Red Sox: How to value players for fantasy baseball drafts

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 08: Andrew Benintendi
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 08: Andrew Benintendi
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BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 08: David Price #24 of the Boston Red Sox throws a pitch in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros during game three of the American League Division Series at Fenway Park on October 8, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 08: David Price #24 of the Boston Red Sox throws a pitch in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros during game three of the American League Division Series at Fenway Park on October 8, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Late (Round 10 – 15)

David Price: A rocky start to his tenure in Boston combined with an injury-plagued 2017 season has taken the shine off Price. He’s no longer a pitcher you can trust will provide ace production yet he’s still capable of it. As bad as Price was for the first six weeks of 2016, he finished with a 3.39 ERA over his final 28 starts. He owns a 3.38 ERA over his last 261 1/3 innings spread across two seasons. His postseason brilliance out of the bullpen and a strong spring have proven he’s healthy. Price isn’t being drafted as a top-30 starter in most leagues but he’s capable of delivering top-10 production. He’s a risky bet in the middle rounds but if you can get him in Round 10 or later, Price has the potential to swing your fantasy season.

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Drew Pomeranz: The lefty tied for fifth in the majors with 17 wins and 13th with a 3.32 ERA last season. He’s capable of producing similar numbers with the motivation of a contract year. So why isn’t he being treated as a top-50 starter? Well, those are only two categories of the four that starting pitchers contribute to. Pomeranz ranked outside the top-40 among qualified starters with a 1.35 WHIP. His 173 2/3 innings last year was a career-high. He’s not a workhorse, capping his strikeout total and reducing the value of his ERA. He can still provide great value in the later rounds.

Jackie Bradley: His streaky nature can make Bradley a frustrating player to own but he does have upside. Don’t expect him to help your batting average, while his Run/RBI production will be limited if he’s buried at the bottom of the order. However, we’ve seen him reach 26 homers and he’s been given the green light on the base paths. His potential for a 20/20 season makes JBJ a good value late in drafts.

Schedule