Baseball is only one week in, but there have already been significant injuries reported, not to mention players testing positive for COVID. With that said, here are some players I would try to pick up as fast as possible.
Kyle Lewis, Mariners – Lewis (OF) went 4-11 3R 2HR 4RBI over the weekend. These are not eye-popping numbers, but Lewis batted all three games in the 3 & 4 spot in the Mariners lineup against a well-staffed Astros team. This bodes well, seeing how other teams do not have the quality arms that the Astros possess. Lewis is only 25 years old and was a first-round selection for the Mariners in 2016. Now he is getting a chance to prove his worth in the Mariners’ lineup. If you are lacking OF depth, the risk of taking Lewis is well worth the reward.
Greg Holland, Royals – You may not remember Holland (RP) when he was the dominant force on the backend of the Royals pen, but he was as good as they came back then. Now he is back with the Royals for the 2020 season and in his old role. Holland had praiseworthy stats over the weekend (2IP 3K 0ERA 0WHIP 1SV), with Holland striking out the side to lock down the Royals first victory. Being on the Royals is not necessarily a plus for Holland, but it might provide closer stability with no one to take his job away. Might not be Holland of ole, but he still has it in him to get your team saves.
Martin Maldonado, Astros – Catcher is probably the weakest position in all of fantasy baseball. Some things to like about Maldonado even more than his stats is the loaded lineup that the Astros have. Maldonado caught all three games for the Astros over their first series, which may mean he will be the preferred option at C for the Astros this season. Maldonado’s stats for the first series (5-11 1Run 0HR 6RBI 0SB) has him as a top-five catching option to start the season.
Nick Burdi, Pirates – Burdi (RP), much like Holland, does not play on a great team, which may hinder his save chances. But I also feel like his job security is high. The Pirates lost their first two games to the Cardinals, but they were able to maintain their lead and unleashed Burdi in the 9th inning on Sunday. Burdi came into the 9th inning in a non-save situation, but that did not stop Burdi from pitching a perfect 9th inning, striking out the heart of the Cardinals’ order. Burdi got Paul Goldschmidt with three straight sliders, Paul Dejong with three straight heaters clocking in at 97-99MPH, and Matt Carpenter with three strikes to end the game. Run, do not walk to pick up Burdi. He has an excellent fastball-slider combo you look for in your relievers.
Miguel Rojas, Marlins – Short Stop is another position that if you missed out on the top options, you would be stuck looking on the waiver for the hot guy of the week. Currently ranked as the number two fantasy player overall, Rojas (SS) is only 6% owned, despite absolutely killing it this week (7-10 4Runs 1HR 5RBI 1SB). Besides his impressive numbers, he plays on the Marlins, who plan on letting their young players get all the playing time. Caution: This pickup is one to keep an eye on. The Marlins are currently dealing with some COVID related issues. But as soon as it sounds like Rojas is in the clear, you need to grab him up ASAP.