Outfielder replacements for Andrew McCutchen
Although Andrew McCutchen hasn’t been in top form this year, he’s still posting a useful fantasy season. He’s on pace to score 122 runs, knock 27 homers. A .256 average is ordinary, but a .378 OBP justifies his spot as the top of the Philadelphia lineup. The Phillies don’t regret this transaction.
Alas, McCutchen is prone to bad luck like anyone else. McCutchen suffered a left knee injury in Monday’s loss at San Diego — those pesky rundowns — and it sounds like he could miss time. Philadelphia’s already announced that prospect Adam Haseley will join the team Tuesday, while McCutchen heads for an MRI.
So it’s possible many of you need a fantasy outfielder. Let’s screen some potential fills, aiming to hit every depth point of the market.
Avisail Garcia would be a jump-up-and-down recommendation if he weren’t dinged himself. Garcia is dealing with a tight hamstring and missed the final three games of the Minnesota series on the weekend. Otherwise, Garcia is having a lovely season — hitting .301 with some category juice (10 homers, six steals). He’s just two years removed from a .330 breakthrough.
Sometimes Garcia bats leadoff for the Rays, sometimes he slots in the 4-5 pocket. If his hamstring checks out fine, that 37-percent ownership tag needs some fixing.
You have to accept batting-average risk when you dance with Jacoby Jones. Sure, he’s on a .302 binge for the last month, but he’s only batting .236 for the year, and he’s a career .206 hitter. With a 31-percent strikeout rate, he could torch your average at any time.
That established, Jones also has five homers and four bags over the past month. Perhaps being a regular player agrees with him; he’s started 45 of Detroit’s last 47 games. If your team average is in a good place, this could be a speciality rental. Jones is scarcely owned (just three percent) in Yahoo.
Niko Goodrum is the rich man’s Jones — some category juice tied to a wonky average. You’ll find Goodrum at the top of the Detroit lineup, while Jones slots eighth or ninth. Goodrum’s .234/.320/.411 slash isn’t overwhelming (it’s also right around his career norm), but he is on pace to score 87 runs, conk 17 homers, steal 12 bases. And he’s as flexible as they come, qualifying at every offensive position except catcher. Pour some Goodrum in the medium leagues; he’s at 27-percent owned.
The key when analyzing Kole Calhoun is to throw out the awful 2018 results (.208/.283/.369). That’s not who he is. His current .243/.335/.495 slash is sneaky-useful — his .830 OPS is actually a career best. He’s on pace for 35 home runs, and the statcast profile backs it up (line drives are up, barrel percentage never better, expected slugging is .505). Jaded fantasy owners are still holding last year against Calhoun; he’s free to add in 77 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Back to the Phillies, Haseley is an interesting case. He was the eighth overall pick in the 2017 draft, but he hasn’t progressed at a rapid rate — he didn’t make anyone’s Top 100 list before the year. Haseley spent six weeks at Double-A and one week at Triple-A this spring, posting a respectable .275/.358/.466 line (seven homers, five steals).
Haseley could be a primary regular if McCutchen hits the IL, but the Phillies have other options. Jay Bruce was recently acquired for corner-outfield depth, and Scott Kingery can take outfield reps. Journeyman Sean Rodriguez finished up in center field Monday night. At least put Haseley on the watch list for now.
