Sean Doolittle
Just as Santiago Castillo was starting to get into a bit of a rhythm, he was sent to the clubhouse after being hit with a foul ball on Saturday. When the A's subsequently had a save situation, Doolittle got the call, allowing just one hit while striking out three Yankees in a shutout ninth. Doolitle missed a month and a half with a shoulder injury, but he has been very strong since his return, fanning six over three innings while allowing just one base runners. Doolittle has had the A's closing job before, and he has a 2.53 ERA in addition to a 0.66 WHIP in 2017. That ERA is backed by a 2.67 FIP and a 1.89 xFIP, and he has 17 strikeouts to just one walk this season. If Doolittle can stay healthy, he's an elite bullpen arm, a career 3.06 career ERA, who has a strikeout rate of over 30 percent for his career. He's worth a spec add while it is determined what the nature of Casilla's injury is.
Cameron Maybin
Maybin has been excellent since a recent return from the DL, and he got his first post-injury homer on Saturday, his fourth of the season. Maybin added a steal, his 21st (!) of the season, and he now has four multi-hit games in his eight games back since his obliue injury. Maybin is still available in nearly 60 percent of ESPN leagues, so check your waiver wire and add him ASAP if he's there. The production is legitimate, as he is an impressive 21-for-22 on the absepaths, and his 31.1 percent hard hit ball rate is right around his career high. He still hits too many grounders, but with his speed, he can beat a few of those out and keep his batting average right arund where it is now (.267). He's up to 40 runs in just 52 games thanks in part to an excellent 14.5 percent walk rate that is the highest of his career. He's a stud in OBP leagues and a must-add even in BA leagues.
Jonathan Schoop
Schoop's plate discipline profile was a bit troubling last seaosn, but he has improved just enough to look like a decent investment in 2017. Schoop was the owner of a 21.2 percent strikeout and 3.2 percent walk rates last season, but he has improved to 20.8 and 6.2 percent, respectively. The walk rate still isn't great, but the slight improvement in strikeout rate in underlined by a near-10 percent improvement in swing rate on pitches outside the strike zone. His overall swing rate is by far the lowest of his career, and his swinging strike rate is also a career low. If Schoop can keep up this sort of plate discipline profile while keeping the 25-30 homer pace he has had in this season and seasons past, he is definitely most-won material in all leagues.
David Robertson
Robertson locked in his 11th save of the season on Saturday, throwing a perfect ninth for Chicago and lowering his ERA to 3.20 in the process. Robertson has been strong in 2017, with a 2.82 FIP, 3.09 xFIP and 13.14 strikeouts per nine. Robertson has saved 11 of his 12 opportunities, and he will likely be one of the biggest trade targets at this year's deadline. With that in mind, he has a pretty high-risk/high-reward potential. On the one hand, he could be moved to a much better team like the Washington Nationals, where he would not only retain his role as closer but also get a lot more opportunities. On the other hand, if he was moved to a team like the Yankees or Red Sox, teams who have set closers, he would move back into a set-up role. The Nationals still seem the likeliest and it's not as if other owners are unaware of a potential trade, so the best move with Robertson is likely to keep hanging onto him.
Daily Fantasy
Jed Lowrie ($18)
Lowrie against Yankees spot starter Luis Cessa is a perfect safe play in head-to-head leagues on Sunday. Lowrie has been as consistent a bat as you can find in 2017. Hitting .291 with numerous multi-hit games to his name. He has 43 runs scored, and he even has some pop to his name, with eight homers on the season. Lowrie is a great add in year-long leagues, but he is also an awesome daily play, especially in a matchup as juicy as facing Luis Cessa in Yankee Stadium. His entire batted ball and plate discipline profile have been elite and basically career high this year to top it all off.
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