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We have reached the middle of another week. I hope your weeks are off to a good start. In case they aren't, we have a few options on waivers that can help you pick up ground in a hurry. No matter your poison, we'll give you options for every type of points league out there.
It's important to know your league's scoring. Points league scoring vastly differs on ESPN, CBS, Yahoo!, and Fantrax. Most leagues also have start limits. Remember those when deciding whether to pounce on a streamer this week. For example, pitchers gain two points for a win on ESPN but also lose two points for a loss. Yahoo gives eight points for a win, and losses don't count against you at all!
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We're not saying to drop a key piece of your team for these guys, but dropping a bench player for a guy on a heater could be the difference between winning and losing your matchup in a points league. It's okay to be patient in roto and category leagues. Points leagues are a different animal. Roster percentages and positions are taken from ESPN.
Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Hunter Brown, SP, HOU (47.8% Rostered)
Brown's poor start to the season still keeps the overall numbers in an area where most streamers will ignore him. Don't be one of those people. He has a great matchup against Detroit on Friday. The Tigers are striking out 26.7% of the time against right-handed pitching and only hit .199 as a team in June. He's the best streamer out there this week.
#Astros Hunter Brown since May has shown notable improvement. Dropping the 4-seam usage along the way
Before 5/1:
- 9.75 ERA/5.72 FIP/4.23 xFIP/4.56 SIERA
- 2.22 WHIP
- 8.7% K-BB%
- 56.8% LOB%
- 9% SwStr%
- 26.3% O-Swing%After 5/1:
- At least 5IP in 6 of 7 starts (6IP 4 of the… pic.twitter.com/EpGkruJMgn— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) June 10, 2024
Javier Assad, SP, CHC (45.8% Rostered)
Assad got roughed up a bit by the Reds in his last start, but that was in Cincinnati and he still recorded seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He gets a park upgrade with the Rays. The Rays don't strike out a ton, but they scored just seven runs in a four-game series against Baltimore over the weekend. This is a team that Assad can hold in check. He just needs his slumping offense to help him out if you're hunting for wins.
12-Team Leagues
MacKenzie Gore, SP, WAS (24.3% Rostered)
Well...look what we have here. Another streamer that draws the Tigers. The Motor City Kitties have been marginally better against lefties, "only" striking out 23.7% of the time. Gore is a good pitcher against a struggling offense. It's a gift that you can grab him for free this week.
Matt Waldron, SP, SD (22.9% Rostered)
Waldron has only allowed seven runs in six starts since getting blasted by the Diamondbacks in the desert on May 5. That was part of an early-season skid in which he allowed 22 runs in his first seven starts of the season. It hasn't always been pretty, but Waldron misses bats and induces soft contact. There's a great matchup against the Mets coming up on Friday. Snag him before then if you need another start.
Jake Irvin, SP, WAS (21.9% Rostered)
I know...broken record. Irvin is yet another guy who gets the Tigers this week, but you'll have to hurry to the wire. He plays them tonight. Everything I've highlighted before holds true, so let's go with why Irvin is the guy to pick up. He has four straight quality starts, giving up four runs in 24 1/3 innings while striking out 26. You can win the week by picking up streamers against the Tigers.
Deep Leagues
Miles Mikolas, SP, STL (6.5% Rostered)
I'll be honest. Mikolas is usually a guy I go after in DFS, and every time I do, he's a world-class troll. Make that work to your advantage. Mikolas has turned in four consecutive quality starts, one of which was against the Cubs...the team that he draws again on Sunday. If the wind is blowing out at Wrigley, I want no part of this. However, if wind isn't much of a factor, Mikolas can give you a strong start in crunch time at the end of the week. He should be good for six innings, a handful of strikeouts, and a couple of runs allowed. You can do worse in a deep league.
Spencer Arrighetti, SP, HOU (4.8% Rostered)
You guessed it...he's playing the freaking Tigers. Arrighetti draws them on Sunday, so you could close out your week right. Be careful with Arrighetti on Yahoo where walks really hurt. Even though he has pitched reasonably well over his last three starts, Arrighetti has still issued three walks per game.
Also consider:
- Erick Fedde, CWS (44.5% Rostered), Saturday at ARI
- Gavin Stone, LAD (40.5% Rostered), Friday vs. KC
- Tyler Anderson, LAA (30.3% Rostered), Friday at SF
- Luis Severino, NYM (22.8% Rostered), Thursday vs. MIA
- Ben Lively, CLE (21.5% Rostered), Saturday at TOR
- Andrew Abbott, CIN (19.5% Rostered), Saturday at MIL
- Cristopher Sanchez, PHI (19.2% Rostered), Today at BOS
- Mitchell Parker, WAS (12.1% Rostered), Sunday vs. MIA
- Jose Soriano, LAA (4.8% Rostered), Today at ARI
- Dakota Hudson, COL (0.9% Rostered), Sunday vs. PIT
Fantasy Baseball Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Logan O'Hoppe, LAA (26.7% Rostered)
O'Hoppe is hitting .571 over the last week. If you had taken my advice last week (or the week before for that matter), you would have that nice boost in points in last week's matchup. O'Hoppe was worth 21 points last week. That's a hell of a week for anyone, not to mention a player at a shallow position who is free in nearly 75% of leagues.
12-Team Leagues
Mitch Garver, SEA (11.3% Rostered)
Garver's season-long numbers are dreadful, but he has two homers and six RBI over the last five games. Not all of that damage was done against lefties, either. Seattle has been using him at DH to spark the offense, and it's working this week. Jump on Garver until he cools off.
Connor Wong, BOS (10.4% Rostered)
Wong doesn't have much for counting stats, but he's hitting .329 on the season and .353 in the last week. All he does is get on base. The counting stats will come soon enough. Wong is even more valuable on ESPN and CBS since he only struck out three times last week.
Deep Leagues
Patrick Bailey, SF (5.4% Rostered)
Fantasy players are hopping off of Bailey again since the Giants are struggling and Bailey's counting stats are suffering. However, he is still getting on base and not striking out. That's all you're asking for in a deep league.
Luis Torrens, NYM (0.4% Rostered)
Tomas Nido has been a black hole in the lineup since Francisco Alvarez went down. Torrens has started four of the last six games for the Mets and has at least one hit -- including two homers -- in all of those games. Tomas who? Torrens is worth adding until Alvarez gets back.
Also consider:
- Keibert Ruiz, WAS (44.5% Rostered)
- Elias Diaz, COL (17.6% Rostered)
- Danny Jansen, TOR (11% Rostered)
Fantasy Baseball Infield Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
J.P. Crawford, SS, SEA (48.1% Rostered)
The Mariners are finally starting to hit and so is Crawford. He has three of his six homers on the season in June with seven RBI and seven runs scored this month. On top of that, he is adding value (especially on Yahoo) with free passes. Crawford is drawing as many walks as strikeouts in the last seven games. That gives him a touch more value on ESPN and CBS since strikeouts count against hitters there.
Ezequiel Tovar, SS, COL (28.1% Rostered)
Tovar is scorching hot right now with three homers and seven RBI in the last four games alone. He heads back to Coors Field to close out the week, so go grab him while you can. There are a lot of great SS options on waivers this week, but Tovar might be the best of all of them.
Ezequiel Tovar with a 3-run BLAST
Rockies had scored 1 run in their last two games before this. Dude is a stud
— Aniello Piro (@MediaByAP) June 12, 2024
Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/OF, BAL (27.5% Rostered)
O'Hearn only plays against right-handed pitching, but the Orioles will face four of them in the last five games of the week. O'Hearn has at least one hit in eight of his last nine games with two homers, six RBI, and six runs scored. The multi-position eligibility helps out in shallow leagues as well. You can start O'Hearn in all but Friday's game the rest of the week.
12-Team Leagues
Jeimer Candelario, 1B/3B, CIN (17.5% Rostered)
Candelario is hitting .302 with three homers and seven RBI in June. He has even swiped his first two bases of the season! A dreadful April is keeping his season-long stats low, but Candelario is heating up with the weather.
Masyn Winn, SS, STL (13.1% Rostered)
Winn has at least one hit in seven of the last eight games leading off for the Cardinals. He'll give you a little bit of speed and a little bit of power, but what I like is the 11 hits in eight games. He's getting on base a lot heading into a series at Wrigley. That's always a good thing.
Deep Leagues
Andrew Vaughn, 1B, CWS (6.2% Rostered)
The White Sox may be the laughingstock of baseball after losing 17 of their last 19 games, but at least they are starting to score some runs. Despite an 11-game hitting streak, no one is picking up Vaughn. He has three of his seven homers of the season during that streak with five RBI. He has also scored at least one run in every June game. Vaughn is providing sneaky value in all leagues right now.
Paul DeJong, SS, CWS (3.5% Rostered)
As we saw from his days in St. Louis, DeJong can get in grooves where he just can't be stopped. He's in one of those now. DeJong has homered in three of the last four games and has half of his 12 homers on the season in June. Capitalize on this massive power surge from DeJong to close out your week.
David Hamilton, SS, BOS (2.2% Rostered)
Hey, those of you on Yahoo and Fantrax, pay attention! Hamilton has six hits (including a homer) and four steals in his last four games. He stole 179 bags in 328 minor league games, so this isn't a fluke. Those steals can pile up points in a hurry!
Also consider:
- Oneil Cruz, SS, PIT (49.4% Rostered)
- Carlos Correa, SS, MIN (46.6% Rostered)
- Josh Bell, 1B, MIA (31.1% Rostered)
- Josh Smith, SS/3B/OF, TEX (27.1% Rostered)
- Jackson Merrill, SS/OF, SD (26.6% Rostered)
- Jonathan India, 2B, CIN (13.3% Rostered)
- Wilmer Flores, 1B/3B, SF (9.2% Rostered)
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 2B/3B/OF, TOR (8.2% Rostered)
- Gavin Sheets, 1B/OF, CWS (6.9% Rostered)
- Brandon Lowe, 2B, TB (3.7% Rostered)
- Lenyn Sosa, 2B/3B, CWS (0.3% Rostered)
Fantasy Baseball Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Lane Thomas, WAS (45.4% Rostered)
Those of you who bailed on Thomas (his rostered percentage dropped nearly two points) have missed out on a five-game hitting streak in which he has homered, scored five runs, and driven in three. Yes, we liked him better on Yahoo when he was stealing bags, but he could get back to his pilfering ways if he continues to get on base.
TJ Friedl, CIN (40.4% Rostered)
If Friedl keeps hitting like he is, he'll graduate from this article by next week. He is hitting .375 in June (while starting every game in the top third of the Cincinnati order) with three homers, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, and three steals. He should have graduated from this list this week!
12-Team Leagues
Heliot Ramos, SF (24.5% Rostered)
Heliot Ramos’ spray chart is hilarious
That ball over the 415 marker is some ridiculous power from a righty pic.twitter.com/DBuN1ApxlC
— alex (@bantheshift) June 8, 2024
Ramos has eight multi-hit games in his last 14. He has only failed to get on base in three of those games while batting leadoff for the Giants. Ramos has four of his six homers on the season in June with 10 RBI and six runs scored to go with them. As highlighted above, Ramos is a player that can keep this up because he hits to all fields. He's a great addition not just for the rest of the week, but possibly the rest of the season.
Alec Burleson, STL (10.7% Rostered)
Burleson still hasn't cooled off much. He has hits in nine of his last 10 games with four homers, six RBI, and six runs scored in that span. With games against the Pirates and Cubs to close out the week, Burleson is worth grabbing if you have a struggling outfielder who is costing you points this week.
Deep Leagues
MJ Melendez, KC (5.7% Rostered)
The good news is that Melendez has three homers in the last 10 games. The bad news is that those are his only three hits in those 10 games.
Jason Heyward, LAD (0.6% Rostered)
We don't all have fantasy teams like the Dodgers have. The Dodgers have the luxury of rotating outfielders against whatever pitcher is on the mound. Four of the final five games of the week for the Dodgers are against righties, so Heyward should have ample opportunities. He has three homers in 64 at-bats this year. He's a good dart in deep leagues with a series against the Royals coming up.
Also consider:
- Wyatt Langford, TEX (36.3% Rostered)
- Bryan De La Cruz, MIA (22% Rostered)
- Willi Castro, MIN (16.3% Rostered)
- Jesse Winker, WAS (14.8% Rostered)
- Mike Tauchman, CHC (8.9% Rostered)
- Andy Pages, LAD (8.8% Rostered)
- Jake McCarthy, ARI (1.2% Rostered)
- Mike Yastrzemski, SF (1% Rostered)
- Randal Grichuk, ARI (0.2% Rostered)
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