The Cut List - Time to Let Go? Week 8

Welcome back to The Cut List for Week 8 of the 2024 fantasy baseball season (May 13 to May 19). We are at the point of the regular season where fantasy managers might have to make some tough calls on who to drop. Some decisions will be easier than others, but overall, it's never easy to drop a player who could eventually heat up.

In this article, we will look at nine players and determine whether or not they should be dropped in fantasy leagues. As you read this, remember that every league is different. Potentially dropping a player in an eight-team league will be way different than dropping a player in a 14-team league.

These set of players below are potential cut candidates in most formats as we head into Week 8. If you have any additional questions after reading this piece, feel free to leave a comment on RotoBaller's Reddit page, and I'll get to as many questions before Monday. So, let's dive in and find out if we should cut these nine players listed below.

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Worth Dropping and Replacing?

Ke'Bryan Hayes - 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates - 56% rostered

It has been an eventful couple of weeks for Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to start the season. Hayes was red-hot right out of the gate and was hitting .313 (15-for-48) with three doubles and six RBI through the first 12 games. That start saw his rostership on Yahoo climb up in the mid-80s.

However, Hayes did not continue his nice start and has since struggled at the plate. He is batting just .198 with one home run and five RBI over the last 22 games. On top of that, the third baseman is now headed to the injured list with a back injury. Things aren't certainly trending in the right direction for the 27-year-old, especially considering his expected batting average (.237), expected slugging (.302), and barrel rate (1.9%) all rank in the bottom half of the league.

Pirates DFA'ing Roansy Contreras and putting Ke'Bryan Hayes on the IL with back issues (again) aren't even close to the craziest things from this day.

— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) May 12, 2024

Verdict: It's a surprise to see Hayes still rostered in over 50% of Yahoo leagues, but that should change very soon. Even though he can be slotted into one of your IL slots for the time being, he should be dropped in most formats. He has looked lost at the plate recently, and this back injury could keep him out for a while as well. 

Jonathan India - 2B, Cincinnati Reds - 51% rostered

It has been an interesting offseason for Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India. He was a potential trade candidate this offseason before the team decided to keep him. Then, starting second baseman Matt McLain (shoulder) suffered a multi-month injury, which moved India right back into a starting spot. As a result, he was a sleeper option in most fantasy leagues heading into the year -- given his potential to hit 20 HRs and drive in over 60 runs.

Nonetheless, India has been one of the most disappointing players in the early going. He is batting just .215 with two HRs and 11 RBI in the first 33 games. The 27-year-old has also moved down in the lineup, most recently hitting ninth in back-to-back games for the Reds.

Verdict: At this point in the season, India can be safely dropped in most formats. He hasn't looked great at the plate for most of the year, and there are likely other players on waivers right now who can contribute more than he is for your fantasy team. Cut him now, and don't look back. 

Hold For Now

Lourdes Gurriel Jr.- OF, Arizona Diamondbacks - 78% rostered

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. came out of the gate red-hot. He was hitting .317 with four HRs, three doubles, and 18 RBI over the first 14 games. That pace, though, was likely not sustainable for the 30-year-old veteran. Some sort of regression was surely expected.

That has been the case for Gurriel over the past four weeks, as he is batting just .189 with one home run and five RBI since April 14. However, I'm not entirely worried about the outfielder in fantasy. He is an extremely streaky hitter, and a nice stretch from him on offense will come again soon. It would also be a shock to drop him, considering what he did last season.

In 2023, Gurriel hit 24 HRs with 82 RBI and 35 doubles across 145 games. You won't find those numbers on the waiver wire right now, so be patient with the 2023 All-Star. He also continues to hit atop the Diamondbacks' lineup, which should lead to more opportunities as the season progresses.

Michael Busch- 1B, Chicago Cubs - 71% rostered

A rule of thumb in fantasy is to always be patient with rookies. That surely is the case for Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch. Busch has seen his rostership decrease over the past few weeks and now sits at 71%. However, he is someone who I am not willing to cut at this point in the season.

Busch has been a surprise bright spot for the Cubs' offense in 2024, and up-and-down stretches are likely to happen from rookies throughout the year. However, his ability to get on base, drive in runs, and hit homers makes him a valuable fantasy piece in almost all formats. The left-handed slugger is hitting .254 with seven HRs, seven doubles, and 19 RBI.

Michael Busch. Ballgame.

Wrigley Field is rocking in the rain! #Walkoff pic.twitter.com/0lguGVv6oU

— MLB (@MLB) May 8, 2024

One of the main reasons why Busch is even on this list in the first place is because of his recent slump at the plate. He is hitting just .182 with one home run and four RBI over the last 18 games but don't be so fast to drop him. Before that stretch, the rookie was batting .317 with six HRs and 13 RBI in the first 18 games of the season. Hold him for now, and expect another hot streak to come very shortly.

On the Hot Seat

Colton Cowser - OF, Baltimore Orioles - 63% rostered

Fantasy managers always need to be patient with rookies. That's why Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser isn't an immediate drop yet in most formats. However, he's certainly on the hot seat in fantasy right now due to his recent cold streak. 

Cowser is batting just .154 with two HRs and five RBI over the past 18 games and continues to struggle at the plate. After a hot start to the 2024 campaign -- in which fantasy managers saw him hit a home run in three of four games from April 11 to April 14 --  the rookie has cooled off big time. 

I wouldn't drop Cowser just yet in fantasy because there is a chance that he eventually heats up, but with Austin Hays (calf) nearing a return from the injured list, the rookie's playing time could be cut in half. So, he's someone to keep an eye on over the next week, especially when Hays returns to the lineup.

Can Be Safely Dropped

Reid Detmers - SP, Los Angeles Angels - 49% rostered

There was some hope that Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers would finally break out in 2024 following a mediocre campaign in 2023. He tossed five innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts against the Baltimore Orioles in his first start of the year and then struck out 12 across six innings against the Boston Red Sox in his second outing.

Detmers also continued his strong pitching performances into his next two starts. He gave up just one combined run on 10 hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts across 11 2/3 innings pitched against the Red Sox (April 12) and the Tampa Bay Rays (April 17). However, his last three starts have not been smooth by any means. The southpaw has given up at least five earned runs in three straight outings, including a season-high seven earned runs against the Cleveland Guardians two weeks ago.

Reid Detmers is playing out of his mind the last four starts

😮‍💨 22 2/3 innings
🔥 8.74 ERA
😈 19 strikeouts
👑 9 walks
😤 27 hits
💣 7 home runs pic.twitter.com/DonJI4wMRF

— King Adell 👑 (@JoShowAdell) May 10, 2024

Those recent outings make it extremely hard to roster Detmers moving forward. His ERA has jumped to 4.96, and his 3.2 walks per nine innings is not necessarily a great sign for his fantasy value either. There are likely other pitchers to stream in his place over the next few weeks.

What Do To Do With These Players?

Xander Bogaerts- 2B/SS, San Diego Padres - 92% rostered

San Diego Padres second baseman Xander Bogaerts is a player most fantasy managers don't know what to do with. He has looked awful at the plate for most of the year and entered Saturday's content with a .209 batting average, two HRs, and 11 RBI across 39 games. To make matters worse, manager Mike Shildt has moved the 31-year-old out of the lineup spot with the acquisition of Luis Arraez.

As bad as it has been to roster the Padres second baseman in the early going, he is a player most fantasy managers shouldn't drop right now. With a veteran like Bogaerts, you have to be patient and assume he will figure things out. Last year, he went through a similar rough stretch at the start of the year and hit .191 with two HRs and nine RBI in 34 games from April 22 to June 3.

Bogaerts, though, eventually figured things out and hit .304 with 12 HRs and 37 RBI from June 9 onward. A similar situation could play out for the 12-year veteran, so don't drop him yet in fantasy leagues.

Paul Goldschmidt - 1B, St. Louis Cardinals - 93% rostered

It's getting harder and harder to defend St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in fantasy. He has reached a new low at the plate this year, has struggled to catch up to the fastball, and is batting a mere .190. There also isn't much optimism that Goldschmidt can pick it up. His expected batting average (.234), expected slugging (.356), barrel rate (4.4%), and whiff rate (32%) all rank in the bottom half of the league. 

Despite all that is going bad for Goldschmidt through the first seven weeks, he isn't a must-drop just yet in most formats. Like Bogaerts, we assume that the veteran will break out of this slump and eventually provide fantasy managers with some much-needed fantasy points.

While that could be a struggle for him in 2024, it's too early in the season to drop a player who has totaled 93 HRs and 305 RBI since 2021. Give it some time before dropping Goldschmidt on waivers, or try to trade him to a fantasy manager who believes he'll break out of this slump.

George Springer- OF, Toronto Blue Jays- 83% rostered

After a rough year for Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer in 2023, the veteran has not been much better to start the 2024 campaign. He is batting just .206 with three HRs, four doubles, and six RBI. He also has just a .574 OPS through the first 35 games of the season.

With the way Springer has struggled at the plate over the last 189 games -- dating back to the 2023 season and into this year -- he is a borderline drop candidate in some leagues. There is always the potential that the 11-year vet will eventually pick things up and continue to hit over 20 HRs and drive in at least 70 runs.

If there is someone who is currently on waivers that you believe can be a better fantasy asset for you long-term, then I don't mind dropping Springer. He hasn't looked great at the plate since the 2022 season.

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