Rest of Season Rankings for Fantasy Baseball: Drop Mike Trout?

Welcome to the final installment of my 2023 ROS rankings for fantasy baseball. First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who read, shared, and critiqued this column throughout the year. It is not always the most fun exercise to try and distinguish who I think is the 65th most valuable starting pitcher as opposed to the 85th. And it is far from an exact science. But your engagement keeps me going and keeps me motivated. Even when it is to tell me I made an oversight or mistake along the way. It keeps me on my toes and has made me a better fantasy manager. Hopefully, I have done the same for someone out there.

With only four weeks left in the MLB regular season, the sprint toward the finish line begins today. I mention that because my rest-of-season rankings are not always cut and dried. Each league and situation is different. For some, now may be the time to drop some dead weight on your roster. That is especially true when it comes to starting pitching. Most starters will only make four or five starts for the remainder of the year. And nobody that I can see will have more than one two-start week from now on. If you are a team that needs pure volume, some tough decisions may be on the horizon. You may need to get rid of a decent starting pitcher over the next few weeks.

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This is especially true when it comes to injuries. Usually, when a player goes on the Injured List and misses 10 games, we do not think much of it. But a player who goes on the IL today will miss about 40 percent of his team’s remaining games. And that does not even entail rehab assignments or potential setbacks. Can you afford to keep waiting on players like Byron Buxton and Mike Trout? Or is it better to grab a lesser talent who you will at least contribute to counting stats in the interim? Matchups carry added weight as well. The Atlanta Braves face the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals seven times each over the final four weeks of the year. If I have a middling starting pitcher who projects to make four more starts, and two of those are against the Braves, I might cut bait.

With MLB roster expansion beginning this past week, some teams have called up highly touted prospects. I am usually not the type to go overboard expecting too much from these types of players. But they can carry huge upside, especially if you are targeting a specific category. Categorical impact is a major factor to consider this time of year. I list the players in a vacuum, meaning I’d rather have Player A over Player B. However, if you need stolen bases, you may value a player like Jasson Dominguez more than I do. You understand the nuances of your league better than I do. Use my ROS rankings as a guide, but consider your situation and needs as well.

With all that out of the way, here are my last set of ROS rankings for the 2023 season. I listed over 400 players, so that should cover the vast majority of fantasy-relevant players. Feel free to comment below or on Twitter if you have any questions about your leagues. Thanks again for reading and good luck finishing off that championship season!

Rest of Season Rankings for Fantasy Baseball