This article is part of our Transaction Analysis series.
It was a pretty slow week for transactions due to the All-Star break, but here are some of the most important moves and their fantasy implications:
SUNDAY
Braves
B.J. Upton, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (right groin)
Evan Gattis, C-OF - activated from the 15-day DL
Impact: Upton is having an awful season at the plate this year, hitting just .177 with eight home runs and 20 RBI through 84 games. He'll miss some time with a strained adductor muscle, giving way to Reed Johnson in center field. Johnson has a bit of pop in his bat and could have some value in NL-only leagues. Gattis was out of action nearly a month with a strained right oblique. The rookie catcher has impressed offensively this season, hitting .252 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI in 53 games. He should get some starts in left field and backing up Brian McCann behind the plate but is still not assured of being in the lineup everyday. Still, he could have some value in mixed leagues as long as he keeps swinging a decent bat.
Giants
Jeff Francoeur, OF - contract purchased from Triple-A Fresno
Nick Noonan, IF - optioned to Triple-A Fresno
Impact: Francoeur was awful in 59 games with the Royals this year before they released him. He managed to hit just .208 with three home runs and 13 RBI, but the Giants decided to take a chance on him anyway. He should serve
It was a pretty slow week for transactions due to the All-Star break, but here are some of the most important moves and their fantasy implications:
SUNDAY
Braves
B.J. Upton, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (right groin)
Evan Gattis, C-OF - activated from the 15-day DL
Impact: Upton is having an awful season at the plate this year, hitting just .177 with eight home runs and 20 RBI through 84 games. He'll miss some time with a strained adductor muscle, giving way to Reed Johnson in center field. Johnson has a bit of pop in his bat and could have some value in NL-only leagues. Gattis was out of action nearly a month with a strained right oblique. The rookie catcher has impressed offensively this season, hitting .252 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI in 53 games. He should get some starts in left field and backing up Brian McCann behind the plate but is still not assured of being in the lineup everyday. Still, he could have some value in mixed leagues as long as he keeps swinging a decent bat.
Giants
Jeff Francoeur, OF - contract purchased from Triple-A Fresno
Nick Noonan, IF - optioned to Triple-A Fresno
Impact: Francoeur was awful in 59 games with the Royals this year before they released him. He managed to hit just .208 with three home runs and 13 RBI, but the Giants decided to take a chance on him anyway. He should serve as the right-handed portion of a left-field platoon with Kensuke Tanaka and can probably be avoided in anything but the deepest NL-only leagues. Noonan has hit .213 with no home runs and five RBI in 52 games with San Francisco this season.
Phillies
Ben Revere, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (right foot)
Erik Kratz, C - activated from the 15-day DL
Impact: The Phillies' speedy center fielder likely will be out six to eight weeks after he fouled a ball off of his right foot Saturday. Revere had been performing well before the injury (.305 average, 22 stolen bases in 88 games), but the fractured foot may essentially end his 2013 season. John Mayberry should get most of the starts in center field with Laynce Nix also in the mix. Mayberry has some power, so he could be worth a look in deeper mixed leagues. Kratz returns to his role as backup catcher after missing over a month with an injury to his left knee.
Twins
Chris Parmelee, OF - optioned to Triple-A Rochester
Impact: After a promising 2011 season in which he posted a 1.035 OPS through 21 games, Parmelee has struggled, hitting a combined .226 with 13 home runs and 40 RBI over 147 games between 2012 and 2013. He had had served as the Twins' primary right fielder but will now get some more seasoning in the minors. Oswaldo Arcia and Eduardo Escobar were also shipped to the minors as the Twins shook up their roster prior to the All-Star break. It is expected that first baseman/outfielder Chris Colabello will join the club after the break. If that turns out to be the case, fantasy owners might want to give him a look, as he has hit .354 with 24 home runs and 76 RBI in 85 games at Triple-A this season.
THURSDAY
Royals
Johnny Giavotella, 2B - optioned to Triple-A Omaha
Impact: The Royals gave Giavotella just 10 games to show that he could handle regular duty at second base, demoting him after he hit just .206 with no home runs and four RBI. Chris Getz may be recalled to help out at second base, with Elliot Johnson and Miguel Tejada also in the mix. None is likely to have much, if any, value in most fantasy leagues.
