It’s important to have a plan when scouring the fantasy baseball waiver wire or placing your weekly free agent acquisition budget (FAAB) bids. Below are some players rostered in fewer than 50% of fantasy baseball leagues to consider, depending on what categories you’re targeting.
- Fantasy Baseball Research & Advice
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Assistant
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- Rest-of-Season Projections
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups
Runs
Trent Grisham (OF – NYY) | 21% on Yahoo; 26% on ESPN
The Yankees have the 10th-best hitter matchups next week, according to FantasyPros’ hitter matchup tool. Trent Grisham has been batting out of the one- or two-hole against right-handed pitchers, and there are currently four on the schedule in the next seven days.
However, Grisham drops to the nine-hole against lefties, suppressing his ability to score runs. On the season, he has a career-best strikeout rate and expected batting average. His 13% walk rate is what fantasy managers love to see from a leadoff hitter batting in front of Aaron Judge.
Home Runs
Jorge Polanco (2B – SEA) | 30% on Yahoo; 40% on ESPN
Jorge Polanco started the season on fire, but struggled in May. He’s picked it back up in June and is finally healthy enough to bat from the right side of the plate.
The Mariners are one of six teams with seven games next week, and as a bonus, they play four of those in Minnesota, Polanco’s former team. He posted a .262 average and .765 OPS at Target Field in his Minnesota Twins career.
RBI
Luke Raley (OF – SEA) | 4% on Yahoo; 1% on ESPN
Luke Raley was activated from the injured list (IL) over the weekend and picked up four hits in seven at-bats. He’s always hit the ball hard, as evidenced by his 90+ miles per hour (MPH) average exit velocity in all five seasons. In the small sample size this year, he’s also improved his strikeout rate (24%), getting it below 29% for the first time.
Raley gets six righties on the schedule in the next seven days and should rack up the RBI if he stays hot.
Stolen Bases
Jacob Young (OF – WSH) | 1% on Yahoo; 1% on ESPN
Jacob Young has started every game since the other side of his platoon was sent to Triple-A. He doesn’t provide much in terms of counting stats, but with his 94th percentile sprint speed, he can put up steals in a hurry. The Nationals have the third-best hitter matchups, and Young should be a solid source of speed as long as he’s on the field.
Batting Average
J.P. Crawford (SS – SEA) | 27% Yahoo; 14% on ESPN
J.P. Crawford is quietly having a great season. He’s batting .290 with a .808 OPS, 33 runs scored, six home runs, 29 RBI and five steals. His strikeout rate is only 18% and his walk rate is a spectacular 16.5%.
Crawford’s bat speed has slowed down a mile per hour from last season, and the added bat control seems to be working wonders. He’s batting .356 since June 1st.
Wins
Eduardo Rodriguez (SP – ARI) | 9% on Yahoo; 3% on ESPN
Eduardo Rodriguez has struggled to a 5.93 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in 60.2 innings pitched this season. However, he gets two soft matchups next week — at the Chicago White Sox and home versus the Miami Marlins.
Rodriguez already has one win this year against the Marlins, and both teams are in the bottom four of the league in total wins.
Strikeouts
Chad Patrick (SP – MIL) | 27% on Yahoo; 10% on ESPN
Chad Patrick gets the Pirates and Rockies away from Coors Field this week. He has a 22.6% strikeout rate on the season, and both teams are in the bottom 10 in worst strikeout rates against right-handed pitchers. His 3.50 ERA has been solid considering his 1.28 WHIP, and the soft landing in a two-start week could pay dividends immediately for fantasy managers.
ERA & WHIP
Finding a starter with good ratios on the waiver wire is hard to accomplish at this point in the season. However, relievers can be a sneaky way to get multiple outings in a week with good ratios and a few strikeouts as a bonus.
Griffin Jax (RP – MIN) | 22% on Yahoo; 16% on ESPN
Griffin Jax struggled to start the year but has been much better of late. He has his line down to a 4.22 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Even though that’s still ugly, he’s only allowed three earned runs since the middle of May, and he still has fewer runs allowed than last year when he was at his best.
Of course, Jax would have to go on an insane run to finish with fewer runs allowed than last year. He’s only given up one run fewer than last year, but it’s conceivable for a reliever with his stuff. I don’t think it’s likely that he’ll end with a near-2.00 ERA, but pitching to a 2.00 ERA the rest of the way is more than possible.
Saves
Shelby Miller (RP – ARI) | 35% on Yahoo; 10% on ESPN
Shelby Miller’s roster rate only went up 1% in the last week, and no one can be blamed. He blew his first save opportunity against the Blue Jays, giving up two homers. Luckily for him and us, the Diamondbacks have no other options.
They went back to Miller for their next save opportunity against the Rockies, which he picked up. He should continue to see the bulk of the save opportunities.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | SoundCloud | TuneIn
