We are now into Week 5 of the baseball season. A lot of teams have faced injuries and the same is likely for your fantasy team. If your team is anything like mine, you are struggling to keep your players healthy. When this happens you need to find someone else to add to your squad. The tricky part is deciding on who. That is what I’m here for. Below is a list of players who are owned in a small percent of leagues and could help your team immensely.
If you are like me and drafted Victor Martinez expecting him to perform like he did in the past, are probably in need of a catcher. My offer to you is to pick up Russell Martin of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is only owned in about 30 percent of leagues and is racking as of late. He has hit four home runs in as many games along with ten RBIs. Sure, he might not continue at this pace all year but for the time being is a great start.
One of the most shallow positions in baseball is the second base spot. You have guys like, Brandon Phillips and Robinson Cano but they are far from a dime a dozen. This brings me to Ryan Rayburn of the Cleveland Indians. He is owned in roughly ten percent of leagues and has been performing admirably. You can start him at your second base position or in one of your outfield spots. He has a smaller sample size than some other guys with only 55 plate appearances but to this point the numbers are there.
The final fielder to add to your team plays for the Boston Red Sox. His name is Mike Carp and has been swinging the bat well. In his last three at-bats he has two home runs. He is barely owned in any leagues, due to the fact that he has been coming in on occasion to hit. Once he starts playing more his numbers should continue to improve. You don’t have to pick this guy up now but if you do, it could pay off for you in the long run.
Finally, if you have pitching that has been lackluster there are still available options. The starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, Travis Wood is a solid option in your rotation. He is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA. The fact that he plays for the Cubs is a bit scary due to the weak bullpen they have but should not affect Woods stock.
The final pitcher I would inform those to pick up is Justin Grimm. He is also 2-1 but has an even better ERA at 1.59. He plays for the Texas Rangers who have been rolling as of late. Sure, these guys might not be on your team all season but if you can get four or five solid starts out of them it is worth it.