Cavan Biggio (2B/OF, TOR) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: Cavan Biggio is becoming a household name in our waiver wire. People never learn. I'm not going to blame them, though, as Biggio is the less hyped of Toronto's Baby Boom Trio (along with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.). But it is about […]

Kolten Wong (2B, STL) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Wong's ownership is extremely low for such a complete player. This season, Wong is on pace for his most plate appearances since 2015. He's already matched last season's PA numbers and is improving each and every one of his stats. He's walking more (from 7.6 […]

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 20

Time marches on, and with it the end of the 2019 fantasy baseball season grows nearer. With fantasy football kicking into high gear and many owners out of the running in baseball leagues, we can expect there to be fewer suitors for any waiver wire pickups moving forward. The owners who remain, of course, are […]

2B and SS Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 20

We didn't have to venture too far into the month of August for the impact of the new trade deadline rules to become clear. Gaps on each team that weren't addressed by July 31st don't just go away, and players like Joe Panik, Zack Godley, Kevin Gausman, Jonathan Lucroy, and Asdrubal Cabrera have all found new […]

Kevin Pillar (OF, SF) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 28% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Blue Jays got rid of Kevin Pillar earlier this season. Most fantasy owners don't consider him rosterable either. Shame on all of them. Yes, Pillar may not be your All-Star center fielder. Yes, Pillar is 30 and far from his peak. But how […]

Isan Diaz (2B/SS, MIA) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: Marlins rookie Isan Diaz already gave us one of the year's best moments, homering in his first at-bat off of Jacob deGrom while his parents were being interviewed in the stands, resulting in the type of pure elation that makes baseball fandom so special. But putting […]

Josh VanMeter (2B/3B/OF, CIN) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Not appearing on anyone's top prospect lists for the Reds heading into 2019, Cincinnati rookie Josh VanMeter has nevertheless impressed after being recalled for the second time on July 18. In his 62 plate appearances since, VanMeter is slashing .333/.419/.648 with four home runs, three […]

Anthony DeSclafani (SP, CIN) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 26% of leagues ANALYSIS: To own Anthony DeSclafani is to know the rollercoaster; sometimes he gives up one run and strikes out eight, sometimes he walks four and gives up two home runs. Why? Because "Disco" DeSclafani likes to party, that's why. But also because he sometimes completely […]

Joe Jimenez (RP, DET) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Perennial closer-in-waiting Joe Jimenez is waiting no more, as the 24-year-old has been given the Tiger's job after the trade of Shane Greene to Atlanta. Jimenez has had an up and down season, being removed from his setup role twice in 2019, only a year […]

Willie Calhoun (OF, TEX) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 14% of leagues ANALYSIS: Texas outfielder Willie Calhoun is tired of being ignored. In the minors and in the majors, the Ranger rookie has done everything he was supposed to in 2019.  He raked at the minors after failing to break camp with the Rangers, hitting eight home […]

Drew Smyly (SP, PHI) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: It's been quite the long, frustrating road for Drew Smyly as he fell from that status of a promising prospect to a guy just hoping to carve out an MLB career. After an absolutely disastrous 51.1 inning stint with the Texas Rangers to kick […]

Anthony Bass (RP, SEA) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 13% of leagues ANALYSIS: What happened to the line of arms that were complicating Anthony Bass's road to high-leverage innings for the Seattle Mariners? Well, they traded Roenis Elias and Hunter Strickland, guys like Austin Adams are bound to the IL, and other competition like Cory Gearrin and […]

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 20

Week...20?! That can't be right, but somehow it is. With playoffs looming in head-to-head leagues, rotisserie formats barreling toward crunch time, and trade deadlines either near or already behind us, outmaneuvering your rivals on the waiver wire is of the utmost importance. Good thing you're reading this column. A reminder before we begin: This column […]

Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 20

The season rolls on and fantasy managers need to continue analyzing their roster with an eye on categories instead of just adding any random player. This week the primary focus for outfield additions will be to maximize venues. Some might cause a little tingle of concern when you read their name. Don't be afraid. Do […]

Cal Quantrill (SP, SD) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of Leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres pitcher Cal Quantrill has delivered in just about every opportunity he's been granted for the team this year. He's been used in a variety of roles, as a traditional starter, as a long reliever following an opener and even as an […]

Chris Bassitt (SP, OAK) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 36% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Chris Bassitt has been a solid pitching option just about all season. Over the year, he's 7-5 with a 3.80 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He's made 19 starts this year and allowed over three earned runs on just three occasions. […]

J.D. Davis (1B/3B/OF, NYM) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of Leagues ANALYSIS: New York Mets corner infielder and outfielder J.D. Davis has quietly had a fantastic season and he's been on an absolute tear in August. Over 10 games this month, he has four home runs, nine RBI, eight runs and a 1.336 OPS. On the year, […]

Chase Anderson (SP, MIL) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS:  That’s five quality starts for Anderson in his last six appearances. He never seems to blow the doors off, but five or six quality innings while giving up just one or two earned runs is very valuable in a points league. Anderson […]

Michael Lorenzen (SP/RP, CIN) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 13% of leagues ANALYSIS: There is a lot to say about Cincinnati Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen, as he is a man of many talents. As an asset on offense, "Mikey Biceps" has accumulated three stolen bases and a .273/.333 BA/OBP combo, and on the mound he's been one […]

Aaron Civale (SP, CLE) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 28% of leagues ANALYSIS: Former Northeastern Husky Aaron Civale climbed the ranks of the Cleveland Indians farm system with the poise that an organization hopes for when drafting a former college ace, and he has absolutely torn his way through the state of Ohio in 2019. In 72.2 […]

Tucker Barnhart (C/1B, CIN) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two-Catcher Leagues OWNED IN: 11% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tucker Barnhart may have once been able to steal more bases than the average backstop, and he may have hit for a career-high home run total just last year (ten), but the former Gold Glove award winner's forte will always be elite defense behind the […]

Trent Grisham (OF, MIL) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: Trent Grisham was once ranked among baseball's top prospects, but after back-to-back-to-back seasons of mediocrity in the Brewers farm system, his stock appropriately plummeted. Put that all in the past, because it's certainly in Grisham's rear-view mirror: in 370 AB through 2019 for Double-A […]

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

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk has gotten off to a hot start in the month of August, hitting .357 with a pair of home runs and four RBI in seven games. His season line has been solid as well, with 19 home […]

Pedro Severino (C, BAL) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two-Catcher Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: The Orioles struck gold when they snatched veteran catcher Pedro Severino from the Nationals before the season began. He's been splitting duties behind the dish, but so far on the season he owns a very solid .272/.347/.452 slash line with 10 home runs, […]

Kevin Newman (2B/SS, PIT) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: Pirates infielder Kevin Newman has seen his performance dip since his exceptionally strong May/June, but he is still providing enough at the plate to merit consideration in 12+ team leagues. Newman is hitting .304 on the year, and his .283 xBA is […]

Mark Canha (1B/OF, OAK) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 7% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: Oakland A's outfielder Mark Canha is quietly having an outstanding season. He's sporting a .255/.381/.514 slash line with 17 home runs, 50 runs scored, 34 RBI, two stolen bases and a 135 wRC+. He's always flashed plus power in the big leagues, […]

Closers and Saves Report - Week 19 Waiver Wire

The trade deadline shook the fantasy baseball world, so this week wasn't going to be nearly as important, but there were still plenty of things going on around the league that need to be looked at. There were injuries this week, and there were key roster moves. One team more or less just got a […]

Digger Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 19

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 […]

Digging Deeper: NL-Only Waiver Report for Week 19

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 […]