Welcome to the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Week 17 Stock Up-Stock Down article!
We are returning to business as usual in the fantasy baseball realm this week. The All-Star break weirdness is completely behind us, and league trade deadlines are fast approaching. Whether you're a buyer or a seller, some of the hot deals below can affect the rest of your season.
Injuries pop up often this time of year, and finding a replacement for cheap can allow you to still back the Brinks truck up for starting pitching. Or alternatively, they could help you play spoiler after you've sold and been left for dead. Who doesn't love a comeback story?
Now, without further ado, let's base jump into the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Week 17 Stock Up/Stock Down list!
2023 Fantasy Baseball Week 17 Stock Up-Stock Down
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Stock Up
Chas McCormick, OF, Houston Astros
Since the second half of the season began, Chas McCormick has been on a good ol' fashioned tear. He has a hit in 14 of his 34 at-bats since the break, as well as five home runs.
Aroldis Chapman hadn’t allowed a run in seven appearances with the Rangers…
until he ran into Chas McCormick
pic.twitter.com/Ud5uljQwoN— MLB Metrics (@MLBMetrics) July 25, 2023
McCormick isn't known for his bat and often isn't even a full-time player for Houston. That has not prevented him from maximizing his limited opportunities this year. For 2023 as a whole, McCormick is hitting .282 with a .901 OPS. He has 13 home runs and 11 steals as well.
It is yet to happen in earnest, but if McCormick can find the field more regularly, he could be a legitimate fantasy contributor in a high-quality lineup.
CJ Abrams, 2B/SS, Washington Nationals
As one of the headline prospects of the Juan Soto package, Abrams has had a lot to live up to in his very young career. He struggled early on as a call-up for San Diego but had enough pedigree come trade-time to land them Soto.
Since arriving in Washington, it has been a mixed bag for Abrams. He has shown flashes of his raw talent, but overall he has struggled more than he hasn't. The only silver lining for most of his career-to-date is that the Nationals have no reason to not let him figure it out.
You know what they say about prospect growth and linear growth, and Abrams looks poised to be the 2023 poster child for it. Since returning from the break, the toolsy shortstop is 14/42, with three home runs and five steals. On the season, Abrams is hitting .256 with ten home runs and nineteen steals.
CJ ABRAMS BOMB ON HIS BOBBLE HEAD NIGHT!
Having a monster july, helping the #Padres, and wow I miss him. Kids special pic.twitter.com/bVvJe4lOu4
— Borna Nazari (@thehogwatch) July 22, 2023
Abrams is already showing returns on his speed, but if he can keep his average high, he could turn into a legitimate fantasy asset. He has nothing but playing time in Washington and is young and talented enough to improve drastically as his career progresses. If I needed steals or an injury replacement, Abrams would be near the top of my target list.
Tristan Casas, 1B, Boston Red Sox
Tristan Casas has been largely underwhelming in his first year as a full-time player in Boston. While few doubt that the talent is still there, at some point, fans want to see it.
Since coming back from the break, Casas has been showing Red Sox faithful exactly what al the hype is about. In nine games since the Midsummer Classic, Casas has hits in 12/26 at-bats. He also has five home runs and nine RBI to go with it.
TWO HRs FOR TRISTAN CASAS
SOX HIT 4 OFF SCHERZER pic.twitter.com/BfCCsWKHns
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) July 23, 2023
Unlike Red Sox prospects in the past who always had someone nipping at their heels, Casas seems uniquely positioned to get a lot of leash at first base for the foreseeable future. Boston clearly believes in him long-term, and if this flash means anything, its that the ceiling for Casas is as high as anticipated.
Given his struggles earlier in the season, Casas is widely available in leagues. He has more ceiling than most oranges on the wire, and if he sputters out again you can feel free to cut him.
Stock Down
Marcell Ozuna, OF, Atlanta Braves
Marcell Ozuna can't make up his mind. Is he a good player who has bad months, or a bad player who has good months? Either way, it is exhausting to figure out and even worse to defend.
After starting off the season in the worst possible way, Ozuna seemed to bounce back in May and June. He was a top 50 outfielder those months and seemed to be righting the ship.
The Ozunassaince was well documented, so it is only right that I document the collapse as well. Since play has resumed, Ozuna has three hits in 34 at-bats. He also has eleven strikeouts in that span.
I'm not ready to say that Ozuna is totally cooked, but it does seem like Mr. Month-to-Month is living true to his name. I would bench him or offload him in a package for now. I would wait to drop him outright until we see his first week of August though. He really does change with the calendar.
Alex Verdugo, OF, Boston Red Sox
Alex Verdugo has been very good for most of the year, and as a Red Sox fan, he is a lot of fun to watch. Verdugo doesn't do a lot in the counting stats categories, but he hits for average, gets on base, and scores runs. He is a perfect third outfielder.
Or rather, he was. Verdugo has had a very tough month of July, slashing .127/.222/.255. He has also been a healthy scratch in the last two games for Boston. This could just be an extended recovery period for one of the hardest-playing dudes in the game, but given his recent performance, it is worth noting.
Now, do I think that Alex Cora is going to be benching Verdugo regularly after one tough month? Of course not. In fact, I'd bet that Verdugo turns it around more than anything else. Monitor the situation closely, but Verdugo should be firmly in the wait-and-see camp as opposed to the cut list.
Thanks for reading the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Week 17 Stock Up-Stock Down. Be sure to check out more Fantasy Baseball content from the F6P team!
