Saturday's Catcher Value Rankings
Here are theScore's catcher value rankings for Saturday, July 9 (all stats exclude Friday's games):
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Buster Posey (SF) | vs. ARI | 9 |
| Stephen Vogt (OAK) | at HOU | 8 |
| Salvador Perez (KC) | vs. SEA | 8 |
It may seem like deja vu, but Posey is back to being the most consistently solid catcher at the plate. Over his last 10 games, Posey has hit .343 with three home runs, six RBIs and seven runs scored. He's only gone hitless twice, and in one of those he walked twice. Despite the pitcher-friendly confines of his home park, he's only hit one fewer home run there than away. He's worth it.
Vogt needs to be rostered when the A's play a right-handed pitcher. His salary is likely suppressed because Astros RHP Lance McCullers has allowed only one home run over 53 innings pitched. Vogt doesn't need to hit a home run to return value. At his salary, an extra-base hit or a pair of singles should do the trick.
Perez has been struggling mightily of late, leading to an extremely low DFS salary. If he starts, which he almost always does, he matches up well against Mariners LHP Wade Miley against whom right-handed batters have hit a collective .291 with 12 home runs this season. It's the right time to trust in a Perez resurgence.
Mid-Tier Targets
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Evan Gattis (HOU) | vs. OAK | 7 |
| Robinson Chirinos (TEX) | vs. MIN | 6 |
| Willson Contreras (CHC) | at PIT | 5 |
Gattis and Chirinos are almost identical in what they bring to the table. They both have top power upside and they both have the propensity to go hitless. Neither has demonstrated strong batting averages, which is what keeps them out of the top tier, but they can be safely rostered in GPPs because of multi-home run potential.
Contreras has seen his salary quickly rise because of a hot start to his big league career. He has only gone hitless in two starts and has already hit five home runs. The .319 batting average likely drops, but he's shown what he can do. The salary bump combined with the small sample size reduces his value.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Lucroy (MIL) | vs. STL | 4 |
| J.T. Realmuto (MIA) | vs. CIN | 3 |
| Carlos Ruiz (PHI) | at COL | 2 |
Lucroy is normally a cash game mainstay, but Cardinals SP Carlos Martinez has been nasty against right-handed bats all season. They're hitting a combined .182 against him and no righty has hit a home run off him. Martinez has notched seven consecutive quality starts, so it's best to look elsewhere.
Realmuto seems like an obvious choice as a right-handed bat versus Reds LHP John Lamb, but it's not so simple. Realmuto has shown reverse-splits all season, hitting .167 against lefties. Part is a low BABIP, but he's also making poor contact popping up in the infield 38.5 percent of the time he's made contact against a southpaw.
Ruiz lacks consistent power and average, even at Coors Field. The price bump is not to be trusted. Stay away.