👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


Champ or Chump - Jake Odorizzi and Eric Hosmer

It took the better part of four months, but baseball's offseason is finally starting! Eric Hosmer signed a massive contract to vacation play baseball in San Diego, while Jake Odorizzi was traded to the Minnesota Twins for a ham sandwich and a few extra baseballs.

One of these players is capable of turning a substantial profit in 2018 fantasy leagues, and it's not the one who just inked a nine-figure deal.

Here's a closer look at Odorizzi and Hosmer's fantasy value for the upcoming season.

Featured Promo: Save 50% the regular price with discount code SPRING, for a limited time. Exclusive access to our Team Sync platform, DFS cheat sheets, Lineup Optimizers, betting/prop picks, and exclusive content from Nick Mariano and Eric Cross! GAIN ACCESS NOW

 

The Fantasy Jury is Out

Jake Odorizzi (SP, MIN) ADP: 288.8

Odorizzi was roughly a league average pitcher in his 143 1/3 IP last season, posting a 4.14 ERA and 21% K%. His xFIP (5.10), BABIP allowed (.227), and extreme fly ball tendency (47.3% FB% last year, 45% for his career) have convinced fantasy owners that the season was a total fluke, making him an afterthought on most draft boards.

Expecting regression to the mean is one of the trademarks of this column, but Odorizzi may have landed in the perfect situation to keep it up. His extreme fly ball profile, combined with a slightly plus IFFB% (9.3% last year, 9.6% career), allow him to consistently post BABIPs under .300 (.269 career). His .227 BABIP may increase a little, but it won't be as bad as some are expecting.

His new team may also serve to mitigate any regression. The 2017 Tampa Bay Rays finished second in Statcast's Outs Above Average metric with 23. Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins topped that mark by himself with 25 OAA, helping his team finish first in the league with 31 total. Tampa Bay's superlative outfield defense likely played a role in Odorizzi's .067 BABIP on flies (and .528 on line drives), but his new team is even better.

Odorizzi allowed slightly more line drives last year (22.1% LD%) than he has over his career (21.3%), giving him room for positive regression. He'll likely need this to offset the deficiencies of Minnesota's infield, where the 3B tandem of Miguel Sano and Eduardo Escobar combined for -10 Defensive Runs Saved, 2B Brian Dozier was below average (-4), and SS Jorge Polanco was roughly average (-1). Joe Mauer has an excellent first baseman's mitt (seven DRS), but it's not enough to cover for everybody else.

By contrast, the Rays supported Odorizzi capably last year. Third baseman Evan Longoria compiled 11 DRS in his last season as a Ray, shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria added six more, and 1B Logan Morrison was solid (one). Brad Miller wasn't great at second (-4), but otherwise the infield was strong. This helped Odorizzi best his career .240 BABIP on ground balls with a .224 mark, but it may not have been entirely the work of his friends.

Odorizzi saw his grounders allowed get scorched in 2016, averaging 86.6 mph off of the bat. That number fell to 81.8 mph last year, suggesting that Odorizzi was doing a much better job controlling the quality of contact against him. It remains to be seen how sticky this will be, but there's at least some hope that he can repeat his 2017 BABIP on ground balls.

Many fly ball pitchers have an ability to limit damage on airborne baseballs, but Odorizzi's 15.5% HR/FB last season does not reflect this. He has historically been better (11.1% career HR/FB), and contact quality metrics suggest that he just ran into some bad luck last year. His average airborne exit velocity allowed decreased from 93.5 mph in 2016 to 91.9 mph last year, while his rate of Brls/BBE improved slightly (8.4% to 8.2%). Fly ball pitchers give up a few homers, but Odorizzi should be better in 2018.

Minnesota's outfield defense and Odorizzi's fly ball profile are his best traits, but the 28-year old's stuff offers some upside as well. His fastball played elite last year (12.5% SwStr%, 54.9% Zone%), but it lacks the elite spin rate typically associated with such a pitch (2,287 RPM). Still, any repeat could go a long way toward boosting his K%.

Odorizzi also introduced a cutter (7.4% usage in 2016, 16.5% last year) that proved very capable on balls in play (.188/.263/.471) even if its K% numbers weren't great (11.9% SwStr%, 40.3% Zone%, 25.5% chase). His split allows him to induce ground balls when needed (47.9% GB%), but its K% marks are also lacking (11.4% SwStr%, 37.4% Zone%, 37.6% chase). Odorizzi mixes in the occasional slider and curve, but both are more show pitches than legitimate weapons in his repertoire.

Odorizzi is moving to a division where three teams are rebuilding, presenting plenty of favorable matchups. He seems likely to serve as a streamable fantasy starter that is never far enough away from a usable week to drop, making him a name to remember toward the end of deeper drafts. You don't want to start him every time, but he'll help more than hurt if used judiciously.

Verdict: Champ

 

Eric Hosmer (1B, SD) ADP: 77.3

Hosmer was great to own in 2017, as he put up a .318/.385/.498 line with 25 HR and six stolen bases (one CS). Unfortunately, almost none of it appears sustainable moving forward.

Let's start with his league average power. Hosmer wouldn't know what a fly ball was if he tripped over one, posting a FB% of just 22.2% last year. His fantasy season was saved by a 22.5% HR/FB, but his average airborne exit velocity (94.2 mph vs. 95.4 in 2016) and rate of Brls/BBE (6.8% vs. 9.4% in 2016) both declined. He also pulled fewer of his flies (10.8%) than he has over his career (15.1%), meaning that all three of his power indicators are trending in the wrong direction.

Some analysts are expecting Hosmer's numbers to improve after escaping Kansas City, and San Diego was a slightly better ballpark for left-handed HR according to the newly updated FanGraphs ballpark factors (96 vs. 93). However, neither park is great and Hosmer already hit more homers at home (16) than on the road (nine) in 2017. Furthermore, the site's five year averages suggest that Kansas City is better for overall scoring (102) than San Diego (95). Essentially, Hosmer is exchanging one bad park for another.

His .318 batting average takes some of the sting out of power regression, but the .351 BABIP it's based upon is equally likely to decline (.316 career). Hosmer murders his ground balls (87.4 mph last year, 90.2 in 2016) and boasts an above average Statcast Sprint Speed (27.5 ft./sec), but last year's .259 BABIP on the ground (.251 career) was not the primary reason for his success.

Instead, he crushed his career BABIPs on both fly balls (.186 vs. .161) and line drives (.703 vs. .663). His LD% (22.2%) also exceeded his career number (20% LD%). Considering the above decline in airborne contact quality and the random fluctuations LD% is prone to, neither should be expected moving forward.

This is not to suggest that Hosmer is a completely lost cause. His airborne contact quality remains strong enough to produce sustainable power seasons if he hits more fly balls, and he seldom strikes out (15.5% K%, 9.3% SwStr% last year). Heck, he even has enough speed to swipe 10 or more bags! However, his current ADP takes growth as a given when the 28-year old has resisted change in the past. Let somebody else pay a premium.

Verdict: Chump

 

More 2018 Player Outlooks




REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Kyren Williams

Have Timeshare Concerns Sunk Kyren Williams' Dynasty Value Too Low?
Ja'Marr Chase

Is Ja'Marr Chase the Most Valuable Player in Dynasty?
Javonte Williams

' Unusual Career Path Has Left Him Undervalued in Dynasty Leagues
CFB

Ezavier Crowell has Immediate Opportunity at Alabama
Terry McLaurin

a Veteran Buy for Contending Dynasty Managers
CFB

Mark Bowman a Day 1 Impact Player for USC?
Tee Higgins

Becoming an Underappreciated Dynasty Asset
CFB

Bill Belichick Says Relationship with First North Carolina Team "Wasn't Great"
Alex Caruso

Erupts for 31 Points in Game 1 Loss to Spurs
CFB

Kemario Taylor a Breakout Candidate at Quarterback
Jalen Williams

Productive in Comeback Game
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss the Undisputed Top SEC Quarterback Entering 2026?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Records First Double-Double of Postseason
CFB

Rocco Becht The "Unifier" of Penn State's Roster
Stephon Castle

Opens Conference Finals With Double-Double
Dylan Harper

Makes Outstanding Two-Way Impact in Game 1 Win
Victor Wembanyama

Dominates Game 1 Against Thunder
Mattias Samuelsson

Picks Up an Assist in Season-Ending Loss
Rasmus Dahlin

Nets Fourth Postseason Goal
Jakub Dobes

Records 37 Saves in Game 7 Win
Lane Hutson

Contributes Power-Play Assist in Game 7 Victory
Nick Suzuki

Extends Road Point Streak
Alex Newhook

Scores Series-Clincher in Overtime
Jackson Holliday

Orioles Reinstate Jackson Holliday From Injured List on Monday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Braves Reinstate Ronald Acuna Jr. From Injured List on Monday
Jose Altuve

Astros Put Jose Altuve on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Larry Nance Jr.

is Questionable for Game 1 on Tuesday
OG Anunoby

is Probable for Tuesday's Game 1
Luke Kornet

is Cleared for Game 1
New Orleans Pelicans

Jamahl Mosley Agrees to Become Pelicans Next Head Coach
De'Aaron Fox

is Ruled Out for Game 1 on Monday
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Set to Start Game 7
Corey Seager

Going on Injured List With Back Injury
Tage Thompson

Can Match Franchise Record With Another Multi-Point Game
Nick Suzuki

Seeks More Road Success Monday
Lane Hutson

Riding a Five-Game Assist Streak Into Game 7
Filip Gustavsson

Needs Offseason Surgery
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Reinstated and Starting on Monday Against Twins
Cam Skattebo

Dynasty Stock Rising Following NFL Draft
Kaleb Johnson

Logging First-Team Reps in OTAs
Evan Engram

Dynasty Value Fading After Production Decline in 2025
TreVeyon Henderson

Dynasty Outlook Clouded By Split Backfield in New England
Caleb Williams

' Dynasty Upside Remains Sky-High Entering 2026
Bijan Robinson

Is Bijan Robinson the No. 1 Overall Player in Dynasty Formats?
Woody Marks

Should Have Plenty of Opportunities to Catch Passes
Drew Allar

Working as QB4 in First OTA Session
Aaron Rodgers

Reports to Steelers Facilities on Monday
Alvin Kamara

Saints Remain Non-Committal on Alvin Kamara's Future
Chris Olave

Saints Continue to Work on Extension With Chris Olave
Parker Washington

a Sneaky Trade Target in Dynasty Leagues?
Melquizael Costa

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 117
Jarquez Hunter

Can Jarquez Hunter's Dynasty Outlook Improve in Year 2?
Arnold Allen

Bounces Back
James Conner

Off the Dynasty Radar Entirely?
Elijah Arroyo

Will Elijah Arroyo Continue to Have Trouble Getting on the Field?
Daniel Santos

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Tre Tucker

Not a Long-Term Solution in Dynasty Leagues
MMA

Dohoo Choi Wins His Third Consecutive Fight
Malcolm Wellmaker

Suffers His Second Loss In A Row
Juan Diaz

Scores Second-Round Submission
Christian Edwards

Defeated At UFC Vegas 117
CFB

Transfer Running Back Arnold Barnes Visiting Iowa State on Monday
Modestas Bukauskas

Gets Split-Decision Win
Jhostynxon Garcia

Expected to Join the Pirates on Tuesday
Tobias Harris

Goes Cold in Game 7 Loss
Quinn Hughes

Open to Signing Extension This Offseason
Jalen Duren

Finishes Game 7 with Quiet Line
Cade Cunningham

Endures Cold Shooting Night Sunday
Joel Eriksson Ek

Misses Second Round Due to Heel Injury
Sam Merrill

Catches Fire in Game 7 Win
Evan Mobley

Posts Versatile Double-Double in Game 7
Jonas Brodin

Sits Out Round 2 Due to Toe Injury
Donovan Mitchell

Guides Cavaliers Into East Finals
Sam Malinski

Practices Fully Sunday
Jarrett Allen

Scores 23 Points in Cavs' Game 7 Rout of Pistons
Josh Manson

Rejoins Practice
Kevin Huerter

Active on Sunday Night
Caris LeVert

Duncan Robinson, Caris LeVert Available Sunday
Dean Wade

Max Strus Replaces Dean Wade in Starting Lineup Sunday
Colt Emerson

Mariners Promoting Top Prospect Colt Emerson to Major Leagues
Munetaka Murakami

Fantastic First Season Continues With Two More Homers
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Dazzles With 13-Strikeout Complete Game on Saturday
Blake Snell

to Undergo Elbow Surgery on Tuesday
Clay Holmes

Could Miss Around Three Months
Jose Altuve

Exits After Swing
Corey Seager

Absent With Back Spasms on Saturday
Jeremy Lauzon

Misses Saturday's Practice
Mark Stone

Doesn't Practice Saturday
Josh Manson

Misses Practice, Considered Day-to-Day
Brent Burns

Day-to-Day Ahead of Conference Finals
Cale Makar

Considered Day-to-Day
Trevor Story

Hits the Injured List With Groin Injury
Blake Snell

Likely to Need Elbow Surgery
Kyle Schwarber

on a Heater, Hits Two More Homers to Take Major-League Lead
Clay Holmes

Suffers Fractured Fibula on Friday Night
Blake Snell

Heads to 15-Day Injured List
Blake Snell

Scratched From Start on Friday for Undisclosed Reasons
Max Fried

Heading to Injured List With Elbow Bone Bruise
CFB

Julian Sayin Looking To Build Off Of Strong Debut Season
CFB

College GameDay Set for First Three Weeks
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Aiming For Ohio State Receiving Records
CFB

Keshaun Singleton Projects as Auburn's WR1
CFB

Jeremiah Cobb Impresses New Auburn Staff
CFB

Alberto Mendoza Very Likely to Start for Georgia Tech
CFB

Charles Woodson Jr. Commits to Michigan
Jordan Westburg

to Have Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Melquizael Costa

Set For UFC Vegas 117 Main Event
Arnold Allen

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 117
Daniel Santos

Set For UFC Vegas 117 Co-Main Event
MMA

Dohoo Choi Returns At UFC Vegas 117
Juan Diaz

Set To Make His UFC Debut
Malcolm Wellmaker

Looks To Bounce Back
Christian Edwards

Set For His UFC Debut
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
CFB

Virginia Tech Lands Commitment from Four-Star QB Peter Bourque
CFB

NFL Veteran Tom Moore Joins Iowa Coaching Staff
CFB

Can Cam Cook Dominate in Return to Big 12?
CFB

ACC, Big 12 Support 24-Team College Football Playoff
CFB

Anthony Colandrea Looking to Elevate Nebraska Back to National Contention
CFB

Kwazi Gilmer Set for Big Impact at Nebraska
Justin Thomas

Trending Well Ahead of PGA Championship Despite Concerning Form
J.J. Spaun

Trending Up Ahead of PGA Championship
Adam Scott

Riding Strong Form Into PGA Championship
Patrick Reed

Looking to Make Another Run at PGA Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Looks to Build on Strong Finish at Truist Championship
Sam Burns

Must Keep Ball in Play at PGA Championship
Jordan Spieth

Looks to Complete Career Grand Slam at Aronimink
Brandt Snedeker

Not the Best Option for the PGA Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF