Fantasy Baseball: 5 Possible Replacements If Jose Reyes Winds Up on DL

The hamstring strain Jose Reyes suffered over the weekend against the Yankees no doubt left fantasy owners scrambling—ESPN's report that he could be headed to the DL would cause even more panic.

As the Mets are finding out, there's no replacing the otherworldly Reyes who's batting .354 with 30 stolen bases already this year.

There are some untapped fantasy resources out there though, including the Mets' own Ruben Tejada, Reyes' replacement at shortstop. He's batting .266 with 18 RBI and may at least get you through the next few days until Reyes is ready to return.

But if you'd like to step outside the Big Apple to look for help, here are a few viable shortstops that are probably available in your fantasy league: 

Alcides Escobar, Kansas City Royals

2011 Stats: .253 average, 1 HR, 24 RBI, 38 runs, 13 SB

Percent of Yahoo! Leagues Owned In: 27

Granted, the overall numbers Escobar's put up this season aren't overwhelming. He's been red hot recently though, which bodes well for a guy you need as a temporary fix.

Over the past 30 days, Escobar's batting at a .365 clip with seven of his 13 steals. The K.C. shortstop is also slugging .500 in that span and has already put up three multi-hit games in July.

Given the lack of depth at the shortstop position in fantasy leagues, Escobar's every-day usage in the Royals' lineup and his extended hot streak at the plate, he may not be available for long.

He's a guy that could definitely ease the pain of losing Reyes. 

Marco Scutaro, Boston Red Sox

2011 Stats: .265 average, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 18 runs, 1 SB

Percent of Yahoo! Leagues Owned In: 12

OK, so you're not exactly picking up Ernie Banks off the waiver wire here. That said, Scutaro's heated up after a real slow start to the season, and his presence in Boston's lineup—heck, anyone's presence in Boston's lineup—makes him a guy that could knock in some runs.

His average has come up recently, thanks to a .287 mark over the past 30 days. During that stretch Scutaro has scored 14 times and gone deep twice. 

His track record suggests that the numbers from June are more in line with what we can expect going forward. If nothing else, he should be able to keep it up for another week or two while Reyes is potentially on the sideline. 

Omar Infante, Florida Marlins

2011 Stats: .257 average, 1 HR, 25 RBI, 23 runs, 3 SB

Percent of Yahoo! Leagues Owned In: 31

Even if you don't own Reyes, Infante's at least worth consideration as a pickup. Why? Two words: Positional eligibility.

In most leagues, Infante can start at 2B, 3B, SS and in the outfield, making him a valuable fantasy chameleon.

While the numbers don't necessarily jump out at you, he's been seeing plenty of time at the top of Florida's lineup, and this is usually the time of year when he heats up (last year's unexpected All-Star campaign being an exception).

Infante has just eight runs scored and eight RBI during the past 30 days, but what he does give you is plenty of at-bats. One hundered and 10 of them in the season's last month, to be exact, more than any other SS option you're likely to find sitting out there.

Chase D'Arnaud, Pittsburgh Pirates

2011 Stats: .236 average, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 8 runs, 5 SB

Percent of Yahoo! Leagues Owned In: 1

So here's a guy that we can say with 99-percent certainty is available in your fantasy league. Chase d'Arnaud is one of the latest in a line of young Pirates players that have contributed to the team's stunning first half. 

The numbers? Not great. What is appealing about d'Arnaud, especially if you're putting Reyes on the DL, is that he's stolen five bases since his call-up on June 24—a span of just 13 games. You're not going to totally replace Reyes' 30 steals, but d'Arnaud could definitely help manage the situation.

He's batting second and playing every day for the Pirates, as well, which means some more RBI chances as leadoff man Alex Presley does his thing and more opportunities to be driven in by should've-been-All-Star Andrew McCutchen.  

Orlando Cabrera, Cleveland Indians

2011 Stats: .259 average, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 33 runs, 5 SB

Percent of Yahoo! Leagues Owned In: 26

It's a little difficult to bang the drum for someone who's not even the best "Cabrera" on his own team—Asdrubal Cabrera holds that crown in Cleveland. But Orlando Cabrera is a veteran middle infielder who is capable of holding down the fort for you in Reyes' absence. 

He's brought that average up lately, too, batting .297 with a pair of HRs and 10 runs scored over the past 30 days. That Cleveland lineup just keeps mashing, and Cabrera's been batting right in the heart of it, somewhere around the six slot, on a daily basis. 

Cabrera may not be the high-upside choice a guy like d'Arnaud is, but he's a steady hand when you might need one.