This article is part of our Transaction Analysis series.
Here's a look at some of the top moves in baseball this week and the fantasy implications:
MONDAY
Marlins
Placido Polanco, 3B - placed on the 7-day DL (concussion)
Gil Velazquez, IF - contact purchased from Triple-A New Orleans
Impact: Polanco getting 312 at-bats this year illustrates just how bad the Marlins offense has been. The 37-year-old Dominican third baseman has posted an absolutely dreadful .600 OPS, and his counting stats have been of little use to fantasy owners. He'll be forced to sit for at least a week while he recovers from concussion-like symptoms that he sustained when he was hit in the head by a pitch last Friday. Ed Lucas should get most of the playing time at the hot corner while Polanco is out, though he has actually done just as badly at the plate this season as Polanco. Fantasy owners looking for offensive help will want to look elsewhere. Velazquez will provide the Marlins with some infield depth.
Rays
Desmond Jennings, OF - activated from the 15-day DL
Brandon Gomes, RHP - optioned to Triple-A Durham
Impact: Jennings didn't need much time to recover after he suffered a minor fracture in his left middle finger during a slide Aug. 3. The injury had initially been diagnosed as a sprain, so the fact that he was out for just 16 days with the fracture has to be seen as a bit of a surprise. He has put up some modest numbers across the
Here's a look at some of the top moves in baseball this week and the fantasy implications:
MONDAY
Marlins
Placido Polanco, 3B - placed on the 7-day DL (concussion)
Gil Velazquez, IF - contact purchased from Triple-A New Orleans
Impact: Polanco getting 312 at-bats this year illustrates just how bad the Marlins offense has been. The 37-year-old Dominican third baseman has posted an absolutely dreadful .600 OPS, and his counting stats have been of little use to fantasy owners. He'll be forced to sit for at least a week while he recovers from concussion-like symptoms that he sustained when he was hit in the head by a pitch last Friday. Ed Lucas should get most of the playing time at the hot corner while Polanco is out, though he has actually done just as badly at the plate this season as Polanco. Fantasy owners looking for offensive help will want to look elsewhere. Velazquez will provide the Marlins with some infield depth.
Rays
Desmond Jennings, OF - activated from the 15-day DL
Brandon Gomes, RHP - optioned to Triple-A Durham
Impact: Jennings didn't need much time to recover after he suffered a minor fracture in his left middle finger during a slide Aug. 3. The injury had initially been diagnosed as a sprain, so the fact that he was out for just 16 days with the fracture has to be seen as a bit of a surprise. He has put up some modest numbers across the board this year, doing an adequate but unremarkable job in all five of the standard rotisserie categories. Sam Fuld and Jason Bourgeois can both be expected to see a reduction in playing time now that Jennings is back in action. Gomes leaves behind a 5.68 ERA over 15 relief appearances with the Rays this season, along with an incredible strikeout rate of 12.79 K/9.
Red Sox
Xander Bogaerts, IF - contract purchased from Triple-A Pawtucket
Brock Holt, IF - optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket
Impact: Bogaerts made his much-anticipated major league debut Tuesday after hitting .297 with 15 home runs and 67 RBI in 116 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year. The 20-year-old infielder is expected to get semi-regular playing time at third base and shortstop, though he could work himself into regular at-bats by season's end if he produces at the plate (or if Will Middlebrooks or Stephen Drew get injured). With Bogaerts' potential, he could still have some value in deeper AL-only leagues. Holt hit just .203 with no home runs and 11 RBI in 23 games for the BoSox.
TUESDAY
Blue Jays
Jose Bautista, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (left hip)
Moises Sierra, OF - recalled from Triple-A Buffalo
Impact: The Jays slugger will be out of action for at least a couple weeks due to a bone bruise in his left hip. Bautista has been putting together another productive season at the plate, as he's hitting .259 with 28 home runs and 73 RBI through 118 games. With Melky Cabrera and Colby Rasmus already on the shelf, the Blue Jays will be forced to use some combination of Rajai Davis, Anthony Gose, Kevin Pillar and Sierra to fill out their outfield. Sierra has a decent bat, and could have some value in deeper fantasy leagues. Davis, Gose and Pillar are all speedsters who probably won't offer fantasy owners much help in anything other than stolen bases.
Rangers
Alexi Ogando, RHP - placed on the 15-day DL (right shoulder)
Travis Blackley, LHP - contract purchased from Triple-A Round Rock
Impact: For the third time this season, Ogando finds himself on the disabled list. He's dealing with some inflammation in his right shoulder, and the team is optimistic that he won't need much more than the 15 day minimum to recover. Still, his frequent trips to the DL have raised questions about whether he's cut out for a starting role. Blackley will fill the vacant rotation spot for the time being, after being acquired from the Astros Aug. 14. He joins the Rangers sporting a career 5.28 ERA, and he went 1-1 with a 4.89 ERA over 42 relief appearances with Houston this year. He should not be considered a reliable fantasy option.
Twins
Joe Mauer, C - placed on the 7-day DL (concussion)
Chris Colabello, OF - recalled from Triple-A Rochester
Impact: Mauer experienced some dizziness after he took some foul tips off of his mask during Monday's game, so he'll have to sit out for at least a week. He's been putting up his usual numbers this year, hitting .324 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI over 113 contests. Ryan Doumit should get most of the playing time behind the dish while Mauer recovers, with Chris Herrmann serving as backup. Doumit's fantasy value should not be affected much, as he was already getting regular playing time between the DH, right field and catcher positions. Colabello's numbers during his earlier stints with the Twins were not overly impressive, though he has hit .352 with 24 home runs and 76 RBI in 89 games at Triple-A this year. He could be worth a look in AL-only leagues as long as the Twins give him regular at-bats.
THURSDAY
Blue Jays
Maicer Izturis, 2B - placed on the 15-day DL (left ankle)
Ryan Goins, IF - recalled from Triple-A Buffalo
Impact: Izturis will be forced to miss at least a couple weeks as he tries to recover from a sprained left ankle. He had been serving as the Jays' primary second baseman at the time of the injury and is hitting .236 with five home runs and 32 RBI in 107 games this year. Munenori Kawasaki and Mark DeRosa should share the second base duties while Izturis is out, with Goins providing some additional infield depth. Of the three players, DeRosa is the only one who hits well enough to possibly provide fantasy value if given regular playing time. Considering that regular at-bats are not a guarantee, it's probably best to avoid him.
Braves
Jason Heyward, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (jaw)
Paul Maholm, LHP - activated from the 15-day DL
Impact: Heyward fractured his jaw when he was hit by a pitch during Wednesday's game and is expected to be out four to six weeks. The Braves have a huge lead in their division, so their main concern is that he's back in time for the postseason. Heyward, who just recently turned 24, is hitting .253 with 13 home runs and 37 RBI through 95 games this year. Jordan Schafer, Evan Gattis and B.J. Upton could all see an increase in playing time as a result of the injury. Maholm missed a month with a bruised left wrist and rejoins the rotation sporting a 9-9 record and a 4.41 ERA through 20 starts.
