Take a Chance on Mark Trumbo
Sep 23, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Mark Trumbo (15) at bat against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
In yesterday’s article that can be found here, I wrote about how you should look for a first baseman that will provide both 25+ home runs and an OPS of at least .750. However, Mark Trumbo of the Arizona Diamondbacks was not able to accomplish either of those of things in 2014 largely due to a fractured left foot that cost him about three months.
(Mark Trumbo is expected to return to left field in 2015, but Paul Goldschmidt’s season-ending injury moved Trumbo to first base for 43 games. As a result, Trumbo has dual eligibility at 1B and OF).
Mark Trumbo’s OPS was on pace to be only .707 whether he played in 88 games or in all 162. However, I believe his OPS was bound to improve if Trumbo played in more games because he has a career OPS of .756. Trumbo had three full seasons under his belt from 2011 to 2013 where his OPS was .768, .808, and .747, respectively.
While this is not a staggering OPS that some first basemen or outfielders can provide you, Mark Trumbo can provide elite power at a discounted rate due to his underwhelming stats last season. However, you should be warned that Mark Trumbo is not nearly as effective in OBP leagues because his career slash line is .247/.298/.460.
A sub .300 OBP is pretty terrible for any guy on your fantasy baseball team, especially a power hitting player who starts at either first base or in a corner outfield position. Therefore, you should probably ignore the rest of this article if you league uses OBP. However, his career batting average of .247 could be serviceable because of his home run and RBI production. Trumbo makes his fantasy worth with his impressive slugging percentage.
While Mark Trumbo will not ever contend for a batting title or lead the league in walks, he could lead your fantasy team in home runs. This could be all the more impressive considering the fact that Mark Trumbo may very well be drafted outside of the first 100 picks.
In 2014, Trumbo managed to hit 14 home runs in 88 games, which is on pace for 26 homers over 162 games. He also hit 5 long balls in 7 Minor League rehab games in July. Mark Trumbo is a very streaky power hitter that could almost win you an entire week in H2H if he is on fire. While streaky players can be frustrating to own, nothing is better than the week when that player goes off and your opponent has no chance.
If you look at when Mark Trumbo’s 14 home runs happened, then you will realize that half of them came before he fractured his foot on April 21st. In the first 21 games of the season, Trumbo was arguably the top fantasy player if your league did not use batting average or OBP. He provided his owners with 12 runs, 7 homers, 19 RBI’s, a .506 slugging percentage, and a .770 OPS.
Over the course of the first month of the season, Mark Trumbo did one thing right. He hit home runs at an elite pace. Seven bombs in his first 87 plate appearances is excellent, but it is not all that shocking for a player who hit 95 homers from 2011 to 2013.
While his early season pace was completely unsustainable, Mark Trumbo was on pace for 93 runs, 54 homers, 147 RBI’s, and a very bizarre .210/.264/.506 slash line. His March to April hot streak demonstrates how Trumbo can provide serious value over stretches of the season.
If you are looking for a first baseman or outfielder with a reasonable cost and the chance to go deep 30-40 times, then look no further than Mark Trumbo of the Arizona Diamondbacks.