holmes

Strikes Out 10 in Scoreless Outing
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
T.J. Watt

Trying to Become Highest-Paid Non-QB?
Willson Contreras

Doubtful for Wednesday
George Springer

Clubs Two Homers in Seven-RBI Day
Joshua Palmer

Could be a Sleeper
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
Brandon Woodruff

Ready for Season Debut
Garrett Mitchell

Out for the Rest of the Season
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF