Fantasy Greats Between The All-Star Breaks

Image credit: Jeff McNeil (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

With the Futures Game and All-Star Game in the rearview mirror, we look forward to the second half of the 2019 season.

But before we embark, let’s pause to review the fantasy standouts (standard 5×5 format) in the past calendar year, i.e. the period in between the 2018 all-star break and the just-completed 2019 break.

BATTING AVERAGE
Min. 500 PA

No.	Name	G	PA	AVG
1	Christian Yelich	147	659	.346
2	Jeff McNeil	139	566	.340
3	Justin Turner	137	570	.320
4	Anthony Rendon	136	594	.319
	Michael Brantley	143	625	.319
6	J.D. Martinez	137	609	.316
	Cody Bellinger	155	621	.316
8	Charlie Blackmon	138	631	.315
9	DJ LeMahieu	138	619	.309
10	Mike Trout	130	571	.306

Hats off to the Mets’ Jeff McNeil, who debuted last July 24 and has done nothing but hit ever since. He leads the majors with a .349 average this season.

Bringing up the rear among batters with 500 PAs are Brandon Crawford (.211), Jake Bauers (.213), Brian Dozier (.214), Jose Ramirez (.218) and Kyle Schwarber (.225), Justin Smoak (.226), Asdrubal Cabrera (.227), Rougned Odor (.228), Brett Gardner (.230) and Matt Carpenter (.231).

HOME RUNS

No.	Name	G	PA	HR
1	Christian Yelich	147	659	56
2	Hunter Renfroe	141	536	46
3	Khris Davis	138	583	43
4	Mike Trout	130	571	42
5	Ronald Acuña Jr.	158	715	40
	Rhys Hoskins	156	682	40
7	Cody Bellinger	155	621	38
	Joey Gallo	116	472	38
9	Javier Baez	157	656	37
10	Trevor Story	139	600	36

Most notable here is the Padres’ Hunter Renfroe, who mashed 19 homers in the second half last year and 27 in the first half this year. He ranks third during the period—behind Christian Yelich and Mike Trout—with a .327 isolated slugging percentage.

One more fun fact: Renfroe was probably available on your league’s waiver wire one year ago.

RUNS BATTED IN

No.	Name	G	PA	RBI
1	Christian Yelich	147	659	134
2	Anthony Rendon	136	594	109
	Nolan Arenado	154	660	109
4	Bryce Harper	155	676	108
5	Freddie Freeman	158	693	105
6	Xander Bogaerts	143	620	104
7	Cody Bellinger	155	621	103
8	Khris Davis	138	583	102
9	Javier Baez	157	656	101
	Marcell Ozuna	136	577	101

Xander Bogaerts and Javier Baez stand out in this group for their uncommon run production as middle infielders. Every other player on the list is a corner player.

STOLEN BASES

No.	Name	G	PA	SB
1	Adalberto Mondesi	131	557	55
2	Mallex Smith	128	562	47
3	Whit Merrifield	158	718	41
4	Trea Turner	116	539	38
	Jonathan Villar	143	615	38
6	Jose Ramirez	148	643	32
7	Christian Yelich	147	659	29
8	Amed Rosario	151	641	28
	Billy Hamilton	139	491	28
10	Ronald Acuña Jr.	158	715	27
	Trevor Story	139	600	27

The Royals’ Adalberto Mondesi and the Nationals’ Trea Turner combine killer basestealing instincts with elite speed. They rank eighth and third, respectively, on the Statcast sprint speed leaderboard.

RUNS

No.	Name	G	PA	R
1	Mookie Betts	146	677	127
2	Christian Yelich	147	659	124
3	Ronald Acuña Jr.	158	715	122
4	Charlie Blackmon	138	631	113
5	Matt Chapman	153	674	111
6	Anthony Rendon	136	594	109
7	Whit Merrifield	158	718	108
8	Trevor Story	139	600	106
9	Freddie Freeman	158	693	104
10	DJ LeMahieu	138	619	103

Reigning American League MVP Mookie Betts may be having a “down” year by his standards—.272 average, 124 OPS+—but he still leads the majors with 77 runs scored this season. Betts also has more walks than strikeouts, and his Statcast expected stats suggest he has hit into bad luck this year.

That could be good news for Betts owners—and Red Sox fans—hoping for a big second half.

WINS

No.	Name	GS	IP	W
1	Justin Verlander	32	203	17
2	Max Scherzer	32	215	15
	Zack Wheeler	30	194	15
	Kyle Hendricks	30	184	15
	Zack Greinke	32	208	15
	Lucas Giolito	30	170	15

Jacob deGrom can’t buy a win, but Mets rotation-mate Zack Wheeler has notched 15 over the past calendar year, despite an ERA that is roughly a run higher.

The other notable here is White Sox righty Lucas Giolito, who leads the majors with 11 wins this season. He has taken matters into his own hands with two complete games, including one shutout.

Thirteen pitchers are tied with 14 wins: German Marquez, Gerrit Cole, Shane Bieber, Blake Snell, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Noah Syndergaard, Charlie Morton, Stephen Strasburg, Mike Minor, Kyle Gibson, Jon Lester, J.A. Happ and Mike Fiers.

EARNED RUN AVERAGE
Min. 150 IP

No.	Name	GS	IP	ERA
1	Hyun-Jin Ryu	26	162	1.78
2	Luis Castillo	29	172	2.35
3	Max Scherzer	32	215	2.47
4	Jacob deGrom	31	204	2.56
5	Mike Minor	28	175	2.68
6	Charlie Morton	30	167	2.69
7	David Price	27	151	2.80
8	Walker Buehler	30	184	2.84
9	Clayton Kershaw	28	185	2.92
10	Zack Greinke	32	208	2.94

As it turns out, the Reds’ Luis Castillo’s big second half last year truly was a harbinger of a breakout.

Three Dodgers starters—Hyun-Jin Ryu, Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw—have top 10 ERAs, adding credence to the “draft Dodgers starters” strategy. Ryu rocks the only sub-2.00 ERA in baseball over the past year.

The worst ERAs by pitchers with at least 150 innings: Dylan Bundy (5.71), Reynaldo Lopez (5.28), Rick Porcello (5.00), Ivan Nova (4.95), Jake Arrieta (4.81), Martin Perez (4.71), Marco Gonzales (4.55), Zach Eflin (4.52), Jake Junis (4.51) and Anthony DeSclafani (4.45).

SAVES

No.	Name	G	IP	SV
1	Kirby Yates	64	64	40
	Edwin Diaz	62	60	40
3	Shane Greene	58	56	35
4	Felipe Vazquez	62	67	34
	Will Smith	61	60	34
	Kenley Jansen	61	62	34
7	Roberto Osuna	60	60	31
	Brad Hand	67	65	31
9	Blake Treinen	60	69	30
	Aroldis Chapman	51	46	30
	Sergio Romo	60	58	30

Fantasy owners bemoan the volatility of closers in today’s game, which makes the stable saves sources all the more valuable.

WALKS PLUS HITS PER INNING
Min. 150 IP

No.	Name	GS	IP	WHIP
1	Justin Verlander	32	203	0.89
2	Walker Buehler	30	184	0.94
3	Max Scherzer	32	215	0.96
	Hyun-Jin Ryu	26	162	0.96
5	Zack Greinke	32	208	0.97
	Jacob deGrom	31	204	0.97
7	Clayton Kershaw	28	185	1.03
8	Luis Castillo	29	173	1.04
9	Gerrit Cole	30	181	1.06
	David Price	27	151	1.06
	Mike Minor	28	175	1.06

In a world where seemingly every frontline starter is getting blown up, these pitchers have found a way to get results. Note that the group leans heavy on veterans, with the exceptions being Walker Buehler and Luis Castillo.

STRIKEOUTS

No.	Name	GS	IP	SO
1	Max Scherzer	32	215	299
2	Justin Verlander	32	203	271
3	Gerrit Cole	31	189	269
4	Jacob deGrom	31	204	258
5	German Marquez	34	220	249
6	Robbie Ray	33	180	229
7	Patrick Corbin	31	191	226
8	Aaron Nola	32	194	217
9	Matthew Boyd	31	179	214
10	Shane Bieber	30	177	214

Shane Bieber claimed All-Star Game MVP honors this season by striking out the side. That performance was consistent with his stealthy dominance over the past year. Bieber ranks among the leaders with 14 wins and 214 strikeouts in between all-star breaks.

The other pitchers with 200 or more strikeouts are Blake Snell (209), Walker Buehler (205), Zack Wheeler (203), Chris Sale (202) and Jack Flaherty (202).