Fantasy Baseball 2019: Week 20 Waiver Wire Picks

Finding the right player off the waiver wire is becoming harder and harder with just a few weeks left of the fantasy baseball season.

We are beginning Week 20 of the fantasy baseball season. I don’t know about you but this season flew by for me. With just a few weeks left, now is not the time to lose interest and focus on another fantasy sport. If you are in the playoff hunt, you have to keep on going and play until the end.

Let your opponents drift away and start preparing for fantasy football. This is your time to capitalize on their absence and pick up the top free agents. The waiver wire is not as rich as it was at the beginning of the season but with the rosters expanding and teams looking to give their younger players some playing time, there will be some players worth adding to your team.

My waiver wire picks will have ownership percentages below 35 percent based on ESPN leagues. I will list three hitters, two starting pitchers and a relief pitcher. Based on your team needs, hopefully there is a player that can help improve your team.

Nick Ahmed, ARI

Ahmed has been on a power surge over the last eight days. He has five home runs, 13 RBIs and six runs scored with a .400 average. He matched his career-high home runs of 16 and is two RBI away from his 70 from last year.

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Ahmed is hitting 40 points higher than last year. He’s cut down on his strikeouts and is walking more. While hitting seventh isn’t ideal for fantasy baseball, he is making the most of his at-bats.

Kyle Seager, SEA

Talk about a resurgence, Seager has come out of nowhere. He is hitting .375 with five home runs, 11 RBIs and seven runs scored over the last week. Those numbers are skewed a little because of his three-home run game but he’s still making good contact.

Seager was hitting in the bottom third of the Mariners order at the end of July. He is now hitting third. The change in the batting order results in more at-bats and more opportunities for counting stats.

Ryan McMahon, COL

Despite the Rockies second-half collapse, McMahon is hitting the ball well. Over the last week, he is hitting .333 with five home runs, eight RBIs and seven runs with a steal. McMahon is hitting either fifth or sixth in the Rockies lineup. With Nolan Arenado and Daniel Murphy ahead of him, he’ll be getting some good pitches.

McMahon benefits fantasy owners by his multi-position eligibility. He can be slotted at first, second and third base. Whether it’s injuries or slumps, you can modify your lineup with McMahon still starting.

Aaron Civale, CLE

Civale made one start in June before being sent back down. He was recalled for an August 5 start and remains in the Indians lineup. In those three starts, Civale faced the Rangers, Twins and Yankees, three high-powered lineups. He has three straight quality starts with a 2.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 17 strikeouts, three walks and an 0-2 record.

I don’t mind the win-loss record because of things outside of his control. Civale makes his next start on August 22 on the road against the surging Mets. He provides a few strikeouts with limited fantasy baseball damage. As a spot starter or back-end option, he’s looked good so far.

Mike Montgomery, KC

The veteran has two straight quality starts in his last two games, pitching against the Tigers and Mets. He had 12 and three strikeouts, respectively. Montgomery gives up a lot of hits, averaging almost six hits per game. The lack of walks is a good sight.

Montgomery makes his next start on the road on August 21 against the Orioles. Despite the Orioles record, the offense can hit and score. I wouldn’t take that matchup lightly, especially if you’re relying on Montgomery to get you a win. He’s still worth an add for his other stats.

Aaron Bummer, CWS

Alex Colome is still the White Sox closer, so if you’re looking for saves, Bummer is not the guy for you. If you need help in the other pitching categories, then keep reading. Bummer has a 2.00 ERA with seven strikeouts and two walks in 9.0 innings.

Bummer pitched more than one inning in four of his last six appearances. He also has five straight holds. Bummer is getting used in important situations but those may be few and far between for the White Sox.

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As I said in the intro, the level of talent on the waiver wire now is not what we’d want at this point in the season. But if you are looking for an upgrade, you should take whatever you can get in order to win.

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Fantasy baseball 2019: Week 20 waiver wire picks

By Bill Pivetz | Aug 19, 2019