Get ahead in your fantasy baseball league by watching IL activations
The most successful fantasy baseball players are the ones who are always two steps ahead of their competition. They don’t wait for a player to get hot before they add him. They mine the data and anticipate it. They don’t wait for a team to announce they are calling up a top prospect. They study the news, watch the trends and anticipate it.
Every time you look to add someone because of their recent performance, that player is already somehow rostered by those who are proactive. If you want to beat them, you have to play their game and anticipate, so it is time to start paying closer attention to the injured list.
Depending on your league’s roster restrictions, adding players in anticipation of their activation from the IL can be a huge leg up. Even if your league doesn’t have long benches or unlimited IL spots, there may be a number of pitchers available on waivers who could prove to be difference-makers in the fantasy realm. Stashing one or two now is the proactive way to beat your competition on the waiver wire.
This week, it starts with Tampa Bay’s Shane Baz.
The latest reports have the Rays activating him as early as this weekend, so you may already be too late. But you have to look, because if he is available, this 22-year-old right-hander has an amazing arsenal, fantastic command and control of his secondary offerings and has the ability to dominate in the same fashion as his teammate Shane McClanahan. His rehab from elbow surgery to remove loose bodies reportedly has gone extremely well, and there is no reason to believe he won’t be the dominant force we’ve seen rise up through the ranks.
There are also a number of veterans who are expected to return this month and could be a major boost to your fantasy rotation. Lance Lynn’s rehab from knee surgery has gone well, and he’s already tossing scoreless innings at Triple-A for the White Sox. Jack Flaherty, whose rehab moves to Triple-A this weekcould, could be back in St. Louis by mid-month. Also on the list of potential June returns are Tylor Megill, Mike Clevinger and Lance McCullers, and if you want a deep dive for strikeouts, look out for Adbert Alzolay.
You don’t want to stash too many, as you may need to drop productive talent to make the roster moves, so be picky. Baz, Lynn, Megill and Clevinger should be your initial targets, with the rest based on your league’s roster parameters. But anticipating these returns is what will keep you ahead of the competition and put you into the winner’s circle.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball advice.
