X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Pickups & Streamers
Rookies & Call-Ups
News and Alerts

AL-Only Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 2

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to take advantage of breakouts or impact bats before others sure can.

The primary challenge of playing in an NL or AL-only league is often the lack of options regarding adding and subtracting players when needed. In mixed leagues, the players on the waiver wire are usually starting for an NL-only staff. So then how does one wade through the names of players that even regular fantasy players have never heard of, and that often will not even start for their teams to begin with? That is where this series comes in.

Instead of owners spending time digging the waiver wire for 0% owned players, this article will give owners a player at each position to fill the gap, or at the least, keep an eye on to add or stash. Not all of these players will replace that injury, but offer the best option off the scrap heap. Often the players advocated for here are long shots due to the nature of shallow leagues. No quick fixes, but some upside that could turn into much more. Now, onto the AL version of the Island of Misfit Fantasy Toys.

Featured Promo: Get any full-season MLB and DFS Premium Pass for 50% off. Exclusive access to our Team Sync platform, Premium articles, daily Matchup Rating projections, 15 lineup tools, DFS cheat sheets, Research Stations, Lineup Optimizers and much more! Go Premium, Win More!

 

C - Mitch Garver (C, MIN)

1% owned

Cool the Willians Astudillo hype, or perhaps not, but owners should be sure to grab the bench option as well. While Jason Castro looks to be the primary catcher, or last in a split role with Astudillo, Garver is the better of the bats on the bench. This alone, and the hopeful plans to move Astudillo around the park will open up the route to playing time.

This column was all over Garver last year, as he took the starting role and slashed his way to .268/.335/.414 with seven homers. What drove his value the previous campaign was the contact rate. After an 83.3 Z-contact% year in 2017, Garver added to push to an 86.9% mark last year. If Garver can keep putting the bat on the ball, and keep the other numbers in line, he could be one of the top 10 catchers in the American League when all is said and done.

 

1B - Hanley Ramirez (1B, CLE)

4% owned

All aboard the Hanley train. After being a late add in the spring, and sneaking his way onto the starting roster, Ramirez has been precisely what Cleveland needed. Through seven games he is slashing .238/.385/.524 with two homers and four runs. While the batting line might stay down, even with a slight bump for the sample, Ramirez will add value with the solid contact rate.

While his exit velocity is down from this time last year, the barrel rate is way up. Last year he sat at 7.6%, and to start this year, he is way up to 18.2%. While some regression is coming, the skills are still there. With the ability for him to match up with lefties, and being one of the only righty bats on the team, he will play as long as he hits. Cleveland expects to be one of the top OBP teams in the game, so there will be chances to drive in runs.

 

2B - Jason Kipnis (2B, CLE)

4% owned

Another Cleveland batter on the list this week, Kipnis is still hurt, but on his way back to the team. If he is healthy, owners are hoping for second half 2018 production, and not the previous season and a half from Kipnis. To end 2018, Kipnis batted .244 with nine homers and did all this in 20 fewer games. The significant change seems to be that Kipnis is hitting the ball in the air more often, with a 33.7% mark last year. If he can keep the ball up, then the power should continue to be there, with Kipnis having multiple 20 homer years without the swing change. This could sink the batting average, and the BABIP will be low to the naked eye but should pay off for fantasy owners. Add him this week in case he is back, or if not, grab him before people realize how close he is.

 

3B - Richard Urena (SS/3B, TOR)

1% owned

Not a great four-game series with Cleveland for Urena, but he did get to play in two of them. While he looks to be one of the utility options on the bench, after the Kevin Pillar and Kendrys Morales deal, Toronto seems to be seeing what they have on this team.

While always a good prospect, the hype has worn off as it has been made clear that Urena will not be a .300 bat. And yet, he does get on base well enough, with some fringe speed, to be a threat. The power is mediocre as well, with roughly eight homers expected over a full season. Even with all the warts, Urena is a utility bat that can produce more than expected. Add him, and plug him where needed.

 

SS - Daniel Robertson (2B/SS/3B, TB)

1% owned

Similar to Urena in the utility spot, Robertson is good enough at all positions to get even more playing time. Last year, in 88 games, Roberston slashed .262/.385/.415 with nine homers. The ownership level should not be this low with that stat line and position eligibility. Somehow it has gone unnoticed just how often he has been playing, with six starts in six games last week, and nine total games to date.

While he has been slated to play in a lefty platoon, Kevin Cash has been willing to play him more often, either based on plans, or a good start to the campaign. The batting average is only at .192, but the K-rate is down by close to five points, so the right signs are there. Brandon Lowe is stopping him from taking a starting role on paper, but with rookie's struggles, the opening is there.

 

OF - Avisail Garcia (OF, TB)

4% owned

While 2018 was not his best year, the fact that he was on his way out of Chicago was a surprise. A career .270 hitter, Garcia’s batting line dropped to .236 last year. And yet, he still hit 19 homers, a new career-high after 18 the year before. Right now he looks to be the starting DH for Tampa Bay but also can play the outfield, so there might be some rotation in playing time there.

While he is only hitting .167 to start the year, owners should be taking this discount and running with it. Not only will he get 150 games if healthy, but the power alone is worth the batting line not improving. Not a huge speed threat, Garcia should give owners seven or more overall a full year. If he does, .260/20/8 looks like it should not be free on the waiver wire.

 

OF - Carlos Gonzalez (OF, CLE)

3% owned

Another Cleveland bat, and another that is still on a rehab assignment to Triple-A, Gonzalez is a crucial stash this week. The reasons to add Gonzalez are both his track record, but also the needs that Cleveland has. Last year, and admittedly a Coors product, Gonzalez had a .276/.329/.467 slash with 16 homers. After a down year in 2013, CarGo has been a .260 hitter with close to 20 homer power for the previous five years. While he is not young, the skills are there to be an above-replacement-level bat.

As to Cleveland, while the offense came around versus Toronto, there are still gains to be had. The K% is the highest in the American League at the time this was being drafted, and without Francisco Lindor, this offense needs all the help it can get. The natural block for Gonzalez is Tyler Naquin, who also is starting to hit, so there might be other moves to be made to arrange this pairing. And yet, if he is called up, assume that Gonzalez will be on the long side of a platoon with Jordan Luplow. This means four games a week, and perfect launching bad to short right field for the power hitter.

 

OF - Leury Garcia (OF, CWS)

2% owned

Another Garcia on the list, this one is still in Chicago. Through six games to start the year, Garcia is slashing .321/.345/.357 with two steals and nine runs. The good news for owners is that he looks to be the leadoff hitter for the time being, and will keep those runs flowing hitting in front of Jose Abreu and Yonder Alonso.

The other good sign is that the K rate is way down this year, to 17.1% from 25.1% last year. If he can keep this up, watch Garcia turn into the better version of Jon Jay, on a team that already has the latter. Also, with a lack of other prospects close to the White Sox, there is not a real option to push him from the team. Bank on 130 games, and hope that the bat keeps up.

 

SP - Felix Hernandez (SP, SEA)

9% owned

His ownership is possibly a bit high to be free in most leagues. Herandez offers the most exciting pick at the starter spot. While he will never go back to the Cy Young contender that most of us remember, one strong start is a promising beginning. Last week, he pitched 6.1 innings with no walks, which is on the right path. Even more, only one earned run versus a good Los Angeles squad keeps things moving along.

With how hot the Seattle offense is, at this point, any starter should be owned. If the run support keeps up then Herandez is a crafty enough pitcher to keep his team in the game and rack up wins for fantasy players. If not, this is an easy drop should he struggle over the next week. We like the pedigree and the first start, so this is as good a dart as any.

 

RP - Shawn Kelley (RP, TEX)

2% owned

While he does not look like he is getting saves any time soon, Kelley does look like he will have a vital role in this bullpen. Five games, and two wins into the season, Kelley also pitches in the position that allows the team to score around him, placing him in line for wins. A 23.5 K% is down a bit in his career, so buying now will even allow owners to capture some positive regression.

The other reason to be in on Kelley is that he does not walk batters, which helps in the launching pad that is Arlington. This is a steady ratio play with a path to wins, and without a closer on the wire, Kelley is the best of the upside relief arms.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Pickups & Streamers
Rookies & Call-Ups
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jorge López8 hours ago

Jorge Lopez Agrees To One-Year Deal With Mets
Diontae Johnson8 hours ago

Scores Again In Week 14 Loss
Ezekiel Elliott9 hours ago

Dominant While Earning 29 Touches
D'Onta Foreman9 hours ago

Practices In Full Again
Hunter Henry9 hours ago

Scores Two Touchdowns In Week 14
Bailey Zappe9 hours ago

Throws For Three Touchdowns In Week 14 Win
Harrison Bader10 hours ago

Giants, Padres Interested In Harrison Bader
Justin Jefferson10 hours ago

Gets In Another Full Practice
Ha-Seong Kim10 hours ago

Red Sox Interested In Ha-Seong Kim?
Pete Alonso10 hours ago

Mets, Pete Alonso Haven't Talked Extension
Kareem Hunt11 hours ago

Gets In Limited Practice Session
Juan Soto11 hours ago

Yankees Haven't Had Extension Talks With Juan Soto
Aaron Judge11 hours ago

Toe Injury "A Resolved Issue"
Jamal Murray11 hours ago

Considered Probable For Friday
LeBron James11 hours ago

To Play On Thursday
Malcolm Brogdon11 hours ago

Questionable For Friday's Game
Deandre Ayton11 hours ago

Unlikely To Suit Up Friday
Jalen Duren11 hours ago

Will Miss Next Two Weeks
Jordan Clarkson12 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Raheem Mostert12 hours ago

Sits Out On Thursday
Tyreek Hill12 hours ago

Picks Up DNP In First Practice
Geno Smith12 hours ago

Added To Injury Report With Groin Issue
Zach Charbonnet12 hours ago

Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet Limited Thursday
Tyler Higbee12 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Week 14
Puka Nacua13 hours ago

Practices Without Limitations Thursday
DeVante Parker13 hours ago

Ruled Out, JuJu Smith-Schuster Active Thursday
Najee Harris13 hours ago

Officially Active Thursday Night
Markelle Fultz13 hours ago

Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz Remain Out Friday
Mark Williams13 hours ago

Listed As Questionable Friday
Trae Young13 hours ago

Uncertain For Friday With Illness
Taysom Hill13 hours ago

Absent Again On Thursday
Jalen Duren13 hours ago

Out With Ankle Sprain Friday
Chris Olave13 hours ago

Rashid Shaheed Miss Thursday's Practice
Derek Carr13 hours ago

Practices Again Thursday
Tyler Herro13 hours ago

No Return For Tyler Herro Against Cavaliers
Lauri Markkanen13 hours ago

Back At Thursday's Practice
Kristaps Porzingis14 hours ago

Likely To Return Against Knicks
Bam Adebayo14 hours ago

Still Out With Bruised Hip
Dalton Schultz14 hours ago

Downgraded At Thursday's Practice
Bradley Beal14 hours ago

Grayson Allen Out Friday
Dallas Goedert14 hours ago

Another Full Practice For Dallas Goedert
Derrick Henry14 hours ago

Should Be Good To Go For Week 14
Kevin Durant16 hours ago

Sitting Out Against Kings
Malcolm Brogdon16 hours ago

Held Scoreless Before Departing
Jalen Duren17 hours ago

Reaches Double-Double Before Exiting
Zach LaVine17 hours ago

Gets PRP Injection Amid Recovery
Jordan Hicks17 hours ago

Being Eyed By Yankees
Evgeny Kuznetsov20 hours ago

Expected To Return To Lineup Thursday
DET21 hours ago

Patrick Kane Ready For Red Wings Debut On Thursday
Zach Hyman21 hours ago

Stays Hot With Second Hat Trick
Nick Senzel21 hours ago

Heads To Nationals
Evan Rodrigues21 hours ago

Matches Career High With Four Points
Jeimer Candelario21 hours ago

Reds Agree With Jeimer Candelario
Victor Hedman21 hours ago

Notches Two Assists Wednesday
John Klingberg21 hours ago

Out For Season
Luka Doncic21 hours ago

Rolls To 40-Point Triple-Double
Joel Embiid22 hours ago

Feasts Against The Wizards
San Diego Padres1 day ago

Jung Hoo Lee High On Padres' Wish List
Eduardo Rodriguez1 day ago

Agrees To Four-Year Deal With Diamondbacks
Kyle Higashioka1 day ago

Padres Acquire Michael King, Kyle Higashioka, Others From Yankees
Trent Grisham1 day ago

Yankees Complete Trade To Acquire Juan Soto, Trent Grisham
Eduardo Rodriguez1 day ago

Diamondbacks Are Finalists To Land Eduardo Rodriguez
Dylan Cease1 day ago

White Sox "Pulling Back" On Dylan Cease Trade Talks?
Aaron Judge2 days ago

Could Be Regular Center Fielder
New York Yankees2 days ago

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Expected To Meet With Yankees Monday
Dylan Cease2 days ago

White Sox Have High Asking Price For Dylan Cease
Trent Grisham2 days ago

Expected To Be Shipped To Yankees
Bryce Harper2 days ago

Hoping To Discuss Another Long-Term Deal
Craig Kimbrel2 days ago

Orioles Agree To One-Year Deal
Nathan MacKinnon2 days ago

Extends Scoring Streak With Three-Point Effort
Tomas Hertl2 days ago

Posts Sixth Career Hat Trick
Vladimir Tarasenko2 days ago

Shines In Win Over Rangers
J.T. Miller2 days ago

Grabs Three Points In Loss Versus New Jersey
Jack Hughes2 days ago

Continues Tear Versus Canucks
Matt Boldy2 days ago

Notches Three Points In Tuesday's Win
Connor Ingram3 days ago

Takes Winning Streak To Five Games With Second Shutout
Clayton Keller3 days ago

Records Hat Trick Of Assists
Travis Konecny3 days ago

Logs Two Assists In Monday's Win
Anthony Cirelli3 days ago

Nets Two Goals As Tampa Bay Ends Slide
Andrei Vasilevskiy3 days ago

Bounces Back In Style On Monday
Nikolaj Ehlers3 days ago

Takes Down Hurricanes
Beneil Dariush4 days ago

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss At UFC Austin
Beneil Dariush4 days ago

Arman Tsarukyan Knocks Out Beneil Dariush In 64 Seconds
Jalin Turner4 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Bobby Green4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out In The First Round
Punahele Soriano4 days ago

Dustin Stoltzfus Submits Punahele Soriano
Punahele Soriano4 days ago

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Nathan MacKinnon4 days ago

Pushes Point Streak To Eight Games
Quinton Byfield4 days ago

Pots Two Goals Against Colorado
Alex Tuch4 days ago

Exits With Injury
Clay Guida5 days ago

Falls To .500 In The UFC
Joaquim Silva5 days ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Austin
Kelvin Gastelum5 days ago

Submitted In Welterweight Return
Sean Brady5 days ago

Returns To Win Column
Rob Font5 days ago

1-4 In Last Five Fights After Loss At UFC Austin
Deiveson Figueiredo5 days ago

Wins Bantamweight Debut

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
C.J. Stroud - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Warning Signals for Week 14: C.J. Stroud, Tony Pollard, and Calvin Ridley

Week 14 of the fantasy football season is underway and while we may have drafted certain players at a premium, it is okay to consider benching them despite their name value. We often hear the phrase "start your studs" and it is a tried and true method, especially earlier in the season. When injuries, tough... Read More


Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 14 Matchups Analysis

Welcome back RotoBallers to our Week 14 matchups analysis and Start Em, Sit Em column for fantasy football. Last week knocked out more starting quarterbacks, headlined by Trevor Lawrence. The constant roulette at the position across the NFL makes it difficult to project how an offense will perform. That's not ending this week either because there... Read More


Brandin Cooks - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

The King's Week 14 Lineup Rankings and Analysis (Premium Content)

Scott "The King" Engel issues his full Week 14 lineup rankings in PPR, Half-PPR, and Standard formats. He also includes insights on key players at each position, with chunks of relevant statistical indicators. Regular starting options are also included in the statistical highlights to show how well your best players might be performing. Much of... Read More


Lamar Jackson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Injury Reports For Week 14 (Thursday Updates): Lamar Jackson, Aaron Jones, Isiah Pacheco, Trevor Lawrence, Christian Watson, Breece Hall, and more

The 2023 NFL continues racing along with Week 14 ready to get underway with the Patriots vs. Steelers on Thursday Night Football, fantasy managers are busy tracking injuries to their key fantasy studs. We have the latest notable injury updates as of Thursday, December 7, 2023. Fantasy football assets such as Aaron Jones, Isiah Pacheco,... Read More


Darren Waller - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Late-Season Heroes Returning From Injury

At this point in the NFL season, there aren't too many players out there on the injured reserve who stand to return this season and make an impact. It's already December and there's just not a ton of football left to be played. However, there are a few players who should return down the stretch... Read More


Diontae Johnson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Patriots vs. Steelers TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Ezekiel Elliott, Demario Douglas, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Diontae Johnson, and More

If the last three Thursdays have been the first three courses of some fantasy fine dining, Week 14's matchup between the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers is the unappetizing platter to finish off the meal. After Bengals-Ravens, Thanksgiving, and then the epic Seattle-Dallas bonanza last week, this week we get Bailey Zappe vs. Mitch... Read More


DeVon Achane - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Injury News

Rest of Season Half-PPR Rankings: Fantasy Football Top 200 for Week 14

Fantasy football playoffs are right around the corner and it is time to take stock of your FF pantry. Let us assist you in constructing a championship battle plan with our Week 14 fantasy football half-PPR rankings for the rest of 2023, as of December 7. Check where key players shifted, such as Kyren Williams,... Read More


Joshua Dobbs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Sneaky Starts, Pivot Plays, and Post-Waiver Pickups for Week 14 - Joshua Dobbs, Keaton Mitchell, Isaiah Likely, DeeJay Dallas

It’s the final week of the fantasy football regular season. I cannot believe I am typing those words already. The weeks have flown by, but that means it's been a very fun season. Thank you for reading my work and supporting RotoBaller all season long!  If you are still reading this, it means you are... Read More


Dalton Kincaid - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Is Dalton Kincaid the Next Travis Kelce?

If you're a fan of the NFL, you know that Travis Kelce is a beast. He's not only the best tight end in the league, but he might also be the best to ever play the position. His size, speed, route-running, and hands are a nightmare matchup for any defense. He's also a leader and... Read More


Minnesota Vikings Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Danielle Hunter Fantasy Football IDP

Top Fantasy Football D/ST Rankings (Weeks 14, 15, 16, 17) - Defense Streamers and Starts

At this point in the season, streaming defenses in fantasy could be the difference in a playoff victory or not. If you still need to win in Week 14, prioritize a D/ST pickup for this weekend.  Despite the Cowboys and Ravens ranking as the top two fantasy defenses through 13 weeks, they have some tough... Read More


Cooper Kupp - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Updated Fantasy Football Staff Rankings

      Fantasy Football Rankings by NFL Position ALL - QB - RB - WR - TE - DEF Above you will find all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings, tiers, player news and stats for your 2023 fantasy football leagues. Our Ranking Wizard displays our staff's fantasy football rankings for various league formats, all in one easy place. Here's what you'll find: Fantasy Football... Read More


CeeDee Lamb - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS and Betting Picks, NFL Injury News

WR/CB Matchups to Target and Downgrade - Week 14 (2023)

Welcome to Week 14 of the WR/CB Matchups article. For those who are not familiar, this is a weekly series looking at fantasy football matchups for wide receivers versus the cornerbacks who are projected to cover them. During the past three seasons, I have tweaked my process to make the chart more user-friendly and predictive,... Read More


CeeDee Lamb - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Targets, NFL Injury News

Wide Receiver Sleepers, Risers, Breakouts for Fantasy Football - Targets, Air Yards, Snaps Trends for Week 14

You are already aware that wide receivers will play a critical role in the success of your fantasy football teams. The undeniable volatility that exists with the running back position has also presented an increasing rationale for prioritizing wide receivers when you build your rosters -- both at the onset of your drafts and as... Read More