Trevor Hildenberger (RP, MIN) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% of leagues ANALYSIS: At this juncture of the season, saves can be tough to come by on the waiver wire. That being said, Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Trevor Hildenberger is still available for free in about 80 percent of Yahoo leagues currently. Even though the closer for the Twins […]

German Marquez (SP, COL) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 41% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Rockies are not generally a great source of pitching value in fantasy leagues, given the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. While this is normally the case, 2018 is different, as Jon Gray and Kyle Freeland have each proven to be valuable fantasy commodities. German […]

Nick Williams (OF, PHI) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of leagues ANALYSIS: Despite posting an .811 OPS in his first MLB season, Nick Williams opened his second MLB campaign in a right field platoon with Aaron Altherr. While he hit below .200 in April, Williams has grabbed the right fielder's job in the City of Brotherly Love and […]

Fantasy Reflections: The Courage of Your Convictions

As is frequently the case on Thursday evenings, I found myself scrolling through Reddit, Twitter, and a few fantasy sites in what I’ve dubbed “productive procrastination” mode. I’m searching for an idea for this vaguely-defined, quasi-behavioral, somewhat self-indulgent feature while also granting myself the freedom to sample the occasional meme. Gotta go with the tide […]

Willy Adames (2B/SS, TBR) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 33% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays infielder Willy Adames had a rough start to his rookie season, but he has looked much better since the calendar flipped to August. In 15 contests so far this month, the 22-year-old has slashed .354/.418/.604 with three homers and […]

Nick Williams (OF, PHI) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 14% of leagues ANALYSIS: Despite posting an .811 OPS in his first MLB season, Nick Williams opened his second MLB campaign in a right field platoon with Aaron Altherr. Early returns weren't encouraging as he struggled in the timeshare, hitting below .200 in April. However, as the season progressed, […]

Amed Rosario (SS, NYM) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Mets shortstop Amed Rosario offers an alternative for owners who need speed if they are also looking for run production. The Mets’ second-year man is hitting just .242 on the season, but he has swiped eight bags in nine tries […]

Trevor Hildenberger (RP, MIN) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: At this juncture of the season, saves can be tough to come by on the waiver wire. That's why it comes as a surprise to see Trevor Hildenberger still available for free in over 80 percent of Yahoo leagues currently. True, the ratios (4.58 […]

German Marquez (SP, COL) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 34% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Rockies are not generally a great source of pitching value in fantasy leagues, given the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. In 2018, though, most of their rotation has at least had stretches of usefulness. German Marquez is in one such period right […]

Harrison Bader (OF, STL) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Cardinals' outfield logjam has been a consistent source of consternation for fantasy owners in 2018. Thanks to injury (Dexter Fowler), trade (Tommy Pham), and defensive concerns (Jose Martinez), Harrison Bader is finally getting everyday at-bats, and he's making the most of them. The […]

Marcus Semien (SS, OAK) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 49% of leagues ANALYSIS: Oakland Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien has a modest overall batting line sof .262/.321/.386, but he has notched double digits in home runs (10) and stolen bases (13) for the fourth consecutive season and is pacing toward 90 runs scored. He has done this […]

Week 21 Waiver Wire - Second Base (2B) and Shortstop (SS)

At this point, your league’s trade deadline has either passed or is almost here. That means for the remainder of 2018, you’ll be solely dependent on the waiver wire for any additions to your roster. Happily enough, RotoBaller is here to help you clinch a playoff berth or make a run toward the top spot […]

Austin Hedges (C, SDP) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 35% of leagues ANALYSIS: Despite going hitless in each of the last five games, Austin Hedges still ranks as top-five catcher in standard leagues over the past month. He's hit .253 with five home runs, three stolen bases, and 19 R+BI in 22 games during that time. […]

Anthony Desclafani (SP, CIN) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: After missing all of the 2017 season due to injury, Anthony DeSclafani was a forgotten man in fantasy drafts this spring. Granted, it didn't help matters that he suffered an oblique strain in spring training, snuffing out any ideas some owners might have […]

Willy Adames (2B/SS, TBR) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 34% of leagues ANALYSIS: Willy Adames’ rookie season got off to a bumpy start, but he’s looked much better since the calendar flipped to August. In 15 contests so far this month, the 22-year-old has slashed .354/.418/.604 with three homers and four steals. Whiffs were a major […]

Fantasy Reflections: Dumb Draft Decisions

2018 is shaping up to be my worst fantasy baseball performance of the decade. I’m on track to win my home league, but I’m doomed to finish in the bottom half of the standings in most of my entries this season. There are plenty of reasons why obstacles with which we’re all familiar. It’s frustrating, […]

Hunter Renfroe (OF, SDP) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: After reaching base three times in four plate appearances on Saturday (single, double, walk), Hunter Renfroe's season line stands at .251/.317/.489. This represents a legitimate step forward across the board in his second full MLB season. The caveat, of course, is that he […]

Week 20 Waiver Wire - Second Base (2B) and Shortstop (SS)

At the risk of stating the obvious, time is running out on the 2018 fantasy baseball season. Some head-to-head leagues that end early are already about to begin their postseasons, and most only have a few weeks of regular play remaining. Regardless of format, trade deadlines are likely coming soon if they haven’t already, which […]

Randal Grichuk (OF, TOR) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 13% of leagues ANALYSIS: The first month of the 2018 season was an unmitigated disaster for Randal Grichuk. He hit just .106, then hurt himself trying to make a diving play in the field. Since returning from that injury, however, he's done his best to overcome that […]

Derek Holland (SP, SFG) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of leagues ANALYSIS: Despite earning the victory, Derek Holland didn't pitch particularly well on Friday against the Pirates. That, however, was the first time he had allowed more than three runs since May 30, or more than two since July 1. The veteran southpaw has had a […]

Nick Pivetta (SP, PHI) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 42% of leagues ANALYSIS: A 4.51 ERA is admittedly unimpressive, but it's worth pointing out that over 20 percent of the runs Nick Pivetta has allowed this season came in two blow-ups covering just 2 2/3 innings. His ERA outside of those poor outings is a much more palatable […]

Wily Peralta (RP, KCR) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: Generally, we here at RotoBaller are not in the habit of recommending pitchers who have BB/9 rates in excess of 5.00 in both the majors and Triple-A. But saves are saves, and they're tough to come by in the dog days of August. Of course, […]

Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TBR) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of leagues ANALYSIS: While Jake Bauers has slumped a bit since the All-Star break, that has at least a little to do with a low BABIP that doesn't pass the smell test. Said slump has dropped his average to .233, but he still boasts an OPS above .800 […]

Mallex Smith (OF, TBR) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 54% of leagues ANALYSIS: Mallex Smith has been on fire recently, which is why his ownership rate has skyrocketed accordingly over the last few days. If he's still floating around on your league's waiver wire, though, it's time to put in a claim. The speedy outfielder has bounced back […]

Fantasy Reflections: Trade Ethics

At this point in the season, your situation should have a fair amount of clarity. Either you’re contending or you’re not. There are exceptions to this rule, of course. Sometimes the standings are such that your team could catch fire and shoot upward, taking advantage of concurrent collapse by one or more of the rivals […]

Week 19 Waiver Wire - Second Base (2B) and Shortstop (SS)

The injury bug bit hard and often this week, and while the majority of the major maladies affected other positions, middle infield wasn’t spared. Popular waiver add (and featured player in this column last week) Lourdes Gurriel could miss the majority of the games left, and Ian Kinsler only made it a few games into […]

Nick Ahmed (SS, ARI) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Nick Ahmed has been solid over the last few weeks, but a roster crunch may see his playing time go down. The Diamondbacks’ infield is going to get crowded once Jake Lamb returns from the disabled list after Arizona acquired Eduardo Escobar at […]

Aledmys Diaz (SS, TOR) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Aledmys Diaz certainly has not recaptured the form he showed as a rookie in 2016 (obviously if he had, his ownership rate would not be microscopic), but he has bounced back in terms of power. The Blue Jays’ […]

Adalberto Mondesi (2B/SS, KC) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kansas City Royals middle infielder Adalaberto Mondesi has been one of the best waiver wire pickups over the last weeks because he refuses to quit hitting. The Royals’ shortstop, who turned 23 last week, has gone hitless just twice since July 10 […]

Mark Canha (OF, OAK) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Oakland Athletics are, in a word, weird. Any team that counts both Brett Anderson and Edwin Jackson as members of its starting rotation in 2018 seemingly has no business being in a wild-card spot in a top-heavy American League. But after sweeping the Blue […]