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Matt Carpenter can provide value with low ceiling

Chris Crawford discusses Matt Carpenter's recent hot streak and why he's worth a speculative look for fantasy rosters in need of infield help.

Video Transcript

CHRIS CRAWFORD: Once a fantasy stalwart, Matt Carpenter has been an afterthought over the last few seasons, and there was no reason to expect fireworks after he signed with the Yankees shortly after being released by the Rangers. Shows what we know. Carpenter homered twice in the series against the Red Sox, including one on Sunday, and he enters the week with a ridiculous slash of 344, 447, 859, with 10 homers in 77 plate appearances.

So without standing run playing for the best team in baseball, is Carpenter worth a roster spot in fantasy leagues? The answer is probably yes, but there's reason to be pessimistic that this can be sustained. His expected batting average is 265, that's 79 points below his actual average. As he hasn't exactly loading up on Hard contact, he's relying on the baseball going over the fence as much as any hitter could sustain his high clip.

He also won't steal any bases, so this is essentially a one-category player. If that one category is power, and Carpenter is eligible to play both second base along with first, they'll be surprised if this all comes crashing down. But for now, the former longtime St Louis star is absolutely worth a look.