Stock Watch: 6 players trending up, down in fantasy
We'll identify three players each week whose fantasy stocks are rising, and three others whose stocks are falling.
Trending Up
Jose Fernandez: The Miami Marlins ace will make his season debut Thursday, skyrocketing his value in all leagues. He'll likely be on a pitch count for his first few starts, however, so don't expect high fantasy output until after the All-Star break. The recovering Tommy Johner may also be hampered by a lack of run support following the injury to slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Regardless, Fernandez is one of the top hurlers in the game, and his return is enough to push a fantasy team to the top of the standings.
Yovani Gallardo: The Texas Rangers may have lost ace Yu Darvish to season-ending Tommy John surgery, but Gallardo is doing his best to pick up the slack. The righty has tossed 23 1/3 straight scoreless innings, and is an impressive 3-0 with a 0.69 ERA in his last six starts. The 29-year-old no longer racks up strikeouts at the pace he did with the Milwaukee Brewers, but his fantasy value is reaching its peak this season.
Miguel Sano: Fantasy owners looking for a temporary power surge may want to consider adding this hulking third baseman via waivers or trade. Sano, who is being called up Thursday to make his major-league debut, owns a .918 OPS with 15 home runs and 18 doubles through 66 games in the Minnesota Twins' minor-league system. It's tough to say how the 22-year-old will fare against big-league pitching, but he's a risk worth taking.
Trending Down
Doug Fister: It's no secret the Washington Nationals boast the deadliest rotation in baseball, but Fister hasn't been carrying his weight lately. The big right-hander has taken losses in three of his last four starts, yielding 16 earned runs and 28 hits over that stretch. Fister will likely rebound in the coming months, however, and regain his status as a mid-range fantasy starter.
Joey Gallo: It's not quite time for Gallo to flourish at the big-league level. After homering in his first two games, his big bat began to dwindle, ultimately resulting in his demotion back to the minors. The Rangers slugger went homerless in his last 11 games, and was pushed to the outfield from third base with the return of Adrian Beltre from injury. Gallo could be back at some point this year, most likely in September, once rosters expand.
Alfredo Simon: The Detroit Tigers righty was a sneaky fantasy play up until his last three starts. Simon has been shelled for 18 earned runs and 29 hits over that stretch, taking losses in two of the three contests. His ERA has also ballooned to 3.94 from 2.58 during the nightmare stretch. It appears American League hitters are finally adjusting to the former Cincinnati Red, so it may be time to cut ties.