Philadelphia Phillies: 2020 Fantasy Preview – Part 3
In the third of a three-part series about the fantasy outlooks of Philadelphia Phillies players, we look at endgame material — Phillies who you might want to take a chance on at the end of your draft.
The Philadelphia Phillies feature a number of viable options on their club who could provide a boost to your fantasy team. We’ve already covered the top players in Part 1 of this series and some “middle of the order” players in Part 2. In this final chapter, we’ll take a look at some Phillies that you might want to consider very late in your draft as potential sleepers/dart throws.
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To be clear, these evaluations are based on 12-team leagues that use the standard fantasy categories for hitters and pitchers and a typical snake draft (1 through 12, then 12 through 1, alternating rounds). If your league is smaller, bigger, or has some kind of weird scoring, adjust accordingly.
There is risk involved with all of the following players, but there may be enough potential reward to justify placing a bet on some of them.
Where to grab him: Eflin could be a decent play as your final starting pitcher, the #6 or #7 option on your staff. As such, feel free to take a flyer on him anywhere after the 20th round.
What to expect: The big righty was a bit lucky to post a 4.13 ERA last year, so expect it to rise a tad. Still, expect him to produce 11 or 12 wins and somewhere near 150 strikeouts this year. That’s ok production for the Phillies from the #4 slot in their rotation, and you could do worse for your team.
Where to grab him: Seranthony is such a wild card coming off of last year’s injury that we can’t advise taking him at all unless he looks great this spring and it seems like he might take at least a share of the closing job away from Hector Neris. In that case, take him in the final round if your league rosters are deep (24+ players).
What to expect: There is a chance that Dominguez does emerge as a fantasy factor and post 20 saves with a solid ERA in 50 or so innings pitched. But more than likely, he’ll save three or four games this year (if he stays healthy) and won’t pitch enough innings to be a factor from a strikeout perspective.
Where to grab him: Given the choice between Eflin and Arrieta, we’d take Eflin every day and twice on Sunday. In case you missed it, we’re not exactly high on Arrieta’s prospects for this season. If you want to gamble in the last round, fine, but be ready to cut bait by the end of April if Arrieta is struggling against hitters that don’t have their timing down yet (unless they’re the Astros).
What to expect: You can “bank” on Arrieta to get about 10 wins this year and 125 K if he manages to make at least 25 starts. But you can get that pretty much anywhere else on the fantasy landscape.
Where to grab them: This pair of Phillies outfielders will have to be a dual entry, as it’s up in the air whether or not either will play enough to be worth your time. Quinn is the better bet, though his notoriously bad track record of staying healthy will loom constantly. If he proves himself to be a worthy 4th OF for the Phils, he can be the last man on your team. As for Bruce, don’t waste a pick. But monitor the situation closely, as a trade out of Philadelphia and the subsequent playing time bump would put him back on the fantasy radar.
What to expect: Quinn will easily rip off 20 stolen bases if he can just manage to stay on the field. He may even surprise you with double digit home runs. If Bruce plays the whole season in Philadelphia and fills the extra man/pinch hitter role that we’re expecting, the 18 home runs and 45 RBI he gives you won’t be worth your time. We’re really rooting for him this season though.
Where to grab them: Only one of these players will be worth rostering at all even in the deepest of leagues, and it comes down to who wins the job for the last spot in the rotation this spring. Even then, tread lightly in selecting the “winner” for your team. We’re talking last round if you’re feeling really lucky. The “loser” won’t have any fantasy value.
What to expect: You can’t have any kind of expectation for either pitcher. Let’s just say that we’ll all be shocked if either Pivetta or Velasquez hits 10 wins or 175 strikeouts this year. Sorry to be so negative, but there’s not much to like here. The only good thing I can say about this is that I found this guy on Baseball-Reference when I started to type in “Vince Velasquez.” And that just makes me happy.
Where to grab them: How deep is your league? If you have a reserve squad or can stash minor leaguers, both are excellent plays. And even in a league that simply has a large bench, both could also be viable if it looks like the Phillies will make a call-up in the season’s first few weeks. If your draft is a late one, a few extra days of spring observations about either Howard or Bohm might help you make the right call on them for a possible last round or reserve draft selection.
What to expect: Howard should burst onto the scene in the season’s first two months. It’s not unreasonable to expect him to pick up about eight wins and 100+ strikeouts in his first taste of major league action. Bohm, if he makes enough noise to force his way up, could bang out 20 home runs this season, even in a partial year. Both are extremely appealing in keeper leagues, but probably won’t deliver enough in the end to make them worthwhile investments for 2020 alone.
dark. Next. Phillies: 2020 Fantasy Preview - Part 2
This concludes our deep dives into the fantasy prospects of some Philadelphia Phillies for 2020. Good luck to the Phils on the field and to you in your fantasy league as you both begin your quests.