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Welcome, RotoBallers, to our AL-only and NL-only deeper fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 20 -- August 5 through August 11. The waiver wire can be difficult to navigate. Knowing who to add and when is a game within the game of fantasy baseball. Doing this in a mono league where the player pool is half the size of a full league makes it even more challenging. Every drop and add is significant.
One of the keys to success with roster management is opportunity. A player given the chance to get on the field and produce is one of the first signs of potential. After all, they can't accumulate statistics if they're sitting on their team's bench. These opportunities can arise because of either a promotion from the minor leagues, an injury to another player, or simply because the team has moved on from another player. Whatever the case may be, these players are now given a chance to shine.
It's important to note that these players are on a short leash to see if they can produce. If they don't, they can be dropped for the next man up. All that being said, here are some of the best players with opportunities.
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Joey Estes - SP Oakland Athletics
5% owned
The resurgent Oakland Athletics have had an impressive summer, highlighted by a fantastic July where they finished the month with a 15-9 record and one of the best offenses in baseball. Turning the calendar to a new month, they looked to maintain that momentum by continuing their new-found success. On Friday, that push forward happened with a terrific performance on the mound by Joey Estes, who had an impressive outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Joey Estes has retired 13 straight Dodgers since Teoscar Hernández's first-inning homer.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 3, 2024
Estes would go on to retire fifteen straight batters before exiting after six efficient innings where he struck out six batters. Overall, he possesses a nasty sweeper pitch that paralyzes batters to the tune of a .145 xBA and a 24.5% whiff rate. While his fastball isn't anything special, it does the job well enough to keep batters off the bases. His overall numbers might look scary (such as his 4.77 ERA), but he does own a 2.66 ERA over his last four outings. This week, he gets the historically awful White Sox at home, which should lead to yet another strong outing. Get him onto your rosters.
Brendan Rodgers - 2B Colorado Rockies
7% owned
The unsexy pick of the week goes to Brendan Rodgers from Colorado. He is a solid pick this week for the intangibles that he provides. He plays every day and is a good source for batting average, which is always difficult to project. Since the All-Star break, the second baseman has hit .321 with two home runs and continues to show that, when healthy, he can be a productive player.
Behind 1-2 in the count, #Rockies Brendan Rodgers tees off (107.8 mph exit velo, 391 ft) on this curveball for his right home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/1nD5I4BGZJ
— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) August 3, 2024
This upcoming week, the Rockies are at home for six games against the Mets and Braves. It is here where all batters get a boost in value, and Rodgers is no different. On the year, he has a .329/.374/.472/.846 slash line and is a completely different player there. Given the chance to play every day, he should be a force in lineups next week.
Austin Hays - OF Philadelphia Phillies
7% owned
Lost in the shuffle of the craziness that was the MLB Trade Deadline was the fact that the Phillies traded for an outfielder that could be a big piece for them in October. They came into the Deadline with an idea in mind of trading for depth when it mattered most. They looked around the league, but the price was too steep. They contacted the Orioles who were asking for a non-prospect return, and they were able to agree. With that in mind, he may not just be a platoon-bat against left-handed pitchers after all:
There's no doubt that he does better against left-handed pitchers, as his batting average against them (.314) is one hundred points higher than it is against right-handed pitchers. That said, one could argue that he's not been given a fair chance, as he only has 38 more plate appearances against them all season long. Regardless of what was done in Baltimore, his time in Philadelphia should be viewed as an upgrade. The home ballpark is a significant boost in his value, especially as a right-handed batter, and it looks like he will play every day. If the splits are to be believed as a source of value, the Phillies project to play against three left-handed pitchers this week, and that could give him enough value as is. He has a chance for a breakout week here.
Victor Vodnik - RP Colorado Rockies
10% owned
It's the time of the year when fantasy owners need to start looking at their needs as opposed to the players themselves. Saves are the hardest non-ratio statistic to accumulate, and at times, it's more about just getting them as opposed to where they're coming from. This is one of those cases, and Victor Vodnik is Exhibit A.
Victor Vodnik earns his fifth save of the season, most among NL rookies.
The scoreless ninth gives him a 1.96 ERA since June 21.
Vodnik now has 17 consecutive outings with at least one strikeout, tying him for 4th-longest streak for a reliever in #Rockies history.
— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) August 3, 2024
Vodnik has recorded four of the team's last five saves. In the only game where he didn't get a save, he got the win after pitching a scoreless ninth inning to get the game to extra innings. He has surrendered just one earned run in seven outings since July 14, and that includes three home games where he gave up that one earned run. He also has nine strikeouts in that time and just three walks.
His upcoming schedule is tough, as the Rockies face the Mets and Braves at home, but at this point of the year, it's time to add players who are producing. He's a closer (or at least the head of the committee in Colorado), he's owned at a small rate, and saves are tough to acquire. Add him and see if the streak continues.
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