With another week of fantasy baseball in the books, we are approaching the halfway point of the fantasy baseball season. We’ve seen everything so far this season, from a rookie leading the league in home runs, to a player hitting 10 home runs in 14 games, to a pitcher dominating the National League and having a 4-4 record. What’s next?
Whether it is a free agent pool, a budget-based system, or weekly waivers, playing the wire is a key element to winning your fantasy baseball leagues.
Each week, XN Sports will present an option at each position (if there is anyone worth picking up), and why you should add them.
Without further ado, let’s play the waiver wire:
Catcher
At this point, it seems that anyone who catches for the Athletics is worth owning in fantasy baseball. Just yesterday, Derek Norris and Jaso were in the lineup, and that bodes well for those in need of a catcher. Jaso is hitting .294 with six home runs and 19 runs batted in so far this season in just 143 at-bats.
Third Base
Holt has been on fire of late, hitting .354 in his last 65 at-bats. So far on the season, he is hitting .339 with a home run and three stolen bases, despite getting limited playing time. He will be playing a lot more, as he has begun to play in the outfield in Boston, so keep an eye on his availability at outfield before too long. Add him if you need help at the hot corner.
Shortstop/Outfield
Santana is also eligible at outfield, but his value is higher at shortstop. So far this season, the Twins infielder is hitting .361 with four stolen bases in just 72 at-bats. With middle infield being scarce, stolen base potential with a high batting average is hard to come by, so be sure to keep an eye on Santana. If he is given the everyday job (as it seems to look) then he has great value at shortstop.
Starting Pitcher
Wheeler is not available in a majority of leagues, but he is still available in too many. If you need a starting pitcher, be sure to search for his name first and foremost. If he is on the waiver wire, add him right away. Why? His BABIP is high, at .330. That can mean two things, either he is getting hit around, or he is unlucky. The numbers tend to lean in the direction of him being unlucky. How so? Wheeler has a high ground ball rate of 54.1 percent, and a low line drive rate of 18.1 percent. He is due for progression, and it has already started. In his last 17 innings, Wheeler has a 2.70 ERA and a WHIP of under 1.00.
Relief Pitcher
This may be the first week that there is not a “new closer” available on the waiver wire, but there is still a closer that is available. Qualls will scare a lot of fantasy baseball players away, considering his less-than-stellar career as a reliever, but he is a good option right now, and that is all that matters. The Astros are playing relatively well, and he will have an opportunity to get a few saves. So far this season, Qualls has seven saves to go along with a 2.18 ERA. Add him if you need saves in your league.
