This fantasy baseball playoff edition arrives just in time. As hard as it may be to believe, the fantasy playoffs are actually here! There were quite a few twists and turns along the way. It seemed as if the sport was determined to torpedo itself, but we’ve made it! Congratulations to those who have reached the playoff round. A pat on the back is well deserved, but once done, it is time to get to work. Lineups and rosters still require moves and of course, we here at Belly Up are here to assist. Let’s get right to it, shall we?

Championship Worthy Player Adds

Victor Reyes, Outfielder, Detroit Tigers

I have to be honest and say that Victor Reyes was brought to my attention from a reader of my last baseball waiver wire column. Once an investigation was begun on Reyes, it became apparent real quick just how hot he is. For the season, Reyes is hitting .307-4-13 with 25 runs scored and six stolen bases. That is impressive enough, but Reyes is on a tear in recent games that few players can match.

Reyes has hits in 15 of his last 17 games. Last week, he had two hits in three straight games. He also had four hits twice and scored 14 runs in that span. However you slice it, Reyes is on fire and needs to be on a lot more rosters than 41.1% of leagues he is right now. He hits and has speed. What isn’t to like? Add him today and watch as your team leaves your opponent in the rear view mirror.

Michael Pineda, Starting Pitcher, Minnesota Twins

This may be hard to believe, but there is a quality starting pitcher for a playoff contender that is on the waiver wire. Who might that be? Look no further than Michael Pineda. He has only made two starts on the season, which largely explains his paltry 35.5% fantasy ownership. What Pineda lacks in quantity, he makes up for in quality. In those two starts, Pineda pitched 13 innings with 12 strikeouts, a win and a spiffy 2.77 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP.

Everyone knows that the Twins can score runs with the best of them. That alone puts Pineda in a good position for a win each time he takes the mound. If he continues to average almost a strikeout per inning the rest of the way, Pineda will reward any manager that claims him. If you need pitching help, grab him before the competition does.

David Peralta, Outfielder, Arizona Diamondbacks

While it is unknown if Arizona still has a major league team, it is clear that David Peralta is a man among boys in the Diamondback lineup. For the season, Peralta is hitting .283-3-26. Those numbers, as usual, don’t indicate the hot streak that Peralta is currently on. As this is being written, he has hits in four straight games and five out of six. He has two hits in two of those games.

Peralta has managed at least two hits in 13 games this season, including a stretch of three straight and five out of six. It is evident that once he gets on a tear, Peralta can maintain it for several games. He also in the lineup every day. Add it all up and he is much more valuable than the 44.9% ownership would indicate. Get him on the roster and one outfield spot will be worry free.

Brandon Belt, First Base, San Francisco Giants

Much like Arizona, the Giants have been stuck on a deserted island this season. That sure isn’t the fault of Brandon Belt, however. Since August 23, Belt has put up some astonishing displays of hitting. In that stretch, Belt had at least two hits in 10 games, including three in a row and four of five.

Belt went 0-4 Wednesday against the Mariners, so that should get the cold game out of the way for a while. Even with that goose egg, Belt managed to drive in and score a run. Belt has been a fantasy tease for quite a while now, but this hot of a streak just can’t be ignored. He is only owned in 39.4% of leagues. He can help push your team over the top. Belt is the hot in this fantasy baseball playoff edition. Add him today!

Deivi Garcia, Starting Pitcher, New York Yankees

The past few weeks we have had several player discussions, but none have been about a rookie. That changes now with the inclusion of Deivi Garcia of the Yankees. Garcia has made three starts since being called up to the big club. One was a stinker against Baltimore in which he allowed four runs on five hits in 4.2 innings. The other two? They were simply electric. Against the Mets and Toronto, Garcia pitched 13.2 innings and gave up only two runs on nine hits with 12 strikeouts and no walks. That is domination, folks.

Major league scouts have been raving about the movement that Garcia has on his fastball and his curve. New York has been slumping of late and the performance by Garcia has kept them from completely going into a funk. Starting a rookie in the fantasy playoffs can be dicey, but the talented Garcia is worth the gamble. He is currently owned in 28.5% of leagues that is sure to mushroom up big. Grab him before the competition does. Garcia is the biggest add in this fantasy baseball playoff edition. Remember, no applause necessary, just throw money.

Cold Players that can Doom a championship

Mike Minor, Starting Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

After an outstanding 2019 for the Rangers, this season has been an utter disaster for Mike Minor. First, he he hasn’t won a game. Second, Minor was dumped by Texas to Oakland for players that no one has ever heard of. Almost any time that a team trades someone to a division rival, it isn’t a good sign for the player involved. That is certainly true in this case. Minor currently has five loses with an unsightly 6.35 ERA. Things haven’t gone any better since he joined Oakland.

In his first relief appearance for the A’s, Minor gave up two home runs in just a single inning. Next, they tried him as a stater, which is what Minor has been in his career. The result? Four runs on three hits and two walks in just 3.1 innings. That, my friends, is the definition of a multi car pileup on the freeway. Minor is owned at just below the 50% mark in fantasy. That needs to be zero. Minor won’t help your team at all. It is past time to jettison him.

Joey Votto, First Base, Cincinnati Reds

The All-Star days have long since passed by Joey Votto. The decline actually began the past few seasons as Votto has only hit 27 homers in the two full seasons since setting his career high of 36 in 2017. He also didn’t hit over .284 after hitting over .300 in eight of the previous nine seasons. Many in the fantasy realm felt that Votto would turn things around and lead an improved Reds lineup to the top of the National League.

Not so, as Votto has crash landed hard and took Cincinnati with him. In 38 games, Votto is flailing away at the plate to the tune of .216-6-12. He has only 11 extra base hits on the year. In the past few games, Votto has really hit rock bottom. Coming off of a seven game hitting streak, which raised expectations, he has two hits in his last 22 at bats with zero RBIs. It is hard to figure how he is 72.4% owned. Name recognition won’t win anyone a championship. The sun is setting on Votto, let it happen on the wire or someone else’s team.

Kyle Schwarber, Outfield/DH, Chicago Cubs

There are few players that are as ice cold as Kyle Schwarber is. It is totally fair to say that the fantasy community has expected a lot more from Schwarber than he is capable of delivering. Those expectations need to be locked away this season and maybe forever. Schwarber is currently owned in a lofty 91.5% of leagues. This is what all of those managers got from Schwarber in the last week: zero hits.

Since his last hit on September third, Schwarber has two walks and two runs scored in 26 plate appearances. That kind of performance is beyond cold. That is what is known as liquid nitrogen. For the season, Schwarber has a .208 average with 10 homers and 24 RBIs. The home runs are nice, but that is all that owners are getting from Schwarber. There are players on the wire that are much more balanced than that. Do yourself a favor and find one of them before your playoff dreams are shattered. This fantasy baseball playoff edition will help with that with the recommendations of Peralta and Reyes above.

Robinson Cano, Second Base, New York Mets

Another former All-Star that has seen better days, Robinson Cano has hit the skids hard in recent games. Looking at the numbers, Cano is having a strong season, hitting .316. However, Cano was hitless in 17 at bats before getting a hit against Baltimore on Wednesday. Although not in an official platoon, it is likely that Cano will hit the pine against left handed pitching the rest of the way.

Holding a roster spot for a player in a slump that will miss games because of the hand a pitcher uses is not a recipe for success. It certainly doesn’t help to understand how Cano is on 70.2% of rosters. It looks like the Mets are likely to miss the postseason. That most likely means veterans like Cano will see fewer plate appearances as the year winds down. The playoffs start on Monday. If Cano hasn’t gotten back on the horse by then, send him to the stable and find a better rider.

That’s it for this fantasy baseball playoff edition. Again, congratulations on reaching the playoffs! It is an accomplishment that deserves recognition! Best to everyone as the journey to a championship begins. Please share with me if there are any recommendations on players to add to or remove from the list. I will see you next time!

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