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This is the last week of the regular season in some leagues. Hopefully, we here at RotoBaller have helped you into your fantasy playoffs. Whether you are still fighting for seeding or just trying to get into your playoffs, this is one of the more important weeks of the season.
It's important to know your league's scoring. It will be harder to unearth the pitcher to 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. Roster percentages and positions are taken from ESPN.
Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Colin Rea, MIL (34.5% Rostered)
Rea is prone to blowups, but only about one a month. He already had his blowup in August against the Dodgers a couple of weeks ago. He rebounded with a two-hit outing against Cleveland last week.
Oakland has cut down on the strikeouts, but the rest of its numbers over the last month are still rather pedestrian. Rea should be able to offer a half-dozen strikeouts and a quality start against the A's this weekend. That can help put us in the playoffs!
JP Sears, OAK (32.5% Rostered)
JP Sears - Oakland Athletics 7.2 IPs, 1 ER, 7 hits, 9 Ks [FD(49.6) DK(28)]
— DFS Top Performers (@MLBTopPerformer) August 18, 2024
Sears has figured something out lately. He has only allowed five earned runs in 28 2/3 innings over his last four starts while striking out 27. He faces a Milwaukee team tomorrow that has slashed its strikeouts against LHP, but it still has just a .108 ISO over the last month. Expect a couple of fewer strikeouts from Sears, but otherwise business as usual.
12-Team Leagues
Bowden Francis, TOR (13.4% Rostered)
Bowden Francis is absolutely cooking.
7.0 IP
3 H
0 ER
0 BB
7 K2.56 ERA in his last 46 innings. He’s a real option for the #BlueJays
— Zane C (@ZaneCherniakHQ) August 18, 2024
Francis draws an Angels squad at home this weekend that he had great success against two starts ago. He only allowed one hit in seven innings while striking out eight. Francis is a lock for a quality start, which isn't always a certainty in 12-team leagues on waivers.
David Peterson, NYM (11.8% Rostered)
Peterson has only allowed five earned runs in 24 1/3 August innings. The 21 strikeouts are a nice touch, but San Diego isn't striking out a lot against lefties. They have also had success against it in recent outings.
Peterson has faced Baltimore, an Angels team that is good against lefties now, a surging Oakland team, and the Rockies in Coors for his four August starts. If he can hold his own in those situations, I like his chances in a great pitcher's park in San Diego this weekend.
Deep Leagues
Osvaldo Bido, OAK (9.8% Rostered)
Bido has been lights out in August. In three starts (Giants, Jays, and Dodgers), Bido has only allowed two runs over 18 innings with 17 strikeouts. He draws a Rays team today that has been awful against RHP this month. Bido might be my favorite waiver find of any size league this week. He could have a matchup-winning game today!
Valente Bellozo, MIA (8.6% Rostered)
Bellozo has only allowed four runs in 23 innings over four August starts. The 17 strikeouts are solid in a deep league. Bellozo draws the struggling Cubs at home this weekend in a nice pitcher's park. He's a great option in deep leagues if you need a little weekend push.
Also consider:
- Yusei Kikuchi, HOU (49% Rostered), Sunday at BAL
- Spencer Schwellenbach, ATL (44.3% Rostered), Today vs. PHI
- Kyle Harrison, SF (32.1% Rostered), Sunday at SEA
- Michael Wacha, KC (30.1% Rostered), Friday vs. PHI
- Brayan Bello, BOS (25.2% Rostered), Friday vs. ARI
- Ryne Nelson, ARI (12.6% Rostered), Friday at BOS
- Martin Perez, SD (11.5% Rostered), Sunday vs. NYM
Fantasy Baseball Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Ryan Jeffers, MIN (40.9% Rostered)
Take note on Ryan Jeffers' home run with the pencil bat ✏️
🎥 @Twins pic.twitter.com/9QL7ovFOiy
— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) August 17, 2024
Jeffers has homered three times in just 10 at-bats over his last three starts. He has been alternating starts with Christian Vazquez, but that would still mean that Jeffers gets two starts this weekend against the Cardinals.
12-Team Leagues
Joey Bart, PIT (10.7% Rostered)
The former Giants top prospect has turned into the cleanup hitter for Pittsburgh. The role has suited him. Bart has four homers in 12 games with nine RBI. He'll continue to get plenty of chances in the middle of Pittsburgh's order.
Deep Leagues
Adrian Del Castillo, ARI (4.7% Rostered)
Del Castillo has two homers and nine RBI in the last three games. Overall, the rookie has already smacked three homers in just 36 major league at-bats. He has even stolen a base. What has your catcher done for you in the last two weeks? Probably not as much as Del Castillo.
Also consider:
- Keibert Ruiz, WAS (45.7% Rostered)
- Tyler Stephenson, CIN (28.8% Rostered)
- Freddy Fermin, KC (1.9% Rostered)
Fantasy Baseball Infield Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
Oneil Cruz, SS, PIT (49.2% Rostered)
Having Cruz on your points league team can be a nightmare. I should know...I've had him all season. It's finally starting to pay off. Cruz hasn't hit for power lately, but he has three steals and three RBI in the last week while cutting down on the strikeouts. He has 18 homers on the season. The power will come back at some point. The steals help in the meantime.
Luis Garcia Jr., 2B, WAS (40.1% Rostered)
Garcia is one of the more consistent producers that you'll find on waivers. Garcia isn't flashy, but he hits for a good average (.294 on the season, .348 in the last week) with decent power and decent speed. That kind of consistency can help you if you're trying to hang on this week.
12-Team Leagues
Mark Vientos, 3B, NYM (23.5% Rostered)
Vientos is riding a nine-game hitting streak. During that span, he has three homers, seven RBI, and seven runs scored. He closes the week with a four-game set in San Diego with a nice short porch in left field thanks to the Western Metal Supply Building. Vientos could end the week strong.
Gavin Lux, 2B, LAD (21.1% Rostered)
Lux is batting cleanup for a dangerous Dodgers team against RHP. He has responded with a .370 average over the last week with three of his 10 homers on the season. A guy isn't usually this widely available when hitting cleanup for a dangerous offense like this. He'll sit against most lefties, but the Dodgers aren't scheduled to face one this weekend.
Deep Leagues
Spencer Horwitz, 1B/2B, TOR (4% Rostered)
Horwitz has homered in back-to-back games and gets a questionable Angels pitching staff at home this weekend. He has hit in a good spot for the Jays lately (usually in the top three) and this offense is starting to wake up. Or the Reds are that bad. Whatever the case, the Angels staff isn't much better.
Ramon Urias, 2B/3B, BAL (1.4% Rostered)
If you're one of those left scrambling by Jordan Westburg landing on the IL, just pick up his replacement! Urias is hitting .368 with a pair of homers, seven RBI, and five runs scored while playing every day over the last week. Westburg will likely be back later next week, but Urias can help you with the rest of this week.
Also consider:
- Jake Burger, 1B/3B, MIA (45.9% Rostered)
- Willi Castro, 2B/SS/3B/OF, MIN (37.7% Rostered)
- Jonathan India, 2B, CIN (26.6% Rostered)
- Masyn Winn, SS, STL (15.4% Rostered)
- Nolan Schanuel, 1B, LAA (5.9% Rostered)
- David Hamilton, 2B/SS, BOS (5.3% Rostered)
- Whit Merrifield, 2B/3B/OF, ATL (4.5% Rostered)
- Ernie Clement, SS/3B, TOR (3.2% Rostered)
- Jared Triolo, 2B/3B, PIT (0.5% Rostered)
Fantasy Baseball Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups - Points Leagues
Shallow Leagues
James Wood, WAS (29.6% Rostered)
The rookie could be in for a big final month of the season. He is hitting .381 over the last week with a homer and a pair of RBI. His season-long numbers (.288, five homers, 28 RBI, six steals in 163 at-bats) are strong, but Wood is only getting stronger. He can help you through your fantasy playoffs.
12-Team Leagues
Joc Pederson, ARI (20.1% Rostered)
Pederson is riding a six-game hitting streak with one of those being a pinch-hit appearance. He has a homer and six RBI in that span with a steal for good measure. Arizona will face three right-handed starters in Fenway this weekend. Matchups don't get much better than this for Pederson.
Lars Nootbaar, STL (11.4% Rostered)
The Nutbar is back on fantasy radars this week after a modest four-game hitting streak. He is hitting .364 in that span with a homer and three runs scored. It has been a trying season for Nootbaar, but he's worth a tryout this weekend to see if this hot streak sticks around. The Cardinals have four games left this week, including three at hitter-friendly Target Field.
Deep Leagues
Dairon Blanco, KC (1.1% Rostered)
Dairon Blanco and the Yellow Crayon:
5/8
3 Home Runs
1 GRAND SLAM
8 RBI
4 R
1 SB
14 TB#Royals #WelcomeToTheCity pic.twitter.com/Azx1cbtkHS— Tyler #NHLToKC (@kcplswin) August 18, 2024
The youngster is making it impossible for the Royals to keep him on the bench any longer. Blanco has three homers, eight RBI, two steals, and five runs scored in the last four games (three starts). It was the shoes for Michael Jordan (according to Spike Lee). Maybe it's the yellow crayon for Blanco that holds his power.
Trevor Larnach, MIN (0.7% Rostered)
Larnach only has two multi-hit games this season. Both have come in the last four games. He may finally be figuring things out. Hey, better late than never, especially for a guy who didn't cost draft capital and can still be had for free.
Also consider:
- Jackson Chourio, MIL (46.3% Rostered)
- Jake McCarthy, ARI (35.7% Rostered)
- Josh Lowe, TB (29.1% Rostered)
- Heliot Ramos, SF (26.9% Rostered)
- JJ Bleday, OAK (20% Rostered)
- J.D. Martinez, NYM (12.2% Rostered)
- Alex Call, WAS (9.5% Rostered)
- Parker Meadows, DET (2.3% Rostered)
- Ramon Laureano, ATL (1.2% Rostered)
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