Hitters Available Under 40%/Cuttable at 60%+ #4

One issue I’ve had with pick up articles in the past is that so few ever recommend anyone to cut so which is arguably tougher than recommending who to pick. Sure, a player in question should probably be on a roster, but should it be your roster? I have a group of interesting free agents but also a player at each of those positions who you can consider cutting as well.

This article is designed mostly for 10- and 12-team leagues as a lot of these guys aren’t available in 15+ teamers and the recommended cuts are likely worth giving a bit more time to in deeper formats as well. I’m using ESPN’s roster rate for guidance.

Previous Volumes

Available Under 40% | Cuttable at 60%+

• C Chance Sisco – 7% | Gary Sanchez – 93% (the cut recommendations at this position are for 1-C formats)

Sisco is hitting so well that the O’s are getting him and Pedro Severino into the lineup regularly with one DH’ing. Sisco has a 163 wRC+ and 4 HR in 64 PA so far. He is striking out 38% of the time, though it’s slightly counterbalanced by his 19% BB rate.

Sanchez has been a disaster and I just don’t think he’s a necessary hold at this point. The 5 HR can’t overcome the damage of a horrific .139/.253/.361 line in 83 PA. He did have three straight homers back in mid-August and looked like he might be coming out of it, but he’s hitting .188 since in 20 PA.

• 1B Brandon Belt – 13% | Josh Bell – 81%

Belt is tearing the cover off the ball with a 166 wRC+ and 5 HR in 82 PA. His Statcast box is bloody as he sits in the 93rd percentile or better in xwOBA, xSLG, Barrel Rate, and Hard-Hit Rate. Oracle Park is playing better for hitters and he’s taking advantage with a .469/.585/.844 line there in 41 PA.

Bell has struggled mightily with a .190/.245/.270 line in 110 line and perhaps worst of all is that his plate profile has fallen apart with a 30% K rate and 6% BB rate. His contact rate is down 10 points and his O-Swing and swinging strike rate are both up 5 points. It’s time to move on this year.

• 2B Jonathan Schoop – 38% | Jeff McNeil – 84%

I had Schoop here back when he was at a 25% roster rate and he’s still widely available despite hitting 7 HR with a 125 wRC+ in 119 PA. The Tigers could move him by Monday’s deadline, too, and get him into a better lineup.

Even if you didn’t fully believe in the power for McNeil (23 HR, .214 ISO in ’19), he felt like a lock for a big batting average, but he’s hitting just .267 and has yet to hit a home run. It’s time to hit the waiver wire.

• 3B Alec Bohm – 29% | Jean Segura – 62%

I’m surprised the Phillies super prospect has such a lower roster rate, even in 10-team leagues. Bohm has a fantastic plate profile that is already on display in his first 48 PA with a 13% K rate and 15% BB rate. He hit his first homer over the weekend and while it might take some time for his full power potential to come through, he should knock a few more homers the rest of the way.

Segura has been a recommended cut before and his roster rate is down 15 points since then, but I’m not sure how he’s still this high. He’s at .234/.330/.377 with 3 HR and 1 SB in 88 PA. His triple eligibility (SS & 2B, too) is about the only draw for him right now.

• SS Jon Berti – 25% | Adalberto Mondesi – 79%

Who? What? Where? Why? How? OK, OK, I know Mondesi’s rate is still high because of AL-best 8 SBs, but are they even worth it when he’s hitting .214 with 0 HR, too?? Hard pass.

Why not just take Berti? (Yes I flipped the order here to discuss the cut first since they fit so well together). He also has 8 SBs (without being caught compared to Mondesi’s 4) but he’s hitting .262/.355/.338 and even has 1 HR in 76 PA. This is an easy swap.

• OF Sam Haggerty – 8% | Ramón Laureano – 87%

Haggerty has taken over the LF role in Seattle, starting the last eight games there with an even split of righty and lefty starting pitchers. He’s hitting a cool .303/.324/.485 so far, albeit in just 34 PA. But the main reason to pick him up is his 4 SBs in that time. He has above average speed and has actually put up a 28.9 ft/sec sprint speed that has him in the 93rd percentile. If you need speed, check in on Haggerty.

I’m a fan of Laureano, but he’s just not cutting it right now. Remember, this is 10- and 12-team advice, I think you still have to stick it out in deeper formats. He’s hitting just .165/.330/.278 in his last 100 PA with 2 HR and 1 SB. He’s been particularly rough since the fight against Houston with a .114/.316/.114 line 57 PA over 13 games, including the fight game.