The emotion-filled World Baseball Classic has been exhilarating to watch, combining well-played baseball by some of the greatest athletes in the sport with much pride in country, and featuring late-inning heroics from Philadelphia Phillies SS Trea Turner and others. However, a second major injury removed a significant player from competition, greatly affecting fantasy baseball drafts as well.
On Wednesday, New York Mets RP Edwin Diaz tore a tendon in his right knee celebrating Puerto Rico’s big win. Diaz was the top relief pitcher off the board in ESPN average live drafts, and he is likely to miss the entire 2023 regular season. The Mets have yet to clarify their new closer situation, though many presume veteran David Robertson will handle the saves.
This weekend, Jose Altuve, leadoff hitter for Venezuela and the Houston Astros, fractured his right thumb when a wayward Daniel Bard pitch (many of them were wayward, actually) struck him on Saturday night. Altuve seemed to know right away something was amiss. It was. Surgery is pending and Altuve, a top-25 fantasy pick, may not play again until June, missing roughly a third of the upcoming season.
These situations are mildly different, as Altuve remains worthy of a selection in all drafts, though investors will need to be patient. Thumb injuries are notorious for sapping power, too, and a big part of Altuve’s appeal is that he hit 59 home runs over the last two seasons. He finished last season as the No. 11 hitter on the Player Rater, and he tied for 13th in points formats. I moved him outside the top 100 in roto rankings, but he remains ahead of Phillies OF Bryce Harper (elbow), who is expected to miss more time.
While many will eagerly watch who the Astros employ at second base in spring games this week, we should be more interested in who assumes leadoff duties. Altuve led off in 137 of the 162 games last season, scoring 103 runs. Second-year SS Jeremy Pena and platoon OF Chas McCormick were next, leading off eight times each. Pena, who was 4-for-31 in the role, seems more likely to get the chance, leaving the rest of the stacked lineup in their typical spots — and this should interest fantasy managers quite a bit. Pena moves up in my updated roto rankings.
David Hensley, 26, hit .345 over 34 plate appearances for the Astros last season, and .298 with a .420 OBP, 10 home runs and 20 stolen bases for Triple-A Sugar Land. He seems most likely to play second base in Altuve’s absence, though slick fielding Mauricio Dubon remains an option for a team not concerned about sacrificing offense for defense (see catcher with Martin Maldonado). Take a chance on the inexperienced Hensley in deeper formats with a middle infield spot.
Other weekend thoughts
Jurickson Profar, one of the last remaining intriguing free agents, landed with the Colorado Rockies, and he figures to handle both left field and leadoff duties. Profar’s main contribution for fantasy managers last season was his 82 runs scored for the San Diego Padres, as he led off for 90 games. He finished as the No. 42 outfielder on the Player Rater. Consider him as a borderline top-50 outfielder in deep formats. It seems to be an odd signing by the noncontending Rockies, but then again, it is the Rockies, and when prospect Zac Veen is ready, he will play. Kris Bryant moves to right field. Elehuris Montero and Mike Moustakas remain entrenched in a critical position battle at third base.
Speaking of spring battles, those investing in Atlanta Braves 2B Vaughn Grissom may need to reconsider. Grissom seemed likely to handle shortstop duties with Dansby Swanson fleeing for the Chicago Cubs, but his defense has been an issue. Defense is not a problem for Braden Shewmake, however. The Braves may realize, as with the Astros, that not everyone in their lineup needs to be awesome at the plate. Grissom is hitting well this spring, and perhaps he makes the team and sees time at DH, but he could also end up at Triple-A Gwinnett. I have moved him outside the top 200 in my roto rankings.
Texas Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom twirled three dominant shutout innings on Sunday in his much-anticipated spring debut, and it may alter the narrative for fantasy managers, but it really should not. Few doubt that deGrom will pitch well, when he pitches. The Rangers are handling him cautiously because of his most recent side injury, and he may be on a pitch count in early April. Knowing his injury history and expected volume, he remains outside my top-10 starters, still.
Mets OF Brandon Nimmo hurt his right ankle and knee on a weekend slide and, since this is the final full week of spring training, he may not be ready for Opening Day. Nimmo is coming off his best season, with perhaps the notable number on his stat line being the 151 games. Staying healthy has been a problem for years. The Mets feature veteran Tommy Pham as their fourth outfielder, although he is only 5-for-33 this spring.
Minnesota Twins 2B Jorge Polanco may start the season on the IL because of knee woes but, as he was coming off a rough 2022 season in which he hit .235 with only 16 home runs in 104 games, some may prefer Nick Gordon anyway. Gordon hit .272. Veteran Donovan Solano may also figure into this situation, for those in really deep formats.
Washington Nationals RHP Cade Cavalli tore the UCL in his throwing elbow and will miss this season because of Tommy John surgery. Few in ESPN leagues were investing here, but this is yet another reminder how young elbows falter. Ignore the likes of reliable veterans Charlie Morton and Adam Wainwright in deep formats at your own peril.
Cycling back to Colorado’s Bard, a 21st-round selection in ESPN ADP, he has pitched twice in the WBC and each outing has been rough to watch, as the veteran struggles to throw strikes. This hardly means Bard will struggle once the regular season starts, but I was fading him in drafts anyway for a reason. He has less room for error, pitching half his games at Coors Field, and control problems are hardly new for him. Bard is no longer among my top-20 relief pitchers. There’s too much risk, and he is unlikely to deliver 2022-style rewards in 2023.