Ryan McMahon (1B/2B/3B, COL) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of leagues ANALYSIS: Having finally gotten a proper chance for everyday at-bats, Colorado infielder Ryan McMahon accounted himself fine in his 265 plate appearances before the All-Star break, hitting seven home runs with 35 RBI and 36 runs scored while slashing .256/.332/.399. But since the midseason festivities, […]

Mark Canha (1B/OF, OAK) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: After hitting a quiet 17 home runs in his 411 plate appearances last year for Oakland, outfielder Mark Canha was a late-round sleeper heading into 2019 but then promptly disappointed with a .200 AVG over his first 18 games before going on the injured […]

Willie Calhoun (OF, TEX) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: Texas Ranger rookie Willie Calhoun was surprisingly demoted on June 15, with a .277 AVG over his first 99 plate appearances in the majors while hitting five home runs, with 13 RBI and 15 runs scored. But after Joey Gallo hit the injured list […]

Cal Quantrill (SP, SDP) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 15% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego rookie Cal Quantrill has been on fire recently, allowing only one run over his past three starts, going 2-0 with a 0.53 ERA with a favorable matchup at home against the Rockies on the schedule. Quantrill started his big league career off […]

Drew Smyly (SP, PHI) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: Yes, that Drew Smyly. The same Drew Smyly that was released by the Texas Rangers after he made 13 appearances (eight starts), going 1-5 with an 8.42 ERA and 5.96 BB/9; not to mention 19 home runs in his 51 innings pitched. After being let […]

Luis Robert (OF, CHW) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of leagues ANALYSIS: One of the top prospects in the game, Luis Robert has risen steadily through the ranks in 2019. He opened the year at High-A, and made an emphatic case for promotion with a 1.432 OPS, eight home runs, and eight stolen bases in just […]

Cavan Biggio (2B/OF, TOR) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: Cavan Biggio has amassed 230 plate appearances thus far in his rookie season, or roughly a third of a full campaign. At his current pace, given a full season's worth of playing time, he would put up a 25 HR/25 SB season and score […]

Kevin Newman (2B/SS, PIT) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kevin Newman has been a pleasant surprise in a challenging season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The rookie shortstop slumped a bit at the plate in July, but is still hitting .312/.352/.430 overall with six home runs and nine stolen bases in 80 games. While […]

Joe Jimenez (RP, DET) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: With Shane Greene traded to Atlanta at the deadline, Joe Jimenez is likely to favorite for saves in the Motor City over the balance of 2019. The 24-year-old doesn't have great ratios (4.93 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) but has racked up 59 strikeouts in 42 innings, […]

Closers and Saves Report - Week 18 Waiver Wire (Trade Deadline Edition)

Okay, so...we need to talk about that trade deadline, folks. Nothing happened, then very little happened, then a couple of things happened, then the deadline came. It was 4:00 Eastern, and nothing close to what we expected had happened. But then...the late reports came in, and oohhh my dudes: things happened. While the biggest deal […]

Digger Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 18

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 18

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 […]

Giovanny Urshela (3B/SS, NYY) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Giovanny Urshela has been invaluable to the New York Yankees this season. In a year where the team has been plagued by injuries, Urshela has stepped up in a big way, allowing the team to keep performing at an elite level. On the year, […]

Chris Martin (RP, TEX) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Texas Rangers pitcher Chris Martin earned his fourth save of the season this past Friday with Shawn Kelley (biceps) on the Injured List. He appears to be the top candidate for saves in Texas while Kelley remains sidelined. However, Martin himself was unavailable due to […]

Alex Wood (SP, CIN) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Alex Wood has finally made his long-awaited Cincinnati Reds debut. Wood dealt with back spasms during spring training this year and had recurring effects of the injury throughout his recovery process, keeping him away from action until he began his minor league rehab stint […]

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18

Another week has come and gone, and suddenly August is within view. Is it me, or has this season simply flown by? With the dog days looming, you can expect the waiver wire to be less of a bloodbath soon. Also-rans will lose interest as they turn their attention to fantasy football or enjoying what […]

2B and SS Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18

It figures: we spend all year discussing a plethora of trade deadline possibilities and make allusions to chaotic deadlines of years passed, and we are experiencing one of the slowest deadlines in recent memory. Maybe this year a crazy result of the deadline will be that every team, more or less, ended up with the […]

Tom Murphy (C, COL) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two-Catcher Leagues OWNED IN: 1% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS:  Murphy has been getting some playing time of late against lefties, and he’s simply massacring the baseball. Over his last eight games, Murphy has 10 hits, three doubles and two home runs. He’s ripping the cover off the ball with a 47% […]

Niko Goodrum (1B, 2B, SS, 3B, OF, DET) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ team leagues OWNED IN: 1% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS:  If there’s a word to describe Niko Goodrum, it’s versatile. It’s not that he’s eligible for a ton of positions, either, though it doesn’t hurt. On the season, Goodrum has 20 doubles, nine home runs and four triples. He’s added 11 […]

Marwin Gonzalez (1B, 2B 3B, SS, OF, MIN) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS:  The Twins have become the fastest team in MLB history to 200 home runs. Gonzalez has contributed plenty of his own with 12, but his real value comes as a switch-hitter who consistently drives the ball. Even in an off year […]

Ryan McMahon (1B, 2B, 3B, COL) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS:  The Rockies have been away from Coors Field, and Ryan McMahon has been raking. Over his last nine games, McMahon has accounted for 9 hits, 8 RBI’s, and three home runs. He’ll now get to go back to Coors Field for […]

Jorge Alfaro (C, MIA) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS:  Jorge Alfaro is a great backup catcher. He's hitting the ball well with six hits in his last seven games, including three XBH. He’s an everyday catcher that has found a niche to carve out. Against lefties, he’s sported a .355 […]

Anthony Desclafani (SP, CIN) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS:  Desclafani is a guy we’ve seen go up and down plenty, but one thing has always remained constant. He is terrible against lefties and great vs righties. The addition of a slider has exemplified that. Against righties, a 3.19 xFIP and […]

Alex Dickerson (OF, SFG) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Over the four years and 107 games in which he appeared as a San Diego Padre, 29-year-old outfielder Alex Dickerson was not terrible, but was less than impressive; slashing .250/.321/.459 over 312 plate-appearances, with 10 home runs, 39 RBI, and 40 runs scored. However, […]

Colin Moran (2B/3B, PIT) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 8% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: Colin Moran's quietly solid season continues, as the Pirates infielder is slashing a tidy .288/.329/.458 with 10 home runs and 56 RBI. His July numbers have been electric, as the left-hander is hitting .348/.371/.455 with a .826 OPS and 12 RBI. However, […]

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18

August looms, which means that some owners will inevitably abandon their teams as they turn their attention to football season. This is less than ideal in many ways, but one benefit to those of us who follow through on our season-long commitment is that competition for waiver adds will be less fierce. We're not there […]

Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18

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 […]

Zac Gallen (SP, MIA) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: Even with a tough start against the Twins on the horizon, Miami Marlins rookie Zac Gallen should see his ownership jump coming off of a dominant start against the White Sox last week. Gallen shutout the Southsiders for seven innings on Wednesday, allowing only two […]

Anthony Santander (OF, BAL) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: Orioles center fielder Anthony Santander has taken over a starting job and ran with it. In 43 games, Santander is slashing .304/.344/.509 with eight home runs, 30 RBI and one stolen base. His 5.9% walk rate and 18.2% strikeout rate are right […]