5 Fantasy Baseball Drop Candidates Before the Weekend: Kirby, Baez and More

Let's jump into some fantasy baseball drop candidates going into the weekend.

Here's the last drop article we did. We won't cover anyone from that article here.

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. 

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Maikel Garcia - Kansas City Royals

Garcia is sitting at 74.41% rostered in fantasy baseball leagues right now. That's bound to go down after the news that he likely would hit the injured list again.

He has a hamstring injury that will cost him some time. This season, Garcia has played in just 73 games, getting 309 plate appearances.

Garcia has a .269 average and .324 on-base percentage, so he's delivered pretty well when healthy. He has 18 doubles and three triples and home runs among his 76 total hits, plus 32 RBIs, 34 runs scored, 24 walks, five stolen bases and 47 strikeouts.

He was hitting well since returning from the IL, but logged just four games before getting injured again. If you don't have room to stash him, he's droppable in standard redraft leagues, and some deeper setups. Add him back if he's activated later in the season, but there's a chance your fantasy season is over by then, so don't be afraid to move on now if you need to.

George Kirby - Seattle Mariners

Kirby is rostered in 94.34% of leagues, but that's going down after he was roughed up in his last start.

Kirby lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his Thursday start against Milwaukee. He allowed six runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking out three. All six runs allowed came in the first frame.

Kirby allowed five runs in the start before that, so it's been two rough outings in a row. He's capable of better results, and still has a 4.18 earned run average over 24 starts overall, so you can tell he's had better fantasy showings. For now though, he's hard to trust.

With fantasy seasons winding down, fantasy owners are scrambling for points/wins, so I get dropping a pitcher like Kirby who has struggled a couple starts in a row. You could treat him as a standard league streaming option for the time being, but hold him if he bounces back in a start to come, because he can be a good fantasy asset when he's right.

Tyler Soderstrom - Athletics

Soderstrom is sitting at 61.79% owned at the moment. That should dry up quickly, as he's out for the season with a hip injury.

That's a bummer, as he's been a solid fantasy asset over 109 games and 453 plate appearances this season. Soderstrom has a .245 average, but a .338 OBP. 

Adding in 27 doubles, 19 homers and three triples among his 97 total hits and he's a better fantasy asset than his average suggests. Soderstrom had 56 RBIs, 58 runs scored, 53 walks, two stolen bases and 91 strikeouts before the season-ending injury.

Soderstrom is droppable in all redraft leagues. Use that roster spot for someone who can help you down the stretch. I still like the 24-year-old's long-term outlook, so keep holding him in dynasty/keeper leagues and hope for better, and healthier, seasons in the future.

Kyle Bradish - Baltimore Orioles

Bradish is another starting pitcher trending down after his last outing. He's rostered in 85.85% of leagues at the moment.

He took on the Yankees on Thursday, taking a loss after allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings. Bradish struck out five batters.

Bradish had been pitching better of late before that, and he still sits with a 3.70 ERA over 25 starts and 138 2/3 innings. He's 7-12 though, which offsets a good ERA and 129 punchouts.

Bradish is being treated as another standard league streaming option. I think he's a bit better than that, but again, in a crucial fantasy time, I get adding/dropping him between starts. I see him delivering well down the stretch, so look into adding him if he becomes available in your leagues.

Joshua Baez - St. Louis Cardinals

Baez is owned in 70.62% of leagues right now. He was called up last weekend and jumped over 80% owned, but is starting to be let go in more and more leagues after a week in the big leagues.

His first game was historic, as he homered in three straight plate appearances. He had five RBIs and three runs scored in that one. 

In the six games and 26 plate appearances since, Baez has one hit, a single. Baez has two RBIs, a run scored, three walks, two stolen bases and eight strikeouts.

He was never going to produce at the level he did in his debut, and he's fallen off quickly. Baez might not be racking up hits, but he's producing enough to own in all deeper leagues still. If he heats up, that's when he can be added and utilized in standard leagues, otherwise I'd look elsewhere for help right now.