Last week’s buys were a mixed bag. Zack Greinke dominated the Cardinals, but Miguel Sano continued to scuffle. He’s still hitting the ball hard enough to anticipate better days ahead, though.
On the sell side, Danny Salazar got knocked around by the Red Sox (no shame in that lately) and Adrian Gonzalez’s struggles continued. He missed some time with back stiffness, so perhaps that has something to do with his underwhelming performance to this point.
Editor’s Note: To read about waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.
Week 8 Buys
Brad Miller, 2B/SS/OF, Tampa Bay Rays
As usual, Miller got off to a slow start. But over the last month, he’s hitting .312/.384/.571 with four homers and four stolen bases. His positional flexibility and combination of pop and speed make him an intriguing option in deeper leagues. With an ownership rate below 10 percent, he’s almost certainly available for free in your league. Miller is a career .246 hitter, so don’t expect anything special in the batting average department. But he’s been slotting in the 2-hole in the Rays’ lineup, so he should be a solid source of runs .
Alex Wood, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Through his first four starts, Wood sported some ugly numbers: 6.00 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, and just 12 strikeouts against 11 walks. His five turns since have constituted a 180-degree turn. Though he’s somehow been kept out of the win column, Wood has posted a 2.67 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts against only five walks in 30 innings. He’s regained the velocity he lost last season and gotten his mojo back with the curveball. You can still grab Wood on the waiver wire in just over half of leagues right now.
Week 8 Sells
Leonys Martin, OF, Seattle Mariners
One of the bigger surprises in baseball this season has been Martin’s newfound offensive prowess. Owner of a career .255/.305/.361 line coming into the season, the Cuban ex-pat had twice stolen 30 bases, but otherwise offered little in the way of fantasy value. His game-winning homer on Tuesday was his ninth of the season, already a career best. He’s also swiped seven bags and currently boasts an .820 OPS. Martin does appear to have made a conscious effort to add some lift to his swing and pull the ball more. However, he doesn’t have the raw strength to maintain a HR/FB over 20 percent like he’s doing now. Expect pitchers to start challenging him inside more often going forward as well.
Julio Teheran, SP, Atlanta Braves
After a lackluster 2015 that few saw coming (ahem), Teheran appears to have bounced back this season. His numbers have improved across the board, returning to or exceeding previous levels of performance. He’s also in the conversation for best pitcher in baseball who is actually human over the last month. So why sell? The ERA estimators still haven’t warmed to Teheran, for one thing. His current 2.57 mark sits nearly a run below his FIP, and his xFIP is higher still. He’s sporting a .247 BABIP – 30 points below his career average – despite allowing a higher hard-hit rate than ever before. Teheran has also given back all of the velocity he regained last year. And given how bad the Braves are, he might not win five games all season unless he’s traded.
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