We are now fourteen weeks into the 2018 fantasy baseball season.

We are almost at the All-Star Break and the trade deadline is right around the corner. Teams will be going through some changes and you may need to make a few tough decisions. Roles will change and a reliable fantasy player could find less at-bats.

Which hot pitchers are we suggesting to pick up this week?

We look at some players who started out hot, some who are struggling and maybe a couple young guys who should be targeted in your free agent pool on July 8th, 2018.

I’ll be posting a weekly fantasy baseball F/M/K every Sunday this baseball season…so keep coming back!

Before I begin, let’s go over the F/M/K terminology. The guys that I list under “F*ck” are guys that are currently hot and you need to pick them up. “Marry”, are guys that you need to stick with the whole season, even if they are struggling a bit. “Kill”, are guys that need to be dropped for better players in the free agent pool.

SP Tyler Anderson – Colorado Rockies – 25.0% owned – The Rockies have had some bad luck with their starting pitching this season. Jon Gray, their #1 starter, was recently demoted to the minors. The rest of the rotation haven’t been great and have been one of the worst in baseball. Tyler Anderson has put together back-to-back gems. He went eight scoreless innings in each game at the Dodgers and at home versus the Giants. His next start is Tuesday at home versus Arizona and then on Sunday versus Seattle. Both of those offenses are hot right now, but as long as Anderson limits free passes, he’s a nice streaming option this coming week.

RP Seranthony Dominguez – Philadelphia Phillies – 46.5% owned – I didn’t have high hopes for Dominguez when the Phillies first called him up. He’s young and inexperienced and didn’t think he could thrive in high-pressure situations. He has only blew one save since officially taking over the closer role. He has strikeout stuff and the Phillies are starting to win more games. Dominguez should have plenty of chances for saves.

OF Albert Almora Jr. – Chicago Cubs – 25.3% owned – Almora has been batting lead-off since Kris Bryant landed on the disabled list. The Cubs offense has been on fire since the change. Almora is getting on base and the guys behind him have been driving him in. He is batting .346 and drove in 13 RBI in the last 30 days. He’s available in a ton of leagues and is a solid NL-only add and if he keeps playing everyday, he will become a mixed league option.

SS/2B Paul DeJong – St. Louis Cardinals – 49.4% owned – DeJong was a trendy preseason middle-infield pick to have a breakout season. He injured his hand early in the season and was on the DL for a lengthy stay. He was activated on Friday and had a hit in each game since his return. He was great in the second-half last season and I think he could do it again this year. He’s a talented hitter and should be owned in all leagues. 

OF Avisail Garcia – Chicago White Sox – 49.9% owned – Garcia has been on fire since being activated from the disabled list. Since June 22nd, he has hit eight homers and is being added to teams at a fast rate. The White Sox don’t have a very good offense, so a lot of his extra-base hits may not drive in runs, but he’s still a very good outfielder in all leagues. There are plenty of underperforming outfielders owned in mixed leagues. Garcia’s ownership went from 13% to nearly half of all leagues in just seven days. Garcia was an All-Star last year and it looks like he could have an All-Star level second-half.

OF Kyle Tucker – Houston Astros – 8.7% owned – Tucker is the Astros top prospect and he was called up to the Majors on Saturday. He is expected to play everyday and will take over Jake Marisnick’s role. This will also cut into Marwin Gonzalez’s playing time as he will have one less spot to play. Tucker was killing it in Triple-A this season. He was hitting .306 with 14 homers, 66 RBI and 14 stolen bases. His patience at the plate is better than most 21-year-olds. He would help your fantasy team in nearly every category.

SP Zach Eflin – Philadelphia Phillies – 62.8% owned – Eflin has put together a nice six-start stretch. He has won all six of those starts and hasn’t allowed more than two runs during those starts. He’s a two-start pitcher next week (at Mets & at Marlins). He should do very well against both teams. He’s had a lot of success on the road. Eflin’s success is due to him just pounding the strike zone. His control is next level as he has only walked six batters during his six-game winning streak. He’s also keeping the ball down on contact and has swing-and-miss stuff.

3B/OF Jose Bautista – New York Mets – 9.2% owned – Bautista had a cup of coffee with the Braves early this season and did not look very good. He was scooped up by the Mets soon after he was released and is hitting much better. His average isn’t pretty (.218), but he’s making hard contact with the ball. His OPS is right in line with the last couple years in Toronto. He has hit four homers since June 22nd and has a base hit in all but four games since that date. Yoenis Cespedes’s lower body injury isn’t healing very fast, so as long as he’s out, Bautista should be in the lineup most of the time.

C Elias Diaz – Pittsburgh Pirates – 16.6% owned – Diaz has started twelve-straight games while Francisco Cervelli (concussion) is out. He’s been great at the plate is is hitting .316 during this 12-game stretch. Diaz could find himself playing a larger share of games even when Cervelli is activated from the DL. Also, the Pirates is out of the playoff hunt and there are a few teams out there in need of a catcher…and Cervelli’s name has come up in trade rumors. Diaz could be a really nice second-half option in the weak catcher position.

SP Jordan Zimmermann – Detroit Tigers – 18.2% owned – I’ve avoided ZImmermann like the plague since he signed in Detroit. He’s been one of the worst signings in all of baseball over the past couple years. Zimmermann has been pitching like his old self over the last few starts. He has allowed a run or less in five out of his last six starts. His next start is Wednesday at Tampa Bay, which is a nice match-up for him. I don’t know how long this hot streak will last, since we’ve all been burned by him in the past, but I think he’s a nice spot starter this week.

SS/3B Johan Camargo – Atlanta Braves – 18.5% owned – Camargo has been a nice under-the-radar middle infield fantasy player this season. He’s been consistent and had a hit in all but one game this week. His season numbers are better than you think, as he is hitting .256 with nine homers and 39 RBI. He’s a switch-hitter and is playing nearly every single game. The Braves offense is one of the best in baseball and Camargo will help you in most fantasy categories (except stolen bases).

RP Joe Jimenez – Detroit Tigers – 14.4% owned – Tigers closer Shane Greene is on the DL (shoulder) and Jimenez is taking his role. Greene isn’t expected to be on the DL for very long, so Jimenez will just be a short-term add. He’s been pretty good this season, but he’s walking more batters than one would want. He’s a nice AL-only add and maybe a mixed league option if you’re desperate for saves.

OF Jon Jay – Arizona Diamondbacks – 25.4% owned – Jay isn’t going to help you in the power department, but he’s a great source of runs, batting average and a little speed. He went through a little slump, but is back slapping base hits. Heis on a three-game multi-hit streak and scored three runs in last night’s game. Jay is a great NL-only outfielder and if you need to boost your team batting average and runs, he’s a mixed league option as well.

SP Kyle Hendricks – Chicago Cubs – 83.9% owned – Hendricks has been the ugly duckling in the Cubs starting rotation. Since the start of June, he’s 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.67 WHIP. He’s been giving up too many long balls. His next two starts are in pitcher-friendly parks against slumping teams. He’ll be starting two games next week (at Giants & at Padres). This should be great match-ups for him and is a litmus test to see if you want to keep him. I think you need to keep him right now as he could turn it around.

OF Adam Eaton – Washington Nationals – 72.9% owned – Eaton is off to a slow start since being activated from the disabled list lat month. He’s getting contact on the ball, but there hasn’t been much hard contact. He’s also not stealing bases like he did in the past. His past injuries to his ankle is the main reason that isn’t happening. The Nationals outfield is crowded now thanks to the emergence of rookie Juan Soto. Eaton is taking a seat at least once a week. I still think Eaton should be owned in more leagues. I predict he will get his bat going and will have a great July.

C Salvador Perez – Kansas City Royals – 87.9% owned – Perez was one of the first catchers to be taken in fantasy drafts this preseason. He’s about as consistent as you can get…but not this year. He’s only hitting .213 and has only driven in two RBI in over three weeks. Catcher is such a bad position and there’s still no way you can rationalize dropping Perez. He’s dealing with a hand injury that is clearly giving him trouble at the plate, but who would you pick up to replace him? You just have to stick with Perez during his slump. If you have a free spot, I’d move him to the bench and stream a catcher short-term. 

SP Gio Gonzalez – Washington Nationals – 87.2% owned – Gonzalez hasn’t been very good this season. His ERA is decent (3.76 ERA), but he isn’t striking out batters as much as in the past. Over the past three games, he has walked 13 batters in 11 innings. He was much better early in the season, but is in a slump. His track record shows he should snap out of it. Also, the Nationals have been pretty damn good since their team meeting late last week. He could be a nice source of wins if they keep hitting like they did this weekend. 

1B Brandon Belt – San Francisco Giants – 80.1% owned – Belt had a great May, but only hit .239 in the month of June. His overall numbers are still very good as he’s hitting .296 with 13 homers and 41 RBI. He got off to a roll at the start of the Giants road trip. He’s a crucial part of the Giants offense and Belt should have career highs across the board by the end of the year. He’s a great 1B/3B flex play and if someone dropped him in your league, I’d give him a long look.

RP Bud Norris – St. Louis Cardinals – 72.4% owned – I’m not sure why the ownership of Norris has been dropping. He hasn’t given up a run since June 22nd, but has only had four save opportunities in that time frame. He has a 2.87 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP with 17 saves on the season. There’s no need to drop him and I don’t see any other options out there with better long-term position for saves this season. 

SS/3B Eduardo Escobar – Minnesota Twins – 85.4% owned – Escobar is in a slump, but he’s a streaky player. He’s been an extra-base hit machine this season. His season numbers are great as he is hitting .270 with 13 homers and 50 RBI. You shouldn’t drop him as he should get back hot again, like he has done numerous times this season.

SS Ketel Marte – Arizona Diamondbacks – 24.8% owned – Marte was also in a little slump, but has hit a homer in two out of his last three games. He has shown some power this season as he didn’t have a single homer until June 1st, but has hit eight since that day. He’s starting nearly everyday and is a solid middle infielder option, especially in NL-only leagues. His ownership percentage dropped during his slump, but there aren’t many better options out there.

SP Sonny Gray – New York Yankees – 52.8% owned – The Yankees should chalk-up Sonny Gray as a bad acquisition. He has a 5.85 ERA and 1.57 WHIP this season…and to make things worse, he has a 7.10 ERA at home. If a pitcher can’t pitch at your home ballpark, he’s a bad fit for your team. That’s also one of the issues with playing at a hitter-friendly stadium. Gray couldn’t even keep it together in his last start at Toronto. He allowed five runs in just two innings of work. He has now allowed 11 runs in just 4.1 innings over his last two starts. Dump Gray and don’t go back until he strings together a few good starts in a row.

2B/3B Josh Harrison – Pittsburgh Pirates – 32.6% owned – Harrison has been a bad fantasy player since being activated from the disabled list weeks ago. His average dropped to .260 and has hit only four homers and has only driven in two RBI in over two weeks. There are better 2B options out there. I’d rather pickup Jose Peraza, Rougned Odor or Paul DeJong.

3B Josh Donaldson – Toronto Blue Jays -84.0% owned – This suggestion is for fantasy owners that are struggling with injuries. You only have one DL spot in standard leagues and sometimes you need to make some tough decisions. Donaldson has been on the DL for weeks and weeks, and he had a recent setback. He will be reevaluated in three weeks. It would put Donaldson’s earliest possible activated at early-August. There are 1B/3B guys out there that can help your team now. You can drop Donaldson and be just fine. You can add Max Muncy, Jesus Aguilar or Matt Duffy and never miss a beat. It might be time to make a hard decision with Donaldson.

SP Tyson Ross – San Diego Padres – 49.7% owned – Ross was having a career-resurgence this season, but he has hit a wall. He has allowed 15 runs in just seven innings over his last two starts. He wasn’t even facing better good competition. His ERA shot up over a run in just a week. His next start is at home versus the Dodgers and I want nothing to do with him. I’d rather add Freddy Peralta, Chase Anderson or Zach Eflin and drop Ross.

C Mike Zunino – Seattle Mariners – 27.6% owned – Zunino was a nice power source in a very light catcher position. He has hit 12 homers, but has been all-or-nothing with a .189 batting average. Zunino injured his ankle this week and looks to be sidelined for a few weeks. He’s not worth a DL-spot and there are better catchers out there for a short-term band-aid. I’d rather have Eliaz Diaz or John Hicks right now.

OF Brandon Nimmo – New York Mets – 47.7% owned – Nimmo’s hot streak has come to an end. He was one of the hottest hitters in baseball for a few weeks. His ownership percentage nearly hit 75% at his peak. He is in a 4 for 33 slump and has only driven in one run since June 21st. It’s time to cut bait. I’d rather have Jesse Winker, Jose Bautista or Matt Adams.

1B Mitch Moreland – Boston Red Sox – 45.8% owned – Moreland was hot after Boston released Hanley Ramirez, but is now on a cold streak. He has also been dealing with a nagging back injury. Moreland has been in a timeshare since the Red Sox acquired Steve Pearce. I think this could be a season-long trend as Pearce is a nice platoon partner for him. There are better first basemen out there I’d rather own, like Matt Adams, Yuli Gurriel or Justin Smoak.

SP Luke Weaver – St. Louis Cardinals – 46.1% owned – Weaver has been a fantasy disappointment this season. His season numbers now sit at 5-7, 4.92 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Weaver is arguably the worst pitcher in the Cardinals starting rotation. He struggles against the good teams and does ‘just fine’ against teams he should do well against. There are better young starters out there and would rather own Jack Flaherty, Freddy Peralta or Steven Matz.

1B/2B/SS/OF Marwin Gonzalez – Houston Astros – 60.0% owned – It kills me to put Gonzalez in this section since I love his position-flexibility so much. He’s getting plenty of at-bats with Carlos Correa on the shelf, but he’s just not producing. He only has six hits since June 18th. He’s not getting contact and his average has dropped to .229. Gonzalez has been a great middle infield flex play the last two years, but he’s failing this year. I’d rather have Johan Camargo, Tim Anderson or Addison Russell right now.

Follow us on Twitter @Sweetbob & ‘LIKE’ us on Facebook!

About the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.