The best players in the world play fantasy baseball on NFBC. The most popular high-stakes contest is the NFBC Main Event, which has a $1,750 buy-in with a $7,000 league prize and a $200,000 overall prize. Thankfully, for everyone, NFBC allows us to see what each team is doing with their fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups on Sunday night.
I look at the most popular fantasy baseball waiver wire and FAAB pickups in the NFBC Main Event to see who the best players in the world are picking up and whether we should add them.
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Assistant
- Fantasy Baseball Lineup Assistant
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: FAAB Suggestions
Caleb Thielbar (RP – CHC)
Caleb Thielbar was picked up in 60 Main Event leagues with a max bid of $233 and a minimum bid of $23. With Daniel Palencia going down with an injury, the Cubs are going to need a new closer for the next 4-6 weeks, and Thielbar was the last Cubs reliever to receive a save.
This is likely a shared job between Thielbar and Ben Brown, but the Cubs may prefer Brown to stay in a multi-inning or high-leverage role.
Enyel De Los Santos (RP – HOU)
Enyel De Los Santos was picked up in 59 Main Event leagues with a max bid of $127 and a minimum bid of $2. Josh Hader is still working his way back from injury and isn’t eligible to return until late May, and fill-in closer Bryan Abreu has struggled mightily.
This means the Astros need a new closer. De Los Santos has been a journeyman reliever, but he has some of the best skills and was the last reliever to earn a save. He could hold this job for a while if Hader takes longer to return.
Sam Antonacci (2B, 3B – CWS)
Sam Antonacci was picked up in 58 Main Event leagues with a max bid of $223 and a minimum bid of $23. He has a very good hit tool and a great eye at the plate, but there isn’t much power.
Anotonacci does offer decent speed, though, and he could find himself as a batting average and stolen base asset.
Brad Keller (RP – PHI)
Brad Keller was picked up in 58 Main Event leagues with a max bid of $183 and a minimum bid of $25. With Jhoan Duran out for about a month with a strained oblique, the Phillies will turn to Keller for saves.
This is a short-term pickup, but Keller was already given the vote of confidence as the interim closer, which gives added value.
Noah Schultz (SP – CWS)
Noah Schultz was picked up in 58 Main Event leagues with a max bid of $347 and a minimum bid of $77. Schultz is a top pitching prospect with a massive amount of strikeout upside.
Schultz’s first start was shaky with the control, but if he can keep the walks in check, he offers SP2 upside.
Louis Varland (RP – TOR)
Louis Varland was picked up in 57 Main Event leagues with a max bid of $88 and a minimum bid of $3. Jeff Hoffman has struggled as the Blue Jays’ closer this season, and Varland has pretty good skills and could be the next man up.
The problem is that Hoffman will likely have a bit of leeway. Even if he loses the role, there is a good chance they move to a committee situation or rely more on Tyler Rogers, whom they just gave a big contract to in the offseason.
Dean Kremer (SP – BAL)
Dean Kremer was picked up in 52 Main Event leagues with a max bid of $156 and a minimum bid of $1. Kremer has looked good in his first two starts, throwing 11 innings with a 4.09 ERA and a 37% strikeout rate.
That said, there isn’t a ton of difference in the skills, and Kremer is allowing a lot of fly balls, which may turn into home runs as things heat up in Baltimore and around the country. Homers have always been Kremer’s biggest issue. This feels more like a streamer than someone you spend a ton of money on.
Abner Uribe (RP – MIL)
Abner Uribe was picked up in just four Main Event leagues with a max bid of a whopping $879 and a minimum bid of $179. The max bid was likely a mistake, as most managers would never spend 90% of their FAAB on just one player, but he was easily the most expensive player in the few leagues where he was available.
With Trevor Megill struggling, it appears Uribe is taking over the closer role in Milwaukee, making him a priority pickup in any league where he is available.
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