Fantasy Baseball Category Impact: July 16

And we are under way here in the second half of the season! The All-Star break was a nice stretch where we all got a couple days to kick back, enjoy a cold one and rest our minds for the second half. Looking back on this article through the first half, I was right on plenty of players (Junior Guerra, Adam Duvall), but I also whiffed on a few, most notably Keon Broxton. Here’s to hoping for an even better second half. Cheers!

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Nathan Eovaldi, SP NYY— Eovaldi’s numbers this season are atrocious, I get that. He was demoted to the bullpen for a bit, and once again, I get that. However, he’s looked good over his last three appearances and a potential trade would be incredible for his fantasy value. The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly interested in acquiring the New York right-hander and a move back to the National League would benefit Eovaldi. Not to mention the fact that Ray Searage, the pitching guru, is in Pittsburgh and Eovaldi could blossom under his tutelage. Remember that tatted-up right-hander named A.J. Burnett? He posted a 4.79 ERA in three years with the Yankees before coming to Pittsburgh, where he posted a 3.34 ERA. Take a look at Eovaldi’s numbers in the American League versus the National League.

There is some considerable risk in adding Eovaldi, but if the trade to Pittsburgh were to go through, he could be in store for a fantasy-worthy second half. Searage knows what he’s doing and he's shown he knows how to turn around the seasons of struggling pitchers. Stay tuned to this closely, because there is some fantasy potential to be had here.

Anthony DeSclafani, SP CIN— Who would have thought a Cincinnati starter would be useful these days? DeSclafani has been solid over 42.1 innings this season, posting a 4-0 record with a 2.55 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. Albeit a brief sample size, DeSclafani is ready for a great campaign. His strikeouts are slightly up, walks are slightly down and his average game score is almost six points higher than last season. A quality start percentage of 86 percent is very good, well above last year’s 55 percent. He’s throwing less first pitch strikes, but he’s continued to be effective, which is ultimately what matters. DeSclafani has fired five straight quality starts and with a next matchup coming against the Atlanta Braves, he’s poised for No. 6. At the very least, he’s an above average streaming option for this start, but he’s got the ability to be a constant producer for you in the second half.

Randal Grichuk, OF STL— After a rough first couple months of the season, Grichuk is finally showing signs of life. Over the last 15 days, he’s hitting .407 with three home runs, four runs scored and five RBI. He’s also slugging .815 over that same span. Things are finally turning around for Grichuk. Take a look at his numbers by the month.

The St. Louis outfielder has hit safely in his last seven contests and his fantasy value will stay afloat as long as the Cardinals continue to give him regular at-bats. All signs point to that happening, especially if he continues to produce at this level. His ownership is starting to climb in leagues, so make sure you get on the Grichuk bandwagon before it’s too late. A .258 BABIP is well below his career mark, signifying that he’s been extremely unlucky to date. He hit .276 last season and by no way, shape or form is he a .230 hitter. That average will continue to trend upwards, so make sure you roster him.