Being desperate when heading to the waiver-wire is never a good sign, but sometimes injuries decimate your team and there’s nothing you can do about it. Be meticulous in your research and add/drop players intelligently so you’re not always watching 11 of your friends pick up every player on you wanted. With six weeks in the books, we’re starting to get a sense on who’s going to be a real producer and who’s not. It’s time to weed out the pretenders and start adding some pieces to help get your name engraved on your family league trophy!
10-team leagues
Justin Wilson, DET SP (59% ownership), FAAB Bid - $22 – We tend to overpay for closers and things aren’t changing now. With Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez being replaced as the team’s closer, Wilson is the first pitcher out of the Tigers pen getting a chance to be his replacement. Wilson’s first audition went well as he retired the side in order on Tuesday night, something K-Rod wasn’t able to do essentially all season. Wilson has been super successful thus far in 2017, posting a 14.1 K/9 while opponents have hit just .082 against
him.
Kolten Wong, STL 2B, OF (11% ownership), FAAB Bid - $11-13 – Wong has been a run-scoring machine lately, scoring once or more in six straight contests. He’s been especially excelling when he’s lead off an inning dating back to last season’s All-star break. He’s leading all part-time players in average, slugging, on-base and OPS since then. Wong’s playing every day in ’17 and is making the most of that, too. Although the power has dropped off, he should score north of 70 runs and swipe around 15 bags, making him valuable in all formats.
12-team leagues
Tommy Pham, STL OF (8% ownership), FAAB Bid - $5-7 – With Stephen Piscotty out, Pham has stepped in nicely and given the Red Birds a power surge they likely weren’t expecting. Just over the last week, Pham has mashed three home runs and has slugged 1.063. We mentioned this wasn’t expected because Pham is 29-years young and had 14 career homers entering this season. Pham’s hot start isn’t sustainable, but he’s a great replacement for the time being. Even when Piscotty returns, Pham could see a healthy amount of playing time if he continues to hit and someone like Randall Grichuk continues to struggle.
Nate Karns, KC SP, RP (9% ownership), FAAB Bid - $7 – Before his last two starts, you wouldn’t have even flinched if somebody told you how good Karns would starting pitching, but here we are. He’s simply been lights out over his last 12.1 innings, striking out 17 batters while allowing just two runs. The 36 Ks over his 35.1 innings isn’t an aberration as he’s posted a very respectable 9.2 K/9 mark thus far in his career. Karns eligibility at both pitchers spot is also a big plus in all formats.
Matt Andriese, TB SP, RP (24% ownership), FAAB Bid - $8 – Talk about a model of consistency to start the 2017 campaign. Andriese has posted four quality starts over his last six outings and hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs over that same six-game span. Just over the last two weeks, opponents have a well-hit average of .061 against him, which slots him third among all qualified SP.
15-team leagues
Kennys Vargas, MIN 1B (1% ownership), FAAB Bid - $3 – Although first base is stockpiled with big fantasy producers, here’s a player that has flown under the radar early on this season. He started 2017 in the minors, but since being called up he’s been very productive. Vargas his hit four home runs in just 11 games this season and has posted an OPS of 1.000. He’s excelled versus RHP over the last two weeks, posting an OPS of 1.118 which is third in the league amongst part-time players.
Matt Szczur, SD OF (0% ownership), FAAB Bid - $0 – If you’re desperate and we mean absolutely desperate, here’s a name to consider. Szczur was just dealt from the Cubs to the Padres – we feel your pain, Matt – where there will definitely more opportunity. Szczur hasn’t shown much over his short time in the majors, but in the minors he showed off his skills more frequently. He had separate seasons in which he hit 10 triples, 10 homeruns and stole over 50 bases. In NL-only formats, he could be worth a look, especially if there is some statement that he will be platooning in San Diego.
*ownership percentages courtesy of Yahoo
** FAAB bids based on $100 budget
Player News
Ronald Acuña Jr. walloped his 19th home run of the season and walked three times, leading Atlanta to an 11-5 blowout win over the Nationals.
Acuña has caught fire down the home stretch following a prolonged slump coming out of the All-Star break, homering four times in his last 11 games. The 27-year-old generational talent took Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore deep in the opening frame and wound up reaching base safely in four of his six plate appearances in the one-sided affair. He’s looked like a fantasy superstar again of late, batting an absurd .346 (18-for-52) with four homers, 13 RBI and two steals over his last 15 games.
Nasim Nuñez went 3-for-4 with a solo homer in Monday’s blowout loss to Atlanta.
Nuñez walloped his first career leadoff homer when he took Atlanta ace Chris Sale deep to right field. It was his fourth round-tripper since returning to the big leagues back in early September. He came a few feet shy of his second big fly on the night a couple frames later and finished the one-sided affair with a season-high three hits, reaching base safely in four of his five plate appearances. He’s shown enough down the home stretch to be considered a serious contender for an everyday role next spring.
Michael Harris II went 3-for-5 with three RBI and three stolen bases in Monday’s lopsided win over the Nationals.
Harris kicked off an impressive three-hit performance with a 109-mph line-drive to right field that brought home Ha-Seong Kim from second base in the second inning. He scorched a run-scoring single as part of Atlanta’s five-run outburst in the ensuing frame. He wasn’t done yet as he drove in another run on a fielder’s choice in the fourth before adding a sixth-inning single. The three steals matched his previous career-high mark set back on July 16, 2022 during his stellar rookie campaign. It also puts him one theft shy of reaching the 20-steal threshold for the third time in the last four seasons.
Chris Sale was charged with five runs over five innings on Monday in a win over the Nationals.
Sale received a touchdown and a two-point conversion worth of run support from Atlanta’s offense by the fifth inning and was cruising along, despite coughing up early solo homers to Nasim Nuñez and Dylan Crews, before Andrés Chaparro delivered a bases-clearing three-run single with two outs in the frame that slashed the deficit to three runs at the time. He managed to wriggle out of the jam without any further damage, finishing with six strikeouts and two walks in the shortened outing. He’ll close out the season on Sunday with a home matchup against the offensively challenged Pirates.
MacKenzie Gore was lit up for four runs over two innings on Monday in a loss to Atlanta.
Gore served up a first-inning solo homer to Ronald Acuña Jr. and things only went downhill from there in the abbreviated outing as Atlanta tacked on another run in the second before chasing him from the contest in the ensuing frame after just 71 pitches (48 strikes). The 26-year-old southpaw battled some serious control issues in this one, handing out four free passes, and only notched three strikeouts. The unexpected implosion breaks up a decent late-season stretch for Gore since returning from the injured list back in early September. He’ll attempt to close out the season on a high note when he faces the White Sox on Sunday afternoon.
Cubs released RHP Nate Pearson.
Pearson’s time in Chicago is over after he posted a lackluster 5.05 ERA across 41 innings of work in 30 appearances over the last two seasons. The 29-year-old former top pitching prospect was never able to make it work after converting to a full-time relief role. However, it’s possible there’s still an organization out there willing to bring him in this offseason as a reclamation project.