off nearly every usable part on their MLB roster, sending the Yankees the NL MVP, and the Mariners a second baseman/leadoff man who will play outfield for the first time in his career. In addition, two NL teams got new hitters in the meat of their lineups, all thanks to a new direction in Miami.
On top of that the Brewers signed a former farmhand, the Giants revamped with a couple of veterans, and a big bat returned to New York (after a short rental trip to Cleveland). Bullpen pieces moved around as well, some from pitcher-friendly ballparks to hitter’s havens, and the list goes on and on.
Here’s a rundown of players in new places and the positive or negative effect it will have on 2018 Fantasy Baseball.
Former Marlins On The Move
Let’s start from the top with Giancarlo Stanton. Coming off an MVP season in which he hit 59 home runs — the most in Major League Baseball since 2001 — the slugger was shipped to the Yankees for whom he’ll bat in the middle of arguably the best offense in one of the most homer-friendly stadiums in baseball.
That’s just what a player coming off a season in which he racked up 132 RBIs, 123 runs scored and a 1.007 OPS, to go along with the aforementioned 59 home runs, needs, right? Stanton goes from playing in a ballpark that was the seventh- toughest for right-handed hitters to homer in last season to the second-most-favorable park for right-handed hitters, according to Baseball Prospectus’ park factors.
Stanton can and will get jammed and still hit home runs at Yankee Stadium, meaning it’s not out of realm of possibilities that he will eclipse his NL MVP numbers this season. How does 65 homers and 140 RBIs sound? That’s a nice start to any Fantasy team, pegging Stanton as a late first-round pick this season.
Stanton’s former teammate, dee gordon, not only changed teams but also changed leagues AND positions this offseason.
Truth is though, the only real change in his Fantasy value is that the speedster will now have multiple position eligibility (2B/OF). Gordon will again steal around 60 bases, score around 100 runs, and bat close to .300. Batting leadoff in Seattle instead of Miami, Gordon will likely lead the AL instead of the NL in stolen bases, putting him squarely in the third round of 12-team leagues.
The next former Marlins player off the board should be Christian Yelich. I’ve seen him drafted as early as 38th in the RotoExperts Staff Mock and as late as the 70th pick. With an ADP of 65, I think he’s likely to pay dividends for owners, ending the season as a Top 50 player and Top 10 outfielder.
No-look pickoff? This is crazy!
