Fantasy baseball: Impact, replacements after Tim Anderson’s knee injury

The Chicago White Sox (and fantasy baseball owners) were hoping for good news after Tim Anderson was forced to leave Monday’s game against the Minnesota Twins following a collision to the knee, but unfortunately the shortstop is going to be on the shelf for at least little while. The team announced on Tuesday afternoon that Anderson will be sidelined for two to four weeks with what’s being deemed a knee sprain.

The White Sox called up Lenyn Sosa from Triple-A Charlotte in a corresponding move.

Tim Anderson fantasy impact

Anderson has been a mainstay in fantasy lineups for years, providing bundles of runs from atop Chicago’s lineup while being a reliable bet for 15-20 steals and homers with an elite batting average. Owners who drafted the shortstop inside the top 100 this year were likely expecting much of the same only to now have a hole to fill in their middle infield. So who should you target as an Anderson replacement on your fantasy team? We’ve got recommendations below.

Bryson Stott, Philadelphia Phillies

Stott’s ownership rate continues to climb during his blistering start to the season (.415./429/.488 slash line so far), so you’ll have to check to make sure he’s available. But if he is, he’s in many ways something of a poor man’s Anderson: great average combined with double-digit potential in both power and speed. Stott hit 10 homers and swiped 12 bags in just 127 games last year, and he’s locked into the second base job in Philly.

Ha-Seong Kim, San Diego Padres

Kim’s another candidate to crack double digits in both homers and steals, a feat he accomplished last season. He’s hitting .286/.359/.571 so far in 2023 and his defensive versatility should ensure that he’ll always have a starting spot somewhere on the infield for a great Padres lineup. (If you’re worried about Fernando Tatis Jr.’s impending return and how it may impact Kim’s playing time, don’t be: San Diego has already committed to slotting Tatis Jr. into right field.)

Kim’s average will probably regress a little bit, but his ability to contribute in all four other categories — while carrying triple eligibility at every infield spot save first base — should be here to stay.

Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers

Once a top-100 prospect in Milwaukee’s system, Turang flew under the radar during drafts this spring despite the Brewers more or less handing him the second base job. That seems like a pretty major mistake: The 23-year-old is hitting .308/.400/.462 with a homer and two steals over his first 10 games in the Majors.

Turang hit 13 homers to go with 34 steals in Triple-A last year, so you know the tools are there, and while he’ll sit against some lefties, he should be ticketed for lots of playing time in a hitter-friendly park in Milwaukee.

Josh Rojas, Arizona Diamondbacks

Rojas doesn’t come with SS eligibility, but if you have another shortstop on your roster, you can plug the lefty into your MI spot. Rojas is hitting at or near the top of Arizona’s order on a regular basis and is hitting .407 with a couple of steals and five runs scored. He won’t help much in the power categories, but his 23 stolen bases last year show that the speed is real, and the Diamondbacks’ lineup has proved surprisingly frisky so far this season.