RADIO
Baseball season is officially in the homestretch. 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 25 -- September 9 through September 15 -- 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 three 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 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 who could benefit your roster and provide you with an added boost in several categories. This week, we will look at a few prospects who have finally begun to find their footing in the major leagues and are shaping up to be league winners down the stretch.
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Luis L. Ortiz, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
25-year-old right-hander Luis Ortiz, who has recently logged two consecutive six-inning shutouts, is a viable starting pitcher target in deep leagues.
This has been an excellent turnaround for Ortiz as he went through a rough 27 ⅔ inning stretch before this, where he held a 6.26 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.
Pitching in a rotation that features two budding aces, Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, and the reliable Mitch Keller can often overshadow Ortiz’s performances. However, given his recent hot stretch, he is worth a streaming option in deeper leagues.
His strikeout numbers will not blow you away, but his ability to generate weak contact can make him a great ratio stabilizer down the stretch.
Porter Hodge, RP, Chicago Cubs
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: <20% if needing saves
The Cubs have been the hottest team in baseball over the past two weeks, and as a result, they have had ample save situations.
Instead of the expected late-inning arrival of Jorge Lopez, Craig Counsell entrusted the ninth to Porter Hodge, who has since recorded two saves. During this period, the 23-year-old has maintained a flawless 0.00 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP.
PORTER HODGE FINISHES OFF THE COMBINED NO-NO pic.twitter.com/EIUAvP51ee
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 5, 2024
Lopez was chased out of a game on Monday, September 2, as he allowed a season-high of four earned runs and could be falling out of good grace with Counsell as I am writing this. Lopez was then placed on the 15-day IL a few days after with a groin strain, which placed Hodge in the driver's seat for save opportunities.
If the Cubs have a chance to stay in the Wild Card race, they have to turn to their hottest reliever in high-leverage situations, and right now, that is Hodge.
Ben Joyce, RP, Los Angeles Angels
30% rostered
FAAB Bid: <25%
Our other option for saves this week comes from Los Angeles, where Ben Joyce has gotten quite comfortable in the ninth inning. In his last seven appearances, he has tallied three saves, no runs, no walks, and just five hits while striking out eight.
BEN JOYCE JUST THREW 105.5 MPH 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3BNim2It0P
— MLB (@MLB) September 4, 2024
His team may not present him with many opportunities, but he is the clear option in the ninth inning and the safest bet you could make for saves on the waiver wire.
Rowdy Tellez, 1B, Pittsburgh Pirates
5% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10 if needing a corner infielder with power
Tellez has been one of baseball's most consistent hitters in the second half, holding a solid .288/.322/.468 line. Across his past 10 games, he has carried a stellar .375/.412/.594 line with two home runs, eight RBI, and a 2:4 BB:K ratio.
Even though he is in a platoon, albeit on the strong side, Tellez has proven he could be a viable corner infielder down the stretch run.
Coby Mayo, 3B, Baltimore Orioles
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15%
Mayo was a popular stash candidate all summer but was quickly dropped in many leagues due to his poor major league debut, in which he tallied just one hit across a seven-game stint.
However, he recently rejoined the major leagues when the rosters expanded on Sunday, September 1, and could find an everyday role as Ramon Urias (ankle) now sits on the 10-day IL.
First big league hit for MLB's No. 10 prospect Coby Mayo!@Orioles | @OsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/RA8eHMctuC
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 15, 2024
Mayo flashed incredible upside at Triple-A Norfolk, boasting a .293/.369/.574 slash line with 22 long balls. Get a potential league winner at a massive discount.
Brooks Lee, 2B/3B/SS, Minnesota Twins
11% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15% if needing a middle infielder
Another top prospect, Brooks Lee, also recently returned to the majors. The infielder was activated off the IL on September 1 and did not waste much time to showcase his talents. He tallied three hits in his first two games, including one that left the yard.
The 23-year-old was sidelined through most of August and should see most of the infield opportunities as shortstop Carlos Correa (heel) remains on the 10-day injured list.
Lee held his own through his first look in the majors, posting a .253/.309/.333 with two home runs and three stolen bases across 27 games. At Triple-A, he held a strong .308/.368/.606 line with eight home runs.
Like Mayo, when looking for upside this late into the summer, placing your bets on well-regarded prospects could be smart and put you in a good position in the playoffs.
Paul DeJong, SS, Kansas City Royals
12% rostered
FAAB Bid: >5% if needing power
DeJong is only worth adding if your middle infield lacks power output. Across his past seven games, the 31-year-old has launched three long balls with a .583 SLG. However, during this stretch, he has hit for a mere .208 AVG.
Paul DeJong game-tying home run off of Josh Hader in the 9th inning! pic.twitter.com/HlL9bDqXfQ
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 31, 2024
His hefty 32.1% K rate does not play well in points leagues, either.
If you are desperate for infield power, DeJong is worth a look, but proceed cautiously, as he could tank your batting average and your on-base percentage.
Zach McKinstry, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Detroit Tigers
5% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8%
Almost the opposite player from DeJong is Zack McKinstry. Since August 17, the multi-utility infielder has carried an incredible .500/.543/.688 line with 16 total hits, seven runs, five stolen bases, and just one home run. He only went hitless in one game during this period and posted four multi-hit games.
With his excellent contact skills and speed on the basepaths, McKinstry can help you fill a few categories you may need to improve as we head down the stretch.
Garrett Mitchell, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
5% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8%
Our outfielder to target this week is Garrett Mitchell, a former top prospect. Mitchell missed most of the first half due to a fractured finger but was eased into action through most of July.
Now, he has found a somewhat consistent spot in the Milwaukee starting nine on the strong side of a platoon, as Blake Perkins has also begun to see an uptick in playing time and has split time in center field with him. Across his past 14 games, Mitchell has posted a .326/.396/.581 line with three doubles, two home runs, and four stolen bases.
Although his playing time could be frustrating down the stretch, his ability to contribute to all five categories cannot be dismissed. If you need a fifth outfielder to bring upside across all categories, get Mitchell before his price rises through the summer's final month.
Miguel Amaya, C, Chicago Cubs
25% rostered
FAAB Bid: >20% if needing a second catcher, >10% for others
To close things out this week, the catcher I will be eyeing on waivers is Miguel Amaya from the North Side. Amaya has struggled with consistency throughout his major league career, but during the Cubs' recent hot stretch, he is flashing his upside.
Through his past nine games, the 25-year-old is swinging for a stellar .412/.440/.706 line with four doubles and two home runs.
PCA and Miguel Amaya go back-to-back to the bleachers. pic.twitter.com/yzL7zD9W0D
— MLB (@MLB) August 16, 2024
However, his backup, Christian Bethancourt, has looked just as solid, holding a .429 AVG during this span and having an incredible seven-RBI game on August 28, which could slightly hinder Amaya’s playing time.
If you need a No. 2 catcher this late in the summer, it may be ideal to ride the hot bat even though he did not impress most of the season.
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