As we all know, baseball has been shut down by the virus, along with every other sport. Sooner or later, MLB will get started again. Hard as it is to believe, we will be able to stop being mindless zombies and manage to smile when fantasy draft day comes. To that end, there are more than a few players this virus shutdown will affect and it is important to use that knowledge when your turn on the clock comes. Make sure you know who are the most affected fantasy ballplayers.

Fade Starting Pitchers

It has long been my opinion that starting pitching should form the foundation of a fantasy baseball team, especially in points leagues. In a normal season, starters score the most points and I routinely draft them early and often. That doesn’t appear to be the case with a shortened season on the horizon. There has been plenty of talk about expanding rosters, which mostly means more pitchers. There could be six or seven starters on a roster. If that is so, that vastly reduces their impact.

I don’t usually have many relief pitchers, but that would be madness this year. Look to add top-end relievers such as Josh Hader, Kirby Yates, Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen. You can thank me later. There is no question relief pitchers will be the most affected fantasy ballplayers.

Justin Verlander, Pitcher, Houston Astros

Even with the above being true, Verlander will be the most affected starter by the virus shut down. After being removed from a spring start because of injury, Verlander had surgery in mid-March. The time table for his return was around six weeks. With the season delayed, that works out well for Verlander. Watch him when baseball returns and if healthy, he should be one of the top starting pitchers selected.

James Paxton, Pitcher, New York Yankees

Much like Verlander, James Paxton will absolutely be positively affected by the coronavirus shutdown. He had microscopic surgery on February 5th and was looking at a mid-May return. The Yankees starting pitching is looking really shaky after Gerrit Cole. If Paxton is healthy at the outset, the New York offense will ensure that he gets his share of wins. There is no question in that scenario, he will easily outperform his current ADP.

Alex Verdugo, Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

I stated in a previous article that Verdugo was an injured player to watch this spring. That is no less true now. In the last report, he is making progress that was termed significant in recovering from his back stress fracture. If there is any truth to that at all, his current ADP of 223 is laughable. If healthy, Verdugo has a chance to be a top outfielder in a stacked Red Sox lineup.

I have every intention of making sure that he winds up on my fantasy roster this season and you should, too. Even if he is not fully healthy when the season begins, a plan of selecting and placing him on the injured list is a sound strategy.

Shohei Ohtani, Pitcher/DH, Los Angeles Angels

We knew going into spring training that Shohei Ohtani was coming off of Tommy John surgery and wouldn’t be ready to pitch until May. With the shutdown, he is absolutely one of the most affected fantasy ballplayers. He would have been added to rosters for his hitting ability alone, but if he is ready to go at the start of the season, it would make him one of the top players in fantasy. If he is healthy and still at his current ADP of 127, snatch him way before that. You won’t regret it.

Jorge Alfaro, Catcher, Miami Marlins

It isn’t just star players that the virus shut down will have a positive effect on, but also players like Alfaro. In late February, he was shut down due to an injured oblique. The report is that he is fully healthy. If you are like me and believe that adding a catcher early in fantasy drafts is foolish, Alfaro could be the answer. He hit .262-18-57 last season and for fantasy purposes, that will do just fine. Add as many other position players and pitchers as you can before starting to worry about the catcher. As I said before, you can thank me later.

Baseball can start at any time. There have been various plans for playing the season floated in the media of late. I am just ready to hear the words play ball! Once those fabled words are spoken, we can begin to research fantasy in earnest. Just keep an eye on the above players. They could all play a significant part in a fantasy roster that pushes into the playoffs and beyond.

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