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It could not upset the actual MLB landscape the same way, but the acquisition of Brad Hand Thursday by the Indians could have even more impact on the fantasy world.
The movement, which sent Hand and Adam Cimber to Cleveland in return for catching prospect Francisco Mejia, pushes an Elite infantryman out of his closer role, while promoting another potential difference maker in the role – while opening up an opportunity for one The most talented young talents of baseball are also on the road
.
The Indians Acquire the Hand, Cimber
The Indians really have only one flaw as a team, and that is the only thing they have. bullpen. Of the seven pitchers who took part in the team's all-star break in the bullpen, five had an HR / 9 of 1.4 or higher, including Cody Allen. The feather team with which they will enter the second half will be a little better, since they will also get Andrew Miller from the DL. Suddenly, a weakness looks like a force.
Indians relieve themselves
Of course, Fantasy owners just want to know who will shut down. In my opinion, it will be Allen, whose 4.66 ERA is far from his career mark – he has not had a BPM of more than 3.00 since 2012, his rookie season. He is a better pitcher than he has shown, and given the way they have deployed Miller in the past, the Indians want to keep some flexibility in the acupuncture role of their relief aces. I guess Hand will be deployed the same way.
But this is not a guarantee. Hand and Miller are both left-handed, after all, just like Oliver Perez, a rare bright spot since he joined the bullpen in early June. Neither Miller nor Hand resemble a left-handed specialist, but perhaps Terry Francona wants to separate his left-handers, using either Hand or Miller as the closest, with the other serving more of a firefighter role in the first heats.
Anyway, Hand and Miller should get a few stops, as we have seen in Cleveland over the years. And it is also true that neither one nor the other will get enough stops to really live up to its Fantasy potential. I would keep Allen and Hand in the point leagues until we get definitive proof of how they will be used, and then empty the one who does not close. In the Roto leagues, the one that gets closer is obviously a valuable piece, but Hand and Miller are worth using even without working the ninth regularly.
The Padres Acquire Mejia
For the Padres, this movement concerns Mejia's potential to be a bat that changes the game behind marble. Mejia reminded us how well he could be in June, reaching .455 / .476 / .717 with four circuits and only 14 outs on catches in 104 Plate Appearances. At its best, Mejia brings strong contact skills and above-average power, skills that can make him an elite fantasy option to the receiver.
And in San Diego, he should have a chance to show to the receiver. It was not clear exactly where he would play in Cleveland, from which the various attempts of the Indians to try it in the outside field and third base. In San Diego, well … he just has to go through Austin Hedges. He will open the career of his Padres in Triple-A, but do not be surprised if we see him before long. And he will be a player to add as soon as he will get up every day.
The other side of the situation for San Diego is the one that will replace Hand, and it is probably Kirby Yates. At least for the moment. Like Hand, Yates is a successful refit project for the Padres, sporting a 1.43 MP with 11.5 K / 9 in 37 innings and 2/3 work. He should go straight into the role of Hand, and if he's not quite good, he should be closer to the average for the duration of his role.
It may take less than two weeks, because Yates is a prime candidate to be traded on his own. The Padres have other options in the paddock to take over Yates in this event – Craig Stammen and Robbie Erlin both come to mind – but we'll cross this bridge when we'll be there . For now, go add Yates if available. He will be good as long as he gets the job.
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