Well-Known Fantasy Baseball Players - Drop, Hold, or Sell Low? (Week 20)

The calendar has flipped to August, which means we are just a few weeks away from the fantasy playoffs starting. If you're one of those teams still fighting for a playoff spot, time is ticking. However, this article could be a great help for you in Week 20 of the MLB season. 

We will be looking at five well-known fantasy baseball players who have not performed well recently. Some of these players are either struggling at the plate or in a rough stretch on the mound. 

So, let's dive into these five well-known players and determine what to do with them in fantasy. Should you drop them, hold them, or sell them low in a trade? Let's take a look. 

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OF Heliot Ramos, San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos was the hottest hitter in baseball only a few weeks ago. From June 1 to July 12, Ramos had a .316 batting average (48-for-152) with 12 home runs, seven doubles, and 32 RBI across 37 games. However, he has since cooled off significantly at the plate. 

Ramos is hitting just .219 (14-for-64) with one home run, two doubles, one triple, and eight RBI over his last 16 games. On top of that, he is dealing with a thumb issue that has caused him to miss three of the past seven games. While it remains to be seen if a trip to the injured list is required for the 24-year-old, it is not a great sign that the swelling in his thumb has forced him to miss back-to-back games. 

Injury Report on Heliot Ramos

➡️ @boxergerson pic.twitter.com/1Lv6O7PeXx

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) August 5, 2024

So, with Ramos amid a slump and battling a thumb injury, what should fantasy managers do with the All-Star? The answer to that question really depends on where you're at in the standings. If you are fighting for a playoff spot, it might be time to drop the Giants outfielder. The 24-year-old is in a rough stretch at the plate, and there's a chance San Francisco will send him to the IL due to his nagging thumb issue. 

2B Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee Brewers infielder Brice Turang was one of the most surprising fantasy players to begin the season. Through the first three months, Turang owned a .292 batting average with six HRs, 14 doubles, two triples, 37 RBI, and 28 stolen bases. That strong start to the year made the 24-year-old an early candidate for waiver wire pickup of the year. 

However, Turang has struggled mightily at the plate over the past month. He is hitting just .174 (17-for-98) with two doubles, eight RBI, and four stolen bases across his last 27 games dating back to July 1. There aren't many positives for the Brewers second baseman during this span. He is not getting on base, which is hurting his stolen base chances, and his average has dropped all the way down to .262 on the season. 

The current stolen base leaderboard:
- Elly De La Cruz (57 SB)
- Brice Turang (32)
- Shohei Ohtani (31)
- Lane Thomas (28)
- Jose Caballero (28)
- David Hamilton (28)
- Maikel Garcia (27)

— Discuss Baseball (@discussbaseball) August 5, 2024

Nonetheless, Turang is a player fantasy managers should still hold onto in category leagues. He won't be in this slump forever, and if you need some stolen bases over the next couple of weeks, the 24-year-old is important to keep on your roster. In points leagues, though, it might be time to drop him. He only has 24 extra-base hits on the year, and there are likely better players on the waiver wire right now. 

OF Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers

There was a ton of hype surrounding Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford entering the year. He was just drafted fourth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft and quickly showed his potential in the minors that same season. Langford hit .351 with 10 HRs, 30 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in only 171 minor league at-bats. So, he was a nice target for most fantasy managers in the middle rounds. 

Nevertheless, Langford has struggled in his first major league season. The rookie is batting .245 with six HRs, 16 doubles, four triples, and 44 RBI across 86 games in 2024. Most importantly, though, the Rangers outfielder is in a slump at the plate. Over his last 19 games, he is hitting just .149 with 20 strikeouts. 

But fantasy managers must be patient with rookies, even at this point in the season. They go through plenty of ups and downs in their first year, and Langford is no different. He has failed to put up consistent numbers over the past month, but he has shown some promise in 2024. From June 12 to July 8, the 22-year-old hit .348 with four HRs, eight doubles, and 22 RBI across a 25-game stretch. As a result, hold onto him in Week 20 of the MLB season because his upside is too big to drop on waivers. 

SP/RP Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox 

Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet was one of the best pitchers in baseball to start the 2024 season. Through his first 18 outings, Crochet owned a 3.02 ERA with a league-leading 141 strikeouts while holding opposing hitters to a .198 batting average. But things have been different for the left-hander since entering July. 

Crochet has a 4.24 ERA and 21 strikeouts over his last five starts. On top of that, the southpaw has thrown just 17 innings during that stretch while failing to pitch into the fifth inning in any of those outings. That's why it might be time to sell low on the All-Star pitcher. 

Garrett Crochet, 99mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/CZcQFp4WQw

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 4, 2024

With Crochet already at 118.1 innings pitched this season, expect the White Sox to limit the southpaw down the stretch. They aren't playing for anything in the final two months, and the left-hander threw just 88.2 combined innings from 2020 to 2023. It would be hard to imagine him pitching more than four or five innings in any start in August or September. That makes now the best time to sell low on him. You might not get a ton in return, but it's better than rolling him out every week. 

SP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw spent the first half of the year on the injured list due to offseason shoulder surgery. However, he made his season debut on July 25 against the San Francisco Giants. In that first outing, the left-hander tossed four innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts. Then, he followed that up by allowing three runs on six hits with one walk across 3.2 innings. 

Kershaw's first two starts haven't gone according to plan, as the three-time Cy Young winner has given up five earned runs in his first 7.2 innings pitched. Nonetheless, give it a couple more starts until you drop him in fantasy. He is coming off a shoulder injury that caused him to miss the first four months of the season. 

As a result, hold onto Kershaw until at least the middle of August. His next start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday will be a big test. If he can deliver five or six innings of two-run ball facing that offense, that will be key for his fantasy value moving forward. If he gets rocked, though, time might be ticking for the Dodgers pitcher in fantasy.