Monday's Top Fantasy Baseball Drop Candidates Influenced by Injuries, a Suspension and Poor Play

It's time to check out some fantasy baseball drop candidates at the start of the ninth week of the season.

Also be sure to check out waiver wire stories (weekly projections, hitters and pitchers), and Monday's streaming article. Also be sure to read the weekly FantasySP expert picks article!

More droppable player data can be located on the waiver wire trends most dropped tab, which can be found on any fantasy baseball page here at FantasySP. 

Explore the best in-season tool to manage lineup/start decisions including waiver pickups, projections, trade suggestions, trade value charts, rest of season rankings, power rankings, and tons more with Fantasy Assistant.

Should You Drop Jose Alvarado?

Alvarado is down to 40% rostered after sitting at about 80% a couple days ago. He was suspended for 80 games.

He had been getting some save opportunities for the Phillies, so this is definitely a blow to their team. Alvarado's fantasy value also took a nosedive with this news, and probably should only be held in really deep leagues, or ones where suspended players can be stashed on IR spots.

Across 20 appearances this season, Alvarado was 4-1 with seven saves and five holds. He earned a save in his last appearance on May 16.

Alvarado has 25 strikeouts across 20 innings this season, and that won't be easy to replace from the waiver wire. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on 20 hits and four walks - four of the runs (three earned) came in one game, otherwise Alvarado has been stellar this season.

Again, there's no reason to keep holding Alvarado in leagues where he can't be stashed on IR. Drop him unless you are in a really deep league otherwise.

Should You Drop Jared Jones?

Jones is rostered in 42% of leagues yet, despite not having pitched this season, and not having the best of outlooks. It's being reported that he's likely going to undergo Tommy John surgery now, so he can be dropped in all redraft leagues now.

You'll have to stash Jones in dynasty/keeper leagues for a year-plus now, so hopefully you can place him on an IR spot.

Jones was pretty solid across 22 starts in his rookie season in 2024. He went 6-8 with a 4.14 earned run average, while striking out 132 batters over 121 2/3 innings. 

Here's to hoping he gets back on the mound as soon as possible and builds upon what he started in 2024.

Should You Drop Jordan Lawlar?

Lawlar is down 5.6% today and sits at 33% overall now.

He was called up to the big leagues a week ago, but hasn't done much in limited playing time so far. I have no idea why Arizona called him up to not play every day, but that's a different discussion.

He's gotten just nine plate appearances across three games played in a week span. Lawlar has no hits, one walk, no RBIs or runs scored and five strikeouts. Who would have thought taking away a red-hot hitter's playing time would result in poor results?

Lawlar has appeared at second base twice and shortstop once in his MLB appearances so far this season. He batted eighth in both of his starts.

He was tearing it up at the plate in Triple-A, but playing a limited role in the MLB, Lawlar is just a stash fantasy asset right now. In time, maybe an injury or poor hitting from a normal starter will get Lawlar into the lineup more, but for now, he's simply not playing enough for fantasy relevance.

Drop him in all standard leagues, and a lot of redraft deeper leagues too. He can be stashed in some of the deeper leagues, but probably only should be if your fantasy team is strong - if it's not, Lawlar should be dropped for someone who can help you out now.

Lawlar still has his most value in dynasty/keeper leagues. Eventually he'll get his big break, you just might need to wait a bit longer for it.

Should You Drop Xavier Edwards?

Edwards is down to 58% after a 5.1% dropoff today.

Edwards has played in 42 games and gotten 194 plate appearances this season. He has a .263 average and .337 on-base percentage. Edwards has three doubles and a triple among his 45 total knocks, along with 11 RBIs and stolen bases, 18 runs scored, 19 walks and 34 strikeouts.

His numbers are down from 2024, but the reason he's being dropped rapidly now is because of an injury. He's on the 10-day injured list with a back issue.

Edwards might be having a down season, but he's still doing enough to roster in all deeper leagues when he's healthy. I'd do my best to keep rostering him in those leagues even through the injury. Hopefully it's not a long absence for him, otherwise you might eventually need to drop him.

Edwards is a streaming option in standard leagues when he's going well at the plate. He had six hits in his last four games before the injury, so he was being utilized in a few standard leagues. Unless you have an IR spot to use on him, Edwards should probably be dropped in all standard redraft leagues.

He'll be a popular pickup when he's activated again, so keep an eye on his status and add him if you need him as he nears a return to the field.

Should You Drop Kristian Campbell?

Campbell continues to see his own percentage dwindle. He's down to 73% rostered after being let go in 3.5% of leagues today.

For the season, Campbell has a .233 average and .322 OBP across 40 games and 171 plate appearances. He's got five homers and eight doubles among his 35 total knocks, along with 15 RBIs, two stolen bases, 19 runs scored, 20 walks and 47 strikeouts.

In 11 May games, Campbell has four hits across 48 plate appearances. Only one of the hits has gone for extra bases (a homer), and he has three RBIs, one run scored and walk and 15 strikeouts this month.

It's hard to give up on a young player, especially one this highly regarded and who looked so great to start this season. Campbell simply isn't doing enough right now, and probably should be benched in most fantasy leagues.

I'd keep him around in deeper leagues (just benching him for now), but he should be dropped in about every standard redraft league now. He's a hitter to keep an eye on in case he heats up again soon, but there's not much reason to keep him around.

Should You Drop Zach Eflin?

Eflin was dropped in 4.3% of leagues today, bringing his overall mark down to 82%.

He was rocked for eight runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings against the Nationals in his last start. Eflin didn't walk a batter and struck out four, but surrendered four homers.

Eflin has made five starts overall now. He's 3-2 with a 5.08 ERA. He's allowed 16 runs on 29 hits and three walks, while punching out 17 batters.

You can see that by taking away his most recent start, Eflin's season-long numbers are much, much better. What's concerning though is that the Nationals are not a super formidable lineup, and with a lack of strikeouts on his resume, Eflin isn't the best fantasy asset already.

He's more of an innings-eater who posts good fantasy totals by not allowing many runs over longer starts. Eflin had been delivering solid fantasy results up until his last start.

His next starts are maybe against the Red Sox and Cardinals. Eflin faced Boston earlier this season, allowing three runs on eight hits over six innings. He took the loss, struck out five and walked none.

Eflin should be started in deeper leagues against the Red Sox, and based on his first start against them, I wouldn't mind starting him in some standard leagues. He's not a must-start pitcher though.

The Cardinals are a trickier matchup to assess this far out, but are pretty similar to Boston if you ask most people. The same could be applied to Eflin for that start.

He might revert back more to a deep-league option who gets standard league streaming starts in favorable or average matchups. Eflin is a player to track all season, because he can get hot and cold often.