The Wire Troll: Awaiting Logan Allen
It’s likely just a matter of time before Logan Allen returns to the Guardian rotation. (Sports Illustrated)
Welcome back to another week of Fantasy baseball. The All-Star break begins Monday, so if for some reason you thought you had months to fix your team, you’re dead wrong. Milk that wire!
This week, Corbin Carroll gave his owners another injury scare, but an MRI came back clean; Jose Altuve has landed on the IL; and the Mets and Reds are heating up, so both look like nice bets on FanDuel.
And now, let’s get to this week’s…
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks
Logan Allen, SP, Cleveland Guardians (ESPN: 6.5 per cent; CBS: 33 per cent): In late-May, we lauded Allen as a solid Fantasy option based on his early work. After a couple more nice starts following that recommendation, he ran into some trouble and was farmed out to Triple-A in late-June. Allen hurled three hitless frames on Tuesday and we wonder when he might be back given injuries to Triston McKenzie and now Cal Quantrill. Cody Morris has been recalled for now, but Shane Bieber might be dealt soon, so the Guardian rotation is very much in flux. Allen, a 24-year-old southpaw who is lifelong friends with MJ Melendez (see video below), has the look of a very effective pitcher, so keep an eye on him as a potential second half sleeper.
Yainer Diaz, C, Houston Astros (ESPN: 6 per cent; CBS: 31 per cent): Diaz had a cup of coffee with the ‘Stros last year, but was a relative unknown in Fantasy circles before bursting onto the scene this season. He’s been piling up the runs lately (four in the last four games before getting shut out Friday) and has been getting better and better as the campaign has progressed (944 OPS in July before Friday). Diaz has already smacked 10 long balls, so even if he’s downgraded in OBP leagues, he deserves your attention.
Sean Reynolds, RP, Miami Marlins (ESPN: unowned; CBS: unowned): Reynolds has been recalled to make his MLB debut and, as a former position player, he has a relatively fresh arm. He was superb at Double-A (2.35 ERA through 30 2/3 IP with nine saves in 10 tries) and more than held his own at Triple-A (3.60 ERA, 1.00 WHIP with 10 Ks in 10 IP). Miami’s bullpen has been meh at best this year, so there’s opportunity here.
Brock Stewart, RP, Minnesota Twins (ESPN: 0.3 per cent; CBS: 1 per cent): Stewart (elbow soreness) has been out since last month, but he’s making progress and expected back shortly after the break. Back in the bigs for the first time since 2019, the veteran has looked like a completely different pitcher this year, showing workhorse tendencies and compiling a microscopic 0.70 ERA through 25 2/3 IP with a ton of Ks.
Tommy Pham, OF, New York Mets (ESPN: 13.6 per cent; CBS: 46 per cent): Pham entered the season as our 114th-ranked outfielder, but he’s definitely outperformed that, enjoying his best season since 2018. He’s recorded hits in nine of his last 10 games and is coming off a huge June during which he slashed .349/.387/.640 with four steals. Pham’s speed has returned after a couple of down years and he’s back to being an OBP force. Even if he’s just an average player the rest of the way, it’ll have been a fine comeback effort.
Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks (ESPN: 0.9 per cent; CBS: 23 per cent): Lawlar shot up our Top 100 Prospects rankings this spring to move into the top 15, and based on his work this year (which has sent him to the Futures Game), he’s now easily within the top 10. As a 20-year-old in Double-A he’s had his adjustment period, scuffling badly in May, but hit over .300 with an OPS north of 900 in June and has been even better so far in July. Lawlar’s BA through 65 games is still a modest .245, but it’s clear he’s poised for a big second half, with potential promotion to the majors next season. Expect him to top out with well above average raw power, speed and fielding.
Mauricio Dubon, OF/2B/SS, Houston Astros (ESPN: 19.1 per cent; CBS: 30 per cent): In late-August we pimped Dubon, but it wasn’t our finest hour as he struggled that month and was only marginally better in September. Undeterred, we’re back to give him more love as he’s delivered hits in seven of the last nine games and, after a solid June, he’s hitting even better so far this month. Dubon is poised to blow past his career high in games played, and why not? He’s never hit better than he has this season, producing at least one knock in 53 of 70 games. For a dude considered a utility type, Dubon has taken on a near everyday role for a team with plenty of depth.
Colin Rea, SP, Milwaukee Brewers (ESPN: 6 per cent; CBS: 18 per cent): Rea has managed four quality starts through 14 outings, but half of those have been in his last two turns as he really seems to have turned the corner since the beginning of June. He is on track to appear in more games this year than ever, and has already matched his career high in wins. At the very least, Rea looks like a nice streaming option.
RotoRob Tune of the Day
American soul band Rose Royce got their start in 1973 and are still at it today. In 1976, they released the soundtrack to Car Wash, a double album of funk goodness including “Born to Love You.”
