If you’re still tuning in to the fantasy baseball waiver wire series, it’s highly likely you’re in the championship. And congratulations to you, that’s a phenomenal accomplishment. Fantasy baseball is an absolute marathon where only those who truly care have the ability to keep up with managing their roster for a full season. Now with that said, and as I’ve mentioned in the previous waiver wire columns, your offensive roster is likely set. And that’s fine. This series is meant to give an idea of some potential plug-in options or players to have on your bench so your opponent can’t grab them. Be aggressive in your matchup as the week goes on. Stash pitchers so your opponent can’t stream them. And by all means, you can stream them if you feel like you need it to keep pace in your matchup. I highly suggest looking at the last few Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire articles to expand your options and player pool if looking for stashes. Here are my top hitters and pitchers to grab to get us to the weekend.

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups – Hitters

Mark Canha, 1B/OF/DH, Milwaukee Brewers

Canha has had himself a very strong September. Entering Monday night, he slashed .400/.483/.620 this month with 20 hits, 11 RBI, and even a trio of stolen bases. The Brewers have a game every day this week with some great matchups in the mid-week portion of the schedule against the St. Louis Cardinals. Ride the hot hand while you can. He’s trending in the right direction as Milwaukee enters the postseason.

Jake Burger, 3B/DH, Miami Marlins

I’m always amazed at the rostership discrepancies between ESPN and CBS Sports. For example, Jake Burger is available in 85% of leagues on ESPN. For CBS Sports he’s only available in 31% of leagues. But either way, Burger entered Monday night on a four-game hitting streak with multiple hits in each of those games. He’s a player that has over 30 home runs this season. Burger gets six games this week with three against the New York Mets to start the scoring period. If Mark Canha didn’t exist, Burger would probably be my favorite hitter to grab early in the week.

Max Kepler, OF, Minnesota Twins

Kepler’s power hasn’t really been on display lately with just one home runs since August 26th. He’s hit safely in seven straight games and nine of his last ten. He’s scored a run in four straight games, including six of his last seven. On the season he still has 22 home runs and 60+ runs and RBI each, so he can contribute in a variety of categories. They’re currently in the midst of a series in Cincinnati to face the Reds before the Los Angeles Angels come to town so the matchups are not too awful for fantasy baseball.

Jack Suwinski, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Suwinski had an awful August, but since Labor Day he’s turned things around having slashed .310/.375/.595 over his last dozen games with three home runs, ten RBI, and even three stolen bases in that span. The Pirates are about to embark on nine straight road games where Suwinski has done more of his damage with an .875 road OPS compared to .713 at home. To go along with that, 16 of his 25 home runs have also come on the road.

Willi Castro, 2B/3B/OF, Minnesota Twins

There’s been a quick uptick in rostership for Castro and I wasn’t quite sure why at first. I don’t play in too many leagues that reward for stolen bases, but for those in categories leagues I can understand the urgency in getting him in your lineup. He has 31 stolen bases in 36 attempts despite only hitting .247 on the year. He’s even a decent source of runs scored but ultimately if you’re grabbing him it’s because you need the stolen base help.

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups – Pitchers

Sawyer Gipson-Long, SP, Detroit Tigers

Sawyer Gipson-Long has made quite the impression through two starts. While he hasn’t pitched incredibly deep into either start, he’s racked up the strikeouts. In ten innings he’s compiled 16 strikeouts against the Los Angeles Angels and the Chicago White Sox. The Tigers entered Monday night on a nice four-game win streak as the season draws to a close and Gipson-Long has been a refreshing late-season addition to the team. He’s not quite a spring chicken as he’ll turn 26 in December, but he’s churned out strikeouts at every level of minor league ball. His next start will come on the road against the Oakland Athletics and if your matchup extends into next week, he draws the Kansas City Royals. 

Cal Quantrill, SP, Cleveland Guardians

Not a big source of strikeouts with this suggestion, but he’s pitched well of late. His first start of the week came Monday night against the Kansas City Royals. He finished just one out shy of a quality start, and the bullpen later on allowed four runs in the eighth inning to cost him the win. Despite a 5.26 ERA on the year, in the month of September since making his return, he has a 1.90 ERA n 23.2 innings of work while allowing just 15 hits and eight walks. His next start is a tough one on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles.

Jameson Taillon, SP, Chicago Cubs

Taillon may not have panned out to be the pitcher everyone thought he’d be as an up-and-coming prospect, but he’s still a valuable piece to any team. He has his up’s and down’s and he’s a risk of getting blown up at times. In four of his last five starts he’s racked up at least six strikeouts and in his last start against the Colorado Rockies he had five in as many innings. His next start will come Friday against the Colorado Rockies, but fortunately it’s a home start. The Cubs are in a bit of a skid having lost eight of their last ten games so I’m not as confident in him picking up the win.

Keaton Winn, SP, San Francisco Giants

Obviously, Winn doesn’t have the strikeout upside of Gipson-Long. Few players do. But in his last 15 innings of work, he has 16 strikeouts and just six earned runs. He’s coming off back-to-back starts against the Colorado Rockies, but he still managed five strikeouts in four innings in Coors Fields. On Thursday he’ll face the Los Angeles Dodgers on the road, but if you’re in a pinch I think he could have potential. I don’t think he’ll pitch deep enough into games to get a quality starts but I definitely think he can help you in your ratio categories.

Cristopher Sanchez, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

This is perhaps my least favorite recommendation in this article because I dread the matchup. The Atlanta Braves have lost four straight games including five of their last seven, which have been against divisional opponents. Zack Wheeler kept them in check Monday night as he earned the win in six innings allowing just three hits and two walks. Sanchez isn’t up to Wheeler’s level and on the other side, Spencer Strider will be taking the mound for the Braves. So that hurts Sanchez’s chances of a win. But Sanchez pitches much better on the road than at home. He has a 4.07 ERA at home (66.1 innings) compared to a 1.29 ERA on the road (21.0 innings). The sample sizes are vastly different, but I still buy into his .167/.231/.236 slash line on the road compared to .254/.283/.477 at home. Last Wednesday, against the same Atlanta Braves, Sanchez stuck out ten in 7.1 innings. I’m not saying he runs it back, but I also won’t be scared off from this spot either if I do feel like I need a streamer.

 

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