Should You Drop These 5 Fantasy Baseball Players? Perez, Diaz and More

Let's now go over another round of fantasy baseball drop candidates before we hit the weekend.

Here's the last drop article we did.

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.

Salvador Perez - Kansas City Royals

He's trending down as he deals with an elbow injury. Perez is currently rostered in 70.37% of leagues.

He hopes to play on Friday, so it's not expected to be a long absence for the veteran catcher and first baseman. If the absence extends, it'd be easier to drop him.

Perez hasn't had a very productive season, but he has been producing a bit more of late, so the injury hurts some fantasy owners. He has a .216 average and .262 on-base percentage over 113 games and 473 plate appearances. Perez has 17 doubles, 16 homers and a triple among his 94 total hits, plus 52 RBIs, 41 runs scored, 18 walks and 94 strikeouts.

Perez is a solid fantasy asset, even with the down numbers, because he can play first base or catcher. He's not worth holding if he's not playing though, so be watching his status closely. If you don't need him around, you might be better off dropping him, even if he comes back later today.

Edwin Diaz - Los Angeles Dodgers

Diaz is down to 81.02% owned right now, and it could continue to plummet as he continues to struggle on the hill.

Diaz has been a fantasy draft bust this season, with a lengthy injury playing the biggest role in that. He has struggled since coming back, allowing at least one run in all but two appearances.

Diaz is 2-2 with six saves and four blown saves over 14 total appearances this season - three of those blown saves have come since August 7.

Diaz just doesn't look like the same pitcher he's been in his past, and it makes him droppable right now. Be keeping tabs on him in case he finds his form soon, but he is droppable in some standard leagues for sure.

Max Clark - Detroit Tigers

Clark is sitting at 65.28% rostered right now - he was nearly at 80% earlier this week.

He went hitless on Thursday, but had a hit in each of the two games before that. Clark has performed pretty well since being called up, posting a .265 average and .333 OBP over 12 games and 54 plate appearances.

He started hot though, and has cooled off from that, so it makes sense to see his own percentage falling. Clark has two doubles, a triple and a homer among his 13 total knocks, plus seven RBIs, six runs scored, four walks and 14 strikeouts.

Clark is a pretty good deep-league asset, so I'd only consider dropping the outfielder in standard leagues. Keep tabs on him in case he pops off again later this season, but he might be a better deep-league asset the rest of the season.

Kevin Gausman - Chicago Cubs

Gausman sits at 97.22% rostered right now. That's likely to fall after he was roughed up on Thursday.

He allowed six runs on seven hits and a walk over 4 2/3 innings against the Nationals. Gausman at least struck out seven batters to avoid an even worse fantasy showing.

He had been pitching better of late, allowing three or less runs in three straight starts, but after a dud like that, it makes sense to be dropping him. Gausman is now 6-11 with a 4.53 earned run average over 139 innings this season.

He's regressed pretty hard this season, and is really a better streaming option looking at that season-long ERA. Gausman is an above-average streamer with his strikeout prowess though, so I get holding him in some leagues still. Be mindful that these blowup starts can happen here and there, and don't be afraid to add/drop him the rest of the season.

Taylor Ward - Seattle Mariners 

Ward is dealing with a quad injury, so he's being let go in some fantasy leagues. He's owned in 66.67% of leagues at the moment.

He missed Thursday's game with tightness in his quad. Ward is considered day-to-day at this point, but his status needs to be watched closely.

Ward has struggled since joining the Mariners at the trade deadline, hitting just .156 and getting on base at the same clip. He has a .240 average and .370 OBP over 119 games and 538 plate appearances this season. Ward has 20 doubles, seven homers and a triple among his 106 total hits, plus 30 RBIs, 65 runs scored, 87 walks, four stolen bases and 109 strikeouts.

Ward hasn't produced enough to own in all leagues to begin with. If he's not playing at all, then he's droppable in more leagues, and that's where we're at today. Keep tabs on him, but consider dropping him if his numbers at the plate continue to be lackluster.