With baseball cruising in to its third weekend, several fantasy managers are looking to the waiver wire to improve their rosters. Two previous articles, week one, available here and week two, available here, stand ready to assist managers in doing just that. However, unless a replaced player is injured, someone has to be dropped to the wire. The question is whom should be sent to the outhouse? This fantasy baseball droppable players is presented to answer just such a question. Without another moment’s delay, let’s discover which players should be cleared out to unclog those fantasy rosters.

Droppable Position Players

Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds, 85.1% Owned

Obviously, Joey Votto has been one of the baseball’s best hitters during his time in Cincinnati. As this is being written, Votto sports a .300 career average. There aren’t many hitters throughout baseball’s rich history that can make that claim. Last season ended with Votto at the top of his game, as he hit 36 homers and drove in 99 runs.

However, it appears that time has caught up with this masterful hitter. Entering play today, Votto has virtually disappeared from the stats sheets, with a woeful .133 batting average, no homers and just two RBIs. The second week of the season hasn’t seen Votto heat up, as he is hitting just .100 in his last seven games. Those 36 homers of a year ago are looking like an outlier and not something managers can rely on. In his two previous full seasons, Votto hit just 27 home runs combined.

The fact he only qualifies at first place doesn’t help his situation, either. Anyone that owns him should see if another manager is willing to trade for him. If that exercise fails, it is time to send Votto to the waiver wire pasture and let him clog up someone else’s roster.

Trent Grisham, OF, San Diego Padres, 67.3% Owned

Fantasy managers expecting Trent Grisham to raise his level of play this season have to be greatly disappointed. Coming off a career high 15 homers in 2021, many thought the 25-year-old would blossom into a legitimate power source. Needless to say, that has not happened. Despite the fact 2022 is only 14 games old, some conclusions need to be drawn regarding Grisham’s play.

Entering Friday night’s game against the Dodgers, Grisham is hitting all of .152. He hit his first homer of the season last Saturday. That one moment is his season highlight. Since then, Grisham has a single hit. Grisham sat out for two straight games during the week, meaning managers can’t depend on him even being in the lineup. The fact that he only qualifies as an OF doesn’t help his case, either.

Except for in the largest of leagues, there has to be better options on the wire. Go find one and send Grisham packing. That recommendation comes at the top of the list on this fantasy baseball droppable players edition.

Jorge Soler, OF, Miami Marlins, 78.2% Owned

When last seen at the end of the World Series, Jorge Soler was at the top of the universe. His trade from the Kansas City Royals was a key ingredient that propelled Atlanta to the championship. In 55 games with the Braves, Soler hit 14 home runs and drove in 33. Those totals were nearly identical to what Soler had put up for the Royals in 94 games before the trade. Further, Soler really upped his game in the World Series against Houston, hitting three home runs and driving in six.

Miami signed him during the offseason with the expectation that Soler would put up numbers mirroring his time with the Braves, Sadly, however, that has not been the case in the early going. In his first 46 at bats in 2022, Soler has just one homer, two RBIs and three runs scored. His batting average is a measly .152. Soler hasn’t shown that he is ready to break out of the slump during the season’s second week, either, as he sports a .172 average in his last seven games. As with Grisham, there are players out there that can add more to a lineup than Soler is doing right now. Find that player and send Soler to the showers.

Jesse Winker, OF, Seattle Mariners, 95.2% Owned

When looking back on 2021, few players had a better start than Jesse Winker. He was selected to his first All-Star game and swinging a solid bat. After 110 games, though, the bloom came off the rose and things aren’t looking much better in 2022 for Winker, either. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners after the season, with the expectation of being in a much better lineup than had he stayed in Cincinnati. Unfortunately, those expectations for Winker have only been a mirage so far

After hitting .305-24-71 for the Reds, Winker’s bat has shown holes in it to start 2022. Through his first 42 at bats, Winker is only hitting .143-0-2, with five runs scored. Like the other players on this list, the second week has not been kind, as Winker is hitting .150 in his last seven games. Obviously, that kind of impact does not justify him being on 95 percent of ESPN rosters. As with Votto, see if any manager looking at Winker’s potential will bite on a trade. If there are no takers, take a deep breath and find a suitable replacement before Winker drags down the roster any further.

Carlos Santana, 1B/DH, Kansas City Royals, 52.7% Owned

That resounding thud that fantasy managers are hearing throughout the land is the sound of Carlos Santana falling to Earth. Last season, Santana hit 19 home runs and drove in 69 while hitting just .214. His 86 walks salvaged that average somewhat, though. Many managers thought Santana would hit some home runs in 2022 and justify a later round selection.

The early returns have clearly demolished that illusion, however. Santana has been on the bench as much, if not more, than as he has been in the lineup for the Royals. His numbers are truly disastrous at this point: .069-0-2. While the above hitters have 40 plus at bats on the season, Santana has just 29. Obviously, Kansas City doesn’t trust Santana enough to have him in their starting lineup. Neither should fantasy managers. Cutting him loose is an obvious conclusion on this fantasy baseball droppable players edition.

Joey Gallo, OF/DH, New York Yankees, 73.4% Owned

Without question, one of the more polarizing players in fantasy baseball circles the past few years has been Joey Gallo. The saying goes that his tremendous power and walk rate negate all of the negatives in his hitting. That argument is falling on deaf ears at the moment, however. The reality is that Gallo simply isn’t hitting, period. So far in 2022, Gallo has five hits total. Not home runs, but hits. He has yet to supply a homer or even driven in a run. That is truly brutal.

There hasn’t been any indication that he is coming around, either. Over the past seven games, Gallo has only two hits and been out of the Yankees lineup regularly. This is following up a 2021 season in which he hit just .199 and struck out a league leading total of 213 times. In points leagues, that is deadly. At least his walk total of 111 times also led the league. The base on balls has even escaped Gallo’s grasp this year, as he has only six. Add it all together and Gallo does not deserve to be owned in over 73 percent of leagues. Simply stated, a manager can do better, and a waiver move is the recommendation on this fantasy baseball droppable players edition.

Droppable Pitchers

Nick Pivetta, SP, Boston Red Sox, 27.2% Owned

There are few pitchers that have destructed as completely as Nick Pivetta has to start the early going in 2022. In his first three starts, Pivetta has come away with loses in all of them. Often, that kind of result can be laid at the feet of a dormant offense. That excuse doesn’t wash in this case. Pivetta has allowed four, four and five runs in those starts while walking ten. Pivetta has only been able to muster six disaster filled innings in his last two starts.

His ERA on the season is an unspeakable 10.03. However, that even pales next to his 13.50 he has put together in last two appearances. Pivetta did pitch in 31 games a season ago and had a winning 9-8 record. There is absolutely no reason to expect any kind of a return on to that level of play, though. Find a starting pitcher, almost any starting pitcher, and exchange him for Pivetta.

Jon Gray, SP, Texas Rangers, 69% Owned

Whenever a pitcher is a team’s Opening Day starter, fantasy managers should feel drafting him is worth a shot. That was the case with Jon Gray. Notice the past tense word used regarding Gray. Since throwing the first pitch of the Rangers’ season, it has all been downhill since. That start ended with Gray pitching four innings against Toronto, allowing three runs in a no-decision. Gray dealt with some injury issues, but made his second appearance Tuesday versus the Mariners.

The result was no better than the first, as Gray allowed four earned runs in five innings, and he suffered the loss. Injuries are again a concern, as Gray is battling a left knee low-grade MCL strain. The injury will most likely require a stay on the injured list. Placing a player who is pitching well on that list is certainly understandable. There is no reason to make such a move with a mediocre pitcher such as Gray, however. Send him to the waiver bin and pick up a pitcher that will deliver better results. They are out there.

Trevor Bauer, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers, 53.7% Owned

Any manager that made a move on Trevor Bauer has to be asking themselves why they bothered. Bauer has been on administrative leave for almost a year now. His situation is well known and not worth further discussion here. However, it is worth noting that his sabbatical has no end in sight at the moment. In fact, it appears as if Bauer could fight the leave of absence, but any conclusion to this whole event is simple speculation.

With all the unknowns, there is no explanation for why Bauer is owned in over 50 percent of leagues. His pitching ability isn’t worth the hassle of taking up a roster spot needlessly. There are pitchers worthy of getting out of the waiver jungle and given a fantasy home. Sending Bauer to the outpost is the highest recommendation that can be given on this fantasy baseball droppable players edition.

Marcus Stroman, SP, Chicago Cubs, 83.8% Owned

While this isn’t an out and out recommendation to drop Marcus Stroman, it is highly advisable to keep a sharp eye on him. After all, his last two starts have been disastrous, to say the least. One start in Colorado can be forgiven, but two becomes a pattern. In his last 8.1 innings, Stroman has given up 12 earned runs on 14 hits. Needless to say, he lost both decisions. Much more was expected of him after he made a league high 33 starts in 2021, with a 3.02 ERA across 179 innings.

Stroman looked good his first time out, giving up just one earned in five innings against Milwaukee. He looked all systems go in continuing his excellent pitching from last season into 2022. However, Stroman has stumbled badly since. His next start is scheduled for Tuesday against Atlanta. If he pitches poorly once again, managers, including this one, will have a decision on their hands. Hopefully, Stroman makes that decision an easy one. Look for a recommendation to follow that next start against the Braves.

The Last Word

Thank you for joining me for this fantasy baseball droppable players edition! As always, I welcome any and all suggestions, comments and input from my readers. Agree or disagree with any of the selections? Have players to add? Let’s discuss! Follow me on twitter @kevin62wilsea. Please feel free to share this article. Be sure to turn to Belly Up Sports and Belly Up Fantasy Sports & Picks for the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL happenings and all the latest sports news!