10-Team Leagues

Nick Pivetta , PHI SP (65% ownership), FAAB Bid - $16-17 - It’s really real. Pivetta is the real deal! He’s allowed just one earned run over his last three starts which has been a span of 19 innings. He’s won each of those starts giving him four wins on the year and he’s struck out at least seven in all three including an 11 K game. Pivetta is throwing seven percent less fastballs this year and nine percent more curveballs. That could be one of the primary reasons his SwStr rate is up from 8.7-percent to 11.3. If he continues to generate all these swings and misses he’ll continue to be very successful.

Dylan Bundy , BAL SP (59% ownership), FAAB Bid - $13-14 - It’s a risky pick up obviously, but the rewards can be so great when Bundy is on. He is fresh off a complete game in which he struck out a career-high 14 batters. With that big strikeout outing, Bundy now owns an impressive 11.06 K/9 and a 29-percent K-rate on the year. If we get the good Bundy going forward, we’re picking up a borderline SP2.

Greg Bird , NYY 1B (53% ownership), FAAB Bid - $12-13 - Now look, let me preface this by saying I understand that Tyler Austin has played well in his absence, but this is Bird’s job when he returns. We’ve seen the power he has and we’ve seen the pure ability to hit when he’s stayed healthy, but the key to everything is Bird staying healthy. He was projected to hit in between Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge before the season so obviously the Yankees brass thinks very highly of him. Bird’s set to come off of the disabled list today, so scoop him up off of waivers while you still can.

 

12-Team Leagues

Brandon Nimmo , NYM OF (13% ownership), FAAB Bid - $12 - With Yoenis Céspedes on the DL and the rest of the Mets OF struggling, Nimmo has picked up the pace and has played the best of them all. He’s slashing .294/.450/.541 on the year with three homers and three stolen bases. He’s currently hitting out of the leadoff spot too, so his at-bats are being maximized. HIs ability to contribute in multiple categories makes him viable in almost all formats.

Eduardo Rodríguez , BOS SP (45% ownership), FAAB Bid - $10-12 - Rodriguez has now strung together three really good starts in his last four outings after a really shaky start to his 2018 campaign. He’s been on a tear compiling strikeouts as he’s had at least seven in four of his last five starts. The crazy part is he hasn’t gone past six innings in any of those starts, so imagine when he finally does start pitching deep into games? His 28.2-percent K-rate is elite and his 3.40 SIERA and 3.79 xFIP tell me he’s been more unlucky than not. Once things begin to regulate, you’ll have picked up a borderline SP2 for ROS.

Jose Alvarado , TBR RP (16% ownership), FAAB Bid - $11 - With Álex Colomé ’s bags packed and headed to Seattle, there is now a vacancy in the Tampa Bay 9th inning. Alvarado currently leads the team in holds and also has one save on his resume as well. Alvarado has an ERA under three and also has a FIP of 2.36 to match. He has an impressive K-rate of 27.7 as well. Nothing’s been decided on the Tampa Bay front, but with the Rays using Sergio Romo as a hybrid starter and Chaz Roe has an ERA of nearly five. Alvarado is worth the add.

 

15-Team Leagues

Gorkys Hernández , SF OF (1% ownership), FAAB Bid - $7 - Would you believe me if I told you Hernandez has belted four homers in his last seven games? I wouldn’t believe me either, but here we are. Hernandez has taken over the leadoff role for the Giants and has been great. He now has five homers and two stolen bases and is playing himself into an even bigger role across the fantasy community. We’ve seen Hernandez in the past and how unreliable he is, which is why I’m not fully trusting him in smaller teamed formats.

Johnny Field , TBR OF (3% ownership), FAAB Bid - $6 - Not only did Colome get traded, but so did Denard Span opening more at-bats in the OF. Field has shown a lot of power since arriving in Tampa, something he did decently at the Minor League level. That’s the issue we’re going to run into is how real is the power? We’re going to have to find out, but for now it seems real. He has four homers in 26 games and has a .500 SLG over his last 10 contests. He’s worth the a fourth OF spot.

Miguel Rojas , MIA 1B, 3B, SS (15% ownership), FAAB Bid - $5 - Rojas has been really productive of late and is deserving of some season long consideration. He’s multi-position eligible and has posted a .940 OPS over his last 10 games including two homers. He’s hit .343 over the last 14 days as well, so he’s doing a little bit of everything. He’s not sexy and won’t hit you a ton of homers or you steal you many bases, but he’s doing a little of both right now and could be valuable.

*ownership percentages courtesy of Yahoo

** FAAB bids based on $100 budget