There was finally some good news on the injury front this week.

Miami Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was activated off the injured list and returned to the leadoff spot on Sunday. The electric youngster had four home runs and seven steals in 21 games before straining his hamstring. He is only rostered in 64 per cent of ESPN leagues, so make sure he’s not floating around the waiver wire. 

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is progressing well in his recovery from a back injury and has made rehab appearances in Triple-A without any setbacks. 

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger has also ramped up his activity and has started running as he works his way back from a fractured fibula. 

Unfortunately, the news wasn’t all good, as more top talents got injured over the past week.

Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager fractured his hand and will miss at least four weeks. Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (ankle) and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper (shoulder) were also dinged up and missed time over the weekend. 

Managers needing short- or long-term replacements can take a look at these six players rostered in under 50 per cent of ESPN leagues. 

 

Hitters

Andrew Vaughn, 1B/OF, Chicago White Sox (47.0 per cent rostered)

Vaughn was one of the most talked about players in fantasy following the Spring Training injury to outfielder Eloy Jimenez. Drafted third overall in the 2019 MLB Draft, Vaughn’s mix of power and on-base skills were expected to translate to immediate results as he occupied an outfield spot for the White Sox. 

Unfortunately, Vaughn did not get everyday at-bats to start the season and struggled to produce in April. In 16 games, he failed to hit a home run and collected just one RBI. However, his highly-touted on-base skills were evident, as he held a .364 OBP despite the lack of counting stats. 

The 22-year-old has gotten more consistent playing time following the injury to outfielder Luis Robert and production has followed. In 11 May games, Vaughn is slashing .265/.372/.500 with eight RBI, eight runs scored and his first two career home runs.

If Vaughn continues to get regular at-bats, he will contribute solid counting stats, a decent average, and an excellent on-base percentage, for managers who play in OBP leagues. 

Nick Senzel, OF, Cincinnati Reds (35.1 per cent rostered)

Senzel was drafted No. 2 overall by the Reds in the 2016 MLB Draft and has not been able to find his footing due to injuries. In fact, he recently missed a pair of games with an undisclosed injury after running into the outfield wall. However, the injury was minor and he returned to the lineup on Sunday.

Before getting hurt, the 25-year-old had found success as the new Reds’ leadoff man. In seven games at the top of the order, Senzel was hitting .308 with five runs and three RBI. The Reds’ offence remains one of the best in the league (second in home runs, fifth in runs scored) and Senzel should continue to score plenty of runs as long as he remains healthy.

Senzel has shown that he can be a five-tool contributor, hitting 12 home runs, and stealing 14 bases in just 104 games in his rookie year. He’s only 2-for-7 in steals attempts this season but his sprint speed is in the 96th percentile, so he should find more success in that department as the season wears on. 

As long as he is playing, he is worth an add in most formats. He has also made seven appearances at second base over the past two weeks, and gaining eligibility at a much shallower position would make him even more valuable. 

Robbie Grossman, OF, Detroit Tigers (45 per cent rostered)

Grossman is currently on a seven-game hitting streak over which he’s batting .458 with two home runs and eight RBI. For the season, Grossman is slashing .250/.388/.417 with four home runs and seven steals. 

The 31-year-old is just two stolen bases shy of his previous career high. However, he seems to have a consistent green light and hasn’t been caught yet, so he should continue being a good source of speed.

Grossman is hitting fly balls at a career-high 45 per cent rate and is a good bet to surpass his previous high of 11 home runs that he hit in 2016.

The Tigers’ poor lineup will cap his ceiling but Grossman is someone who could hit 15 home runs and steal 25 bases, making him a very valuable player moving forward.

Other Options: Josh Harrison, 2B/3B, Washington Nationals (33.3 per cent rostered), Omar Narvaez, C, Milwaukee Brewers (32.2 per cent rostered), Nico Hoerner, 2B/SS, Chicago Cubs (32 per cent rostered)

 

Pitchers

Robbie Ray, SP, Toronto Blue Jays (40.9 per cent rostered)

Following a disastrous Blue Jays debut in 2020, Ray has regained some of the form that made him an all-star with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017. 

Through seven starts, Ray has a 2-1 record with a 3.79 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. Prior to Sunday’s start against the Philadelphia Phillies in which he allowed four runs over 5.2 innings, the 29-year-old had thrown four-consecutive quality starts and had not allowed more than three runs in any start this season. All of his outings have also lasted at least five innings. 

Ray has made improvements to his control, which was usually his biggest weakness. He has walked just one batter in his past 30.1 innings, which has led to a career-low 6.6 per cent walk rate. Ray’s xFIP (3.39) and SIERA (3.32) indicate that his performance is sustainable if he can maintain his current walk rate.

The Blue Jays’ offence should also provide Ray with plenty of run support to help pad his win totals. 

Rich Hill, SP, Tampa Bay Rays (9.3 per cent rostered)

The 41-year-old still has something left in the tank. After several injury-plagued seasons with the Dodgers and Minnesota Twins, Hill has come on strong after a rough start to his 2021 season. 

Over his last four starts, covering 21.2 innings, the veteran has allowed just two runs and has struck out 27 batters. This run has not been a result of poor competition, as he has managed to quiet the bats of the Houston Astros, New York Yankees, and Oakland Athletics (twice).

His true performance lies somewhere in between his first four starts (8.82 ERA) and his last four starts (0.83 ERA) but Hill currently has his curveball working and the Rays are letting him pitch as many innings as he can handle. 

Hill’s 32.7 per cent CSW (called strikes plus whiffs) is his highest since 2017 and the rest of his profile has bounced back to pre-2020 numbers. 

Hill is one of the most injury-prone players in baseball but as long as he is healthy, he is worth a flier. Especially for his next start on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles. 

Jake Diekman, RP, Oakland Athletics (36.7 per cent rostered)

The Athletics have a full-blown closer committee on their hands. Diekman and Lou Trivino have split save chances thus far, with Diekman converting five saves, while Trivino has racked up six.

Diekman has been the better pitcher between the two, boasting a lower ERA (2.12 vs. 3.48) walk rate (9.7 per cent vs. 13.6 per cent), and a higher strikeout rate (34.7 per cent vs. 25.0 per cent). In fact, Diekman’s strikeout rate is in the 91st percentile league wide. 

Manager Bob Melvin will likely continue using the two on a matchup-by-matchup basis, using Diekman against left-handers. Splitting saves will cap his ceiling, but he will still provide plenty of value for managers, boosting strikeouts and lowering ratios while chipping in the occasional save.

Other Options: Cole Irvin, SP, Oakland Athletics (44.7 per cent rostered), Jordan Romano, RP, Toronto Blue Jays 937.7 per cent rostered), Logan Gilbert, SP, Seattle Mariners (30.2 per cent rostered)