Javier Baez Goes Yard Versus Padres

Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored on Friday versus the Padres. Baez had been in a bit of a funk of late, but Friday’s performance will hopefully kickstart his second half. Baez remains one of the best middle infield options and is now hitting .287 with […]

Jon Lester Goes Six Innings Versus Padres

Chicago Cubs starting pitching Jon Lester toughed it out on a simmering hot day versus the Padres on Friday. The lefty managed to complete six innings and allowed 12 hits, four runs, zero walks and struck out six on the afternoon. Lester now owns a respectable 3.87 ERA and is lined up to face the […]

Craig Kimbrel Gets Fifth Save

Chicago Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel picked up his fifth save of the season on Friday versus the Padres. It was Kimbrel’s eighth appearance with his new club and the sixth time that he didn’t allow a run. Kimbrel looked a bit rusty early on in his Cubs tenure, but has looked more like himself as […]

Anthony Rizzo Hits Grand Slam

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went 2-for-4 with a grand slam and a walk on Friday versus the San Diego Padres. Rizzo has been on fire since the All-Star break and is now hitting a healthy .288 with 20 home runs and 65 RBI. The lefty slugger remains one of the top first baseman […]

Alex Wood Could Return After Tuesday

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Alex Wood (back) is scheduled to throw 75-80 pitches during his rehab start on Tuesday. Wood threw 38 pitches during his third rehab outing on Wednesday. He's been out all season due to lingering back issues, but could return to the starting rotation after Tuesday. Wood is someone worth considering stashing […]

Michael Brantley is Absent on Friday

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Texas Rangers. Brantley is most likely out of the lineup due to the fact left-handed Mike Minor is on the mound for Texas. Tony Kemp will bat eighth and play left field against Minor. Kemp doesn't have enough […]

Jason Kipnis (2B, CLE) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis is no longer the fantasy star that he was back in 2016, when he blasted 23 home runs and swiped 15 bases with a .275 batting average. After back-to-back disappointing seasons, Kipnis is quietly having a solid […]

Niko Goodrum (1B/2B/SS/3B/OF, DET) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: Uber-utility man Niko Goodrum has flashed a nice combination of power and speed this season for the Detroit Tigers. He currently has eight home runs and 11 stolen bases in 83 games, putting him on pace for a 20/20 season if he […]

Roberto Perez (C, CLE) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 33% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: By virtually every measurable metric, fantasy or not, Indians catcher Roberto Perez has been a top-10 catcher in the MLB this season. He is currently boasting a .246/.333/.491 slash line with 16 home runs, 38 RBI and a wonderful 11.2% walk rate. […]

Amir Garrett To Make Rehab Appearance Friday

Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Amir Garrett (left lat strain) has been on the Injured List since July 3, but after throwing a live batting practice session this week, he's set for a rehab appearance at Triple-A on Friday. Garrett has had a fantastic season as a setup man for the Reds. He has a 1.70 […]

Noah Syndergaard Strong In No-Decision

The New York Mets and San Francisco Giants played a marathon game Thursday night concluding with a 16th-inning walk-off for the home team. Hours earlier, however, the two starting pitchers put on a worthy duel. Noah Syndergaard went seven innings for the Mets, allowing just one run on six hits. He struck out eight in […]

Carl Edwards Jr. Activated Off Injured List

On Friday, the Chicago Cubs activated relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. (thoracic strain) from the 10-Day Injured List. He had been out since mid-June with a left thoracic strain. The team optioned Randy Rosario to Triple-A in a corresponding move. Edwards was one of the team's top relievers in 2017 and 2018, recording 20+ holds […]

Bryce Harper Hitting Over .300 In July

With 17 home runs and 69 RBI in 97 games this year, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper has been far from a fantasy bust, but it's still been a bit underwhelming considering the tantalizing upside Harper possesses and the outburst of power across the league. Harper's .258 batting average on the year has been holding […]

Trevor Story Tearing It Up In July

Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story has been on a power binge since returning from the Injured List on July 2. Through 12 games in July, Story has five home runs, seven RBI and eight runs with a .919 OPS. Nine of those 12 games have come at Coors Field, which of course is a big […]

Madison Bumgarner Pitches Well In Wild Game Thursday

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner turned in another gem in Thursday's 3-2 extra-inning win over the Mets. MadBum pitched nine innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts on 94 pitches. Unfortunately, his team couldn't finish off the win until the 16th inning. Bumgarner has been excellent over […]

Phillies Finalizing Deal With Drew Smyly

The Philadelphia Phillies are in the midst of adding Drew Smyly to their pitching staff. Smyly began the season with the Rangers before the Brewers took him on and gave him a shot at Triple-A, but his stint with the organization didn't last long. Smyly started nine games for the Rangers this season and compiled […]

Ramon Laureano Delivers Three Hits On Thursday

Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano was 3-for-4 with two runs scored during a 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. All three of his hits were singles. The 25-year-old has been truly impressive in his second season with the Athletics. He is slashing .280/.328/.504 with 19 home runs, 52 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and […]

Touki Toussaint Headed Back To Triple-A

Atlanta Braves pitcher Touki Toussaint was sent down to Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday. The move follows a rough outing on Thursday where he allowed three earned runs on four hits and three walks over 2 1/3 innings. Toussaint has appeared in 24 games for the Braves this year, making only one start. He has a […]

Jurickson Profar Drills Another Home Run On Thursday

Oakland Athletics second baseman Jurickson Profar was 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Baseball's former top prospect has now notched three homers in his past two games. Nevertheless, Profar has been mediocre throughout the season, as evidenced by his .217/.280/.408 slash line. The 26-year-old tends to show […]

Braves Call Up Patrick Weigel And Wes Parsons

The Atlanta Braves have dipped into their farm system for pitching yet again, calling up Patrick Weigel and Wes Parsons from Triple-A on Friday. Parsons was with the Braves for the first two months of the year before being sent down. He has a 2.08 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 21 relief appearances at Triple-A […]

Kyle Wright Sent Back To Triple-A

The Atlanta Braves sent pitcher Kyle Wright back down to Triple-A on Friday, following his rough outing against the Nationals on Thursday. Wright gave up seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks across 2 2/3 innings in the start, his first big league start since mid-April. The Braves have been shuffling their pitchers […]

Nick Markakis Tallies Two Hits In Loss To Nationals

Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis was 2-for-4 with a solo home run during Thursday's 13-4 loss to the Washington Nationals. The 35-year-old has enjoyed another productive season at the plate. Markakis is slashing .287/.360/.441 with nine HRs, 53 RBI, and 56 runs scored. He is batting .362 in July and has protection in a potent […]

Ross Stripling Mediocre In Thursday's No-Decision

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling allowed three runs - two earned - on five hits through five innings of work during a 7-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. He left the game in line for the win, but the bullpen failed to deliver. Stripling has served as a reliever and a starter […]

Alex Verdugo Goes Deep On Thursday

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Alex Verdugo was 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk during Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The 23-year-old has broken out this season, slashing .304/.352/.505 with 12 HRs, 44 RBI, and four stolen bases through 299 at-bats. Verdugo has become an everyday player for an incredibly deep […]

Kike Hernandez Tallies Two Homers, Four RBI In Loss To Phillies

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Kike Hernandez was 4-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The 27-year-old is batting .347 over his last 15 games, tallying 10 RBI in the process. Hernandez is slashing .235/.309/.435 on the season with 16 HRs and 51 RBI. He was dismal […]

Joey Votto Drives In One Against Cardinals

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto went 1-for-4 with an RBI in a 7-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. The RBI gives him just 24 on the year, to go along with a .257 average, eight homers, and 46 runs. He has been slumping lately, hitting just .207 over his past 15 […]

Eddie Rosario Launches Three-Run Homer

Minnesota Twins outfielder Eddie Rosario hit a pinch-hit, three-run homer in a 6-3 win over the Oakland A's on Thursday. Rosario gave way to Jake Cave in the starting lineup but entered in the seventh inning. He promptly blasted an offering from Yusmeiro Petit over the fence for his 21st homer of the season. Rosario […]

Second-Half Surgers - Hitters to Buy Now

With all the recent emphasis on the MLB draft, striking on prospect call-ups, and finding early-season breakouts, it’s easy to get lured into complacency during the dog days of summer. The All-Star break marks a clean checkpoint and gives us the opportunity to take stock of underperformers or players poised to outperform their current market […]

Some Thoughts On Trade Etiquette

As I've often mentioned in my weekly waiver wire columns, the middle portion of the season is the toughest time to find free help. Combined with a sense of urgency as trade deadlines loom and time begins to run out on the season, that means owners are generally more amenable to exploring swaps to address […]

Closers and Saves Report - Week 16 Waiver Wire

We're inching closer to the trade deadline and we still haven't seen any big bullpen changes. Oh, but they're coming. They'll just all come at once this season, it seems. Most of the non-contending teams have at least a bullpen arm or two that would serve a purpose on a contending team. They won't all […]