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We’re coming up on Week 12 of the fantasy baseball season. The season seems to enter a slight lull in June, but you can't afford to rest now. Fantasy baseball necessitates hyper-vigilance, especially in deeper leagues where the waiver wires are quickly stripped of talent. This weekly article will outline the upcoming schedule, two-start pitchers, and a few waiver targets that are rostered in less than 5% of leagues.
It’s good practice to maximize at-bats and starts. A quick look at upcoming schedules for the 12th week of the MLB season could end up giving you the edge in this week’s play. There are plenty of two-start pitchers this week who should end up providing great value.
This article will discuss some deeper-league fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 12, June 12 through June 18. While the season may have settled in, the waiver wires are still hot. Rostered percentages can change quickly. So be quick to check your leagues for their availability. Key point -- this list will focus on rostered players in less than 5% of Yahoo! leagues.
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Fantasy Baseball Schedule Outlook
This week has some great schedules to target for fantasy. There are only three teams with five games on their schedule. Nine teams have a full slate of games this week, so there are a couple of players who will provide extra at-bats this week.
In this week’s weather report: the wildfires in Quebec are easing up, meaning the air quality will be at safe levels on the eastern seaboard. Atlanta will be pummeled by rain this week, but the heavier showers will subside before the Braves return home on Thursday. It is tentatively looking like an uninterrupted week of baseball.
- Seven Games - DET, LAA, OAK, TB, TEX, ARZ, ATL, COL, PHI
- Six Games - MIN, PIT, LAD, WAS, BAL, NYY, CWS, MIA, PHI, SF, CLE, MIN, COL, KC, STL, BOS, HOU, TOR, CHC, CIN, SEA
- Five Games - NYY, MIL, NYM
Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers
With the season settling in, there are starting pitchers of varying quality in this week’s two-start list. For more insight, check out my article on this week’s two-start pitcher streamers.
- Dane Dunning (vs. LAA, vs. TOR)
- James Kaprielian (vs. TB, vs. PHI)
- Connor Seabold (@ BOS, @ ATL)
- Charlie Morton (@ DET, vs. COL)
- Zach Eflin (@ OAK, @ SD)
- Tommy Henry (vs. PHI, vs. CLE)
- Dean Kremer (vs. TOR, @ CHC)
- Jameson Taillon (vs. PIT, vs. BAL)
- Chase Anderson (@ BOS, @ ATL)
- Spencer Strider (@ DET, vs. COL)
- Jesus Luzardo (@ SEA, @ WAS)
- Jake Irvin (@ HOU, vs. MIA)
- Matthew Liberatore (vs. SF, @ NYM)
- Reese Olson (vs. ATL, @ MIN)
- Pablo Lopez (vs. MIL, vs. DET)
- Tyler Anderson (@ TEX, @ KC)
- Zack Greinke (vs. CIN, vs. LAA)
- Luke Weaver (@ KC, @ HOU)
- Chris Bassitt (@ BAL, @ TEX)
- Jon Gray (vs. LAA, vs. TOR)
- Zack Wheeler (@ ARZ, @ OAK)
- Hogan Harris (vs. TB, vs. PHI)
- Logan Webb (@ STL, @ LAD)
- Tony Gonsolin (vs. CWS, vs. SF)
- Joe Musgrove (vs. CLE, vs. TB)
- Aaron Civale (@ SD, @ ARZ)
- Zach Davies (vs. PHI, vs. CLE)
- Lance Lynn (@ LAD, @ SEA)
- Logan Gilbert (vs. MIA, vs. CWS)
- James Paxton (vs. COL, vs. NYY)
Deeper Infield Waiver Wire Pickups
Emmanuel Rivera (3B), Arizona Diamondbacks - 2% Rostered
Through 30 games, Emmanuel Rivera is slashing .367/.404/.490 with one home run, 15 RBI, 20 runs, and a 10.6% strikeout rate. It's understandable if Royals fans need to take a minute after reading that statline.
While his .407 BABIP and .362 xwOBA indicate that regression is in play, the numbers he'll regress to will still have him as one of the better hitters in the league.
He's excelling defensively as well. Since he came over from Kansas City in last season's Luke Weaver trade, Rivera has seven OAA at third base in 44 games at the position with Arizona.
Not only is Rivera in line for regular starts now, but he should also push out Josh Rojas from an everyday role at third with an extended stretch of success. At just 2% rostered, Emmanuel Rivera is a diamond in the rough.
Yainer Diaz (C), Houston Astros - 2% Rostered
With Yordan Alvarez on the 10-day IL after an oblique injury, catcher Yainer Diaz will slide into more playing time at DH. While it is a small sample, Diaz is slashing .275/.295/.463 with three home runs, eight RBI, and 12 runs in 27 games. While that line should be enough to roster him this week, a 13% barrel rate and a .355 xwOBA indicate that even better things are in store for the 24-year-old.
Edouard Julien (2B), Minnesota Twins - 3% Rostered
With another Jorge Polanco injury comes another Edouard Julien call-up. Luckily, it's only an 18-minute drive from Triple-A St. Paul to Minnesota's Target Field.
Julien will step back into an everyday role at second base. He's logged 72 plate appearances with Minnesota this season from previous Polanco injured-list stays, slashing .210/.296/.435 with four home runs, eight RBI, and eight runs. The Canadian native is another big power bat in this Minnesota lineup. As long as he's up, Julien will offer solid power production in fantasy.
Carlos Santana (1B), Pittsburgh Pirates - 5% Rostered
A .690 OPS is not what we've grown to expect from Carlos Santana, but the veteran slugger should still get back on track.
A nagging spine issue hampered the 37-year-old in May, leading to a .545 OPS in 23 games. Santana took a couple of games off at the end of May to rehab that spine and has returned to his old self. Through six games in June, Santana is slashing .261/.346/.435. A healthy Carlos Santana should be on rosters in deeper leagues.
Deeper Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups
David Peralta (OF), Los Angeles Dodgers - 1% Rostered
Nobody expected that a contending Dodgers team would have 35-year-old David Peralta starting in left field. He has admirably withstood several challenges in his starting role. Having vanquished Trayce Thompson, Jonny DeLuca, and Luke Williams, Peralta has become LA's go-to guy against right-handed pitchers.
Vanquishing his challengers has seemingly given Peralta a confidence boost. In his last 14 games, the outfielder is slashing .386/.391/.477 with six RBI and a 50% hard-hit percentage. The Dodgers will only be facing right-handed pitchers next week. With plenty of at-bats coming his way this week, look to pick up Peralta.
Will Brennan (OF), Cleveland Guardians - 3% Rostered
Have yourself a week, Will Brennan.
The 25-year-old capped a stellar 10-game stretch with a 14th-inning walk-off double against the Houston Astros. In the 10 games prior, Brennan slashed .462/.500/.744 with two home runs, four runs, eight RBI, and a stolen base.
The power numbers are likely a mirage, with Brennan having an 86.4 mph average exit velocity and a subpar 32.1% hard-hit rate. However, his solid contact numbers (13.4% strikeout rate, 84th percentile for whiff rate, 36.6% sweet-spot rate, .279 xBA) will endure for the rest of the season. With an everyday role in right field, Will Brennan should be a solid fantasy roster piece for the rest of the season.
Alex Call (OF), Washington Nationals - 1% Rostered
Alex Call has seized the centerfield spot in Washington. While it's largely due to his elite defense (five OAA in June?!), the 28-year-old's everyday role should mean he's added to rosters in deeper leagues.
He should play well this week. The Nationals will play against three leftie starters this week, and the right-handed Call maintains a solid .346 wOBA against lefties. He's been solid as of late, with a .362 wOBA through six games in June.
Additionally, rostering Call allows you to inundate your league-mates with terrible phone-related puns anytime the outfielder does anything remotely impressive in fantasy.
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