Fantasy Fallout: Don't Get Too Excited About Trea Turner's Call Up

Here are the fantasy repercussions following the Washington Nationals calling up top prospect 2B/SS Trea Turner ahead of Friday's game:

Season-Long Fantasy

It's Turner time in Washington. Considering incumbent SS Danny Espinosa's awful slash line of .200/.296/.341, fantasy owners have been checking their watches since the first few weeks of the season. Now, finally, Turner is getting the call.

But, Turner owners should pump those brakes just a little bit. The move that inspired the call-up is not an Espinosa benching as many expected. Instead, it's a corresponding move related to 1B Ryan Zimmerman being placed on paternity leave according to MLB.com's William Ladson.

This will give Zimmerman up to three games away, which could mean Turner receives only three games at the major league level before being shipped down. This is obviously a wait-and-see situation, because the Nationals are in win-now mode and hold a tenuous three-game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East.

If he sticks around, he represents an immediate impact in mixed-league fantasy because he's not staying up to ride the bench. With Zimmerman back in the fold, Daniel Murphy will go back to second base and Turner could finally supplant Espinosa at short.

The further benefit is Turner should have dual eligibility at both middle infield positions soon after he takes over for Espinosa. In 50 Triple-A games, Turner slashed .310/.376/.472 with three home runs and 17 RBIs. Considering how poorly the top of Washington's lineup has hit, Turner could get a look at the lead-off spot, which would further enhance his value.

This is especially exciting for keeper leagues. Owners will have to find room for him and depending on where his owners are in their respective standings, it can mean added depth or a much-needed shot in the arm, provided he returns value based on his sky-high expectations. But, at this point, rostering him is more palatable than Brandon Phillips, Kolten Wong or Addison Russell.

There is always the chance that he gets sent down again when Zimmerman comes back, or if he struggles. While he has been the source of great excitement, probably most among debuting position players, it's no guarantee that it's a smooth transition. Be patient. If he struggles or gets sent down, ride it out.

Daily Fantasy

Turner is a multi-tool talent and DFS pricing has anticipated his arrival, slightly, meaning he can't be had at a bargain-basement salary. His first game will come against the Cincinnati Reds and LHP Brandon Finnegan. It's almost a match made in heaven for the young, right-handed hitter.

Furthermore, the game is in Cincinnati and no park has yielded more home runs than Great American Ballpark in 2016. Granted, Turner is not a huge power threat, but hitting has still been good against the Reds this season in a variety of ways.

Turner, if he's available on your DFS site, is worth a flier for his debut because there's an off-chance that his salary is never this low again. He's inexpensive enough that rostering him will not handcuff the remaining roster spots. He's available at a relatively weak fantasy position, anyway. The hype could mean high ownership, too, so deploy him in cash games if he's available.

The rest of the series is a different story, though it appears that RHP Dan Straily and RHP Jon Moscot will finish out the series. Keep an eye on where the Nationals slot Turner into the lineup since the more opportunity equals the better chance of his production. Neither Straily nor Moscot should dissuade DFS owners from considering Turner if his salary stays manageable.