image courtesy of mlb.com
The Milwaukee Brewers got some tough news yesterday when it was announced that first basemen Eric Thames had a torn UCL in his thumb and the inkury could require surgery. As a result, Thames could be out 6-8 weeks.
If you have a D.L spot in your league and it is available, you can stash him on it. If not, you might have to consider dropping him. I have Thames in two leagues and I have to figure out whether or not I want to hold onto him. I have Madison Bumgarner occupying the D.L spot in both of those leagues.
If I decide to move on, here are five options I would consider.
Trey Mancini, 1B/OF, Balitmore Orioles: Like Thamas, Mancini can play first base or the outfield. He is off to a good start hitting .280 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI. He is currently owned in 75% of ESPN leagues and 63% of Yahoo leagues.
Todd Frazier, 3B, New York Mets: The Todd Father is off to a great start with the Mets hitting .264 with 3 home runs and 14 RBI. If you are looking for a readily available power source to plug in the middle of your line up, Frazier is an easy solution. He is currently available in 67% of Yahoo leagues and 60% of ESPN leagues.
Adam Duvall, OF, Cincinnati Reds: Duvall has missed some time this season but is healthy now. He is currently hitting .163 with 3 home runs and 11 RBI. The average is awful but the power numbers will be there, especially with him hitting in a bandbox like the Great American Ballpark. You will take a hit on the strikeouts but if you want Thamesque pop in your line up, Duvall is a good alternative. He is currently owned in 49% of Yahoo leagues and 59% of ESPN leagues.
Ronald Acuna Jr. OF, Atlanta Braves: The Braves called up the top prospect in baseball on Wednesday. You know you have thought about picking up Acuna. You might want to do it before he gets hot at the plate. Now might be a good time.
Christian Villanueva, 3B, San Diego Padres: Villanueva has been one of the surprises of the baseball season thus far. He is hitting .355 with 7 home runs and 16 RBI. It is hard to tell how long Villanueva will hit at this pace but if he keeps hitting into June, you can drop someone else on your roster, stash Thames and add Villanueva. He is owned in 73% of ESPN leagues and 74% of Yahoo leagues so he is not widely available. If he is in your league, grab him now!
You can also trade for a potential replacement for Thames but people don’t typically make trades this early in the season. Your best bet to replace his bat in your line up is through the waiver wire.