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Week 13 Waiver Wire Watch List

Jim Turvey's 2017 MLB waiver wire watch list for Week 13 of fantasy baseball. Potential sleepers and adds for 10-team, 12-team, 14-team and AL/NL-only leagues.

Welcome to Week 13 of The Watch List. We have had a few iterations already, but here’s a friendly reminder for those who forgot: Each week we’ll be updating this list full of players who you maybe aren’t quite ready to pick up (depending on league size, of course), but who need to be on your radar regardless. We’ll look at several players in-depth each week and keep tabs on players “graduating” into the waiver wire pickups category, as well as players demoted off the list entirely. (Reminder, these are Yahoo ownership and positions.)

With the season beginning to stabilize a bit, there are simply fewer players graduating and being demoted each week. With that in mind, we’ll no longer have a set number of eight players highlighted each week, but rather somewhere in the five to eight range. However many players graduate/are demoted will be replaced and the new players will be highlighted.

Once again, if there are any names who you’d like to see highlighted next week, or even just added to the list as a whole, feel free to at me on Twitter (@FantasyBaseTurv). Let’s get this show on the road.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Players to Watch in 10-team Leagues

Mallex Smith (TB, OF): 33% owned

Smith saw his ownership drop a bit despite another week with multiple steals. Smith didn’t score as many runs this week, and he finally had his first post-promotion game without a hit (he still scored two runs that game), but there’s still a lot to like here, and he should be owned in more leagues.

Jarrod Dyson (Sea, OF): 19% owned

Dyson had his name in the headlines thanks to his breaking up of Justin Verlander’s no-hitter with a bunt, but he had another decent week, stealing a base and collecting seven hits. He’s still a great OBP option and solid BA option for teams in need of speed.

Mike Montgomery (ChC, SP/RP): 39% owned

Montgomery made his fourth start of the season on Sunday, and he didn’t allow an earned run for the second straight outing. Monty has back-to-back starts of six innings without an earned run allowed, and while his ERA isn’t going to stay in the low 2.00s forever, there’s reason to like what we’re seeing from him. Montgomery’s command has seemingly been better as a starter than it was as a reliever, as his K-BB rate is about three times better over his four starts than his 18 appearances out of the pen. He’s a perfect guy to keep an eye for a minute, although with the flashy team, you do run the risk of missing out on him entirely if you wait too long. His next start is against a decent Reds lineup in a tough pitcher’s park in Cincinnati - it will be a solid test for him.

Matt Davidson (CHW, 3B): 26% owned

Davidson’s power doesn’t seem to be slowing down, as he went yard twice again last week. His HR/FB rate is probably not sustainable at 26.6 percent, but he is still sporting the 40+ percent hard hit ball rate, and he has a great swing to leave the yard early and often. The plate discipline continues to be the long-term worry.

Archie Bradley (Ari, SP): 32% owned

Bradley had an excellent past week, extending his streak of scoreless appearances to 12 and scoreless innings to 12 and two thirds. Bradley is currently rocking a 1.04 ERA that is backed by a very solid 2.53 FIP and 2.60 xFIP. His 42 strikeouts to just seven walks are impeccable, and he is in a bullpen with a ticking timebomb in Fernando Rodney. That’s why his ownership is (deservedly) so high, and he will be a fast pick up any time Rodney struggles to close out a game in Arizona. That said, Bradley doesn’t have a single save all season and Rodney actually has a halfway decent 3.39 FIP this season. There’s certainly a lot to like with Bradley and his ERA and WHIP are enough to demand a spot in shallow leagues, but just be wary of being too hyped on him.

 

Players to Watch in 12-team Leagues

Bradley Zimmer (Cle, OF): 15% owned

Zimmer was in the lineup more regularly last week, only missing out on the start once over the past seven days. Zimmer is beginning to win Francona’s trust more and more, and if the 24-year-old with the .293/.369/.485 slash line is able to steal a full-time role, he’ll be an awesome value in a Cleveland lineup that is quite hot right now.

Jed Lowrie (Oak, 2B): 22% owned

That sound you hear is fantasy owner’s sphincters tightening, as Lowrie is currently day-to-day with a possible knee sprain during Friday’s game. The bad news is that the team said on Sunday that Lowrie might see a doctor; the good news is that later that day the team then used him as a pinch hitter and he got an RBI double. The situation is one to keep a close eye on.

Max Kepler (Min, OF): 22% owned

Kepler hit .294 last week, but his power seems to have abandoned him a bit, as he hasn’t hit a homer in the past 12 days. That said, that cold stretch may just be a bit of bad luck, as his hard hit ball rate is about two percentage points higher than last season, while his HR/FB rate is nearly five percentage points lower. He could have a big second half.

Sean Doolittle (Oak, RP): 25% owned

Doolittle picked up a save last week, but he still sits behind Santiago Casilla when it comes to closing out games in Oakland. Now Casilla isn’t the most secure pitcher - he now has a 4.75 xFIP after giving up a run in a save against the White Sox on Sunday - so being the second in line for the A’s might be a decent spot to be in.

Zack Wheeler (NYM, SP): 17% owned

Wheeler went on the DL after a second straight blowup start, and most owners are (deservedly) running for the hills. However, I’m almost relieved to see the DL stint, the injury might be able to explain a few of the 15 runs he has given up in three and two thirds innings over the past two starts. Wheeler might be able to return for July 1 to face the Phillies which is the type of start he needs to impress in or he will be off this list and maybe for good.

Tommy Joseph (Phi, 1B): 19% owned

Joseph hit a pair of homers, but with a .254 BA and .313 OBP, he has to be one of the more boring power sources in the league. For owners in need of home runs, Joseph is a pretty safe bet to hit a couple every few weeks, but he doesn’t do a ton more, especially in a poor Phillies lineup.

 

Players to Watch in 14+ team Leagues

Lucas Duda (NYM, 1B): 11% owned

Duda is similar to Joseph. He is better than Joseph in OBP leagues, but in BA (which are obviously far more common), Joseph holds the edge thanks to a better track record in terms of health, as well as slightly better RuBIn totals.

Robert Gsellman (NYM, SP): 8% owned

Gsellman is coming off back-to-back starts in which he allowed seven runs each, but this week he gets to face the Marlins and Phillies after having to deal with the Nationals and Cubs - he’s back to being recommended this week.

Michael Taylor (Was, OF): 5% owned

Taylor is one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now, with three homers and five hits over the past two games alone. He has five homers and three steals over the past two weeks, and his season-long numbers are beginning to look pretty strong. Taylor already has 10 homers and seven steals despite not being in the lineup full-time throughout the season, and his .273 BA isn’t bad either. His 4.5 walk rate and 33.2 percent strikeout rate are enough to hold him back from being a must-add, but he running hot right now and has shown flashes at times throughout his career. His BABIP of .365 is going to come down a bit, and his HR/FB rate of 20.8 percent is a career high, but he is indeed hitting the ball hard and has a pretty nice batted ball profile in general. He’s certainly worthy of deeper league consideration and might even start to get some shallow league interest before too long.

Alex Meyer (LAA, SP): 12% owned

Meyer struggled in his first of two testing starts he has had to deal with. The Red Sox got to him for five runs in just 3 ⅓ innings, and now he has to deal with the Dodgers on Wednesday. Meyer has a bit of paper tiger to him, so the L.A. start should be telling.

Tommy Pham (StL, OF): 6% owned

Pham went deep three times last week, and he is slashing .277/.360/.490 on the season. It is quite surprising to me that his ownership isn’t higher. It speaks to the depth of position players this season.

Danny Valencia (Sea, 1B/3B/OF): 20% owned

Valencia moves up thanks to a week in which he had a four-hit game and hit .364, but he doesn’t move up too far as the news wasn’t great over the weekend when he missed a pair of games due to a sore wrist. For a hitter who relies on power for value, a wrist injury is scary.

Joe Biagini (Tor, SP): 12% owned

Biagini bounced back a bit with a win this week, but he still gave up four runs and a pair of home runs. I still like his long-term outlook and think he’s worth hanging on to.

 

Players to Watch in AL or NL-Only Leagues

Nick Pivetta (Phi, SP): 5% owned

With 19 strikeouts in his past two starts, Pivetta jumps onto our Watch List for the first time this season. Pivetta is a 24-year-old rookie pitcher for the Phillies, which I feel I must say since he may not be on everyone’s radar. He has been a bit of a helium prospects the past few years, coming from off the radar to dominating Triple-A the past two seasons. He is now sporting a 4.46 ERA and 9.78 K/9 rate that looks excellent in deeper leagues. Pitching for Philly will mean not too many wins, and an early-week outing against the Diamondbacks is a non-starter, but he gets to face the Mets later in the week in what should be a nice chance to put up another strong outing.

Delino DeShields (Tex, OF): 8% owned

DeShields got only 11 at bats in the past week, but he stole three bases and is a great bench SB guy for teams in need of steals that have some daily flexibility so that he can be benched when he’s not in the Texas starting lineup.

Joakim Soria (KC, RP): 6% owned

Another closer in the wings, Soria isn’t waiting behind a shaky closer, but rather one who might be dealt. Kelvin Herrera has settled down, getting shutout saves his last five times on the mound, but he is a frequently-mentioned trade target for the (slowly) approaching trade deadline. If Herrera is dealt, Soria will almost certainly be the man to take over the ninth (unless he is also dealt, which is a possibility), as he has pitched very well in 2017. His 3.77 ERA may seem more pedestrian than excellent, but his 1.69 FIP and 12.19 K/9 rate are outstanding. He has closing bona fides as well, with over 200 career saves.

Keone Kela (Tex, RP): 8% owned

Kela threw another 3 ⅓ scoreless last week, striking out week and allowing only four base runners. With Matt Bush blowing two saves during the week it’s not surprising that Kela saw his ownership double in the past seven days.

 

Graduated - Ownership Too High

Jordan Montgomery (NYY, SP): 43% owned

 

Demoted

Tyson Ross (Tex, SP): 31% owned

Seth Lugo (NYM, SP): 21% owned

Jorge Bonifacio (KC, OF): 2% owned

Colby Rasmus (TB, OF): 2% owned

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Adds




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Christian Braun

To Miss At Least Six Weeks With An Ankle Sprain
Calvin Ridley

Listed as Questionable for Week 11
Zach Edey

Questionable To Make Season Debut
Cedric Coward

Doubtful For Saturday's Game In Cleveland
John Gibson

Fine for Saturday
Kaiden Guhle

Ruled Out for 8-10 Weeks
Justin Thomas

Will Miss Start Of 2026 After Undergoing Back Surgery
Ja Morant

Off The Injury Report, Will Play Saturday
Alex Newhook

to Miss Four Months With Broken Ankle
Marco Rossi

Out Week-to-Week
J.K. Dobbins

Out in Week 11 and for "Foreseeable Future"
Zach Hyman

Set for Season Debut Saturday
Jack Hughes

Sustains Non-Hockey Hand Injury
Quinn Hughes

a Game-Time Decision Friday
Jaden Ivey

Participates in Pistons Morning Shootaround on Friday
Rashod Bateman

Ruled Out for Week 11
Sam LaPorta

Ruled Out for Week 11 With Back Injury
Coby White

Nearing A Return?
Isiah Pacheco

Officially Ruled Out for Week 11
Josh Giddey

Fully Practices On Friday
Day'Ron Sharpe

Available to Play on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Shemar Stewart Both Out for Week 11
Julian Champagnie

Questionable For Rematch Against Warriors
Jaxson Dart

Officially Ruled Out for Week 11 Due to Concussion
Jonathan Kuminga

Sitting Out Friday's NBA Cup Game
Darius Slayton

Ruled Out for Sunday
Dereck Lively II

Expected To Return To Action Friday
Davante Adams

Questionable for Sunday but Expected to Play
Drake London

Questionable vs Panthers
Islam Makhachev

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Jack Della Maddalena

Set For His First Title Defense
Zhang Weili

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Valentina Shevchenko

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Garrett Wilson

Jets Expect Garrett Wilson to Play Again This Season
Michael Morales

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Lamar Jackson

Ready to Roll for Sunday
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Mario Craver a Game-Time Decision for Week 12
Sean Brady

Set For Title Eliminator Bout
Quentin Johnston

Questionable to Play Against Jaguars
Carlos Prates

A Favorite At UFC 322
Jaxson Dart

"on Track" in the Concussion Protocol
Leon Edwards

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set To Open Up UFC 322 Main Card
Beneil Dariush

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Chris Godwin

Missing Another Game
Bucky Irving

Officially Ruled Out for Week 11
Darius Slayton

Expected to Miss Week 11
Khalil Shakir

"Heading in the Right Direction" for Week 11
Chris Godwin

Practices Again, Status Uncertain for Week 11
Bucky Irving

Practices Again to Close Out the Week
Dalton Kincaid

Ruled Out for Sunday's Matchup
Kawhi Leonard

Out on Friday vs. Mavs
Lauri Markkanen

Drops 40 Points Against Hawks
Onyeka Okongwu

Posts Double-Double in Win Over Jazz
Jalen Johnson

Produces Huge Triple-Double
Kel'el Ware

Ready to Suit Up on Friday
Norman Powell

Listed as Available Against Knicks
Davion Mitchell

Good to Go Friday Vs. Knicks
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Available for Friday's Matchup with Knicks
Terrence Shannon Jr.

Ruled Out Friday vs. Kings
CFB

Virginia's Chandler Morris Trending Toward Facing Duke on Saturday
LeBron James

Out on Friday
Shane Pinto

Lands Four-Year Extension
Thomas Chabot

to Sit Out Two Weeks
William Karlsson

Out Week-to-Week
Alex Newhook

Injured in Big Loss
Jeff Skinner

Hurt Early on Thursday
John Gibson

Exits With Upper-Body Injury Thursday
Kaapo Kakko

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Thursday
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Says There's a "50-50" Chance he Returns to Mets
Shohei Ohtani

Wins his Fourth MVP Award
Aaron Judge

Wins AL MVP Award Again
Dylan Samberg

Makes Season Debut Thursday
Samuel Girard

Available Thursday
Valeri Nichushkin

Considered Week-to-Week
Boone Jenner

Out Long-Term With Upper-Body Injury
Mikael Granlund

Returns to Action Thursday
Anthony Stolarz

Out Day-to-Day
Auston Matthews

Likely to Miss One Week
Raisel Iglesias

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Pete Alonso

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Félix Bautista

Felix Bautista Could Return in Second Half in 2026
Kodai Senga

Attracting Trade Interest, Will the Mets Move him?
Yordan Alvarez

Expected to be Ready for Spring Training
Byron Buxton

Could Waive his No-Trade Clause
Paul Skenes

the Unanimous NL Cy Young Winner
Tarik Skubal

Wins AL Cy Young for Second Straight Year
CFB

Still No Update on Jermod McCoy's Return Timeline
Sami Valimaki

Riding Momentum Into Bermuda
Matthieu Pavon

Struggling Through a Rough Season
Taylor Montgomery

Hopes to Get Back on Track at Port Royal
Ben Martin

a Risky Play at Bermuda Championship
Mark Hubbard

Primed for a Bounce-Back Week in Bermuda
Lee Hodges

Searching for a Spark in Bermuda
Stephen Vogt

Wins Back-to-Back AL Manager of the Year Honors
Milwaukee Brewers

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager of the Year Again
Patrick Fishburn

Looking to Bounce Back in Bermuda
Eric Cole

Carrying Momentum into Bermuda
Tommy Edman

to Have Ankle Surgery Next Week
Ketel Marte

Diamondbacks Unlikely to Trade Ketel Marte
Roman Anthony

to Have a Normal Offseason
Jarren Duran

Red Sox Think Jarren Duran Needs a Fresh Start
MacKenzie Gore

Nationals Expected to Trade MacKenzie Gore?
Sahith Theegala

Finishes Tied for 27th at Bank of Utah Championship
Sam Stevens

Finishes Tied for 36th at Baycurrent Classic
Patrick Rodgers

Finishes Tied For Sixth at World Wide Technology Championship
Luke List

Finishes 75th at World Wide Technology Championship
Ben Kohles

Finishes Tied for 63rd at World Wide Technology Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied for 14th at World Wide Technology Championship
Luke Clanton

Finishes Tied for 46th at World Wide Technology Championship
Blades Brown

Finishes Tied for 18th at Korn Ferry Tour Championship
Tarik Skubal

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Framber Valdez

Cubs Could Land Framber Valdez in Free Agency
Sandy Alcantara

Marlins Ready to Trade Sandy Alcantara
CFB

Nic Anderson Could Return for LSU this Season
Randy Brown

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Gabriel Bonfim

Extends His Win Streak
Joseph Morales

Gets First-Round Submission Win
Matt Schnell

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Muslim Salikhov

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Uros Medic

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
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Loses Back-to-Back Fights
Chris Padilla

Remains Unbeaten In The UFC
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Suffers His First UFC Loss
Christian Leroy Duncan

Scores Second-Round Knockout Victory

RANKINGS

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RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP