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

Andrew Ericksen analyzes Texas Rangers relief pitcher Chris Martin as a waiver wire pickup or add target for Week 18 of the 2019 fantasy baseball season. Martin's had a great year as a setup man and currently appears to be first in line for saves in Texas.

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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 back stiffness on Sunday and is currently day-to-day.

Martin has had a solid year for the Rangers with an ERA of 3.08 and a WHIP of 1.03 with 43 strikeouts and just 4 walks over 38 innings.

Kelley could be back from the injury within the next week, which would likely move Martin back to his setup role. However, Martin's stay in Texas might not be long, as his name has also been coming up in a lot of trade rumors. A trade could be either good or bad for him, depending on the landing spot. Tampa Bay has been one of the suitors mentioned in rumors, which would likely place him in a set-up role the rest of the year, lowering his value.

For anyone in need of short-term saves and help in ERA and WHIP, Martin is a solid add, but his value could greatly shift in the next few days, so if he's on your radar, make sure to get the latest updates on him before going through with the move.