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Evan Longoria is in his eighth big-league season. He's posted an OPS+ over 100 in all eight, gotten MVP votes five times, been an All-Star three.
Adrian Beltre is struggling this year, sure, but as a Ranger before this year he's posted a .315/.364/.530 slash line, averaging almost 30 home runs a year. Aging happens, but you have to assume he's going to bounce back at least somewhat in the second half.
After a disappointing first four years, Mike Moustakas appears to have found at least something this year, entering the All-Star break (his first time as an All-Star) with a slash line of .297/.353/.427.
None of those three makes the top 10 in fantasy third basemen the rest of the way in 2015. Heck, Moustakas barely makes the top 20. Third base might not be as deep as first base, but it might be, also. Between good first basemen who pick up a handful of games at third, up-and-comers who have up-and-came, and veterans who have solidly established themselves, there's a lot to like at the position. Heck, in the Home Run Derby, we had more pure third basemen (Todd Frazier, Kris Bryant, Josh Donaldson, Manny Machado) than first basemen (Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, Anthony Rizzo) — though, to be fair, Frazier qualifies at both.
It means your standards at third base have to be higher, sure, but it also means you have a better shot at finding someone to help.
Which brings us to the rankings. Players listed are all 3B-eligibile in the Yahoo! game. Take a gander:
Third Base Rankings, rest of season
Rank | Player | Team | Thoughts |
1 | Todd Frazier | CIN | He could have career-highs in doubles and home runs within, like, the next two weeks. |
2 | Josh Donaldson | TOR | I worried about his health moving to Toronto, but that hasn't been a worry so far. |
3 | Chris Davis | BAL | |
4 | Manny Machado | BAL | Already has career-highs in home runs and steals. If he stays healthy this could be a crazy year. |
5 | Nolan Arenado | COL | Interesting that, this year at least, he's not been a Coors Field product, as he's hit better on the road than at home. |
6 | Xander Bogaerts | BOS | |
7 | Kris Bryant | CHC | Kind of amazing that he's performing almost exactly how everyone said he would, and it's still great. |
8 | Matt Carpenter | SLC | He's hurt by no longer having second-base eligibility, but he's still a perfectly competent hitter. |
9 | Alex Rodriguez | NYY | Putting up his highest OPS+ since 2008. I do expect some regression over a long season, but it's been incredible. |
10 | Miguel Cabrera | DET | |
11 | Adrian Beltre | TEX | As mentioned above, you've got to expect some rest-of-the-way improvement. |
12 | Evan Longoria | TAM | |
13 | Kyle Seager | SEA | Five years of batting averages: .258-.259-.260-.268-.269. He's consistent but unremarkable. |
14 | Yasmany Tomas | ARI | He's lucky fantasy doesn't factor in defense, but on offense, he's been worth it. |
15 | Miguel Sano | MIN | Sure, it's only been 11 games, but he's looked great. |
16 | Anthony Rendon | WAS | |
17 | Maikel Franco | PHI | I just don't believe him to the extent he's performed so far, but he's proven he's at least relevant. |
18 | Mike Moustakas | KAN | Four-year average OPS+ of 82 before this year's 115. Hitting his prime and all that, sure, but you have to think regression is coming. |
19 | Matt Duffy | SFG | |
20 | Luis Valbuena | HOU | |
21 | Carlos Santana | CLE | |
22 | Pablo Sandoval | BOS | Trying really hard to find things to like about Sandoval being in the first year of a five-year deal with Boston. Trying really hard ... and failing. |
23 | Justin Turner | LAD | He's got to be exposed in full-time play, right? The Dodgers haven't just been sitting on a superstar, have they? |
24 | Cesar Hernandez | PHI | |
25 | Pedro Alvarez | PIT | |
26 | Jake Lamb | ARI | He won't win the Rookie of the Year, as I predicted, but he's hit well. |
27 | Juan Uribe | ATL | Uribe, 2015, dodgers: .247/.287/.309. Uribe, 2015, Braves: .290/.351/.478. Change of scenery FTW. |
28 | Trevor Plouffe | MIN | He's a totally fine ballplayer to use until you find someone better. The Twins might have done that now. |
29 | Brock Holt | BOS | |
30 | Marcus Semien | OAK |