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Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers from Week 6

It's Week 6 of Risers and Fallers. Some young hitters are beginning to find their way in the Majors while a few others are making the most of filling in for injured starters. While some of that production may not last, there are plenty of youngsters finding their groove who could be household names for a long time. It is nearly time for teams to bring up some of their prized prospects, so pay very close attention over the next few weeks. The personnel decisions you make in May are among the most important of the season.

Editor’s Note: to read about waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.

Editor’s Note: to read about waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.

 

Fantasy Baseball Risers

Hitters

Jackie Bradley, Jr. (OF, BOS) - Bradley has been on a tear of late, smashing two home runs against Oakland on Wednesday to give him five in his last seven games. JBJ is putting up numbers all over the place, with a .322 average, six home runs and 28 RBIs. He should not be on your league's waiver wire any longer.

Ben Zobrist (2B/OF, ChC) - Zobrist is not messing around anymore, with a .545 average (12-for-22) over the last seven days. He's also driven in 12 runs and has a 1.610 OPS in that span. He is second on the Cubs with 28 RBIs. The good times are rolling in Chicago.

Lorenzo Cain (OF, KC) - Cain mashed three home runs against the Yankees earlier this week and has quietly put an early season slump completely behind him. The Royals took some time to get going as a team, but Cain and company have not forgotten how to hit.
 
Stephen Piscotty (OF, STL) - Piscotty is on fire at the moment, with 10 hits in his last 24 at-bats. He has boosted his average to .322, has five home runs and shows no signs of letting up. He has hit at every level and it's no different for him now.
Randal Grichuk (OF, STL) - Watch out for Grichuk over the coming weeks, as he's showing signs of breaking out. He hit his fifth home run earlier this week and has two multi-hit games in that period. He hit .276 last season with an .877 OPS in 323 at-bats.

Ketel Marte (SS, SEA) - Marte is hitting .328 (19-for-58) over the last 15 days and is at .294 on the season for the Mariners. He won't contribute much of anything in the power categories, but will rack up runs and swipe some bags to go along with the nice average. The statline isn't sexy, but it gets the job done. The switch-hitting 22-year-old should be around for a long time.

Jonathan Schoop (2B, BAL) - Schoop is hitting .320 over his last seven games and has his average up to .246 entering Thursday's action. He's still just 24 years young and hit .279 with 15 home runs and a .788 OPS in 305 at-bats in 2015. The power potential is there and hitting in a stacked Baltimore lineup will benefit him greatly all season. He has five home runs on the year and should be on fantasy radars soon, if not now.

Kevin Plawecki (C, NYM) - Plawecki was thrust into the full-time role a few weeks back when Travis d'Arnaud went down with a shoulder injury. After initially struggling, Plawecki has stepped up lately, with six hits in his last 18 at-bats, including his first home run of the season this week. He will continue to get a large share of the at-bats now and has a chance to seize the role long term. He has hit at every level and may finally be figuring things out in the Majors.

Marcell Ozuna (OF, MIA) - Ozuna ran his hitting streak to 11 games by going 1-for-3 with a double and a run on Wednesday. The 25-year-old has six home runs to go along with his .295 average in 122 at-bats after hitting .259 with 10 home runs in 459 at-bats last season. He is looking like he could far out-perform his numbers from 2015. The Marlins lineup as a whole has been clicking lately, and Ozuna has been a big part of it. Go get him now.

Derek Dietrich (2B/3B/OF, MIA) - Dietrich is looking like a potentially valuable utility man in Miami and in fantasy lineups as well. He has a seven-game hitting streak of his own entering Friday and is hitting .319 overall. He hits left-handed as has been a nice replacement for Dee Gordon in the leadoff spot. With Martin Prado, Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton behind him in the order, Dietrich could be in line to rack up the counting stats and maintain a decent average.

Jung Ho Kang (3B/SS, PIT) - Kang has returned with a bang, homering twice in his first game back last week and going yard again on Wednesday night. He's 5-for-15 with six RBIs in five games since returning. Kang hit .287 with 15 taters in 421 at-bats in his first go-round the Majors in 2015. If for some reason he is available in your league, grab him now. It's probably too late.

Addison Russell (2B/SS, ChC) -There was plenty of hype surrounding Russell's debut last season, but he wasn't able to satisfy those who wanted him to be a star immediately. He hit just .242 and struck out 149 times in 475 at-bats. He did hit 13 home runs and 29 doubles though. After a slow start to 2016, Russell has really turned it on of late, hitting .429 over his last seven games entering Friday with four doubles and eight RBIs. He has his average up to .264 and has 19 walks against 26 strikeouts. The 22-year-old is on the verge.

Jean Segura (SS, ARI) - It's only taken 33 games for Jean Segura to show everyone he is capable of returning to the player he was in 2013 with Milwaukee. That year, he hit .294 with 12 home runs, 20 doubles and 10 triples. He struggled to repeat those numbers the following two years but has benefited from a change of scenery in Arizona. Segura is performing like one of the top shortstops in the game with a .345 average , five home runs and four steals. If you drafted him in the later rounds or grabbed him off waivers, great job.

Jonathan Villar (SS, MIL) - After being relegated to part-time duty in Houston for three years and then having no spot at all once Carlos Correa arrived, Villar has found a home in Milwaukee. As an everyday player, he is hitting .267 with nine doubles and 11 stolen bases out of the leadoff spot. He's just 25 years old and his ceiling has yet to be reached. He's worth a look and can help in the average and steals departments with the occasional home run.

 

Pitchers

Jaime Garcia (SP, STL) - Garcia (3-2, 2.58) has been exceptional all season and currently has a streak of 14 straight scoreless innings going. He fanned eight Angels over eight shutout innings on Wednesday, and gets the Rockies at home on Tuesday. Enjoy it for as long as it lasts, as Garcia has been oft-injured in his career.

Drew Pomeranz (SP, SD) - Pomeranz (4-3, 1.80) continues to get the job done, as he tallied 10 punchouts over six scoreless innings against the Cubs this week. The southpaw will probably not maintain his current ERA, but pitching in San Diego gives him added value. Scoop him up while you still can.

John Lackey (SP, ChC) - Lackey (4-2, 3.54) has been terrific in his last three starts, allowing just five runs in 23 innings with 20 strikeouts. He has just one win to show for those three efforts, but the W's should roll in for him all season long with the backing of the Cubs potent lineup.

Doug Fister (SP, HOU) - Fister (3-3, 4.22) has been excellent since giving up six runs in 5.2 innings against the Royals on April 14. He has gone at least six innings in five straight starts since then, and allowed three runs or fewer each time. He does not rack up the strikeouts, but gets the job done and has a more than capable team behind him. He draws the White Sox on the road next, not the greatest matchup for him.

Kevin Gausman (SP, BAL) - After hurling eight shutout innings against the Yankees on May 5, Gausman (4-1, 2.16) struck out nine Twins over six innings his next start. The right-hander has tallied 23 strikeouts against only five walks in 25 innings this season. He is just 25 years old and capable of big things for the Orioles. He gets a tough assignment on Sunday against the Tigers.

Jose Quintana (SP, CWS) - Quintana (5-1, 1.38) is doing everything in his power to keep up with rotation mate Chris Sale. He fired seven more solid innings on May 8, allowing just one run against the Twins to win his fourth straight start. He is getting run support and limiting the walks, a great recipe for success.

Julio Urias (SP, LAD) - Urias (1.50 ERA, 0.80 WHIP) is simply toying with hitters at Triple-A so far this season, with 33 strikeouts in 30 innings. Still just a baby at 19, the prized left-hander could join the Dodgers pitching staff sooner than expected. He will be a starter in the long-term, but he may be used out of the bullpen initially in L.A. He is a must-add in dynasty leagues at this point.

Julio Teheran (SP, ATL) - Teheran (0-3, 3.48) has bounced back nicely from a terrible start to the season. The wins will be nearly impossible to come by pitching for Atlanta, but Teheran does hold some value. He's allowed just four runs total in his last four starts covering 24.1 innings. He struck out eight Red Sox and nine Cubs in consecutive starts two weeks back. There is some value to be had here.

Fernando Rodney (RP, SD) - Rodney saved both ends of a doubleheader against the Cubs recently and has been nothing short of brilliant for the Padres all season. He is a perfect 10-for-10 in save chances and has yet to allow a run, striking out 13 batters in 14 innings.

Hector Rondon (RP, ChC) - Rondon (0.69 ERA, 0.31 WHIP) has gotten more save chances of late and has cashed in on them. He is 7-for-7 in save chances with 21 strikeouts and zero walks in 13 innings pitched. It doesn't get much better than that.

 

Fantasy Baseball Fallers

Hitters

Troy Tulowitzki (SS, TOR) - Tulo is hitting just .172 on the season with 39 strikeouts in 122 at-bats. He hit his sixth home run of the year recently and drove in three runs in a game against the Giants, but the former all-world shortstop simply is not getting it done like he did in Colorado. At 31 years old he still has a few years left, but his best days may be behind him. Buy low if you can.

Yasiel Puig (OF, LAD) - Puig is hitting just .170 (8-for-47) with 12 strikeouts and zero walks over the last 15 days. Still only 25 years old and with a career average of .288 in 1,345 Major League at-bats, the Cuban outfielder is experiencing some growing pains but should be able to turn it around relatively soon. Buy low, or stay patient if you own him.

Billy Hamilton (OF, CIN) - Hamilton has had a tough time along with most of the Reds hitters, with a .235 average and just 15 runs scored to date. Hamilton has not been able to produce at the level he did in 2014, when he hit .250 with six home runs, eight triples and 25 doubles. Still just 25, if he puts a little weight on his slender frame it should help him get through the grind of the season. His speed won't last forever, but he could single-handedly win the stolen base category for you if that's your thing.

Derek Norris (C, SD) - After setting career-highs last year with 14 home runs and 33 doubles, Norris has fallen off the cliff in 2016. He is sitting on a .187 average with two home runs and four RBIs. The Padres are not exactly world-beaters on offense, but a little more was expected from Norris. If he has first base eligibility in your league, that helps his cause.

Tyler White (1B/3B, HOU) - After a great first few weeks, White is hitting just .152 (12-for-79) with 22 strikeouts and seven walks over the last 30 days. He had his time in the sun in April, but he is no longer much of a factor.

Colby Rasmus (OF, HOU) - Rasmus has been struggling for a few weeks now and has seen his average dip to .224 on the year. Still capable of hitting home runs in bunches, Rasmus is without a long ball for the last 15 days. He swatted 25 a season ago in Houston, and should start hitting them with more regularity going forward. The Astros visit Boston this weekend.

 

Pitchers

Yordano Ventura (SP, KC) - Ventura (3-2, 4.62) has given up 13 runs on 15 hits and 14 walks over 14 innings in his last three starts, shaking the confidence of owners who reaped the benefits of his early success. He owns a career 3.69 ERA, so he should bounce back somewhat, as should the Royals offense. You just never know when Ventura is going to lay an egg out there though. He will take on the Red Sox at home on Monday

Derek Holland (SP, TEX) - Holland (3-2, 6.09) has gotten bombed in his last two starts to the tune of 15 runs on 19 hits in just five innings of work. He was looking like the version of himself from a few years back when the season began, but he just can't put it together on a consistent basis. If you like to roll the dice, he gets the A's at home on Monday.

Mat Latos (SP, CWS) - Latos (5-0, 3.40) earns the designation of faller even with an unblemished record. He's given up 13 runs on 25 hits over 15.1 innings in his last three starts, and issued five free passes his last game. It looks like he's up to his old tricks again, duping owners into false confidence.

Ken Giles (RP, HOU) - Giles (7.90 ERA, 1.68 WHIP) emerged as an elite-looking closer for the Phillies towards the end of 2015, saving 15 games and striking out 87 batters in 70 innings. After being shipped to Houston, he has taken a back seat to Luke Gregerson for the closer's role and had trouble adjusting. He's given up 18 hits in just 13.2 innings of work and will need to start missing more bats to become relevant once again.

Hector Santiago (SP, LAA) - Santiago (2-2, 4.07) has made three straight sub-par starts after pitching great in April. The southpaw hasn't gotten out of the fifth inning in any of the last three starts, allowing 23 hits and taking his first two losses of the season. He figures to bounce back, but you may want to look elsewhere for the time being. He visits the Mariners on Sunday.

Drew Storen (RP, TOR) - Times have been tough for Storen (8.25 ERA, 1.83 WHIP) since he was removed from the closer's role in Washington last season. He has given up multiple runs in three of his last 10 outings and can barely be trusted thus far. Perhaps it's a mechanical issue or maybe a mental issue bothering Storen, as he has been treated like a punching bag by hitters this season.

A.J. Griffin (SP, TEX) - It was too good to be true for Griffin (3-0, 2.94), as he's been shut down indefinitely with shoulder soreness. The good news is there's no structural damage, so maybe he went too hard too fast out of the gate to make a good impression. Keep him on your watch list for now.

 

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