Fantasy Baseball 2017: Week 22 waiver wire adds
By Bill Pivetz
With just a couple of weeks left to the 2017 season, you are looking for all the help you can get. Check out these players available on the waiver wire.
Your fantasy championship is within reach. You’re out of the hunt by just a few points. What can you do to put yourself over the edge and be competitive for the final weeks? You got to look at the waiver wire.
Whether it’s injuries, poor performance or demotions, fantasy owners have been scouring the waiver wire all season, looking for someone better. In some cases, they succeed (like Rhys Hoskins) and sometimes that shine a player had originally faded away (like Jacob Faria).
Using the waiver wire is how you win your season. The draft is important, but if you look at your team, it probably looks a little different compared to your April team.
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In today’s day and age, with the Internet and many fantasy sites giving you content, there aren’t many sleeper or surprise picks anymore, making it tougher to be the first to jump on a player. You might have to pick up a player while he’s still in the minors in order for you to have him for the season.
The players I listed have high availability percentages in ESPN leagues. It doesn’t make sense for me to talk about a player owned in 85 percent of leagues. These players are currently crushing the ball as a hitter or throwing lights out as a pitcher.
Before we get started, I want to mention a couple of other players that didn’t make the official list.
Juan Minaya, CWS: Minaya took over the closer role after the White Sox traded Tyler Clippard. His season stats may not look great but he has three saves in his last five appearances.
Ian Happ, CHC: Happ is hitting the ball well in his first season. He has 19 home runs and 46 RBI. While his average is a little low, .245, he makes up for it with power.
Now, let’s get into the top five waiver wire adds for this week.
Greg Bird made his return to the Bronx on Saturday after spending almost four months on the DL with an ankle injury. He went 1-for-2 with a run in his first appearance.
It will take some time for Bird to get to an MLB playing level but his performance in Triple-A showed he can still hit.
Bird hit .423/.484/.846 with three home runs and six RBI in nine games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He will take over first base duties as Chase Headley slowly finds himself out of the Yankees lineup.
Bird is only first base eligible, so many owners may not need a first baseman. But, if you play in an AL-only or deeper league, he is worth an add for the final weeks. He is owned in just 11.6 percent of leagues.
Blake Snell has been pitching well in August. He had a couple of good starts throughout the first half of the season, but his 4.85 ERA wasn’t getting anyone excited.
He has a 3.66 ERA and 1.157 WHIP in his eight second-half starts. Snell had four quality starts and a 2-1 record in that span.
Over his last two starts, Snell pitched 14.0 innings and allowed two combined runs on six hits, five walks and 15 strikeouts. The Rays have done a great job developing pitching for the last decade and Snell could be another top pitcher next season.
But, for this season, he could be a difference maker in the final weeks. His next start comes on Sept. 1 on the road against the Chicago White Sox. That offense has just one hitter that could do significant damage, Jose Abreu. Snell should be able to shut the rest of the offense down.
Snell is owned in 20.2 percent of leagues. He should see a boost in that percentage for his next start, at least.
Howie Kendrick joined the Washington Nationals on July 29 after spending the first half of the season with the Philadelphia Phillies. Originally added for outfield depth as the Nats prepare for a lengthy playoff run, he’s become an important part of the current offense.
The Nationals have five outfielders on the disabled list, Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth, Brian Goodwin, Adam Eaton and Ryan Raburn. You can make that list six with the inclusion of Trea Turner.
As a result, Kendrick is getting significant playing time. Since joining the team, Kendrick is hitting .325/.365/.600 with five home runs, 17 RBI and 11 runs scored.
The Nats will give Harper, and others, some rest leading to the playoffs, giving Kendrick more playing time to end the season. As a fifth outfielder, he is more than a serviceable option. He’s owned in just 30.9 percent of ESPN leagues.
Sam Dyson looks to be a completely different closer since joining the San Francisco Giants.
He had a 10.80 ERA and 2.58 WHIP in 16.2 innings with the Texas Rangers. So far with the Giants, Dyson has a 2.22 ERA, 1.271 WHIP and 22:14 K:BB ratio. He also has 12 saves in 13 opportunities.
It could be the move from the American League West to the National League West that improved Dyson’s game. It could also be the higher ground ball rate and lower fly ball rate that made Dyson a waiver wire add. He also has a higher swinging strike percentage.
Dyson is prone to giving up the long ball but has been much better in the second half. He had a 3.24 HR/9 with the Rangers and just a 0.32 HR/9 in San Francisco. The home run he allowed on Aug. 23 was the first with the team.
The Giants do have veteran Mark Melancon back from injury. Surgery was an option, but he’s been good since returning. If he continues this performance, Melancon could reclaim the closer role. However, Dyson has been really good so it will take a lot to make the switch.
Dyson is owned in just 32.4 percent of leagues. With saves on a premium, he should be a top target.
Miguel Gonzalez has pitched four straight quality starts after a disappointing outing.
Gonzalez pitched just 1.2 innings after allowing seven runs on seven hits to the Boston Red Sox. Since then, he has a 1.29 ERA, 1.036 WHIP and 2-0 record.
He has two eight-inning and two six-inning outings. His most recent outing was one of the best of the season. Gonzalez pitched eight innings and allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out nine against the Detroit Tigers.
Gonzalez next start is on Aug. 31 on the road against the Minnesota Twins. The Twins are hitting .272 with 43 home runs and 148 runs scored this month. They are on fire currently, but Gonzalez is also pitching well.
He is owned in just 12.3 percent of leagues. With a less-than-favorable matchup on deck, Gonzalez could still be available next week to add. He’s got about five more starts left to the season and could pitch a couple more quality starts.
There is a lot of talent still on the waiver wire. It’s up to you to find that talent and extract everything they have. Whether it’s streaming a pitcher or adding a bench for your offense, every player serves a role.
Some players, like Kendrick, have increased value from injuries. Others, like Gonzalez, are putting up a great stretch of games. An extra home run or strikeout could be all you need to win the week of gain a point in the standings.