On Wednesday night, Jose Reyes was taken out of the game against the Dodgers with what appeared to be an aggravated calf muscle. It looks like Reyes will be heading to the disabled list, since this has been a lingering injury.
Reyes has had limited duties the last few weeks and hasn’t been much of a fantasy value thus far in the season.
If you are a Reyes owner, don’t panic. It doesn’t look like he will be on the disable list for too long, but in the mean time, there are plenty of options to fill his void.
Here is a list of players that should be available for middle infield help:
Asdrubal Cabrera (2B, SS, CLE)
Cabrera has had himself a great season thus far. He currently has a .312 batting average, with 20 RBI and 30 runs scored. What really helps Cabrera is that he bats ahead of Grady Sizemore and Victor Martinez, who have both put of MVP like seasons thus far.
If he continues to get on base, he will continue being a solid run scoring option throughout the fantasy season. But his numbers do rely on Sizemore and Martinez.
Yunel Escobar (SS, ATL)
Escobar started the season slow, but in his last 15 games, Escobar has a stat line of .308 BA, 12 runs, 2 HR, and 8 RBI. The Braves offense started off the season slow due to injuries, but has been putting up a lot of runs as of late.
Expect him to hit around the .300 BA mark throughout the rest of the season, with a sprinkle of power numbers here and there.
Ben Zobrist (SS, OF, TB)
Zobrist has been a pleasant surprise this season for the Rays. With a mix of power numbers and a good on-base percentage, he has become a great fantasy option.
What I really like about Zobrist is that he is eligible to be in the outfield or middle infield. This gives him even more of a fantasy edge over the rest of the competition.
His last 15 games have been great, with a .281 BA, 3 HR and 10 RBI. Expect him to keep being used all over the diamond, with the possibility of putting up close to 20 home runs.
Jerry Hairston Jr. (SS, OF, CIN)
Over the last 15 games, Hairston has posted a stat line of .316 BA, 14 runs, 3 HR, 8 RBI and 3 SB. He has been utilized all over the diamond this season, with the possibility of also picking up third base eligibility.
Hairston might not be able to keep up his pace for the whole season, but he is definitely worth a look for a short term plug in for Reyes.
Louis Castillo (2B, NYM)
A few seasons back, Castillo was an afterthought when it came to fantasy value. This season, he has found a fountain of youth and has been lightning on the base paths.
Over his last 15 games, Castillo has nine runs scored and six stolen bases. He will be looked at to get on base and position himself to score runs, in the absence of Reyes.
I don’t expect him to have fantasy value for much longer, but you should ride him while he’s hot and take a chance on him!
Craig Counsell (2B, 3B, SS, MIL)
Counsell has now landed the starting second baseman job, after the Brewers lost Rickie Weeks for the season with a hand injury. He is a seasoned veteran at all positions on the infield and is eligible to play three for fantasy purposes.
In his last 15 games, Counsell has a .370 BA in the Brewers high powered offense.
The downside to Counsell is he may split some of his time with the youngster, Casey McGehee. So if you are going to pick up Counsell, remember to check the Brewers lineup each day to make sure he is playing. If he plays, he will be productive for your fantasy team.
Other possible middle infield pickups:
Alberto Callaspo (2B, KC)
Akinori Iwamura (2B, TB)
Elvis Andrus (SS, TEX)
Emmanuel Burriss (2B, SS, SF)
Clint Barmes (2B, SS, COL)
Jack Wilson (SS, PIT)
Yuniesky Betancourt (SS, SEA)
This article was originally published on www.rotoinfo.com
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