Fantasy Baseball: Jedd Gyorko, Chris Owings worth look in playoffs

As we enter the final weeks of the season, fantasy owners are fighting for any and every edge they can find. One of the best ways to extract value at the margins is to grab players with eligibility at multiple positions. These Swiss Army knives can help you avoid losing production by covering for anyone on your roster getting the odd day off down the stretch, and they’re all readily available in most leagues.

For even more options, be sure to check out RotoBaller’s Waiver Wire Rankings Wizard tool.

Jedd Gyorko, 1B/2B/3B/SS, St. Louis Cardinals

Gyorko has been a sneaky-excellent fantasy option in the second half, hitting .244/.309/.585 with 19 homers and 59 R+RBI in just 47 games since the break. He went deep on Monday for the 26th time this season, matching his total from the previous two seasons combined. As always, the Cardinals have managed to squeeze blood from the stone of a reclamation project. Available in the majority of Yahoo leagues and close to half of ESPN leagues, Gyorko is a no-brainer add if you need power.

Chris Owings, 2B/SS/OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

Over the last month, Owings has hit .364/.414/.533 with 14 runs, 13 RBI, and seven stolen bases in eight attempts. Not much has gone right for the Diamondbacks this year, but Owings’ resurgence has been a bright spot. It’s been largely ignored by fantasy owners, however, as he’s currently free for the taking in over 85 percent of both Yahoo and ESPN leagues. His recent hot stretch has prompted manager Chip Hale to move him up to second in the batting order, making the 25 year old a probable asset in runs, average, and steals.

Wilmer Flores, 1B/2B/3B/SS, New York Mets

With the sheer volume of injuries that they’ve suffered, Flores has gone from utility man to middle of the order bat for the Mets in short order. Fortunately for their pennant defense, he’s been up to the challenge. The 25 year old has hit .296/.341/.556 with 12 home runs since the end of June. Flores has improved across the board every year he’s been in the big leagues and is peaking at the right time for both the Mets and fantasy owners alike. He’s unowned in nearly 90 percent of both Yahoo and ESPN leagues.

Nick Franklin, 1B/2B/SS/OF, Tampa Bay Rays

Virtually no one has noticed given his microscopic ownership rate on all of the major platforms, but Franklin has been producing this year. Though he’s only come to the plate 140 times, the Rays’ latest super-utility guy has hit .281/.343/.477 with five homers and six steals. He’s played all over the diamond and hit in every lineup spot save cleanup. A former top prospect for the Mariners who was dealt to Tampa in the trade that sent David Price to Detroit, Franklin was among the worst hitters in the game during his first three (partial) seasons in the majors. He may finally be figuring things out – just in time to help your fantasy team for the stretch run.

Kyle Bishop is a lead MLB columnist at RotoBaller.com. His articles are your secret weapon for winning fantasy leagues.