Fantasy Baseball Show: Austin Riley Injured, Jared Jones Returns

[Music] [Music] how's it going folks we are back with another edition of the caught stealing fantasy alarm MLB podcast I am joined again this week by James Grande Kobe is taking care of uh his his wife this week so you know go go do you go be a husband we got this uh how you doing there James doing well um it's been been a little bit of a rough week for you I know too we were talking yeah yeah um yeah my son is sick and with multiple sicknesses at once so like never fun um it's been a lot of not leaving the house just stuck in doors um we got him outside a little bit today you know just but like starts running then he starts coughing it's like all right shut it down we're headed back to the room so it's been been a rough week um it's been an interesting time in baseball obviously there's racist shaking out um there the Yankees have as a Yankees fan they have their largest lead since June 25th one and a half games on bour ORS are doing their darnest to um lose they are the wild card too I think the The Royals are what two games very close first Wild Card yeah yeah I mean it's and and obviously the NL nobody loses um in the NL West so um it's it's been a it's been a really fun time I would say it's been really disappointing with some of the injuries that have taken place in some circumstances um obviously we're going to see a lot of different different um I think there's certain certain situations that really need monitoring um it's there's pitchers that are coming up on Innings that have never pitched before I.E Paul skem and we saw the report today um before his his made a start recording this on Thursday evening um that their manager basically said like hey there's no mo there's no like Innings limit there's no like pitch limit but like we also are also gonna be smart about this he's entering territories that he's never so it's it's an interesting time couple other guys too with the in the AL Central crochet yeah crochet and and scoble those are so like there's a lot of situations that are going to need monitoring and I think it's worth you know really diving into like which teams which players are most susceptible to that like we have a short list now we just mentioned skin crochet scoble but they're not going to be the only three guys when you turn the page to September you're like this guy is on a foring cap this guy's on a 65 pitch limit like whatever you and I have talked about the the Yankees uh starters a couple of different times on this pod how basically everybody outside of Garrett Cole um and I guess rodon are question marks for Innings we just saw Luis heel go down with an injury um but then you have X Yankees like Michael King like what do the Padres do with him because he's approaching they just sent Matt Waldren down I don't know if you saw this the report about 10 minutes about 10 minutes before we started recording and the but the reporting is that he they're trying to save him for later in the year so like so like that like Matt Waldren is not a guy that I think he's not pitching well but it's not like on a radar that they're just trying to save so there's going to be a lot of right interesting end of season monitoring that's going on with pitchers here yes yes there is um so we'll talk a little bit more about that uh there's some Pirates news uh in their rotation coming up we'll talk some injuries and then uh we'll we'll try to get you ahead of the game here to stash some guys for possible September call-ups um and then we'll give you some Waiver Wires and some weekend streamers to to round it out but first big name went down uh this week with a broken with a broken hand Austin Riley he'd been struggling for a little bit they sent him for some scans it revealed a fractured hand he's now out six to eight weeks so maybe if Atlanta hangs in somehow for a playoff spot maybe he's back but other than that his season his season ends so uh that's that's a little unfortunate for the Braves that's another huge piece of their offense uh that's that's not there I I don't really know where we go from here for them but it's definitely a bummer to see Austin Riley's season come to an end prematurely it's been story of the Braves season this year um starting with Spencer Strider then to aunia and now to Riley and like we've had Michael Harris with a risk Al albz Harris I mean it has been endless amounts of injuries and yet like you know kudos to them for being where they are um like even being in this mix to make the playoffs I mean they're not going to win the division no Phillies are the Phillies are coasting with that but they but they do I mean they have found a lot going into next year Spencer schwellenbach has been amazing for them Chris Sale has revitalized his career they have a good Bullpen so like there's a lot to like um but obviously the Austin Riley loss hurts um I do have like a couple thoughts in terms of waiver wire pickups potentially um just looking at some ESPN leagues and there's not going to be many of these guys available in you know more comp like more different formats but when you're talking about ESPN if you're playing ESPN Fantasy Baseball I was shocked to see this Matt Mark viientos is only rostered in 24% of ESPN leagues what do you that guy has been incredible Honkers this year incredible um Junior cero 21% someone you and I talked about uh I think last week um he's 21% rostered he hasn't obvious come around but he's going to have free reign to play into full time he's a full-time guy this late in the season full-time guy you gotta get him in there just for bats to see what happens um Colt Keith is a third base second base over on fan uh on ESPN 133% rostered um so just like three names that are available in over 75% of your ESPN ESPN leagues if you need a replacement for Ry because know unfortunately he's he is not returning uh he he is done for the year so um if you do need a replacement for Riley um I I'd say prioritize those three but you know salute to Austin Riley kind of a disappointing season um in general but again that's long list of Braves that can say that uh this year I mean their season last year was so historically good from everybody you had to expect like you know the injuries were unfortunate the injuries I we' say like that this is a very bad luck team this year like from where they were last year to how injured every key piece to this team is that is just so unlucky correct yeah they're one through four one through five one through five was injured for basically all of the season um and yet they're still holding together in a very crowded NL uh playoff situation uh we're going to touch on one more injury here before we get some some good news catel Marte it was hoped that he could avoid the iil he missed three games and then came back and played and then re-aggravated it and then they were like no you're on the iil we're not we're not taking any chances at this point so that is a big loss not only for Fantasy but clearly for Arizona he's been in the MVP conversation um this year he's been un unreal all season going from like a 22 game hit streak where his average actually dropped uh to it now coming back up uh and power speed just everything for catel Marte this year uh I'm looking for the meme um that I wanted to pull up for um catel marte's MVP race it's the uh you know when the grandpa and The Simpsons walks in is it Simpsons he walks in and then he walks out yes that's catel marte's MVP case this year now that he's injured uh he walked in the room and then he left because then uh show sh just I mean it was a long shot he was it was a long shot it was a long shot because show is having a ridiculous season and you got a couple other guys we talked about last week um that could be in there but yeah it's it's definitely a blow for Fantasy look second was short coming into the season it hasn't gotten any better uh clearly we just talked about albz has been out for a while um now we got basically the best second baseman in baseball is how they're hoping it's a minimum stay so they're hoping maybe by this time next week um catella will be back so I guess that's the good news but if you're in a weekly League you're going to lose two weeks from him so that that yeah I mean there's there's again there's plenty of options on the waiver wire if you but no to the production of catel Marte that's just not going to you're not going to find that type of um production but um at least he is going to be back for the September stretch that's true that's true so um we get a couple of bigger names uh starting to come back now we got we got four of them so Justin berlander was just activated for the Astros on Wednesday uh evening the 41y old is returning to a pitch he hasn't pitched since what June he ped pitched uh yeah I mean it's been yeah I mean it's been three games I have to I mean looking through this I guy's pitched for 150,000 um no the last time he yeah June June June 9th and yeah June 9th yeah okay um and then the Pirates are getting looks looking to get Jared Jones back early next week he had a tuneup Rehab start he struck out 10 and five innings at Triple A didn't walk anybody barely allowed contact I think I think we're pretty good to go there he's going to be back uh early next week and then the twins get a pair of guys back uh in the next week or so Byron buckon and Brooks Lee so of those four who are the most intriguing guys to you I mean Jarry Jones probably number one right all right I'll rank I'll rank the four rest of the season so I I would say I want to put Jared Jones one yeah but another situation where I do think that Innings is an issue so 20 kind of came out of nowhere this year to really shoot up Prospect rankings and like you know sh just dominated in spring training and he was everybody's name to know so 2022 he threw 122 Innings and obviously the strikeouts have been at every level including the major league level right he has Miss bats everywhere so I'm sure that was like on the radar but the rest of the repertoire hadn't fully developed um he is at2 combined between Triple A and the major league so that's if he were to surpass it 20 Innings my expectation is he's going I mean if you throw five innings 10 strikeouts with one hit you are come your next start is at the major league level like there's no he's not making another Rehab start yeah he's eligible to return I think the 26th he will return well that's puts him uh he made that start the 21st so that would put him basically on schedule yeah I think that's when for his normal to come back would be the 26th which is I I think it's what next Tuesday so so my so like you have to assume that's five so if he makes the start on the 26 is Monday so if he make that start he makes five starts I mean he's probably around the 140 inning Mark at that rate I guess that it just depends on how Pittsburgh wants to expedite his Innings because they they don't want it to be 122 hard stuff stop right you want the advancement so I'm good with Jared Jones rest of season as long as we don't hear what we heard today from Shelton about sches where there's gonna be some type of pullback or monitoring right I think skines is different because this is his first professional yeah he got drafted last July yeah pitched like six Innings last year this is his first professional season yeah I mean so it's understandable and they don't pitch that many innings in college so so Jones has won I would say buckton is two considering how good he was offensively um Verlander three brooksley four the Brooks Lee thing is interesting because he was so good when he got called up so good like amazing you he looked like he was never going back down to the miners ever again he obviously hit a slump and I think you know we've seen that from every rookie in the history of the game like yeah pitchers figure out hey if I just throw you breaking pitches you can't catch it right and it it like am I gonna sit here and like Say Brooks Le doesn't have a very bright F future in front of him no he looks the part um he can play any infield position you can play him in the Outfield like he hits for power he has a little bit of speed he's really good contact guy like doesn't strike out even at the major league level like didn't strike bre out um it's just I don't know what Minnesota's going to do because they called Julian back up and he's been good but like Julian is very limited he's not going to play against lefties and brooksley is a switch hitter they're not like Austin Martin seems like he is Comfortably on the team um right now but because he's good Outfield depth and they have Kyle farmer and they have Jose Miranda so there is a lot of and they have Willie Castro at Short step and they have like that yeah I wasn't even mention CASRO because like he's just he's solidified right he is their leadoff switch hitter he's putting together a good year and he's playing a very good short stop so so when you look at it like there's a chance brooksley doesn't get called back up and he's in the minors dependent on one if Matt walner continues to hit because like walner will vacate like he could take one of their bench spots because buckson assum presumably is not going to play much Outfield moving forward which is why I think you know Austin Martin's gonna stick around and you have Manny Margo who's gonna play versus lefties so like there like there's a lot of writing on walner and Julien for me to get Brooks Lee in this next week or so because if Julian keeps hitting they might just keep him up and if walner keeps hitting they're going to keep him up brooksley has three options left right so they could option him and and be comfortable there um obviously you and I both hope that doesn't happen for personal reasons um potentially getting a actual Short Stop on a roster could be useful um but gener generally yes it's useful to have generally it's useful to have a short stop yes we have not had uh luck there but um I would say in terms of ranking priority on waiver wire or priority just wanting like having them in fantasy Jared Jones Byron buckton Justin Verlander B brooksley and that I'm with you I'm with you on that one buckton looked phenomenal before he got dude he's been great he's been great and he's signed to a long-term deal so clearly he's got the money behind him to get you know they're they're not sitting buckon right no no he's no was was always about Brooks Lee and where does he F because brooksley has versatility but like yes does that actually help you that much when people ahead of you are actually playing well right and you know you have options you're 23 and everybody else ahead of you is already in their you know 20 age 25 and plus season so there's that too um so real quick don't have to talk a a lot about it but real quick where do we the Cardinals are a team that have long been known to be very good at developing baseball players they may not have the flashiest prospects all the time but they would come up and they would play well right kind of like the Giants just get guys that show up and they're baseball players at the major league level right well the other day they option Nolan Gorman to the miners he's been pretty bad they also optioned Jordan Walker we're talking about two Top 10 Prospects in baseball that everybody had in the top 10 of prospect rankings aren't working out so what what is going wrong in St Louis right now that they cannot take that they're taking guys that have just immense amount of talent and cannot develop them yet guys who nobody ever thinks about like Brendan Donovan and Tommy Edmund and whatnot show up and play pretty well although Edmond is obviously no longer on the team but um it's just a weird it's just a weird time in St Louis something we we're not used to seeing yeah I mean both those guys have massive strikeout issues yes no Gorman especially um think he's what 38 yeah just under yeah just a hair under 38 career high at any level um um I mean he's hitting a lot of homers but I guess when you strike out that much it kills whatever rallies you have him come up in I mean I think you can live with last year's Nolan Gorman hitting 230 with 27 home runs but he's now hitting 200 yeah and his slug is down 80 points and his strikeout rat's up seven points it's just there's no consistency there's no contact um yeah I don't know I don't have an answer for like what they're doing I think obviously my mind immediately will just go to like maybe it's time to make changes there specifically and maybe it's time to like you know I know the Cardinal fans would love to see a new front office and regime there because yeah I mean there's a unhappy with a lot of stuff analytics we all see it we all have the access to all the data so whoever is reading the data and cold zones and way like adjustments that hitters need to make like it's clearly there's a disconnect in s right now correct so uh clearly we will not be targeting Jordan Walker and Nolan Corman as September call-ups although neither of those guys really count as prospects anymore because they've used us their up but there are some pretty intriguing names that we're GNA want to pay attention to coming up in in September now one thing to note is for the last couple of years it's only been 28 man rosters in September they've not had the 40 Man rosters in a couple of years now so it's not like you're going to see everybody from their Farm come up at some point or another it's only 28 man so you're only getting two extra guys a lot of the time they use it for extra Bullpen pieces extra pitching as we talked about to maybe a bait some of those in uh Innings questions about SK and Tariq scoble and Garrett crochet and Michael King and you know even some guys coming off injuries like the entire Dodgers pitching staff um but there are some some bigname prospects that are heating up right now that might be up I think the number one guy we see is Dylan Cruz I think Dylan Cruz is getting the call that's I mean part of me is hoping as an Nats fan that I get to see him this year and we get a little bit of a taste and then he comes in next year with his already wet in the major leagues and you know doesn't have to play catchup for right you know three weeks like we saw James would do but he's really crushing baseballs at Triple A right now he's on an absolute tear uh down there it's only a matter of time before the number two pick from last year's draft comes up I can't remember the last time the top two picks from the same class came up the following year like never I don't think it's ever happened never I would I I doubt it's ever happen I I doubt it's ever happened um but then the Cubs have a couple of guys who could be up because they need basically I mean they're just testing things at this point um Owen Casey another one of their vaunted Outfield prospects uh could be up as well as Moises bisos who plays a little bit of Catcher and a little bit of first base I think he's mainly a first baseman at this point but uh both of those guys have pretty intriguing uh skill sets they're both at AAA they're both playing pretty well there bastos if he comes up as a catcher has one of the better hit tools for a guy who's catcher eligible has nice pop and then uh what's your thought on this how about a little bit of a Martian sighting Jason Dominguez you think we see Dominguez come up I do I think um sooner rather than later cuz I think it's as soon as he gets called up he takes Alex verdugo's spot and never looks back I don't I don't there's I don't think there's a long-term I mean Verdugo obviously signed one for one year and has been atrocious I would say the only reason that he's does see time is because he's a plus Defender but um he has he's not taking a bats to play with him so um where the Yankees are struggling is every bat outside of judge stto and most of the time Austin Wells and everybody else can hit so I would say like P in a couple of weeks yeah that's so exciting he's he was so he was so good good yeah I missed on that one no I mean it's you know he had the perfect swing for he's just older right um he had the perfect swing for like a decade and then it fell apart yeah and then yeah um so I I think Dominguez gets recalled because he obviously had the one game sample against Terk scoel that was unfortunate for him but um I do think um I mean that's that's not fair um you're I think he is your starting left fielder sooner rather than later I would I would agree um and then kind of on a side note you kind of got to see what he can do in case you do not win the sto free agent sure at the end of the season I don't think I I personally don't think there's any doubt on what he can do like offensively I mean he was hitting third in his first game last year in Homer right the guy has five plus tools like I I don't think anyone in the organization doubts it I think there's just been a log Jam this year with judge stto Verdugo Grisham and they've and then obviously the the whole Tommy stuff so like he hasn't played The Outfield too much so I don't think there's a doubt on what he's going to be um it's just getting him once he gets to the majors again I don't think he leaves yeah I would I would tend to agree there other the Yankees other top Outfield Prospect Spencer Jones I don't think we see him he's down a double a right now I don't think there's any reason that they're going to jump two levels with another six foot s outfielder that's right they have another one coming just in case you thought they were getting shorter at any point nope although hilariously Jason Dominguez is hilariously short yep he's 5'9 they call him the Martian it's hilarious and he's like almost a foot shorter than judge well so is every normal normal sized man in the world I think isn't that yeah isn't I mean I think 59 is taller than the average male in the United States 5'9 is about the average well I mean okay well between 5'9 and 5'11 I think is the average height from Judge is 30 feet tall so of course he's a foot taller than everyone else that's that's excellent that man is a skyscraper um and then a couple another interesting Nats one Brady house has finally found a swing uh that he's been working on for for a couple of years now in the miners he's looked pretty good at third base uh at Triple A and the gats have desperately needed a third baseman since Anthony renon left um interesting stat though I saw the other day that the uh because the Angels played the Nats at Nats Park which would have been rendon's first trip back to Nats Park except he's injured because of course he is the Nats have used 19 third basem since randone left after the 2019 season the best part the angels have used 28 third basem since they signed renon I doesn't say that he's probably played that many games he's probably played 19 games he's played about a season's worth of games in four years um but either way Brady house may come up get some time at third base see what the Nets have there in their likely next hopefully franchise third basem and the last one is a guy who's been a little bit positionally blocked in La Dalton rushing um he's a catcher he could play a little bit of first base I think they can they claim he can play a little bit of Outfield I don't know how well that's going to work but Dalton rushing has been positionally blocked so I think they bring him up let him get his feet wet and they may trade him this off season um because he's not getting any playing time sitting behind Will Smith no he is not and they have about four other catchers that they could develop and turn into their next feature pack back stop too so and he's also not playing Outfield over anyone that they have currently with M no I think they bring him up and play him at first base so Freddy Freeman can get some off days with that what broken he's got like a broken finger he's just playing yeah he's playing through y basically um but yeah it's it's it's that time we're gonna wind things down with our waiver wire pickups of the week and our streamers of the weekend so uh Grande why don't you lead us off you pick which one you want to get first doesn't really matter to me I'll go uh I'm G to go streamer first because I really like this picture um and I've liked him since specifically moving into the starting rotation for the Toronto Blue Jays he is your reigning defending Al player of the week um that is Bowen Francis um he has looked really really good as a starting pitcher and obviously like started the bll started in the bullpen he's 28 years old this isn't like this new found not prospect that that Toronto has um just stumbled upon but he does have a very good p uh pitch mix and he also misses a lot of bats and that has been the one thing that I've noticed with him as a starter that you don't really get that like full effect as a relief pitcher he was mostly used as a long man um but you're talking about a guy guy who's made three consecutive starts now and in those three starts uh seven scoreless in Chicago seven strikeouts seven Innings one run eight strikeouts uh in Los Angeles the angels and then five innings two earned runs seven strikeouts against the Orioles his last three starts SE have have resulted in seven plus strikeouts and two earned runs or less and obviously the Cubs and the angels are not like World beaters no they're not but guess what Matt uh on Saturday he gets to face the Los Angeles Angels once again so um I am very intrigued by Bow and Francis and um kind of how well he has pitched and if they do have something again like it's not the first time a 28-year old baseball player has become something and it won't be the last time a a 28-year old baseball player has finally figured it out right we saw jurs and profar turn into an All-Star this year we turn R raldo Lopez turned into an All-Star starter this year um we have seen it time and time again where people reinvent themselves and and start figuring out later in their careers yeah Ronaldo Lopez yeah so I think um it's I I'm really interested in streaming B and Francis and like see where the schedule takes you after that because it's like if there's continuous continuous like if he continues to build on what he's done and we continue to get this he might just be worth the roster he's a really tall guy he's also I think interestingly enough like depending on your format on ESPN he's uh starting pitcher and relief pitcher eligible so if you do have like position specif specifities uh that was tongue twister there um in your leagues I mean you can slot him in in either of those uh slots so bam Francis is my streamer of the week um so I'm G to go with my guy here pretty happy the Cubs gave this guy to the Nets last uh trade deadline for jamer candelario he's your guy or is he hers guy he's hers he's hers DJ herss Lefty starter for the Nets he's facing the Braves which pretty depleted offense right now yeah um and since the All-Star break the Braves lead baseball in strikeout rate burst lefties at almost 32% um which is no bu last time I checked I mean it is you're a pitcher but not for your offense um they're 225 average versus lefties in that span ranked seventh worst in baseball and hers in August has been pretty good he's pitched to a 279 erra across I think four or five starts I think it's four starts in August um 22k in 19 in the third Innings he's looked pretty good so I'm G to go with him streaming he's rostered in I don't know 37% of fan trcks leagues I think something like that if you want to hang on to him go for it but he is a little bit you know if he does Vol yeah he's a little volatile um so we're gonna stream him on Sunday he's pitching against the Braves and what and interesting the Braves are going to get a steady dose of Lefty pitching because the NS have four lefties I know they they only have lefties yeah they only have lefties it's it's pretty it's pretty remarkable um and then uh interestingly I'm going to take the opposite end of this matchup for my waiver wire pickup okay the Braves offense needs help right Whit marfield is there um it's not sexy I know but frankly it's late August and there's nobody sexy left um but in 22 games with the Braves Whit Field's hitting 265 he's getting on base 38 and a half% of the time he's got 14 runs in the 22 games he stolen five bags only one Homer but he was never really a power guy anyway you I mean if you got some power great you were really he was really there for average and speed and that's what he's providing again bits second base third base and Outfield in most formats and he's probably going to play darn nearer every day at this point given that Austin Riley's out for the rest of the year they just had to sign I think Gio or shella off the scrap Heap to play Third um Azie alz isn't back yet at second so wh marfield can play there they really don't want to have to play Marcel Ozuna in Outfield so wh marfield can fill in in the Outfield when they need him to as well so that's that's my guy that we're picking up this week he's been really good for Atlanta so far he has and that's a nice little um he hasn't little speed boost too he's still in a bunch of bases lately um I like that pickup shallow position to at second if you need a second baseman and the eligibility is yeah you also tell now there's wi not nearly the production but you're still like 265 average and five steals not gonna kill you I'm also going with a second baseman so I guess this is a a second base riddled show but I'm gonna go there's nobody to fill in for catel and now we're giving you two dudes to go yeah now we're going yeah um I'm going to go with Gavin Lux and he has been I mean like he is a former yeah I mean there there was a he was a prospect a highly rated Prospect he was at one point the Dodgers number one Prospect he just didn't hit and then he saw the rear room field he also didn't field he saw the rear V rear view mirrror and saw what was coming for him with Max Muny they traded for Tommy Edmond and this man has not looked back since um since the All-Star break Matt Gavin Lux 356 average 421 on base percentage 663 slug which comes out to a thousand just under an 1100 Ops 455 woba and during that Span in 31 games he has hit seven home runs he has driven in 21 runs scored 17 runs and he's hitting in the middle of the Dodgers lineup that like he is hitting fifth in a lineup with SH Otani Muki Betts Freddy Freeman Will Smith tasar Hernandez Max Muny and he's hitting in front of like three of those dudes and no longer Jason Hayward because they DFA that guy and no longer Jason Hayward because he's gone um so like there's just going to continuously be and we'll see if the production holds up obviously like it's been a 30 game sample for Kevin Lux for a guy who has been not has played a professional yeah I mean since 2019 right that was his first year yes that he had that he played so um we'll see if it continues there's no reason to think with how well he's played and no reason to think that why would pitching approaches change why isn't Gavin Lux the one getting all the pitches to hit versus those other six names right so um I think there's a lot of opportunity for Gavin Lux to continue his Ascent to you know again host sleeper hype um that we're seeing from him um but yeah I I really like the Gavin Lux pickup um on ESPN can uh interestingly enough uh second base Outfield eligibility so he does have multi elil over there as well always nice to get the second base Outfield yep uh spot so that'll do it for this week on caught stealing we gave you some streamers in Bowen Francis and DJ hers we gave you some waiver wire Targets in Gavin Lux and Whit marfield we talked about some of the September call-ups we may see coming up in just about a week or so and uh talked about some of the injury guys coming back and why you should go if for some reason somebody dropped Jared Jones I would go pick him up like right now um but that'll do it for this week's caught stealing you can catch James Grande on Twitter at theore realore Grande uh and you can catch me there on Twitter or X whatever you want to call it um at the salesman and for Kobe who should be back next week we will sign off and hope everybody has a good week in fantasy baseball [Applause]