Fantasy Baseball Players to Add for the Stretch Run: Clayton Kershaw, Kodai Senga, Devin Williams, Robbie Ray, Triston Casas and More
Identifying some injured MLB players who should be added to fantasy baseball teams for the stretch run.
The MLB All-Star break feels like the middle of the regular season, but in reality, we’re already 60% of the way through the season.
And with fantasy baseball playoffs happening during the actual regular season, that means fantasy owners don’t have much time remaining to make their playoff pushes.
Today, I wanted to help identify some currently injured MLB players who might be available in some fantasy leagues and be of use as fantasy assets.
Explore the best in-season tool to manage lineup/start decisions including waiver pickups, projections, trade suggestions, trade value charts, rest of season rankings, power rankings, and tons more with Fantasy Assistant. Now, with revolutionary AI Expert help. Use our fantasy baseball trade analyzer and trade value charts to break down trade scenarios.
Pitching Options
As you can probably tell from the title of this article, the main group of injured players are pitchers.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw is maybe the biggest name of the bunch. He’s been out this entire season after left shoulder surgery, but has been ramping things up in Triple-A and should be back later this month or in early August.
While he’s 36 years old, Kershaw still has some gas left in the tank. A season ago, he was 12-5 with a 2.46 earned run average. He had 137 strikeouts in 131 2/3 innings pitched.
He’s not the fantasy ace he once was, but he’s still capable of those ace outings from time to time. Kershaw is owned in 65% of leagues and will be close to 100% when he’s activated. Don’t miss out on the chance to add an above-average fantasy starting pitcher for free.
San Diego Padres’ Joe Musgrove is another option. He’s had a pretty rough go of things this season, but has been a good fantasy option in the past.
He’s dealing with right elbow inflammation and is expected back in August. He’s rostered in 59% of leagues - mostly due to injury but also some poor performances - but he could be a good starting option every turn through the rotation if the injury is what was holding him back earlier in the season.
New York Mets’ Kodai Senga is also ramping things up in Triple-A and should return later this month or in early August. He hasn’t pitched this season because of a right posterior shoulder capsule strain.
In 2023, Senga made 29 starts for the Mets, going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA. He had 202 punchouts in 166 1/3 innings. Those are fantasy ace numbers, and owned in 83% of leagues right now, a few of you readers can add him for free right now.
Add and stash Senga now, and he could help you to a fantasy title if he can return to his 2023 form by the end of the season.
Milwaukee Brewers’ Devin Williams is a relief option for fantasy teams. He hasn’t pitched this season because of a stress fracture in his back.
Of course, Williams was one of the top fantasy closers coming into the season before the injury. He’s had a sub-2.00 ERA in back-to-back seasons, with 51 saves over that span.
Williams might not immediately return to the closer role because of the emergence of Trevor Megill, but with a low ERA and high strikeout numbers, Williams could still be a decent fantasy reliever for many.
The San Francisco Giants have Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb nearing returns to the mound.
Ray has been out all season after Tommy John surgery, but has already been making rehab appearances. Ray should return shortly after the All-Star break.
In his last two full seasons (2021-22), Ray was 25-19, with a 3.27 ERA and 460 strikeouts over 382 1/3 innings. That’s great fantasy value, and he’s owned in just 39% of leagues right now, so a ton of you can add a top-end fantasy starting pitcher for free if you act now.
Cobb is owned in just 4% of leagues, so he’s virtually available to almost all of you reading. He’s been out all season after left hip surgery. He too has been making rehab starts already, and it shouldn’t be too long before he’s ready (granted he doesn’t have any more injury setbacks).
Cobb had a 7-7 record and 3.87 ERA across 28 starts with San Fran a season ago. He struck out 131 batters in 151 1/3 innings. He’s not a frontline fantasy star, but he’s also better than a streaming option most times, and could be a nice boost to a fantasy team.
Hitting Options
New York Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton was having a pretty productive fantasy season before going down with a left hamstring strain. He’s expected to be back in the MLB shortly after the All-Star break.
Stanton, who is owned in 71% of leagues, has a .246 average and .302 on-base percentage across 69 games played this season. He has 18 home runs and 10 doubles among his 64 total hits, along with 45 RBIs, 34 runs scored, 20 walks and 90 strikeouts.
If he can keep racking up homers and driving in runs, he’s startable in all league formats.The average and strikeouts are a problem, but he plays often and does enough to be in the starting conversation at least.
Texas Rangers’ Josh Jung has been out for a while with a right wrist fracture. His return from the injury has had some setbacks, but Jung is expected to have a rehab assignment soon after the break ends, which means he could be back in the big leagues shortly after that.
Jung is owned in about 76% of leagues right now, so a few of you can still add him for free. He’s only played four games this season, but was great for the Rangers a season ago.
In 122 games in 2023, Jung had a .266 average and .315 OBP. He had 25 doubles, 23 homers and one triple among his 127 total hits, along with 70 RBIs, 75 runs scored, one stolen bases, 30 walks and 151 strikeouts.
If he can stay on the field and even put up similar averages to a season ago, he’ll be a starting fantasy option in all formats for the remainder of the season. See if you can add him for nothing.
Cincinnati Reds’ TJ Friedl has had an injury-plagued season, but is nearing another return at the end of this month. He’s currently dealing with a right hamstring strain.
Friedl is owned in 45% of leagues right now. In 26 games this season, Friedl has a .216 average and .315 OBP. He has two doubles and four home runs among his 21 total hits, along with 16 RBIs, 14 runs scored, six stolen bases, eight walks and 19 strikeouts.
Those numbers are fine, but last year is what keeps fantasy owners coming back to him. In 138 games in 2023, Friedl had a .279 average and .352 OBP. He also had 22 doubles, 18 home runs, eight triples, 66 RBIs, 73 runs scored, 27 steals, 47 walks and 90 strikeouts.
It’s been frustrating to roster Friedl this fantasy season, but when he’s healthy and playing, he’s a fine fantasy asset. He’s a good option in deeper leagues and standard setups.
Boston Red Sox’s Triston Casas is expected back later this month or early next month. He’s currently out with torn cartilage in his left rib cage.
Casas is rostered in 70% of leagues right now, and will be close to 100% when he’s healthy and active again.
In 22 games this season, Casas has a .244 average and .344 OBP. He’s also got six homers, three doubles, 10 RBIs, 12 runs, 12 walks and 26 strikeouts this season.
In 132 games in 2023, Casas had a .263 average and .367 OBP. He posted 24 homers, 21 doubles, two triples, 65 RBIs, 66 runs, 70 walks and 126 strikeouts over the course of the season.
He’s a starting option in all leagues when he’s healthy, and you might be able to add him for nothing right now. Add Casas now before it’s too late.
#waivers #trades #2024-fantasy-baseball
