Week 8 of the fantasy baseball season is upon us, and owners should be taking a look at the players that they should either be starting or sitting.
Photo Courtesy of usatoday.com
Aaron Hicks is back from the injury list, and he should be added into fantasy lineup right away. Hicks will be facing the Orioles and the Royals this week, and his lifetime numbers against current Orioles and Royals pitchers gives even more upside to his week 8 value. His career line against current Orioles pitchers is .324/.413/.544 along with .351/.457/.595 against current Royals pitchers. Over 33 percent of his hits against these teams have been for extra bases.
Photo Courtesy of cbssports.com
Matt Carpenter is off to a very shaky start in 2019, but this is definitely a week where he can turn things around. He faces the Royals and Braves this week, and he puts up some good numbers against both of these clubs. The corner infielder will be facing some familiar faces on the Royals such as Homer Bailey. He has 52 hits against the current Royals squad, with 21 being for extra bases.
Photo Courtesy of freep.com
James McCann is only owned in about 20 percent of ESPN leagues, and has started the season on a tear. He already has four long balls to accompany his over .330 batting average. The White Sox catcher may not be a season-long fantasy starter, but as they say “get ’em while they’re hot!” Look for McCann to continue putting up some good numbers before cooling back down.
Joey Votto is arguably one of the best hitting first basemen of the last couple decades. The six-time all-star is now on the decline, and putting him on the bench is no easy task. However, it is a smart choice, as Votto’s strikeout rate is way up with his average way down. Around 60 percent of his ball put in play have been hit on the ground, which is a big reason that his slugging percentage is below .370.
Photo Courtesy of twincities.com
Yasiel Puig is struggling just to keep his average at .200 to begin the season. This week likely won’t fare much better for the Reds’ outfielder, as he is taking on the Brewers and Cubs. Against current Brewers pitchers, Puig’s line sits at .258/.320/.416, along with a 30 percent strikeout rate. He’s even worse against Cubs pitchers, with his average being well below .200. Puig likely won’t get a spark going this week, but dropping him might be a stretch at this point. The bench may be the best spot for Puig in week 8 of fantasy baseball.
Enrique Hernandez started the season hitting great with a line of .316/.403/.596 after 17 games. He has since gone into a huge slump, dropping his average below .240. He is dropping rapidly in fantasy league, with just about half of ESPN league owning the Dodgers’ utility guy. Hernandez may be worth holding onto for now, but benching him and seeing if he can turn things around is a safe option.
Feature Image Courtesy of cincinnati.com
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers along with Tommy.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
