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Joey Pollizze discusses five well-known fantasy baseball hitters and pitchers who have not performed well recently. He looks at whether it's time to drop or hold these players.
We are at the point of the fantasy baseball season where it might be time to cut losses on certain players struggling. Sometimes, some of those struggling hitters or pitchers are well-known players who fantasy managers might have drafted earlier in leagues or players who started off the year strong.
Either way, holding onto certain players for too long could be a downfall for some fantasy managers. In this article, we will look at five well-known baseball players and determine what to do with them in fantasy. Should we drop them, hold them, or trade them for cheap?
Let's dive in and find out what we should do with these five players in Week 13 and beyond. All five players on this list are rostered in the majority of Yahoo! leagues.
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Brent Rooker - OF, Oakland A's
After a strong start to the year, Oakland A's outfielder Brent Rooker has cooled off significantly at the plate. On June 1, Rooker was hitting a solid .283 with 12 home runs, 11 doubles, and 39 RBI across the first 47 games. However, since then, the outfielder has been hitting just .136 (6-for-44) with one home run, one double, and two RBI over the past 12 contests.
Brent Rooker could be a really nice addition to some team’s lineup pic.twitter.com/9tZBsPuaQ7
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 6, 2024
It has been a rough couple of weeks for the 29-year-old at the plate, who continues to see his average dip. If you even look back at the past month, Rooker's stats haven't been great. Since May 15, the 2023 All-Star is batting just .204 with three home runs, 13 RBI, and 46 strikeouts. With this recent offensive stretch, fantasy managers are surely growing impatient with the outfielder. So, what should they do with him in fantasy?
Despite the recent slump at the plate, fantasy managers should not drop Rooker by any means. We saw a similar stretch from the 29-year-old in 2023 where he started off the year strong and struggled after that. However, the A's outfielder did total a career-high 30 HRs last season, and signs point to him finishing with better overall numbers in 2024. His expected slugging (.552), barrel rate (16.8%), and hard-hit rate (51.1%) all rank in the 90th percentile.
There are going to be some ups and downs with rostering Rooker in fantasy. His average might not be the best, and he'll strike out plenty. However, there aren't many 30-plus home run hitters who managers can find on waivers right now. So, it's likely best to hold him and hope he can pick it up.
Jesus Luzardo - SP, Miami Marlins
What a weird season it has been for Miami Marlins pitcher Jesus Luzardo. Following a strong 2022 and 2023 campaign, Luzardo was one of the most underrated fantasy pitchers heading into the year. After all, the left-hander had a combined 3.48 ERA and 328 strikeouts in 50 starts over the past two years.
Nonetheless, the 2024 campaign has been a different story for the southpaw. Luzardo currently owns a 5.00 ERA through his first 12 starts while striking out only 58 batters across 66.2 innings. In every way, the 26-year-old's season has been disappointing. He spent time on the injured list this year with an elbow injury and just pitched through back stiffness in his most recent outing against the Washington Nationals on Sunday. His 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings this season are also on pace to be a career low.
#Marlins Jesús Luzardo's slider & changeup have been the most effective in his arsenal. He has been lowering the 4-seam usage while upping the slider & changeup over the last 3 starts.
June 11:
-Slider SwK: 22.2%
-Changeup SwK: 30.8%May:
-Slider SwK: 22.4%
-Changeup SwK: 32.5% https://t.co/IK9B4phJKJ pic.twitter.com/3Cd3MZSu7h— Corbin (@corbin_young21) June 12, 2024
Despite all that, though, it would likely make sense to just keep him. He still has a high fantasy ceiling, and there's a chance that he can turn it around in the second half of the season. The potential and upside are also there for Luzardo to succeed again, especially if he gets traded to a contender. As a result, fantasy managers should keep him and hope that he shows flashes of his 2023 self down the stretch.
Nolan Gorman - 2B, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman has not lived up to expectations in the majors so far after being drafted in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft. But most fantasy managers are still holding onto Gorman, as he is 77% rostered of Yahoo! formats. That seems too high for a player currently hitting .208 with a strikeout rate of 35.5%.
The biggest thing attracting fantasy managers to Gorman is his home run power. After hitting 27 HRs last year, the left-handed slugger has built on that part of his game by launching 15 HRs in 64 games this season. That puts the 24-year-old on pace for 35 long balls in 2024. However, he doesn't provide much fantasy value in other categories, making him really only good for home runs in most formats.
That's why fantasy managers should be looking to sell him in fantasy. It might be tough to get anything in return, considering he is just 4-for-43 at the plate over the past 11 games. But if a team in your fantasy league is looking for some power, trade Gorman to them immediately. He is too streaky at the plate, sits often against left-handed pitching, and his career .226 average doesn't move me at all. If you can't find a trade partner, there is likely a better replacement on waivers.
Brady Singer - SP, Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals pitcher Brady Singer started off the year strong. Entering June, Singer had a 2.63 ERA and 64 strikeouts across his first 11 starts. In those outings, the 27-year-old gave up one earned run or less eight times. However, things have been rough for the right-hander on the mound recently.
Singer has given up at least three runs in three straight starts and has a 6.46 ERA in those outings. But, it is important to mention that the pitcher has faced the Cleveland Guardians, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Dodgers over those starts. Those three offenses rank in the top five in runs per game this season. That's why the right-hander is a hold in all fantasy formats in Week 13 and beyond.
Shohei Ohtani has taken Brady Singer deep twice this afternoon.
Ohtani has 19 homers this year.
— Chris Henrique (@ChrisHenrique) June 16, 2024
Singer has been one of the biggest surprises on the mound this year, and it wouldn't be smart to drop a pitcher who currently owns a 3.39 ERA across 77 innings pitched. After struggling on the mound in 2023 with a 5.52 ERA, fantasy managers are seeing the 2022 version of the Royals pitcher. During that year, he finished with a 3.23 ERA and 150 strikeouts. With the way the right-hander has pitched this year, look for him to finish with similar numbers in 2024.
Jonah Heim - C, Texas Rangers
What a disappointing season it has been for Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim. Following his first All-Star appearance in 2023—where he finished with a .258 average, 18 HRs, and 95 RBI—Heim hasn't put up those consistent numbers at the plate so far this season. The 28-year-old is hitting just .234 with six HRs and 31 RBI.
Heim entered the year as one of the biggest fantasy sleepers at the catcher position, given his upside in a top-five offense. But with the Rangers offense struggling in 2024, it has been tough to roster him. The switch-hitting catcher is also just 9-for-64 (.141 average) with one home run, two doubles, and four RBI over the last 18 games. It might be best to drop him in fantasy as we look to Week 13 and beyond.
He hasn't been hitting much, and there are catchers on waivers who will put up better stats than him. Connor Wong (53% rostered), Patrick Bailey (19% rostered), and Tyler Soderstrom (31% rostered) are all currently hitting well at the plate and have scored more fantasy points than Heim over the past 30 days. As a result, make the move now and drop the Rangers catcher.
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