With scoring period 4 in the books, we look ahead to the next week of Fantasy Baseball with some suggestions on how you can tweak your roster and gain an edge!
This week we take a look at some Fantasy Baseball drop candidates, a couple of stash options and some buy-low candidates. And in case you’ve had your head buried in the sand, we remind you of a significant promotion that happened earlier in the week.
Drop it like it’s hot?
These first two pitchers are struggling mightily, and owners are jumping ship in droves. Should you be one of them?
Fantasy Baseball: Luis Castillo (69% Yahoo, 62% ESPN, 83% CBS, 95% Fantrax)
Castillo’s ERA is up to 7.85 with a 5.59 FIP and a 4.39 xFIP. His K/9 is down 2.34 from last season and, perhaps more concerning, his velocity is down 2 MPH from where he ended the 2017 season. And that includes a dip of nearly 1 MPH from where he started this season.
While that doesn’t conclusively mean injury, it has to be worrisome for fantasy owners. At best we are looking at a mechanical issue that has him out of sorts but at this point, cutting bait isn’t a bad idea.
Additionally, his walk rate is up to 4.08, so he won’t be posting a helpful WHIP. Loss of velocity combined with a loss of control means no one should be surprised if we hear about elbow trouble in the next few weeks.
Castillo’s 2017 debut was very encouraging, finishing with a 3.12 ERA,, and a 9.87 K/9, but pitching in front of a bad Red team means wins aren’t in the profile for now. He’s suffering through a .330 BABIP, but something isn’t right with him at present. You can probably find a better use for that roster spot.
If you are in a deeper league and can afford to stash him, it might be worth waiting it out a little longer. And in deep keeper and dynasty leagues, he’s worth tucking away as his long-term ceiling is still enticing. But don’t pass up a chance to pick up a solid starter if one is on the Fantasy Baseball wire (or our pitcher stash suggestion below).