Who is Being Dropped and Why (Week 4)

Adds and drops are starting to settle in with about two-thirds of the season left. This is the first week when there wasn’t really a theme. If any trend can be seen is that owners are getting tired of part-time bats.

For this analysis, I use the NFBC Main Event because of the number of identical leagues. Additionally, the owners stay engaged longer since each spent over $1000 per team. I tried to find that sweet spot between obvious and bizarre and will focus on players dropped in six to nine leagues.

Hitters

• Albert Pujols (9): It’s a completely understandable drop with him not playing every day and hitting .186/.238/.356.
• Evan White (9): He’s not ready for the majors with a 44% K%.
• Joey Wendle (9): He’s on the strong side of a platoon with Mike Brosseau.
• Jose Peraza (9): He’s not hitting with Jonathan Arauz cutting into his playing time.
• Miguel Andújar (9): I wonder if fantasy owners, who double as Yankee fans, are just dreaming he’ll be useful.
• Brandon Belt (8): Were these owners a little slow moving on from the games at Colorado? I guess Belt is probably the replacement-level first baseman.
• Chadwick Tromp (8), Jacob Stallings (8), Max Stassi (8), Stephen Vogt (8), Tony Wolters (8) and Tyler Heineman (6): Members of this week’s catcher carousal.
• Jake Lamb (8): He’s not playing. Just once in the last six games.
• Justin Upton (8): He looks done (35% K%, .404 OPS) and is now in a platoon.
• Oscar Mercado (8): I’m not sure if the demotion was known before FAAB ran, but he’s droppable at this point.
• Roman Quinn (8): Placed on the IL.
• Ender Inciarte (7): He’s playing, but the results have not been good (.489 OPS).
• Evan Longoria (7): A few owners forgot to move on from Longoria after his one for 12 showing in Colorado. Shell shock?
• Jay Bruce (7): He’s hitting OK (.868 OPS) on the strong side of a platoon.
• Nick Ahmed (7): In deeper formats, he’s sort of needs to be owned by some team. While the .222 AVG is far from ideal, he has two homers and steals.
• Nick Madrigal (7): Still on the IL.
• Shed Long Jr. (7): After starting out hot, he’s hitting .146/.222/.195 over the last two weeks with no steals.
• Delino DeShields (6): He’s not playing (seven games so far).
• Ji-Man Choi (6): One of several part-timers on this list. It’s tough to be rostered playing 60% of the time.
• Jorge Alfaro (6): On COVID IL.
• Kevin Kiermaier (6): While he has four steals, he’s sitting against lefties with a .633 OPS.
• Mauricio Dubón (6): He’s just not going with a .250 AVG, 1 SB, and 1 HR.

Starters

• Jonathan Loaisiga (9): No idea how he was still on teams.
• Tommy Milone (9): His 86-mph fastball got smacked around for nine hits in his four-inning start.
• Adam Plutko (9): I’m not 100% why he was dropped in 15-teamers with a Detroit start this week.
• Caleb Smith (8): On the IL with an uNkNowN injury.
• Eric Lauer (8): Optioned to the alternate training site.
• Mike Fiers (8): A fine drop since he’s, at best, a streaming pitcher.
• Rick Porcello (8): Why do owners roster him? Why?
• Brendan McKay (7): Another player I just don’t understand why he was rostered. Fantasy owners need to understand sunk costs.
• Aníbal Sánchez (6): His sub-90 mph fastball is too hitable.
• Asher Wojciechowski (6): A streaming option who I expect to get picked up when the matchup is better.
• Austin Voth (6): A surprising drop who has a 3.21 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. Maybe the owners are expecting some heavy regression because of the low strikeout rate (5.8 K/9 is down).
• Kolby Allard (6): Why was he held for a start in Colorado? I don’t understand some decisions.
• Michael Wacha (6): On the IL.
• Tanner Roark (6): He’s got to be hurt with his velocity down 2.5 mph and he can’t find the plate (6.8 BB/9).
• Zack Godley (6): Besides a few strikeouts (8.8 K/9), he’s been a complete disaster (8.16 ERA, 3.8 BB/9, 3.1 HR/9).

Relievers

• Diego Castillo (8), Jonathan Hernandez (8), Mychal Givens (6), Trevor May (6): Good relievers not getting Saves.
  Trevor Gott (8): This move seems a little reactionary. It’s not been officially stated that he’s lost his closer’s job.
• José Alvarado (7): On the IL.
• Luis Patiño (7): I never understood why the rookie was added. He was headed to a deep bullpen.
• Carlos Martinez (6): On the IL with an uNkNowN injury.
• Dellin Betances (6): He’s walking too many batters (4.91 BB/9) to be effective (4.91 ERA).
• Nick Goody (6): On the IL.
• Oliver Drake (6): On the IL.
• Ryan Helsley (6): On the COVID IL.
• Sean Doolittle (6): On the IL.