The Cut List (Week 8): Time to Let Go?

Welcome to Week 8 of the Cut List. I’m continuing the standard league viable cut trend that I’ve been rolling with for a few weeks. I think my pitching cut suggestions have fared rather well over the past few weeks (Danny Duffy, Jeff Samardzija, Sonny Gray, Jacob Faria), but the hitters I’ve highlighted lately are sort of turning their seasons around (Josh Bell, Matt Chapman, Evan Gattis).

This is the risk I took when I chose to cover standard league viable players. Keep this in mind when you take read the names on this list. Feel free to cut them all, but don’t be shocked if they turn it around soon.

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Time to Move On

Jay Bruce (OF, NYM) - .227 BA, 11 runs, 3 HR, 14 RBI

Cut in 10-team leagues

Check out his metrics profile and there’s nothing out of the ordinary. You’ll see a career-low 7.1% HR/FB, 26.0% hard hit rate, and a contact rate nearly in line with his career average. Bruce’s problem is that he’s not making contact at pitches outside the zone. We all know what usually happens when talented sluggers like Bruce go cold. Expect him to turn it around at some point, but until then you shouldn’t let hot waiver wire assets fall into your opponents’ hands.

Better OF options: Mallex Smith (for steals), Mark Trumbo (speculative add)

Albert Pujols (DH/1B, LAA) - .246 BA, 17 runs, 6 HR, 21 RBI

Cut in 10 and 12 team leagues

He’ll be a solid source for RBI and HR as the season goes on, but I don’t think he’s a viable option in shallow leagues. I mean, this is a guy who had 101 RBI last year, so it’s not like he’s slowed down that much, but he’s not Adrian Beltre. If he’s not chipping knocking in runners (one RBI since May 9), he’s not worth owning.

Better 1B option: Mitch Moreland

Rich Hill (SP, LAD) - 5 starts, 6.20 ERA, 25 K, 1.74 WHIP

Cut in 10-team leagues

This pains me because Hill is one of my favorite pitchers ever and I drafted him in a lot of leagues this year, but his finger issues are unbelievably annoying. I’m writing this hours before his start against the Nationals on Saturday afternoon, though, and this one could come back and bite me. Can you imagine if he left the game with a blister again? The fantasy baseball subreddit would explode.

Better SP options: Kenta Maeda, Matthew Boyd

Rougned Odor (2B, TEX) - .172 BA, 6 runs, 0 HR, 6 RBI

Cut in 10-team leagues

What do you expect from Rougned Odor? What’s a reasonable rest-of-season projection for this guy? I’m thinking 20 HR, 50 runs, 50 RBI, and 10 SB, but it’s really impossible to say with confidence. I hate to admit it, but I think there’s some recency bias at play here. If you think he’s capable of hitting over .250 over the next few months, he’s a nice buy-low. If you don’t trust him and can’t stomach his bad batting average, feel free to jettison him. I’d try to trade him first, though. Try to find an Odor truther in your league and send some offers.

Better 2B option: Starlin Castro

Update on Last Week’s Cuts

Matt Chapman (3B, OAK)

• 9-for-20, 4 runs, 1 HR, 4 RBI since May 13

Aaron Hicks (OF, NYY)

• 4-for-11, 1 run, 0 HR, 2 RBI since May 13

Jeff Samardzija (SP, SF)

• 6.2 IP, 5 hits allowed, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K on May 17 start

Michael Taylor (OF, WSH)

• 0-for-4 since May 13

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