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Baseball season is officially in full swing. If you have an interest or a need in tweaking with your team, then you have come to the right place. This FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups series will be looking at Week 21 -- August 12 through August 18 -- and will point out free agents to target and how much FAAB you should allocate for them.
We are officially in the stretch run of the fantasy season. For the next six weeks, we must place bids and target players who will fill the remaining holes in our team. Pay close attention to this in category leagues and spend big on a player if you need a specific category filled urgently as you are running out of time. Do not be afraid to spend a little more on a player that you need to fill an empty lineup spot or boost a category.
Below are a few players with ownership percentages under 50% in Yahoo! leagues that could benefit your roster and provide you with an added boost in several categories. This week, we have two potential new ninth-inning closers and several outfielders who are showcasing high power potential. I will also include what percentage of your FAAB budget you should look to spend on each player. Let’s get started!
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Justin Martinez, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks
5% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10% if needing saves, <5% for others
With Paul Sewald currently in the doghouse, someone in the Arizona bullpen should emerge as the top ninth-inning option.
While Kevin Ginkel and A.J. Puk are both strong options, I would rather side with Justin Martinez, the most talented reliever in the bullpen.
Martinez's statistics, including an elite 34.8% whiff rate, 29.2% K rate, 1.7% barrel rate, and a 67.5% ground ball rate, all point towards his potential as a closer.
His recent save on August 5, his first of the season, could signal an increase in his usage by manager Torey Luvullo. While he may not be the immediate solution in the desert, he could be the long-term answer, especially in time for the fantasy playoffs.
Ben Joyce, RP, Los Angeles Angels
40% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15% if needing saves, <10% for others
Our other relief option comes from the hard-throwing right-hander on the Angels, Ben Joyce.
Joyce earned his first save of the campaign on August 3 against the Mets and did so by striking out J.D. Martinez on a 104 mph heater.
Ben Joyce, 104.7 MPH Fastball. 😳 pic.twitter.com/1Ol4UnZAFE
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 4, 2024
With Carlos Estevez in Philly, Joyce should eventually grow into the closer role.
Tyler Mahle, SP, Texas Rangers
20% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10%
The 29-year-old made his long-awaited return to the bump on Tuesday evening and held his own against the Astros, tossing five innings of one-run ball. He allowed five hits, two walks, and stuck out two.
Welcome to Texas, Tyler Mahle. It's his first MLB strikeout of 2024: pic.twitter.com/aUS3c308kL
— kennedi landry (@kennlandry) August 7, 2024
While fantasy managers should be cautiously optimistic about Mahle's continued recovery from Tommy John surgery, he is worth a look in all leagues. He may find his stride right in time for the fantasy playoffs.
David Festa, SP, Minnesota Twins
10% rostered
FAAB Bid: <12%
This name will ring familiar if you have read my prospect columns over the past few weeks.
After making his major league debut in the first half, he quickly returned to Triple-A St. Paul to work on his mechanics after serving up 12 earned runs in 10 frames.
Since rejoining the major league roster on July 24, Festa has logged three outings to the tune of a 1.88 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and a 5:22 BB:K ratio.
David Festa racks up a career-high nine strikeouts 🔥
MLB's No. 87 prospect (@Twins) scatters two hits and two walks across five scoreless innings. pic.twitter.com/AhhauXye8N
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 6, 2024
In his last start, he struck out a season-high nine batters across five shutout innings.
The rookie is now in the driver’s seat to stay in the final spot in the Minnesota rotation, which makes him a strong option in all formats going forward.
Joc Pederson, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
37% rostered
FAAB Bid: <15% if needing a power outfield bat, <8% for others
Given his role in a strict platoon, the slugger is more useful in daily lineup leagues but should not be overlooked in weekly lineup formats.
However, despite the uneven playing time, Pederson has quietly been a productive bat all season. He sits with a stellar .285/.392/.554 line with 18 home runs. With this production, I am shocked that he is not over the 50% roster mark.
Despite the playing time limits, Pederson may have the highest power potential on your waiver wire and should be added wherever available.
Matt Wallner, OF, Minnesota Twins
6% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10% if needing an outfielder, <5% for others
Since rejoining the major league roster in July, the 26-year-old has carried an excellent .358/.469/.811 line with five home runs, 10 RBI, and one swiped bag.
MATT WALLNER RBI DOUBLE #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/TZs1sp5otW
— PrimeLewis23 (@PrimeLewis23) August 7, 2024
Wallner made the roster out of spring training but was quickly optioned to Triple-A after going 2-for-25 to open the year.
Similar to Pederson, Wallner typically sits against southpaws. However, he has begun to move up as high as the cleanup spot against right-handers, which has been good for his counting stats.
Tommy Pham, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
15% rostered
FAAB Bid: <12%
Sometimes homecomings are not pretty, but luckily for Tommy Pham, everything has gone smoothly.
The return to St. Louis has been nothing short of spectacular for the 36-year-old. Through his eight games back in the Lou, Pham has posted a .379/.400/.759 line with two home runs.
AND NOW TOMMY PHAM GOES DEEP FOR THE LEAD!#ForTheLou pic.twitter.com/GBjZZJuvMJ
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 7, 2024
Pham is a safe bet as a depth outfielder in all formats and should continue to provide solid counting stats in his new (but familiar) club.
Joey Bart, C, Pittsburgh Pirates
5% rostered
FAAB Bid: <10% if needing a second catcher, <2% for others
For this week’s backstop, we will head to the Steel City. Bart was once proclaimed to be the next Buster Posey after being taken with the second-overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Unfortunately, things didn't work out for him in the Bay Area, but he has enjoyed a nice post-hype breakout season with the Buccos.
Since July 26, Bart sports a .353/.436/.588 line with two home runs, seven RBI, and two doubles. Overall, he has a .265 AVG and a .478 SLG.
Joey Bart does it again pic.twitter.com/F97yAULen5
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 3, 2024
Given his current play, Bart is a solid second catcher in all leagues and could even progress further to a regular starter in your lineup.
Ernie Clement, 2B/3B/SS, Toronto Blue Jays
5% rostered
FAAB Bid: <5%
The utility infielder north of the border has quietly enjoyed a very productive stretch at the plate.
In his past 11 games, the 28-year-old has carried a .356/.396/.444 line with four doubles and four stolen bases. In this span, he has posted six multi-hit games.
Given his ability to play every position in the infield and occasionally in the outfield, Clement should always have a spot in the starting nine. He is worth adding if you need some extra speed and a boost to your batting average.
Noelvi Marte, 2B/3B, Cincinnati Reds
17% rostered
FAAB Bid: <8%
Marte was a popular waiver-wire target a few months ago when he was reinstated from his suspension. However, he has been in a prolonged slump, and many fantasy managers have cut ties with him.
Since July 26, he has sported a disappointing .179/.258/.357 line with just one long ball and two swiped bags. Last season, during his first stint in the big leagues, he hit for a .316/.366/.456 line with three round-trippers and six swiped bags.
Despite his recent slump, Noelvi Marte presents an excellent opportunity for fantasy managers. His potential as a five-category contributor, especially at his current low value, should give managers a sense of hope for his future contribution.
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