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If your dynasty or keeper team is at the back of the pack, now might be the time to rethink strategies. At the very least, it is time to take stock before other under-performing teams do the same and the resource pool becomes limited. Minor moves now could set your team up for success starting in 2019 instead of hobbling across the finish line with little hope that next year’s results will be different.
Improving your team can be done in a variety of ways. You could collect assets to flip for profit, trade for players that have fallen from grace or just compile players with tremendous upside. We will cover all these topics in upcoming articles. In this article, we will discuss players with potential near-term impact that might be obtained off the waiver wire and flipped for a profit to playoff contenders. Also, look to our waiver wire articles to find players on hot streaks, whose performance is easier to sell in a trade.
Start by scouring the waiver wire to collect assets now that can be used in the trade market to help a team fighting to make the playoffs. Depending on how many days until your league’s respective trade deadline, this could include players currently on the disabled list or even under-performing players. The hope is for these players to have/acquire success in order to assist with your ability to trade them. Whatever these free agency acquisitions garner will be more than you had yesterday, even if it is a lower prospect or a higher draft pick in next year’s MLB or MiLB draft. Always use all your resources available, including your waiver wire.
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Not Regular Waiver Wire Fodder (Sell For Profit)
Robinson Cano (2B, SEA) 52% owned
Cano is eligible to return August 14 following an 80-game suspension for violating the drug policy. The elongated suspension might have caused some managers to hide him on waivers in hopes no one would notice. Check your leagues’ waiver wire. With a return near the trade deadline of most leagues, Cano might draw some interest from a desperate playoff contender. Of course, many might want a player who started the season with four homers, 23 RBI, and .287 AVG in 143 at-bats. Some are concerned about where Cano will play upon his return. Whether it is at first base, second base, or even DH, the Mariners will make sure his bat is in the lineup. This is all great news for the individual that scoops him up for free. It is like getting a stack of two-dollar bills as a “joke tip” because someone seriously doubts that it is real money.
Miguel Sano (1B/3B, MIN) 52% owned
While most fantasy managers anticipated a rollercoaster performance, very few people probably knew Sano would be mostly unusable in 2018. The rapidly increasing number of homers he hit the last couple of years (25 in 2016 and 28 in 2017) led many to believe that the 25-year-old would continue to improve upon not only his power but other categories as well. However, Sano has struggled in 2018, with only seven homers and a demoralizing strikeout rate of 40.5%. He also had an underwhelming .203 batting average, even with a .303 BABIP. His poor performance and fitness led to a demotion in June. While in High-A Fort Myers, Sano hit two homers with 12 RBI and a .328 batting average. He used the time to work on his approach at the plate and had a 27.3% strikeout rate and a 16.9% walk rate. However, in Triple-A Rochester, Sano went 2-for-14 with a double, RBI, and five strikeouts. Regardless, he was recalled back to the majors on 27 July and in two games he was 0-for-7 with five strikeouts. There are still improvements to be made for Sano to save this season. Only time will tell if he can raise his value enough get interested managers to trade for him. If Sano ever gets in shape (both fitness and performance), his value will increase tremendously for you. Even if you can’t find a buyer, you have a young power bat that has demonstrated promise, which will help your team in the future.
Roberto Osuna (RP, HOU) 63% owned
Osuna is serving a 75-day suspension for domestic violence, but will return to the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros after being traded for a package including Ken Giles. He is eligible to return on August 5. The team has already stated he will return to the closer role. Osuna is an elite closer and a very valuable asset in all leagues, which should earn quite a haul. He has nine saves in 15 innings to start the season with an exceptional 13.00 K/BB rate. Make sure someone didn’t discard him in lieu of occupying a DL spot. If you are able to acquire him, you also have the option of keeping him as well. You’ll have to weigh the return against the value of maintaining a great closer on a dominant team.
Ervin Santana (SP, MIN) 32% owned
Santana could be a hidden gem. He has been sidelined since February due to a middle finger injury that he had surgically repaired. His first start was mediocre (5IP, 3 ER, 5K) which might temper people’s expectations and reduce the attraction. Santana is a cheap speculation pick with hopes of returning to the performance level of years past. In 2017, he had 16 wins with 3.28 ERA with a 41.2% groundball rate and limited hard contact to 27.9%. Santana also had a 3.38 ERA the year prior to that. Although not a dynasty investment, a string of solid starts could yield a useful piece in the trade market.
Evan Longoria (3B, SF) 42% owned
Longoria’s start in San Francisco has been a rocky one. It likely has caused him to be an afterthought in many leagues. Additionally, he spent six weeks on the disabled list with a fractured hand so it will be interesting to see if he can get into a rhythm quick enough for you to get some value in a trade. But, for now, let’s look at the underlying stats, which don’t appear as bad as his early season stats would indicate. Longoria, even at 32 years old, can swing a mean bat with a career-high 46.3% hard-hit rate. His swinging strike rate (8.8%) is also is at his lowest mark since 2011. Even Longoria’s batting average (.246) is dragged down by a .277 BABIP, which could also lead toward a positive normalization of his stats. If there were a concern or a situation in which you wouldn’t personally use him, it would be against right-handers with a .225 average (.264 career). However, against southpaws he has a .287 average. It would be a simple acquisition that could pay off if he can restore some element of his former glory days.
