When building a team, you want to have the guy who will run through a wall to help your team win. The only problem is when one of your top players breaks bones while running through said wall.
J.D. Martinez suffered a broken bone in his right elbow after crashing into the wall at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday, and fantasy owners will be without his services for 4-6 weeks.
In 65 games this season, Martinez hit .286 with 12 homers, 39 RBIs, 36 runs scored and a stolen base. He was striking out 24.2 percent of the time (his lowest mark since 2012) and walking in a career-high 9.5 percent of his at-bats.
So, how do you go about replacing the player who was drafted as the 11th best outfielder?
Well, if Cincinnati’s Adam Duvall (81 percent owned) or San Diego’s Wil Myers (87 percent owned) still are available in your league, they should be your top targets. Assuming they’re not available, St. Louis’ red-hot slugger Brandon Moss (available in more than 50 percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues) should be next on your list, as he will certainly make up for the power and RBIs you’re going to be missing.
You should also keep an eye on Steven Moya (.298, 13 HR, 38 RBI at Triple-A), whom the Tigers called up after Martinez’s injury.
There also are deeper options worth considering:
— As of May 14, Jayson Werth was hitting .198 and looking like a washed up 37-year-old Paul Bunyan impersonator hitting at the bottom of the Nationals’ lineup. But, in his previous 27 games before Friday (including 25 as the No. 2 hitter), the veteran was hitting .303 with four homers, 17 RBIs, 18 runs scored, 14 walks and a .861 OPS. Werth still is available in 70 percent of all leagues, and as long as he stays healthy and in the No. 2 slot, he is worth a flier.
— Robbie Grossman (available in more than 80 percent of leagues) is on a truly awful Twins squad, but the 26-year-old entered Friday hitting .303 with five homers, 15 RBIs, 22 walks and a 1.014 OPS.
— Michael Saunders was hitting a career-high .307 with 12 homers, 27 RBIs and 33 runs scored in his first 60 games. He also had a career-high .385 on-base percentage (20th in the majors) and .569 slugging percentage (eighth in the majors).
— In his first 15 games this month, Toronto’s Kevin Pillar was 19-for-60 (.317) with five homers, 10 RBIs, 11 runs, one stolen base and a .966 OPS. He is available in about 50 percent of all leagues.
— For deep or AL-only leagues, the Rangers’ Ryan Rua is available in 85 percent or more of ESPN and Yahoo leagues, and he hit .325 with four homers, 10 RBIs, nine runs scored and two stolen bases in his first 13 games this month.
— The Dodgers’ Trayce Thompson (.264, 11 HR, 26 RBI, four stolen bases) and Tampa Bay’s Steve Pearce (.346, nine homers, 25 RBI), who is eligible at multiple positions, are widely available, too.
Big hits
Edwin Encarnacion 1B/DH, Blue Jays
In his first 14 games this month, the 33-year-old was 16-for-51 (.314) with eight homers, 21 RBIs, 16 runs, two stolen bases, a 1.272 OPS, 10 walks and just nine strikeouts. He had six homers in his past six games before Friday night.
Will Harris RP, Astros
Since taking the closer’s gig from Luke Gregerson, he is 5-for-5 in save opportunities with a 1.80 ERA and a .180 opponent average.
Danny Espinosa 2B, Nationals
He is hitting just .217 this season, but went 14-for-50 (.280) with six homers, nine RBIs and 14 runs scored in 14 games before Friday.
Doug Fister SP, Nationals
After going 1-3 with a 5.56 ERA in April, the veteran is 6-0 with a 2.35 ERA, 39 strikeouts and a .230 opponent average over his last nine starts.
Big whiffs
Giancarlo Stanton OF, Marlins
Over his first 26 games, the 26-year-old hit .274 with 10 homers, 24 RBIs and a 1.023 OPS. In his previous 29 games before Friday, he was 12-for-102 (.118) with two homers, five RBIs and a .426 OPS.
Travis Shaw 1B/3B, Red Sox
Had not homered since May 28, and went 10-for-59 (.169) with two RBIs, 13 strikeouts and a .483 OPS in his past 16 games.
Billy Burns OF, A’s
Before Friday, the 26-year-old had not stolen a base since May 22 and was hitting .208 with four RBIs and a .230 OBP in his last 20 games.
James Shields SP, White Sox
In two starts for Chicago, he is 0-1 with a 16.71 ERA, three strikeouts, six walks and a .447 opponent average. He has also allowed four homers.
Quick hits
Before Friday night, Jay Bruce had at least one RBI in 13 of his past 18 games, going 22-for-71 (.310) with seven homers, 22 RBIs, 16 runs scored and a 1.132 OPS in that span.
Hard-throwing Carlos Estevez is 3-for-3 in save opportunities since Jake McGee (left knee strain) hit the DL, and Estevez hadn’t allowed a base runner in those three outings.
It’s a shame Julio Teheran plays for Atlanta, because his efforts on the mound are being wasted. Over his past 11 starts, the 25-year-old righty is 2-5 with a 2.13 ERA, 71 strikeouts (in 72 innings), 16 walks and a .182 opponent average.
On June 16, Ichiro Suzuki collected his 4,257th hit (between MLB and Japan) to “pass” Pete Rose’s record total. One day earlier, Guinness Rishi, of India, fit 496 straws in his mouth (after removing his teeth) to set a Guinness World Record. Rose asked Guinness World Records if they would start counting the straws Rishi used in high school.
Team Name of the Week
Lackey Tobacky
Submitted by Douglas Jaffa