Catcher always feels like one position in fantasy we don’t often talk about during the season.
They’re kind of like the crockpot of your fantasy roster: You draft the best one available, put him in your lineup and forget about him until a buzzer goes off — which signals either the end of the season, an injury or some other type of malfunction.
Unfortunately, a lot of catchers have been malfunctioning — and it has been a burn-down-your-house (a la “This Is Us”) type of issue. It has left fantasy owners plugging in inferior players or going so far as to leave the position empty (in leagues that don’t yet have rules to prevent such a thing), using that extra roster spot to stream a starter or pick up an extra reliever.
It’s hard to blame owners employing this strategy when top-five options such as Salvador Perez, Will Smith and Yasmani Grandal are suffering career-worst years to this point (even if analytics support a big turnaround), and the next best options — outside of Keibert Ruiz, Daulton Varsho, struggling rookie Adley Rutschman and Tyler Stephenson — aren’t all that attractive.
Though there has been a big downturn in offensive productivity from catchers, it doesn’t mean there aren’t options who can help.
Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk (26.3 percent owned) started slow, hitting .232 with two RBIs, one run and .555 OPS in his first 20 games. But over his next 24 games, Kirk was 27-for-77 (.351) with three homers, 11 RBIs, 16 runs and a .992 OPS. He struck out just seven times while walking 10 times in that span and raised his average to .301.
In eight games before Friday, which included a six-game hitting streak, Kirk was 13-for-29 (.448) with two homers (both came on Tuesday), six RBIs, 10 runs and a 1.293 OPS.
Among players with a minimum of 150 plate appearances, Kirk had the fifth-lowest strikeout percentage (9.2) and 35th-best walk rate (11.8 percent). His batting average was the 21st-best mark in the majors, and his on-base percentage ranked 19th.
If you think Kirk’s low strikeout rate is a fluke, it isn’t. Over four seasons in the minors, he struck out 69 times in 675 plate appearances (10.2 percent) while hitting .318 with a .919 OPS. He is a contact hitter to his core, and his 87.9 percent contact rate was the eighth-best mark in the majors entering the weekend.
Playing time is also not an issue for Kirk, as he has played 27 of Toronto’s first 50 games behind the plate and 13 as the designated hitter.
Rather than plugging in a player such as Gary Sanchez, Mitch Garver or Sean Murphy, who offers power and RBI assistance, but little else, Kirk is a great option who will allow you to fill your catcher spot and get results that will ultimately help your squad.
Kirk isn’t the only underowned catcher out there.
Atlanta’s Travis d’Arnaud somehow remains 35 percent available, but his backup, William Contreras is just 25.1 percent rostered. In his first 19 games, Contreras hit .302 with seven homers, 14 RBIs, 13 runs, a stolen base and 1.095 OPS. He did strike out in 26.8 percent of his at-bats, but he also walked in 11.3 percent of them and his 113.4 mph maximum exit velocity ranked in the top 8 percent of the league. Atlanta has gone as far as to play him in the outfield just to keep his bat in the lineup.
Christian Vazquez of the Red Sox (46 percent owned) was a borderline top-10 backstop entering the season, but fantasy managers lost faith after he hit .208 with a .537 OPS in his first 18 games. Vazquez was 25-for-70 (.357) with one homer, 16 RBIs and .900 OPS in his next 20 games, raising his average to .293 entering the weekend.
Two other potential options, available in more than 50 percent of ESPN leagues, include the Angels’ Max Stassi, who is hitting .233 on the season but was 8-for-25 (.320) with a .894 in his first seven games off the injured list, and the Rangers’ Jonah Heim, who entered the weekend hitting a respectable .263 with six homers, 18 RBIs, 18 runs and .807 OPS.
Big Hits
Francisco Lindor SS, Mets
Before injuring his middle finger upon arriving in L.A., he had an RBI in each of his past 10 games. He was 15-for-40 (.375) with two homers, 20 RBIs, 11 runs, two stolen bases and a 1.075 OPS in that span.
Framber Valdez SP, Astros
Over his past seven starts, has lowered his ERA from 4.50 to 2.57 after going 4-1 with a 2.02 ERA, 38 strikeouts and .207 opponents average.
Luis Arraez 1B/2B/3B/OF, Twins
Despite going 0-for-9 his past two games before Friday, he was hitting .416 with five RBIs, 16 walks, 19 runs and .976 OPS in his previous 21 games.
Sonny Gray SP, Twins
Was 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA, 34-7 strikeout-walk rate and .182 opponents average in five May starts (3-0 with a 1.42 ERA over his past three starts).
Big Whiffs
Alec Bohm 3B, Phillies
In 16 games from May 17 to Wednesday, his average dipped from .315 to .263 after he went 12-for-67 (.179) with 24 strikeouts and a .461 OPS.
Zack Greinke SP, Royals
Not only hasn’t he won a game all season, he was 0-3 with a 6.67 ERA, six homers allowed and a .335 opponents average over six May starts.
Steven Kwan OF, Guardians
Despite whiffing just eight times in 25 games from April 23 through Wednesday, the rookie was 17-for-89 (.191) with six RBIs and a .538 OPS. He hit .143 with a .468 OPS over his past 11 games.
Trevor Rogers SP, Marlins
Allowed 13 ERs over his past 12 ²/₃ innings (9.24 ERA) while going 0-1 with five homers allowed, eight walks and a .315 opponents average.
Check Swings
- Paul Goldschmidt entered Friday with a 24-game hitting streak for St. Louis. During this remarkable stretch, he was 41-for-96 (.427) with nine homers, 33 RBIs, 20 runs, a stolen base, .854 slugging percentage and 1.331 OPS.
- Another impressive run: Colorado’s Brendan Rodgers had a 20-game hitting streak entering Friday, going 29-for-80 (.363) with four homers, 14 RBIs, 17 runs and 1.001 OPS in that span. Had at least one hit in 25 of his previous 27 games.
- How good has Jameson Taillon been? Not only did he take a perfect game into the eighth on Thursday, he has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his 10 starts. He is 6-0 with a 2.02 ERA, 36-4 strikeout-walk rate and a .220 opponents average over his past eight starts and is still, somehow, available in more than 30 percent of ESPN leagues.
- Frankie Montas has not won a game since April 18 for Oakland, but that doesn’t mean he has hurt fantasy owners. Has allowed more than two earned runs in just two of his past 10 starts, and he maintained a 2.31 ERA, 40-7 strikeout-walk rate and a .219 opponents average in May, despite going 0-3.
Team Name of The Week
Marilyn Melancon
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