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Baseball season is officially in full swing. If you have an interest or a need in tweaking with your team, then you have come to the right place. This FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups series will be looking at Week 22 -- August 19 through August 25 -- and will point out free agents to target and how much FAAB you should allocate for them.
We are officially in the stretch run of the fantasy season. For the next five weeks, we must place bids and target players who will fill the remaining holes in our team. Pay close attention to this in category leagues and spend big on a player if you need a specific category filled urgently as you are running out of time. Do not be afraid to spend a little more on a player that you need to fill an empty lineup spot or boost a category.
Below are a few players with ownership percentages under 50% in Yahoo! leagues that could benefit your roster and provide you with an added boost in several categories. This week, we will look at some outfielders who are heating up at the plate and two starting pitchers who recently made their 2024 debut.
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Justin Martinez, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks
35% rostered
FAAB Bid: <20% if needing saves, <15% for others
The new closer in the desert made my piece last week, but if there were any doubts that he was not the ninth-inning option, those are settled now.
Since August 5, he has tallied three saves and has yet to serve up a run. Since the start of the month, he has held a 1.17 WHIP with no earned runs and a 3:11 BB:K ratio.
With the Diamondbacks in the heat of the playoff race, the save opportunities will be there. He is a must-roster going forward.
Nick Martinez, SP/RP, Cincinnati Reds
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8%
The 34-year-old has bounced between a starting and a relief role all summer but may have begun to turn the corner as a starter.
Martinez has made two starts this month and held a stellar 0.42 WHIP between them without giving up an earned run. During this span, he has struck out 12 batters in 12 frames with no walks and allowed just five hits.
In his most recent start on August 10, he tossed seven frames of one-hit ball in Milwaukee.
Nick Martinez, Nasty 81mph Changeup. 👌
5th K pic.twitter.com/v5eVhVbsou
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 11, 2024
Given his current production, there is a strong chance that he will remain in the rotation going forward, and he is worth a look in all standard leagues.
Tyler Mahle, SP, Texas Rangers
21% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
After completing the long journey recovering from Tommy John surgery, Mahle made his first two starts of the campaign in August and has looked quite sharp.
He has logged nine ⅔ frames with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Mahle struck out seven batters in his second start compared to just two in his first start, so he seems to be hitting his stride.
He should be added to all leagues, as he could be on his way back to his former 2021 self, where he had a solid 27.7% K rate.
Zebby Matthews, SP, Minnesota Twins
13% rostered
FAAB Bid: <13%
The fast-rising prospect in Minnesota made his major league debut on Tuesday evening and logged five innings of two-run ball with no walks against the Kansas City Royals. He struck out five.
Zebby Matthews showed out in his MLB debut🌟
5 IP / 5 H / 2 R / 0 BB / 5 K @Twins | #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/jvajVG2dEM
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) August 14, 2024
In the minors, the right-hander showcased incredible command with a 7:114 BB:K ratio across 97 innings of work.
The strikeout upside is there, and he should significantly improve your WHIP ratio, given his near-perfect walk rate.
Joey Bart, C, Pittsburgh Pirates
19% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%if needing a second catcher, <5% for others
The 27-year-old has been one of the hottest hitters in the sport over the past handful of weeks and has yet to slow down. Since July 26, Bart carries an excellent .322/.385/.576 slash line with four home runs, 12 RBI, and a 5:16 BB:K ratio.
Looking under the hood, he has an 11.7% barrel rate and 42.2% hard-hit rate, both above the average marks, suggesting that this production might be sustainable for at least the time being.
Joey Bart puts the Pirates back in the game with one swing pic.twitter.com/By75tSXixT
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) August 10, 2024
Bart should be rostered in all two-catcher leagues and could be a reliable starting option in standard leagues by the end of next week.
Jhonkensy Noel, 1B/3B/OF, Cleveland Guardians
5% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
The Cleveland prospect has held a solid .265/.311/.627 line through his first 32 games at the major league level but has begun to heat up as of late.
He went deep three times in a two-game span from August 12 to August 13 and has an overall SLG of. 750 this month.
While the sample size is still tiny, he has a 17.2% barrel rate, which is one of the best in the sport. This could suggest that this power surge will continue throughout the second half.
In addition, his ability to play in the infield and outfield allows him to have consistent playing time, and his recent surge will only help his case.
Geraldo Perdomo, 2B/SS/3B, Arizona Diamondbacks
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10% if needing a middle infielder, <5% for others
Perdomo has posted a stellar .392/.446/.549 line with five doubles, three stolen bases, one long ball, and a 4:8 BB:K ratio from July 29 to August 13.
Geraldo Perdomo blasts his first homer of the season!
(via @Dbacks)pic.twitter.com/Np1Xbb6kQU
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) August 7, 2024
While Ketel Marte (ankle) has been battling a lingering ankle injury, Perdomo has begun to serve as the leadoff hitter against southpaws, which has provided him with even more scoring opportunities.
With his recent surge, Perdomo should be the starting shortstop in the desert going forward. He has the upside to contribute with speed and above-average contact skills.
Matt Vierling, 3B/OF, Detroit Tigers
18% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8% if needing an outfielder, <2% for others
Vierling has begun to serve as the lead-off hitter against right-handers in the Motor City after usually slotting in the three-hole for most of the summer.
In his past ten games, the Notre Dame product has a .306 AVG, 11 total hits, a home run, and two stolen bases.
Vierling is placed in the top 90th percentile in sprint speed, which makes him an intriguing target if you need to improve your speed-driven categories. While he has stolen only four bases this season, two of them came in the past week, which is a good sign.
Andrew Benintendi, OF, Chicago White Sox
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8% if needing an outfielder, <2% for others
The 30-year-old has launched five home runs in his past ten games and has been one of the best power hitters since the start of the month.
While power is typically part of Benintendi’s arsenal, he does have an eye-catching .750 SLG during this span.
After struggling through the entire first half of the summer, the veteran looks to be back on track, which is a high-floor option in five outfielder leagues. Given his recent surge, he should provide a stable average and a much higher power output than expected.
If you have injuries impacting your outfield and need a bat that will always have a lineup spot, take a look at Benintendi.
Jordan Walker, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
A former top prospect who has struggled at times in the major leagues is rounding out this list.
Earlier this season, Walker posted a .148/.239/.246 line, compared to his solid .276/.342/.445 line as a rookie last summer.
Walker was sent down to Triple-A for most of this season to work on his mechanics. Since July 14, the former first-round pick held a .294/.344/.565 line with five home runs, nine RBI, and a 6:22 BB:K ratio at Triple-A. This performance earned him another shot at the major league level.
Jordan Walker, last 10 games in Triple-A...
48 PA, .357/.417/.691, 5 2B, 3 HR#ForTheLou pic.twitter.com/Jlpm4lHvui
— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) August 5, 2024
Walker is not even two seasons away from being considered a top prospect. Add him where available, as he may have made the necessary adjustment at Triple-A, which can set him up for a potentially big impact during the stretch run.
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