Big Kid Adds (Week 1)

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even larger entry fees ($2.5K to $15K). They are named Elite leagues (previously called High Stakes Leagues), and there are seven of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain any advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in five or more leagues.

Batters

Jake Bauers (7): The plan going into the season was for Bauers to start a few games every week, but Andrew Vaughn’s injury changed that. Bauer looks to be the Pirates’ primary first baseman. He has started in five of the six games while sitting against one of the two lefties the team faced. Over his career, Bauers has a decent 162-game pace of 16 HR, 11 SB, and .212 AVG. One reason Bauers has not been a regular is his struggles against lefties (career .603 OPS vs LHP, .693 OPS vs RHP).

I wouldn’t expect Bauers to be a league winner, but he’s at least a solid bench bat since he is qualified at first base and outfield in most leagues.

Jared Triolo (4): I was surprised to see Triolo wasn’t rostered in all these leagues. He’s not a game-changer, but he’s qualified at three positions (1B, SS, 3B) while hitting 7 HR with 13 SB in 376 PA last season. While he’s struggling so far this season (.461 OPS), he should be a solid bench bat as an injury replacement.

Luke Raley (4): Raley hit three home runs in his first three games, so several managers bought in. The problem with Raley is that he’s in a solid platoon (hasn’t faced a lefty yet this season), which is justified given his struggles against lefties over his career (career .528 OPS vs LHP, .792 OPS vs RHP).

Raley’s price stayed relatively low because the Mariners were scheduled to face three lefties this week, meaning he wouldn’t be started in weekly formats. I don’t expect a breakout from the 31-year-old, but he should be a solid streamer this season.

Starters

Lance McCullers Jr. (5): Currently, McCullers is healthy and in the rotation. This week, he was scheduled to face Boston (7 IP, 9 K, 1 BB, 1 ER) and the Athletics, with likely Seattle next week and Colorado, St Louis, and Cleveland in the next three series. While it’s impossible to know which team he is going to face, they are all streamable options.

While this week’s matchups scared me a bit, it was a perfect week to add-and-bench him. His manager has two starts to evaluate if they want to keep or drop him. With McCullers shutting down Boston, he’ll go for a decent amount of FAAB in leagues where he’s still available.

Germán Márquez (4): Like McCullers, Márquez was a perfect candidate to add-and-sit this week to have time to evaluate him. After nearly a decade pitching for the incompetent Rockies, he’s joined the Padres. In Spring Training, he was striking out batters (12.7 K/9), but he couldn’t get going against the Giants (3 IP, 4 ER, 1 K, 1 BB).

While it’s not obvious who Marquez will face, the Padres schedule is soft starting next week, so he would face some streamable matchups (at PIT, vs COL, vs SEA, at LAA). I’m sure some managers were trying to get ahead, especially since he might have a two-start week against the Pirates and Rockies. I’m just not sure he’s any good. He threw 65 pitches, and batters only swung and missed at one of them. Our STUPH models graded him below average (5.41 botERA, 89 Pitching+). If I’m rostering him, I’d bench him and see how the two starts go.

Joe Boyle (4): Over 30 games (23 starts), Boyle’s start on Saturday was just his third game (the other two were late last season), starting or relieving, when he didn’t issue a walk. His 31% Ball% points to a 1.7 BB/9, on average. And a 56% Zone% would be a career-high. He struck out only four batters over the six innings but did post a 12% SwStr% (career 11% SwStr%).

One issue with the start was that his average four-seam velocity was down 1.4 mph. While our STUPH models graded the pitch a bit lower, its overall grade jumped since he was able to throw it for strikes. He’s an add in all formats to see if this newfound control is real.

Robert Gasser (4): Gasser is sixth or seventh on Milwaukee’s starting pitcher depth chart, along side Logan Henderson. With Gasser in the minors, last week was an opportunity to add him to an NFBC team (no more minor league adds for the rest of the season). While Gasser is fine, he’s probably not the ideal arm to target with so many options popping up.

Relievers

Ryne Stanek (7): The Cardinals’ closer situation is up for grabs, and Stanek got the first Save. I’m not sure he’s the closer. I’m not sure the Cardinals think he’s the closer. Looking at the team’s usage, Stanek, along with Riley O’Brien and JoJo Romero, are getting the highest-leverage situations. Maybe one will emerge as the closer, or it could be a committee. The world may never know.

Cole Sands (5): The Twins have had one chance for a Save and Sands got it. Right now, I think Sands and Rodgers will split being the closer, but who knows. Neither one is really that good.

Bryan Baker (5): I think Baker is the closer in Tampa, and it goes back to Sunday’s game. The Rays had a two-run lead going into the ninth inning. Baker was warming up to coming in for the Save, but the Rays added a couple of runs. Baker pitched the ninth inning and retired the three batters he faced. Griffin Jax looked to be the closer, but has already blown two Saves. Add Baker where possible.