While doing research for this article, specifically Royals new third baseman Whit Merrifield, I remembered my AL-only league's waiver period was still open for a little longer and immediately made a claim. I had been putting off the waiver wire for most of the last week and was in need of throwing some rotting carcasses overboard after striking out the last few times I went fishing. Please learn from my almost mistake, and don't put off your next waiver claim. The players you miss out on may end up being just the ones that could push you towards first place or keep your team there.

All players are owned in 25% or less Flea Flicker leagues.

Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.

 

American League Targets - Hitters

Whit Merrifield (OF, KC) - 2% Owned

Could we be looking at Kansas City's second baseman of the future in Whit Merrifield? That might be a bit of a loaded question after only two weeks of games, but what he has done so far does warrant further investigation. In his first taste of MLB action, he's hitting .350 with eight runs scored and one stolen base, including a seven-game hitting streak as of Tuesday. If incumbent Omar Infante continues to struggle while Merrifield is still hitting, the AL Rookie of the Year Award may have a new dark horse contender.

Juan Uribe (3B, CLE) - 2% Owned

Third baseman Juan Uribe took the scenic route to fantasy relevance this season, but he is finally starting to get there. For the month of May, Uribe is hitting .284 with one home run and seven RBI, a huge upgrade over his awful April. He has been growing to appreciate his new home in Cleveland, hitting .276 there so far this season. Can you guess where Uribe will be most of this week? The same place the catcher squats: at home.

Jose Ramirez (2B/SS/3B/OF, CLE) - 21% Owned

Utility man Jose Ramirez seems to have finally found his footing in the Majors as the Indians' jack-of-all-trades player. The four-position man is slashing a very healthy .305/.381/.447 with three home runs and four stolen bases this season. He's hit over .300 each month this season as well, he's not just riding a hot streak. The time may have passed to pick him up in most AL-only leagues at 21% owned, but for those who still have a chance, don't let it slip away.

Luis Valbuena (1B/3B, HOU) - 8% Owned & Alex Bregman (SS, HOU) - 2% Owned

The first couple of times I read the rumblings that one of the game's top prospects, Houston shortstop Alex Bregman, was seeing his estimated time of arrival to the Show being aggressively pushed forward, I thought that was some fantasy baseball. But as May comes to a close, the whispers are only getting louder as he enters June hitting .326 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI at Double-A Corpus Christi. If that wasn't impressive enough, he has 20 walks to 13 strikeouts, displaying impressive patience for a 22-year-old.

The Astros are currently running Luis Valbuena out at third base right now, getting the same results the team received last year: power when he actually makes contact, which isn't often enough. He's ticking upwards as May closes out, hitting .268 with five home runs and 12 RBI for the month, giving him temporary fantasy value as he hopes to stay on the roster lonog enough to push for a fourth consecutive season with double-digit home runs. But unless he magically discovers consistency, Bregman's fast track is likely to leave Valbuena flattened come the dog days of summer if the rumors prove accurate.

Austin Jackson (OF, CWS) - 13% Owned

Outfielder Austin Jackson is starting to find his groove on the south side of Chicago as a hot May has him entering June riding some positive momentum for the first time in awhile. He is hitting .308 with 12 runs scored, 10 RBI and one stolen base for the month, pushing his season average up to .259. His mild power and speed are still on vacation since his 2015 mid-season trade to the Cubs as Jackson has zero home runs and two stolen bases in 2016, hopefully meaning he is due and not toast. Even if neither of those stats recover, as long as he can continue to put up an acceptable average, the White Sox lineup will give him enough opportunities to hold onto his AL-only value.

 

American League Targets - Pitchers

Jhoulys Chacin (SP, LAA) - 6% Owned

With the Angels' planned 2016 pitching rotation in complete shambles, the team has had to get creative to fill their open spots. That led to them acquiring starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin from the Braves earlier this season. He has enjoyed his first taste of being an American League player, going 1-1 with a 3.42 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 20 strikeouts in 26.1 innings. This isn't Chacin's first taste of big league success, but it has been three seasons since he has truly been fantasy relevant. With plenty of chances to keep this going, he's a great addition to pitching-depleted fantasy teams.

Pat Dean (SP, MIN) - 2% Owned

The last-place Twins have simply been unable to put together a starting rotation worth anything as their 15 collective wins is tied for last in all of baseball this season. They have tried veterans and prospects, all with little success. Then an unheralded finesse prospect in starter Pat Dean makes his debut in May and does what the others couldn't: give his team a consistent chance to win. Over 21 innings, he is 1-1 with a 3.43 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 20 strikeouts, including his last start where he held hot-hitting Seattle to two runs over seven innings, striking out eight in the process. While Dean's never been one to strikeout batters at an acceptable clip, if he can continue to maximize his run-prevention skills, he'll have AL-only value regardless.

Martin Perez (SP, TEX) - 10% Owned

I was going to include starting pitcher Martin Perez on this list a couple weeks ago, but I wasn't convinced his walk problems were going to keep not coming around to bite his rear-end. Well, despite that problem still not going away--he has 15 in 36.6 May innings--they have yet to burn him as his 2016 ERA of 3.12 can attest. Not every pitcher can play with fire so often and find themselves relatively unscathed, but with Perez allowing more than two runs in a start only once in May (and he only allowed four when he was "blown up"), there's no reason to look the AL-only gift horse in the mouth until it's smoldering.

Matt Shoemaker (SP, LAA) - 12% Owned

If there is one baseball-related takeaway to leave with after reading retired starting pitcher Jaime Moyer's biography, it is that pitching is far more mental for some people than it is for others. Starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker had been failing mightily at replicating his fantastic 2014 again this year, leading him to be demoted to the minors May 1st. But something incredible has happened since his second start since returning to the Angels: he's gone 2-0 with a 2.23 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 20.2 innings. The reason for the gigantic turnout is unknown, and while he certainly won't keep that pace up, if there's a chance Shoemaker can his successful rookie season, AL-only owners with a need for pitching would be silly to not give him a chance.

Mike Montgomery (RP, SEA) - 2% Owned

The once high-end Royals starting pitching prospect, reliever Mike Montgomery has been making a name for himself in the Mariners' bullpen since coming over to them last season. He has been outstanding this season, going 2-0 with a 1.55 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 24 strikeouts in 29 innings. But as great as that is, he has turned up the fire in May, compiling a 0.49 ERA and 0.71 WHIP in 18.1 innings for the month. Owners looking to let some air out of their ERA and WHIP should look to Montgomery for a hand.

 

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