Fantasy Baseball 2020: Aaron Nola, Top Players to Avoid for Shortened Season

If there is a Major League Baseball season, the margin of error for pitchers will be slim.

That should turn fantasy baseball owners away from Aaron Nola and other hurlers when it is time to draft. The Philadelphia Phillies man struggled during the final month of the 2019 season and did not have great marks against National League East competition. 

Although Marcus Stroman achieved more success than Nola, there are still some concerns about him since his ERA rose after moving from the Toronto Blue Jays to the New York Mets. 

If both hurlers have to face more divisional foes in a potentially shortened season, they could come with more risks for fantasy teams in need of strong numbers from every start. 

Fantasy Baseball Players to Avoid

Aaron Nola, RHP, Philadelphia

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Nola did not record a victory in his last seven starts of 2019. In fact, the Phillies lost eight of his final 10 appearances, with five defeats coming against NL East opposition.

Nola went 4-5 in 17 appearances versus the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, New York Mets and Washington Nationals. 

The 27-year-old is also 5-9 in September in his career, which is a total that neutralizes the success he typically achieves in August. 

If the shortened season happens, pitchers need to make every outing count in order to earn a postseason berth. 

Nola's September inconsistencies turn him from a player who could be strong in the summer to one who should be avoided with an average draft position of 46, per FantasyPros.

Marcus Stroman, RHP, New York Mets

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In a normal 162-game season, Stroman would carry strong middle-round value. 

However in a short campaign, he could be more of a risk because of the amount of hits and earned runs he conceded in his 11-start stint with the New York Mets. 

Stroman's ERA rose from 2.96 when he was traded by Toronto to 3.22 ERA at the end of the season. He conceded eight home runs, including two in a pair of games, and allowed six or more hits on six occasions. 

The 29-year-old also did not last more than six innings in any of his five appearances against NL East opposition. 

With Atlanta, Philadelphia and Washington all boasting strong lineups, Stroman may have trouble settling into a rhythm in July and August. If you add in that August is his least successful month, it's not a good formula for success. 

Stroman, whose ADP is 192, should be considered behind hurlers with more favorable divisional schedules, such as in the American League Central and NL West, where fewer contenders are expected to emerge.

Adalberto Mondesi, SS, Kansas City

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When it comes to hitters, you have to select players who can fill up every stat category. Any drop-off may cost you a spot in the postseason. 

Adalberto Mondesi is an intriguing shortstop choice because of his 109 hits, 43 stolen bases, 20 doubles and 10 triples from 2019, but he comes with too much risk.

The 24-year-old struck out on 162 occasions in 102 games, recorded a .263 batting average and .291 on-base percentage last season.

When you compare the Royals infielder to Manny Machado, Carlos Correa, Jonathan Villar and others who bring more power to the position, his ADP of 44 does not make sense. 

Mondesi could be selected a few rounds beneath his ADP, but he should only be considered if you have enough power already on your roster. 

Even then, though, he may be viewed as a risky pick due to his high strikeout rate and average splits. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference