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Wow, it has been a rough week for pitching already! Did you have Logan Gilbert on Monday or Taj Bradley yesterday? If so, we need to find some way to make up points. Your ability to do that will depend on the start limits in your league. Don't worry, I'll provide serviceable options for every size league.
It's important to know your league's scoring. It's going to be harder to unearth the pitcher that can swing your matchup in the next three days. Points league scoring vastly differs on ESPN, CBS, Yahoo!, and Fantrax. Most leagues also have start limits. Remember that when deciding whether to go after 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. These pickups will help you win this week, not necessarily in the future. The tomorrows are getting fewer and fewer, with most leagues only six weeks away from the playoffs! Roster percentages and positions are taken from ESPN.
Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Kyle Harrison, SF (31% Rostered)
This is a tough ballpark for Harrison, but he blanked the Rockies in Coors over five innings just two starts ago. The Reds are a better offensive team than the Rockies, but Cincinnati is still striking out at a 28.1% clip against LHP over the last month. Overall, Harrison only allowed six runs in 20 1/3 innings in July with 22 strikeouts. He's well worth the risk on Friday.
Andrew Abbott, CIN (25.9% Rostered)
Abbott had an up-and-down July, and while his first August start is at home, it can be considered a relatively soft landing. The Giants are striking out at an alarming 32.1% clip against LHP in the last month. They are also hitting a paltry .188 against lefties. When they do get hits, the Giants have mustered some power, but not enough to offset the massive strikeout upside for Abbott in this one.
12-Team Leagues
Tyler Phillips, PHI (23.5% Rostered)
Tyler Phillips just threw a complete game shutout for the team he grew up rooting for.
Baseball is the best. pic.twitter.com/44EryQXAPc
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 28, 2024
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Phillips became the first Phillies rookie to pitch a shutout since Zach Eflin in 2016. That marked his second straight scoreless outing. Phillips only has seven strikeouts in 15 innings during that span, but he's an asset in every format if he's not giving up runs. He has a nice matchup against the Mariners in Seattle on Friday. He should add to that strikeout total, even if he does give up a couple of runs.
Spencer Schwellenbach, ATL (22.2% Rostered)
Atlanta grows good rookie pitchers on trees, don't they? Schwellenbach racked up 11 strikeouts while only allowing two hits against a good Mets team in New York last week. He draws the Marlins on Friday. The Marlins wrecked Taj Bradley a bit, but Schwellenbach's metrics read more favorably than Bradley's. Schwellenbach's xERA is 0.78 lower than his actual number, while Bradley's is 1.04 higher. Schwellenbach should hold his own against the Marlins this weekend.
Deep Leagues
Hayden Birdsong, SF (7.8% Rostered)
Whatever song this bird is singing is music to a fantasy manager's ears. Birdsong hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his six starts. He also struck out 20 Rockies over his last two starts. With Alex Cobb dealt to Cleveland, it appears that the Giants are ready to hand over a spot in the rotation to Birdsong. Cobb was expected to start against the Reds sometime this weekend. Expect Birdsong to draw that start instead.
Ryne Nelson, ARI (5.8% Rostered)
Ryne Nelson vs Minnesota where he allowed 6 runs in 3 innings. Ryne Nelson vs The Dodgers where he allowed 1 run through 5 innings. Since shortening his delivery extension, he’s allowed 6 runs in 24 1/3 innings pic.twitter.com/BRuE6hbNG5
— DBacks Dispatch (@DbacksDispatch) July 19, 2024
The coaches and Nelson got some things figured out, so don't pay any attention to the season-long 4.53 ERA. Nelson has allowed 10 runs in 37 1/3 innings over his last six starts. He has even upped his strikeouts a little bit (33 in that span). The Pirates have been one of the better teams against RHP in the last month or so, but Nelson should still put up serviceable numbers for a deep league.
Also consider:
- Jake Irvin, WAS (45% Rostered), Friday vs. MIL
- Tyler Anderson, LAA (38.7% Rostered), Friday vs. NYM
- Brandon Pfaadt, ARI (36.8% Rostered), Friday at PIT
- Jameson Taillon, CHC (26.3% Rostered), Saturday vs. STL
- Michael Wacha, KC (23.9% Rostered), Sunday at DET
- Ben Lively, CLE (23.4% Rostered), Today vs. BAL
- Jose Quintana, NYM (11.7% Rostered), Sunday at LAA
- Ryan Feltner, COL (4.7% Rostered), Today at LAA
Fantasy Baseball Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Logan O'Hoppe, LAA (49.1% Rostered)
O'Hoppe hit his first homer since July 10 last night, but he has still been getting on base. O'Hoppe has 12 hits in the last 11 games. Playing for the Angels means few RBI and opportunities to score runs, but he's still an asset in points leagues at a shallow position.
12-Team Leagues
Austin Wells, NYY (10.5% Rostered)
Wells has taken the starting catcher job for the Yankees and run with it. He has at least one hit in six of his last eight starts, with two homers and seven RBI. On top of that, he has only struck out six times. Wells is providing a lot of points lately.
Deep Leagues
Freddy Fermin, KC (0.8% Rostered)
Fermin is riding a modest six-game hitting streak, but he has two homers, four RBI, and four runs scored in that span while striking out just once. The Royals will continue to find at-bats for Fermin as long as he keeps hitting. It's easy to forget that Fermin holds a sparkling .304 average in 204 at-bats this season. What has your higher-rostered catcher done for you?
Also consider:
- Keibert Ruiz, WAS (43.3% Rostered)
- Connor Wong, BOS (18.6% Rostered)
- Travis d'Arnaud (11.2% Rostered)
- Joey Bart, PIT (0.5% Rostered)
Fantasy Baseball Infield Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, BAL (45.3% Rostered)
Mountcastle has 11 RBI in the last seven days. The Orioles offense is looking good right now, with Mountcastle piling up the RBI in the middle of the order. He closes the week with four games in Cleveland, so expect him to stay hot.
Josh Bell, 1B, ARI (33% Rostered)
The Marlins couldn't find anyone willing to pay for Bell, so they waived the hottest hitter on the planet. Arizona scooped up Bell with Christian Walker hitting the IL earlier this week. Bell has six homers in his last 12 games. He's worth hanging on to just in case he's still got some life in that bat for his new team.
12-Team Leagues
Xavier Edwards, 2B/SS, MIA (26% Rostered)
Xavier Edwards hit his first Major League home run earlier today.
He followed that up by completing just the 2nd cycle in @Marlins history! pic.twitter.com/5VDhZTioGx
— MLB (@MLB) July 28, 2024
Edwards hit .379 in 95 at-bats in July with five doubles, a triple, a homer, 15 runs scored, 12 RBI, and nine steals. That's a hell of a start to a career! He should be rostered nearly everywhere, especially at the shallow MI positions. Edwards should have value for the rest of the season.
Eugenio Suarez, 3B, ARI (14.3% Rostered)
At the start of July, it appeared that Suarez was just a placeholder for Deyvison De Los Santos. Fast forward a month and De Los Santos is in Miami and Suarez is cooking at the plate. Suarez has six homers and 11 RBI in 12 games since the All-Star break. The icing on that cake is the 12 strikeouts in 12 games, but he has only struck out four times in the last eight contests. He is not losing points in any format right now.
Deep Leagues
Brandon Lowe, 2B, TB (9.8% Rostered)
We knew that Lowe wouldn't be dormant forever. Lowe has 10 hits over the last six games with a homer, a steal, four runs scored, and five RBI. Tampa has a four-game set in Houston over the weekend. Pick up Lowe and see if he stays hot.
Orlando Arcia, SS, ATL (8% Rostered)
We'll give you a deep league bonus selection this week. Arcia extended his hitting streak to 11 games last night. He has two homers, five RBI, and three runs scored in that span. His teammates aren't doing a lot to help him, but Arcia is still putting up points every game.
Jorge Polanco, 2B, SEA (4.8% Rostered)
Fantasy managers have been patiently waiting for Polanco to get going. It may finally be happening. Polanco has four of his 10 homers on the season in the last week alone (along with eight of his 27 RBI). Polanco has been streaky his entire career. Pick him up until he cools off.
Also consider:
- Matt Chapman, 3B, SF (49.8% Rostered)
- Ezequiel Tovar, SS, COL (36.4% Rostered)
- Tyler Fitzgerald, SS/OF, SF (30.8% Rostered)
- Rhys Hoskins, 1B, MIL (28.7% Rostered)
- Mark Vientos, 3B, NYM (21.3% Rostered)
- Jake Burger, 1B/3B, MIA (19.4% Rostered)
- Gavin Lux, 2B/OF, LAD (10.3% Rostered)
- Nolan Schanuel, 1B, LAA (7.7% Rostered)
- Dylan Moore, 2B/SS/3B/OF, SEA (4.8% Rostered)
- Josh Rojas, 2B/SS, SEA (2.1% Rostered)
Fantasy Baseball Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Jorge Soler, ATL (50.5% Rostered)
I'm cheating a bit and putting Soler on here because I wanted to highlight what the Braves did with him in his first Atlanta game. The Braves let Soler lead off against the Brewers last night. If they are going to keep Soler at the top of the lineup, he'll have plenty of chances for points in Atlanta. The Braves get a tasty four-gamer against the Marlins at home this weekend. There is potential here.
Masataka Yoshida, BOS (49.2% Rostered)
Yoshida struggled to start the year, but he has come on lately. Yoshida is hitting .371 with a homer, nine RBI, and seven runs scored since the All-Star break. The Japanese import is a points league darling since he draws walks and rarely strikes out. The hot streak is a nice little bonus.
12-Team Leagues
Colton Cowser, BAL (26.2% Rostered)
The rookie has carved out a place in Baltimore's starting lineup. He has three homers and seven RBI in the last week alone, with a nice .364 average. Cowser's hitting streak is now at 13 games, or at least one hit in every game since the break. What are you waiting for?
Colton Cowser since the All Star Break:
.375/.435/.650
3 HR
12 RBI
10 Runs
1.805 OPS pic.twitter.com/Ri2QODXMrJ— 𝙆am Brice (@kambrice1tv) July 30, 2024
Juan Yepez, WAS (24.2% Rostered)
Yepez is still eligible at 1B if you need him in the infield, but he is playing mostly in the outfield now with Jesse Winker gone. Yepez has cooled off a little, but he is still hitting .341 in 85 at-bats. The 14 RBI and 15 runs scored are nice touches as is the stolen base. Yepez is doing a little bit of everything for fantasy managers right now.
Deep Leagues
Michael Taylor, PIT (0.5% Rostered)
The Pirates are contenders and Michael Taylor has two homers (not to mention five RBI) in the last three games. What a world!
Addison Barger, TOR (0.2% Rostered)
The future is now for the Jays, so you'll see plenty of youngsters get their chances down the stretch. Barger is one of those. He has a four-game hitting streak going with two homers and seven RBI. No one else has driven him in, but does it matter? You can pick him up in literally any league.
Also consider:
- Lawrence Butler, OAK (41.2% Rostered)
- Daulton Varsho, TOR (35.9% Rostered)
- Jackson Chourio, MIL (29.8% Rostered)
- Bryan De La Cruz, PIT (20.6% Rostered)
- Wilyer Abreu, BOS (6.3% Rostered)
- Hunter Renfroe, KC (4% Rostered)
- Tommy Pham, CWS (3.8% Rostered)
- Victor Robles, SEA (3.4% Rostered)
- Jake McCarthy, ARI (1.5% Rostered)
- Matt Wallner, MIN (0.9% Rostered)
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