The final days of the 2023 fantasy baseball season are here, and you may be in a close race to win your league championship. Making the right moves in these final days could be the difference. Last year, The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational was decided on the final day of the regular season when an unknown manager named Michael Richards held off Jeffrey Zimmerman, a three-time FSWA award winner.
For Richards, the clincher came when Aaron Civale picked up a win against the Kansas City Royals, 9-2, pitching six innings as the Guardians built a comfortable lead and coasted to victory. The same thing could happen to you. Imagine that you’re tied for the lead in wins with another manager and your guy gets that final win of the season. Or, you’re streaming three relief pitchers, needing just one save, and you get it.
It’s less likely to win a league championship with a surge in hitting, but it’s possible. Did you know that the Rockies are playing their last six games of the season at home? See if Rockies outfielder Nolan Jones is available to roster for the final week. As I write this, Jones is riding a four-game hitting streak, going 9-for-14. In the last 19 contests, he’s 23 for 71 (.324), with four home runs, 15 RBI, 15 runs and four stolen bases.
It’s easier to take advantage of the hots bats in a daily league, but it’s still possible in a weekly league. But you must pay attention to recent statistics. FantasyPros is a wonderful website to find this kind of information. As I study this site, I can see that six of the hottest hitters in baseball over the past seven games are rostered in fewer than 50% of leagues. Why not drop some of your hitters and pick up some of these guys?
I know it sounds crazy to drop a player like Elly De La Cruz after he’s done so much for your fantasy team. You were so proud of yourself when you picked up De La Cruz after his callup in early June. But the sizzle is long gone, and the Reds rookie is hitting .161, with zero home runs in 17 games this month. Why not replace De La Cruz with Jake Burger, who’s hitting .414, with six runs, two home runs and seven RBI in his last 29 at bats.
You’ve got to think short term now because the long term doesn’t matter. You’ll always have those memories of De La Cruz electrifying the baseball world last summer. But it’s fall now, and Burger is more likely to win you a championship. As you shift to a short-term perspective, here are five ways to mazimize the final days of your fantasy baseball season if you’re still in contention. If you’re not, there’s always next year.
MANAGE LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW
Name brands don’t mean much in these finals days of the season. Is your catcher ice cold? Quick, go add Jake Rogers to your roster. Rogers, rostered in only 34% of NFBC leagues and only 2% of ESPN leagues, has hit safely in his last seven games. Ignore his .221 batting average. The Detroit catcher has gone 11 for 27 (.407), with four home runs and eight RBI in the last seven games.
KEEP UP WITH YOUR LEAGUE STANDINGS
In Rotisserie leagues, teams are ranked from first to last in each statistical category. Points are then awarded according to the order in each category and totaled to determine an overall score and league rank. Look at your standings and determine where you might be able to move up. If you’re behind one win, stream a pitcher. Be creative.
KEEP UP WITH THE MLB STANDINGS
Major league managers aren’t worried about your fantasy team. If a team is out of contention, it’s more likely to rest its star players and take a look at younger assets (especially with the September call-ups). Your SP1 may be shut down by his manager because he doesn’t want to risk an arm injury in the final week. Your veteran catcher may be getting additional days off. I repeat, go get Jake Rogers.
KEEP UP WITH THE PITCHING SCHEDULE
If you’ve been playing fantasy baseball for awhile, you know that pitching moves the needle more than hitting at this point in the season. Two-start pitcher weeks are always important, so find out who’s scheduled for two starts in the final week of the season. This might be just the right time to stream Miles Mikolas. Don’t worry about his 4.84 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. If you need strikeouts, dial up David Peterson.
BUT DON’T BLOW UP YOUR RATIOS
If you’re reviewing your league standings on a daily basis, you should know also know how vulnerable you are to losing your place in the standings if Mikolas gives up five earned runs, nine hits, three walks in his start at Milwaukee next Tuesday. If you’re in a close race for first or second place in the ERA or WHIP category, Mikolas may not be your guy. Peterson will get you the strikeouts, but he also walks batters.
In summary, you’re still paying attention to your fantasy baseball team after six months. It’s been a long season, and the daily grind has worn plenty of managers out. There are many with a short attention span that can’t hack it. But you’re not one of them. If you’re still in contention, give it all that you have. Remember what Winston Churchill said. Never give up. Or, at least, don’t give up until October 1st has come and gone.
Thomas L. Seltzer, AKA Doubting Thomas, writes about baseball and football for CreativeSports. Be sure to follow Thomas on Twitter @ThomasLSeltzer1.
