The best fantasy baseball picks at MLB’s midseason point

In an age when prices on everything from gas to beef are going through the roof, we’re all seeking the best deal we can find. Fantasy managers entered the season looking for the best value on every player drafted, hoping they’d provide big returns on their average draft position. It’s also true for players snagged off the waivers, some of whom weren’t even draft day afterthoughts.

As the season nears its annual midsummer intermission, it’s time to look at the players who’ve had some of the best returns of the first-half in Roto Rage’s second annual Fantasy Bargain-Bin All-Star squad: AL: Nathaniel Lowe, Rangers* NL: Paul Goldschmidt Entered the season being drafted as the 35th-ranked first baseman, but went on to hit . 274 with 12 homers, 38 RBIs, 29 runs and a . 765 OPS in his first 82 games.

Leads the NL in runs, average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS and OPS+ while hitting 19 homers and driving in 67 runs (third-most in the NL) and stealing five bases. All that from a 34-year-old with a 45. 4 average draft position.

AL: Andres Gimenez, Guardians With a 267. 86 ADP, the versatile 23-year-old entered the weekend hitting . 294 with 10 homers, 42 RBIs, 31 runs and seven stolen bases.

He also ranked 17th in the AL in WAR. NL: Tommy Edman, Cardinals Despite his . 255 average, he ranks second the NL in stolen bases, fourth in runs and sixth in WAR.

The fact he had the 18th-lowest strikeout rate in the NL doesn’t hurt either. He has made good on his 105. 2 ADP.

AL: Amed Rosario, Guardians Entered the weekend hitting . 290 with four homers, 27 RBIs and 48 runs (eighth-most among shortstops). He also stole nine bases and had the eighth-lowest strikeout percentage among qualified shortstops.

NL: Dansby Swanson, Braves Ranked 12th in the NL in RBIs, eighth in runs, 19th in homers, 18th in OBP and doubles, 13th in slugging percentage and 14th in OPS. He also ranked 13th in average, and he was a career . 249 hitter entering the season.

Not bad for the 19th-ranked shortstop. AL: Luis Arraez, Twins With a 271. 26 ADP, he entered the weekend with the best average and on-base percentage (.

417), as well as the lowest strikeout rate in the majors. NL: Brandon Drury, Reds If you know someone who had him on their preseason draft list, ask them for tomorrow’s Powerball numbers. AL: Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays Not only does he have the third-lowest strikeout rate, but also he ranks seventh in the majors in average, sixth in on-base percentage and 15th in OPS.

NL: Travis d’Arnaud, Braves Was drafted way lower than Will Smith and Willson Contreras, has played in more games than William Contreras and has a better batting average and WAR than Daulton Varsho. That’s why he’s the best backstop bargain. AL: Aaron Judge, Yankees He didn’t even cost fantasy owners a first-round draft pick.

AL: Yordan Alvarez Claims the first-half MVP title over Judge because of a lower strikeout percentage and better walk rate, as well as a higher average, on-base, slugging percentage and OPS. Entered Friday ranked third in homers and ninth in RBIs. AL: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners With a 212.

6 ADP, he has only hit . 273 with 15 homers, 45 RBIs, 51 runs, 21 stolen bases and . 806 OPS in 88 games.

He is a future top fantasy pick (maybe next year). NL: Charlie Blackmon, Rockies From 2016-19, he was one of the best fantasy outfielders. At 34, he is not the guy he once was, but he still is having a productive year (.

273, 14 HR, 50 RBI, 45 R, . 798 OPS in 80 games). NL: Jeff McNeil , Mets Had been written off after hitting .

251 with a . 679 OPS in 2021, but the new father has rebounded nicely to hit . 310 with a .

804 OPS in his first 78 games after having a 266. 2 ADP this year. He ranks 27th in the majors in WAR, too, if you’re into that kind of thing.

NL: Josh Bell, Nationals That 132. 22 ADP seems reasonable when you see he entered the weekend ranked eighth in the NL in average, fifth in OBP, 12th in slugging percentage and 27th in walk rate. He also had the sixth-lowest strikeout rate in the NL to go along with his 13 homers, 48 RBIs and 45 runs.

AL: Jeremy Pena, Astros NL: Pete Alonso, Mets See Brandon Drury. Hitting a respectable . 268 while leading the majors in RBIs.

Ranked seventh in the NL in slugging percentage and 25th in WAR. AL: Shane McClanahan, Rays Easily the first-half Cy Young, making his 107. 98 ADP look like the biggest steal of the draft.

Leading the majors in strikeouts, WHIP and ERA. Also had the fourth-lowest walk rate and the second-lowest opponents’ average. AL: Justin Verlander, Astros Did you expect this kind of production (11-3, 2.

00 ERA, 0. 87 WHIP) from a 39-year-old pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery? AL: Nestor Cortes , Yankees Nasty Nestor entered the season as a trendy, late-round flier, but the lefty has given fantasy managers a huge, unexpected first-half boost. AL: Martin Perez, Rangers See Brandon Drury and Jeremy Pena.

AL: Logan Gilbert, Mariners Piled up 10 wins over his first 18 starts while maintaining a 2. 80 ERA and 10. 6 percent swinging-strike rate.

Expected stats point to some regression, but he so far has made good on that 161. 6 ADP. NL: Tony Gonsolin, Dodgers The main reason he is not the first-half Cy Young is his innings count (93 ²/₃) over his first 17 starts.

But, going 11-0 with a 2. 02 ERA, 0. 84 WHIP and a league-best .

167 opponents’ average is nothing to scoff at. Expect regression after the break, but that late-round pick (269. 98 ADP) is looking mighty good.

NL : Sandy Alcantara, Marlins Not only did he enter the weekend with the best ERA in the NL, he had the third-best opponents average, fifth-most wins, the best groundball rate and 11th-best swinging-strike rate. He lasted six innings or more in 15 of his 18 starts. The 46.

52 ADP was a bargain. NL: Spencer Strider, Braves Striking out 38. 9 percent of the batters he has faced while limiting opponents to a .

174 average in his first 20 appearances (nine starts). He is 3-1 with a 2. 74 ERA, 1.

022 WHIP and 38. 8 strikeout rate in his nine starts. He is Roto Rage’s favorite first-half pickup.

NL: Tyler Anderson, Dodgers Ten wins? ERA under 3. 00 with a 1. 017 WHIP? Limiting opponents to a .

225 average? Not bad for a former Rockies first-round pick … in 2011. Where’d this guy come from? NL: Miles Mikolas, Cardinals The 6-7 record and 6. 99 strikeouts per nine aren’t great, but he had the third-lowest walk rate in the NL, as well as the sixth-best ERA and WHIP.

Opponents are also hitting just . 212 against him. AL: Clay Holmes, YankeesNL:Edwin Diaz, Mets If he was on radars in AL-only leagues, that would’ve be pretty surprising.

Converted 19 of his first 22 save attempts while striking out 73 over just 36 ¹/₃ innings (18. 1 per nine, the best mark among relievers). Here is the scary part: His FIP, xFIP and xERA all indicate things can get even better.

Josh Rojas 2B/SS/3B/OF, Diamondbacks The versatile 28-year-old was the most added player in ESPN leagues this week after hitting . 378 with a homer, eight RBIs, nine runs, six walks, two stolen bases and 1. 051 OPS in his first 13 games this month.

Luis Castillo SP, Reds One of the top deadline trade targets is 1-0 with a 1. 00 ERA, 33-9 strikeout-walk rate and . 177 opponents average over his past four starts.

Justin Turner 3B, Dodgers Entered Friday with at least one hit in 12 of his previous 14 games — going 20-for-48 (. 417) with four homers, 10 RBIs and 1. 179 OPS in that span.

Jordan Lyles SP, Rangers Went 5-7 with a 4. 66 ERA and . 273 opponents’ average in his first 16 starts, but is 2-0 with a 1.

86 ERA and . 222 opponent average in his past three. Jarren Duran OF, Red Sox In his previous seven games before Friday night, the 25-year-old was 2-for-22 (.

091) with one RBI, 10 strikeouts and . 221 OPS. Dallas Keuchel SP, D’backs After going 2-5 with a 7.

88 ERA and . 343 opponents’ average in eight starts for the White Sox, he has been just as bad in Arizona (0-2, 9. 64 ERA, .

329 opponents’ average in four starts). Randy Arozarena OF, Rays Was 3-for-31 (. 143) with one homer, one RBI, six strikeouts and .

613 OPS in past six games before the weekend. Lance Lynn SP, White Sox Allowed 13 ERs over his previous nine innings (13. 00 ERA) before taking the mound Saturday.

Opponents hit . 357 against him in those two starts. Free Britton-y.