X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Digger Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 12

Read about deeper fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers for AL-Only leagues. Jon Denzler identifies players to target, pickup, or stash for week 12.

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 take advantage of breakouts or impact bats before others sure can.

The primary challenge of playing in an NL or AL-only league is often the lack of options regarding adding and subtracting players when needed. In mixed leagues, the players on the waiver wire are usually starting for an NL-only staff. So then how does one wade through the names of players that even regular fantasy players have never heard of, and that often will not even start for their teams to begin with? That is where this series comes in.

Instead of owners spending time digging the waiver wire for 0% owned players, this article will give owners a player at each position to fill the gap, or at the least, keep an eye on to add or stash. Not all of these players will replace that injury, but offer the best option off the scrap heap. Often the players advocated for here are long shots due to the nature of shallow leagues. No quick fixes, but some upside that could turn into much more. Now, onto the AL version of the Island of Misfit Fantasy Toys. Note, all FAAB recommendations are based on a $1000 budget.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

C - Pedro Severino (C, BAL)

2% owned, FAAB $23

Severino is back on the list after a hot start. With a .274/.353/.496 slash over 43 games, Severino has been one of the better offensive catchers in fantasy this year. The added value comes with the power, as Severino has eight homers and six doubles so far. While the team around him does not score runs, when he can create his own chances, owners are still looking at a catcher who will score his share of runs. At the same time, he looks to be in a least a 50/50 split, so he will get playing time comparable with other starters.

The xBA is what sells Severino, as he is slated to hit .304 the rest of the way based on his current performance. Add in the 16 point jump to his Hard Hit% and this far into the season, Severino might be starting to prove that he can compete. While there will always be questions on the glove, when the Orioles are not contending, he will still get his chance to earn the job for 2020. At the very least, Severino looks to be a replacement level option with the performance to suggest a higher floor.

 

1B - Bobby Bradley (1B, CLE)

1% owned, FAAB $7

This is a pure speculation bid, but one that if owners time right can save them lots of FAAB dollars. As of now, the team has stated publicly that they have no plans to call Bradley up to Cleveland. And yet, the team is still in need of more offense, and even as Jose Ramirez might be starting to turn it around, another bat is still needed. This could see Jake Bauers shifting to left full-time, with Carlos Santana playing first or at Designated hitter, Oscar Mercado in center, and Jordan Luplow in right. When that team makes sense on paper, there is room to add Bradley as the rotation option for Santana at first.

The primary reason to keep Bradley down is to give him regular playing time. Still, with a .287/.351/.623 slash and 22 homers through 64 games, Bradley does not have much else to prove at his current level. Always known as a plus power bat, the rest of the batting rate stats were always the concern. With some changes over the past few offseasons, Bradley has pushed the career batting line to .256, adding some support for the floor. Bradley will be an impact bat when he gets the call, and owners should be willing to eat a spot on the bench to get that chance.

 

2B - Daniel Robertson (2B/3B/SS, TB)

1% owned, FAAB $4

Another regular on the list, Robertson appears due to the injury news surrounding Yandy Diaz. Not only does it look as if Diaz will be out at least two weeks, but that Robertson will be the replacement for the time being. This has been the main appeal with the utility infielder, as while he lacks an impact bat, Robertson has been playing close to every day due to the rotational needs on the Rays. The good news for fantasy owners is that Kevin Cash is sticking with the player even without the bat.

With a .205 batting average so far, Robertson’s value has come from the counting numbers. While he only has two homers and one steal, 22 run scored does show the floor for the profile. His xBA is only .203, so owners should not expect a quick rebound or improvement in the line. For now, owners in need of a body can turn to this Rays but keep expectations limited. Still, a good week for Robertson is a .250 batting line with five runs, which most owners will take to cover for an injury.

 

3B - Hanser Alberto (2B/3B, BAL)

3% owned, FAAB $23

Another Oriole who has continued to hit this year, Alberto looks to be a solid bet to start in Baltimore this year. Through 58 games this campaign, Alberto is slashing .311/.327/.383 with three homers and four steals. Alberto has also improved since his last appearance on this list and has dropped the K% from 12.1% to 9.2%. This shows that what Alberto lacks in terms of traditional power at the position he can make up for with solid contact.

The concern with Alberto is his exit velocity. Sitting at 82.6, Alberto is in the bottom 5% of the league. The good news is that he does not rely on the power to generate his offense, as only nine of his 63 hits are for extra-bases. This limits the upside to the profile but trades that for some stability. When Alberto is on a 12/12 pace, there is still time to buy and cash in. The floor is high, with some concerns on the ceiling, but good value while Baltimore figures how he fits for next year.

 

SS - Nicky Lopez (2B/SS, KC)

2% owned, FAAB $7

When Lopez was called to Kansas City, the fantasy community seemed to grade him as an impact player from the start. While no one expected him to break the league, the plan was for him to hit .300 and steal bases on a team that can run. The value has been a bit different, as Lopez is hitting .223 with one steal through 30 games. This is less a victory lap, and more a chance to buy a valuable stock at the bottom of its price. While Lopez will struggle to be a regular in fantasy, the tools are there for a plus MI option. Even more, with owners moving on, this could be a $1 bid with some value attached.

Moving forward, there will be no power and the speed expectations need to come down as well. In the minors, he stole more than 20 bags in his first two seasons and has capped off at 17 since. This means that while he can be a threat, speed is secondary to the hit tool for overall value. With an xBA at .222, Lopez has not impressed so far. Still, if he is free in a league, this is the best raw upside on the wire.

 

OF - Christin Stewart (OF, DET)

1% owned, FAAB $7

Stewart is another bat who has made the list with some regularity this year. Entering the year off a hot end to 2018, many expected him to blossom into a star in Detroit. Rather, the return has been mediocre this year with a .228/.319/.394 slash and five homers. The significant change has been the batted ball profile, as Stewart has sunk from a plus exit velocity player to well below average. Same with Hard Hit% and other contact metrics. And yet, the Tigers are continuing to play him, so he has a chance to hit his way out of the hole.

The value comes from the offensive upside, as Stewart could be an All-Star hitter if he hits his ceiling. While that is not the likely outcome, that talent can help fantasy teams over a short spurt. Even better, his xBA is .242 and xWOBA is .307, so there is an improvement on the horizon. With Detroit still hitting him fourth, the price is worth the risk on the young hitter.

 

OF - Daniel Palka (OF, CWS)

2% owned, FAAB $13

While stuck at Triple-A at the time this piece is being written, Palka has rebounded at the plate to get him back on the fantasy radar. After making the Sox out of camp, Palka struggled to one hit in his first 35 plate appearances. After some issues with the swing and miss last year, Palka remains in the White Sox plans, but they are willing to give others the looks for now. A decent glove, with a plus arm, Palka has the tools to hang with the team, if the plate approach can improve.

Since his demotion, Palka has slashed .262/.367/.539 with 14 homers through 51 games. The batting average will be stuck with a ceiling in the .240-.260 range with the Sox, so not all owners can take on that hit based on scoring. Still, the power is real, and the slugging line shows that he is back to mashing at the plate. For now, owners should be adding him before a potential recall, as the power upside alone makes him an easy add in most leagues.

 

OF - Cesar Puello (OF, LAA)

1% owned, FAAB $6

Puello might be the first currently DFA’d player to make the list, as he looks to be done in Los Angeles. Slated to make room for Justin Upton's return, Puello has been hitting since his call, so this move was a bit puzzling. There is a decent chance that he stays with the team, meaning back to Triple-A and a bit less of a stock boost. Still, if he moves, Puello fits best in the American League in terms of available team needs. At the very least, he looks to be a bench bat, and in fantasy would push for OF4 playing time.

While with the Angels, Puello has appeared in 12 games, with a .390/.500/.683 slash. Add in the three homers, and Puello has been excellent to date. In terms of his track record, speed will be the carrying tool, with a top 5% of the league sprint speed. Still, the power he showed over a small sample size might push him to a 15/20 type ceiling. A good enough first few weeks to get the look, owners are hoping he lands somewhere with playing time, and can see if that power is for real.

*after publishing this piece it was reported that the Miami Marlins has claimed Puello off waivers from the Angels. This makes him a target in NL-only and mixed moving forward.

 

SP - Glenn Sparkman (SP/RP, KC)

1% owned, FAAB $3

Fantasy owners can see the state of the position with this selection. To date, pitching has been hard to stream, as even the aces are down compared to their projections. This means that owners need to be careful when starting players and take into account all the park and team factors. Sparkman gets the pick this week, on what looks to be a spot start, with a chance to hang in the rotation. The potential to stay in the rotation adds some value, but the team mitigates that with a lack of run support.

Appearing 13 times, with five starts so far, Sparkman has a 4.01 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. Both numbers put him below average, but right in line with current league trends. The 13 K% if not ideal, but owners should like the 5.9 BB%. For now, Sparkman is a player to add and stream, and the key will be to stay away from teams with elite power. Sparkman can limit the damage but does not have the stuff to get out of jams.

 

RP - Ryan Buchter (RP, OAK)

1% owned, FAAB $7

A similar play to the NL-only version of this article yesterday, Buchter is a match-up lefty with limited chances to implode. Through 34 games, Buchter has a 3.48 ERA, with a 1.65 WHIP. Taking into account the small sample, Buchter does have a 27.4 K% adding some additional value. Add in the eight holds, and in the right league, Buchter is an asset for reliever stats in both roto and points leagues.

The other reason to add Buchter is the usage, as his 34 appearances have him on pace to be in the top 15 in the game in total appearances. When he only pitchers one-third of an inning at times, the additional appearances will boost his counting numbers. A safe pick with some stable upside, Buchter will not hurt a team’s line, with a low-risk, low-reward add at the reliever spot this week.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Kerry Carpenter

Leaves Game with Apparent Hamstring Injury
Day'Ron Sharpe

Heads to Free Agency
Santi Aldama

Receives Qualifying Offer
Moritz Wagner

has Team Option Declined
Jabari Smith Jr.

Signs Massive Extension
Jusuf Nurkić

Hornets Trading Jusuf Nurkic to Utah
Collin Sexton

Heading to Charlotte
Cam Thomas

Set for Restricted Free Agency
Bobby Portis

Staying in Milwaukee
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
James Harden

Clippers Agree on a New Contract
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Joel Hofer

Commits to Blues for Two More Years
Kevin Bahl

Signs Long-Term Extension with Flames
Oneil Cruz

Smacks Two Homers
Jordan Spence

Traded to Ottawa
Petr Mrazek

Heads to Anaheim
John Gibson

Red Wings Acquire John Gibson
Matthew Knies

Inks Six-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Aaron Judge

Blasts Two Homers, Dealing With Back Issue
Claude Giroux

Signs One-Year Deal with Senators
Yordan Alvarez

has Chance to Return Next Weekend
Julius Randle

Signs Three-Year Extension
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Opts into Player Option
Luis Robert Jr.

Heads to Injured List
Gabriel Arias

Carted Off on Sunday
Bryce Harper

Faces Live Pitching
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Remains Out on Sunday
Utah Jazz

Bojan Bogdanovic Retiring From Basketball
Dorian Finney-Smith

Declines Player Option
Jaylin Williams

Signing Three-Year Extension
LeBron James

Accepts Player Option
Anfernee Simons

"a Possible Re-Trade Candidate"
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Damon Arnette

Getting Second Chance With Texans
Deommodore Lenoir

Arrested for Obstruction of Justice
Yordan Alvarez

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
Kevin Porter Jr.

Declining Player Option
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Quinn Priester

Fans 11 in One-Hit Gem
Garrett Temple

Returning to Toronto
Nicolas Batum

Declines Player Option
Spencer Schwellenbach

Dominant in Victory
Keon Johnson

Gets Team Option Picked Up
Rayan Rupert

Staying in Portland
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Expected to Make Second-Year Jump
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Out of Lineup Saturday
Jalin Hyatt

Looking to Flip the Script in 2025
Garrett Mitchell

to Undergo Shoulder Surgery
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez in Guardians Lineup on Saturday
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Ty Dillon

Could Benefit from Kaulig Speed
Cody Ware

Rarely Enough Attrition at Atlanta for Cody Ware to Seriously Contend
Ryan Blaney

Is Always Strong at Atlanta
Joey Logano

Wins Pole, Looking for Third Atlanta Win
Chase Burns

Slated to Make Next Start on Monday
Dylan Sampson

Being Used as a Receiver
Carson Schwesinger

Figures to be in Full-Time Role in 2025
Cedric Tillman

Should Have Full-Time Role
Bryce Young

Looking More Comfortable, Showing More Intensity
Charlie Coyle

Blue Jackets Acquire Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood From Colorado
Jack Quinn

Signs Up for Two More Years with Sabres
Brandon Saad

Stays in Vegas on One-Year Deal
Trent Frederic

Inks Eight-Year Extension
Josh Naylor

Exits Friday's Contest Early with Neck Stiffness
Emil Heineman

Shipped to the Islanders
Noah Dobson

Traded to Montreal
John Tavares

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Sam Bennett

Signs Eight-Year Extension with Panthers
NYI

Islanders Select Matthew Schaefer With No. 1 Pick in NHL Draft
José Berríos

Jose Berrios Tosses Seven Scoreless Innings in Fourth Win
Nick Martinez

Flirts With No-Hitter, Settles for Win
Gary Sánchez

Gary Sanchez Homers, Reaches Five Times in Onslaught
Trea Turner

Blasts Two Homers, Steals Base
Los Angeles Angels

Ron Washington to Remain on Medical Leave for Rest of the Season
Aaron Rodgers

Roman Wilson Could Fit Nicely With Aaron Rodgers
Josh Simmons

on Schedule to Open the Year as a Starter
Micah Parsons

Contract Length an Issue for Cowboys, Micah Parsons
Denver Broncos

Broncos Unsure How Their Running Back Room Will Look
Russell Wilson

Not the Only Leader in Giants Clubhouse
Jihaad Campbell

to Begin at Inside Linebacker
Josh Conerly Jr.

to Play Right Tackle for Now
Tyleik Williams

Expected to Fill Big Role Right Away
Malaki Starks

Should Make an Immediate Impact
James Pearce Jr.

Impressing the Falcons
Jaxson Dart

has "Excellent" Spring
Donovan Jackson

has Inside Track on Starting Job
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
Daniil Tarasov

Panthers Bring in Daniil Tarasov
Frederick Gaudreau

Kraken Pick Up Frederick Gaudreau From Wild
Michael Thorbjornsen

Returns in Detroit at Rocket Classic
Adam Hadwin

Could Struggle Over the Weekend in Detroit
Cam Davis

Hopes Detroit Magic Can Spark Turnaround
Matt Wallace

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Rocket Classic
Joel Dahmen

Not Cutting it Lately
Michael Kim

Searching for Spark at Rocket Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

a High-Ceiling Play in Rocket Classic
Matt McCarty

a Wild Card Heading into Detroit
Emiliano Grillo

Rolling into the Summer Season
Rickie Fowler

Looking for More Magic at Rocket Classic
Wyndham Clark

Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
Akshay Bhatia

a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
Eric Cole

Hoping for Better Times at Rocket Classic
Beau Hossler

Searching for Form at Rocket Classic
PGA

Byeong Hun An in Good Form Heading into Rocket Classic
Cameron Young

Looking For Redemption and Possible First Career Victory in Detroit
Collin Morikawa

is The Headliner This Week in Detroit For Good Reason
Si Woo Kim

Back in Competition After Last Week's Withdrawal
PGA

Alex Noren Finishes Tied For 30th at Travelers Championship
Kurt Kitayama

Misses The Cut at RBC Canadian Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF