Waiver Flavor: Week 22
The end of the fantasy baseball regular season is approaching, for some the playoffs begin next week so let’s take a gander at the top performing players that are left on the waiver wire who could be a big help come playoff time.
Catcher
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10 Team League
Gary Sanchez, NYY – For the second straight week Sanchez was named the A.L. Player of the Week. He has stayed hot, hitting .400 with six runs, three home runs and six RBI over the last seven days. He is a must own in all formats.
12 Team League
Evan Gattis, Hou – Gattis is heating up right now and over the last week he is hitting .375 with four runs, three home runs and six RBI. Gattis is owned in under 60 percent of leagues so he is likely sitting on your waiver wire due to his batting average but his 22 home runs leads all catcher eligible players which is certainly worth adding.
15 Team League
Russell Martin, Tor- Martin has slowed down over the last week but he is still hitting .247 with 50 runs, 15 home runs and 59 RBI on the year. He is ranked among the top 10 catchers in fantasy yet finds himself owned in just 65 percent of standard leagues. The Blue Jays currently lead the the A.L. East and their offense is a key reason for that success which bodes well for Martins production.
First Base
10 Team League
Hanley Ramirez, Bos– HanRam is starting to heat up again for the Red Sox as he is hitting .348 with four runs, two home runs and three RBI. He finds himself owned in about 90 percent of standard leagues so his availability is likely limited to just 10 team formats. Overall this season he is hitting .281 with 64 runs, 18 home runs, 80 RBI and eight stolen bases.
12 Team League
Brandon Moss, StL– Moss continues to be a consistent producer for the Cardinals and his fantasy owners alike, having hit .269 with four runs, two home runs and four RBI over the last week. On the year Moss is hitting .263 with 57 runs, 25 home runs and 61 RBI. He finds himself owned in under 60 percent of standard so check your waiver wire and pick up Moss if you need some help at first base or outfield.
15 Team League
C.J. Cron, LAA– Cron is hitting .288 with 39 runs, 14 home runs and 58 RBI on the year and over the last week he has hit .448 with five runs, three home runs and eight RBI. He is owned in just 10 percent of standard leagues so it is very likely he is sitting on the waiver wire in your league.
Second Base
10 Team League
DJ LeMahieu, Col– LeMahieu is hitting .357 with an .866 OPS over the last week and on the year he is hitting an impressive .344 with 86 runs, 10 home runs, 53 RBI and nine stolen bases. He is owned in about 90 percent of standard leagues so if you find yourself in need of a middle infielder or upgrade at second base LeMahieu is a MUST own.
12 Team League
Trea Turner, Wsh– Over the last week Turner is hitting .455 with five runs, one home run, two RBI and four stolen bases as he continues to mash the baseball since being called up. On the year he is hitting .344 with 34 runs, five home runs, 22 RBI and 18 stolen bases. He is owned in under 80 percent of standard leagues so check your waiver wire and see if he is still floating around as he can be a real difference maker.
15 Team League
Ryan Schimpf, SD–Schimpf has been a steady producer since getting called up to the Padres, hitting .237 with 37 runs, 16 home runs and 38 RBI over 63 games. Over the last week he has hit .375 with five runs, two home runs and three RBI. His batting average will likely be a bit of drain but his power at the position is pretty hard to find. He is owned in about 15 percent of standard leagues so check your waiver wire if you need some home run pop at your second base or middle infield spots.
Shortstop
10 Team League
Jonathan Villar, Mil – Villar continues to rank as the No.1 shortstop in fantasy yet his ownership levels are about 85 percent in standard leagues. On the year he is hitting .297 with 73 runs, 11 home runs, 47 RBI and 50 stolen bases. His 50 stolen bases rank him second in the majors behind Billy Hamilton’s 54 swipes and his ability to hit for average and some pop makes him somewhat of a Jose Altuve-lite. If for some reason you notice Villar on your waiver wire he is a MUST own heading into the fantasy playoffs.
12 Team League
Jedd Gyorko, StL– Gyorko has been a home run hitting machine for the Cardinals this season and over the last week hit launched four more to give him a career best 24 home runs for the season. Nobody has ever doubted the power in Gyorko’s bat but his inability to get on base consistently enough is what has prevented him from seeing a fulltime role through the first few seasons of his career. The Cardinals however are giving him every day at bats and seeing as he is just 50 percent owned in standard leagues it seems likely he could be on your waiver wire. Gyorko also has extra value thanks to the fact that he can play all infield positions except catcher so if you need a power boost at your middle or corner infield spots go ahead and add him.
15 Team League
Asdrubal Cabrera, NYM– Asdrubal has been on fire of late for the Mets having hit .435 hit five runs, four home runs and eight RBI over the last seven days. On the season he is hitting .270 with 48 runs, 17 home runs, 44 RBI and two stolen bases. He is owned in just over 10 percent of standard leagues but given where he hits in the Mets lineup and the power he offers at the shortstop position he is certainly worth owning in most formats.
Third Base
10 Team League
Anthony Rendon, Wsh – Rendon has been a steady producer for the Nationals all season long, hitting .274 with 79 runs, 16 home runs, 62 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He currently rank around the top 10 at the position and is owned in just under 90 percent of standard leagues so this add is more than likely for shallower mixed league formats. Over the last two weeks he is hitting .327 with 12 runs, one home run and eight RBI.
12 Team League
Jose Reyes, NYM – Reyes has been on fire of late, hitting .355 with seven runs, one home run and one RBI over the last week. He is coming off a month of August which saw him hit .338 with 16 runs, one home run, five RBI and three stolen bases. Reyes is owned in just under 50 percent of standard leagues but if he’s healthy and continues to play the way he is playing then he’s a must own in all fantasy formats.
15 Team League
Trevor Plouffe, Min- This has been a lost season for Plouffe due to numerous stints on the disabled list but when he has been healthy he’s been pretty solid. Over the last week he is hitting .321 with five runs, two home runs, six RBI and an OPS of .911. On the year he is hitting .261 with 30 runs, nine home runs and 41 RBI. If he can manage to stay healthy over the final month of the season he can provide fantasy owners with some decent power at a corner infield position.
Outfield
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10 Team League
Adam Duvall, Cin– Duvall has had a breakout season in 2016, hitting .248 with 72 runs, 29 home run, 83 RBI and four stolen bases. He is currently ranked among the top 25 outfielders in fantasy yet is owned in just over 80 percent of standard leagues. Since returning to the Reds lineup he is hitting .308 with eight runs, two home runs and seven RBI over the last two weeks. While his batting average leaves something to be desired you cannot ignore his power potential over the final few weeks of the season.
12 Team League
Justin Upton, Det– It has been a massively disappointing season for Justin Upton and those who drafted him this year as he is hitting just .236 with 62 runs, 18 home runs, 59 RBI and nine stolen bases. However he is starting to heat up right when fantasy owners need him the most by hitting .341 with 10 runs, five home runs and 13 RBI over the last two weeks. He is currently owned in about 80 percent of standard leagues so check your waiver wire and see if he’s floating around so you can grab him and ride this hot streak into the playoffs.
15 Team League
Randal Grichuk, StL– Grichuk was a popular sleeper heading into this season but struggled and saw himself eventually demoted back to the minors. He has since been called up and is once again raking, hitting .284 with nine runs, seven home runs and 15 RBI over the last month. The batting average is never going to be a great thing for Grichuk but he offers a big power bat in the Cardinals lineup that has little issue scoring runs which helps his overall production. Grichuk is currently owned in just over 35 percent of standard league formats.
Starting Pitchers
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10 Team League
Kyle Hendricks, ChC–It seems odd that a pitcher like Hendricks is not 100 percent owned but that is the case here as he finds himself available in just over 10 percent of standard leagues. He is having a career season for the Cubs in 2016, going 13-7 with a 2.09 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. His next start is going to come on Monday against the punchless Brewers so check your waiver wire to see if maybe Hendricks is sitting out there in shallower mixed formats.
12 Team League
Matt Shoemaker, LAA – Shoemaker is coming off an impressive month of August which saw him go 4-2 with a 3.15 ERA while striking out 25 over 40 innings. Since the All-Star break he is 5-4 with a 3.06 ERA while striking out 444 over 61.2 innings. His next start is on Sunday against the Mariners who he has held to just five earned runs in two starts against them in August. He is owned in just under 50 percent of standard leagues so check your wire and grab Shoemaker as he looks to continue his success against the Mariners this season.
15 Team League
Carlos Rodon, CWS– Rodon was spectacular in the month of August, going 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA while striking out 26 over 30.2 innings. He is owned in just under 50 percent of standard leagues and finds himself with a solid matchup against the Twins on Friday. Given his recent success and talent upside he is definitely worth grabbing as you head into the final weeks of the fantasy season.
Closers
10 Team League
Tony Watson, Pit –Watson is owned in just over 50 percent of standard league and has done a great job as the Pirates closer, having notched three saves over the last week while striking out four in four innings. On the year he is 2-3 with 10 saves and a 2.68 ERA while striking out 48 over 57 innings.
12 Team League
Ken Giles, Hou –Giles has been a bit shaky at times this season but he is entrenched as the Astros closer which makes him worth grabbing. Over the last two weeks he has notched five saves while striking out eight over six innings. On the year he is 2-3 with seven saves and a 3.54 ERA while striking out 82 over 53.1 innings. He is owned in just over 60 percent of standard leagues so check your waiver wire if you need help at the closer spot.
15 Team League
Kelvin Herrera, KC – Herrera continues to be lights out for the Royals bullpen having notched three saves last week while striking out four over 4.1 innings. On the year he is 1-4 with 11 saves and a 1.77 ERA while striking out 75 over 61 innings. He is owned in just under 60 percent of standard leagues so check your waiver wire and pick up the closer from KC if he is still available in your league.
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