It’s a very Mariners heavy waiver wire this week and even though their pitching remains iffy at best their offense is picking up – with a brand new middle infield to boot. The Mariners have already shown off Nick Franklin who is off to a great start through his first 30 games in the bigs and are ready to add similarly promising Brad Miller to the mix. Miller seems to do just about everything well and while he hasn’t been deemed by the powers that be as a top 100 prospect he is arguably more promising than guys like Anthony Rendon, Didi Gregorius, and other much heralded rookie infielders. Let’s take a closer look at Miller and a few other players to restock your fantasy lineup for the week.
Tony Cingrani (39%): With Johnny Cueto seemingly stuck between panels in the revolving door between the mound and the disabled list, Cingrani is back in the rotation and is a must-own. Over 47 innings, Cingrani is 3-0 with a 3.42 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 57 K/17 BB. As a starter, he owns a 3.15 ERA and 0.98 WHIP over seven starts. This kid is the real deal and Johnny Cueto’s lat is becoming a serious problem, don’t hesitate for even a second to grab him in any league.
Raul Ibanez (32%): How is Ibanez still unowned in nearly 70% of leagues? How are that many people not paying attention? The guy has 19 HR and 45 RBI through 61 games. Of those, 17 have come over his last 42 games and five have come over his last seven. He may not be a long-term investment but he’s batting .345 over his last seven games and demolishing the ball, he should be owned in all leagues while he’s hitting like this.
Nick Franklin (39%): Franklin has been a great get at shortstop and second base since being called up and is still available in most leagues. Over his first 112 at-bats in the Majors, Franklin is sporting a .295/.363/.482 line with four home runs, 15 RBI, 11 runs, nine doubles, and five steals. He’s a five-category contributor and should be owned universally.
Brad Miller (0%): Joining Franklin in the infield is Mariners prospect Brad Miller who has dominated minor league pitchers since being drafted in 2011. Miller has a .319/.399/.521 line this season with 12 HR, 53 RBI, and 53 R. Over his career, Miller is batting .334 with 27 HR, 128 RBI, 172 R, 56 2B, and 10 3B in 219 games. He definitely has the pop to hit for over 20 but more than that he’s a great extra-base hitter who had 62 XBH last season along with 23 SB. Even in a Mariners lineup he should score a lot.
Jacob Turner (23%): Last year’s 15th top prospect definitely looks as advertised, sporting a 1.76 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over his first 41 IP this year. He’s definitely not a strikeout pitcher, owning a 5.9 K/9 this season and over 108.2 career innings but he’s a good get if you missed out on someone like Jeff Locke earlier this season.
Stephen Fife (6%): I’m not too sure about Fife, especially since he largely struggled through most of his minor league career, owning a 4.16 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 552 IP. Still, Fife is 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 35 K/11 BB over 41 IP this season and owned a 2.70 ERA over 26.2 IP last year. He’s definitely worth a waiver add in deeper leagues until he shows otherwise but past performance and five home runs allowed over 41 IP is a concern.
Rajai Davis (18%): With Melky Cabrera down with knee tendinitis, Davis is once again getting the opportunity to shine. Davis has stolen 34 or more bases in each of his last four seasons and currently owns a .317/.356/.397 line with 19 steals and 23 in just 48 games. If you need speed, no one is more of a burner than this guy.
