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

NL-Only Leagues: Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 2

By slgckgc on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

RotoBaller Lou Cappetta recommends some savvy fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for NL Only Leagues. These MLB players can make a big impact on your squad...

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: NL Only Leagues

The first week of Major League Baseball action is in the books, and there have been plenty of pleasant surprises so far. That means that there are numerous gems and sleepers just sitting out there on most waiver wires, ready to give savvy owners a leg up on the competition.

Sure it's early, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be looking to tweak your roster. Even if you are the most patient of fantasy players, it's still a wise idea to keep tabs on the trends of your league's waiver list. Injuries and slumps can happen in the blink of an eye, and usually the most successful fantasy owners are the ones who are first to jump on the guy with a new starting gig, injury replacement, or hot minor league call-up.

We do most of the research work for you here at RotoBaller.com, so you can be as informed as possible when deciding on what roster moves to make. For those of you in NL-only leagues, you can check back here every week, all season long, for advice on hot pick-ups.

So, after the first week of the 2014 baseball season, here are five guys that are likely still available in your league, who should be owned.

 

Editor’s Note: be sure to check out our famous Waiver Wire Pickups List, updated daily with waiver wire options for different positions. Our Waiver Wire Pickups iPhone app is also free, and available for download in the Apple Store.

 

 

Emilio Bonifacio, 2B/3B/OF, Chicago Cubs (62% owned CBS, 67% owned Yahoo!)

This is an obvious one, and Bonifacio is likely already owned in most NL-only leagues, but we needed to reinforce the point briefly. The hottest start to the baseball season has come from a guy who didn't even have a major league contract going into the Spring in Cubs' super-utility man Emilio Bonafacio. Bonafacio is 13 for his first 24 with three runs scored, and four stolen bases already. There's no question that the guy is not going to keep up the .541 batting average all season, but that doesn't mean that Bonafacio will do a disappearing act this year either.

There's a lot to like here. First, the Cubs are terrible, so despite technically not having a set position, Bonifacio is arguably the team's best outfielder. He's also their best option at the top of the line-up, especially since new manager Rick Renteria has shown that he wants to be aggressive on the bases.

Bonifacio's real value is the fact that he offers something very few other players do: multi-position eligibility and elite level speed. The guy had a terrible 2013, and still managed to swipe 28 bags, meaning that with regular playing time, he's a lock for 40. He won't offer much in the way of power, and he's not going to hit .300, but he'll score runs and swipe bags when he does get on base. He has staying power, and needs to be owned in all NL-only leagues. Pick him up immediately if he is somehow still available on your waiver wire.

 

Lucas Duda, 1B/OF, New York Mets (15% owned CBS, 2% owned Yahoo!)

By slgckgc on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsThe Mets are another NL team that are a mess. They were already going into this season without Matt Harvey, then they lost Bobby Parnell, and they totally mishandled the Ike Davis situation at first base (his game winning grand slam yesterday not withstanding). That doesn't mean you shouldn't capitalize on this situation, however.

The Mets announced this week that rather than go with a platoon at first base, Ike Davis is out, and Lucas Duda will get an extended look at the position. Duda quickly responded by reaching base three times, and belting two homers against the Reds on Friday. Duda had been hitless in his previous six at bats, but it's not out of the realm of possibilities that the vote of confidence from the team sparked something.

The Mets are desperate for offense, and desperate to find line-up protection for Curtis Granderson. If nothing else, Duda offers some home run and on-base potential. While I don't think he'll be a superstar, I do think that the Mets have seen enough of Ike Davis. With a few more successful pinch hit opportunities, who knows what would happen. But it's more likely Davis gets demoted or traded than get his starting first base gig back, meaning that Duda has little competition for playing time going forward. That may be enough for Duda to really get going, and it's not crazy to think that he can offer a team Brandon Moss-type production. If you need a first baseman in an NL-only league, Duda is worth a shot.

 

Chris Owings, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks (44% owned CBS, 25% owned Yahoo!)

With the demotion of Didi Gregorious, the future of the shortstop position in Arizona officially belongs to Chris Owings. At one of the thinnest positions in fantasy baseball, especially in a league-specific format, Owings needs to be owned in all leagues. He's likely owned in your NL only league already, but if he's not, pounce on him now!

After a strong showing in the Spring, Owings is off to a fast start. He's 10 for his first 26 at bats, good for a .384 batting average, and he already has 3 SB. His average is surely going to dip, and his lack of plate discipline will lead to a good number of strikeouts, but he's shown in the minors that he's capable of providing solid power/speed numbers. With playing time, and a home ballpark that benefits hitters, a 15/20 season is not out of the question. If you need a shortstop, Owings is your guy.

 

Jose Valverde, RP, New York Mets (43% owned CBS, 50% owned Yahoo!)

I have zero confidence in Jose Valverde. I think he's a disastrous outing waiting to happen and has shown a bad combination of walking too many guys and not having the stuff to miss as many bats as he used to. That being said, he needs to be owned in all NL-only leagues.

Is Jose Valverde going to be a headache for fantasy owners all year? Probably. Still, the Mets bullpen was already going to be one of the worst in the league even with closer Bobby Parnell. Now that Parnell is likely done for the season, the Mets named Valverde their closer, and despite being picked off the scrap heap this Spring, he's the only option the Mets have who has any closing experience.

Saves are saves, and they are valuable, especially in league-specific formats where the number of closers is cut in half. He's going to hurt your ratios without a doubt, but Valverde will get save chances. With the lack of depth and closing experience in the Mets' bullpen, he'll also have a fairly long leash. Barring a trade, complete implosion, or miracle return of Parnell, I don't see anyone taking the closing job from Valverde, meaning that he's probably a better waiver wire grab for saves than a guy like, say, Jonathan Broxton. I hate to say it, but Valverde needs to be owned in all NL-only leagues as a closer with a solid chance of holding the spot for the entire year.

 

Casey McGehee, 1B/3B, Miami Marlins (30% owned CBS, 13% owned Yahoo!)

Speaking of guys coming off of the scrap heap, the guy who's 2nd in NL RBI is a guy who was playing in Japan in 2013.

Marlins third baseman Casey McGehee has driven in 10 runs through five games so far this year. That's more than some whole teams have scored, and it's amazing that a guy who qualifies at such a shallow position of third base is not owned in more leagues.

While it's entirely possible that McGehee comes back to earth, there are also some signs that he could remain a productive bat this year. First, McGehee is currently batting clean-up for Miami. Sure the line-up is nothing special, but batting fourth will offer McGehee plenty of opportunities to plate runs. He has proven he could do so in the past as a full time player in Milwaukee when he averaged 79 RBI a season from 2009-11 (including a career high 104 RBI in 2010). Sometimes, production is directly tied to playing time, and it's entirely possible that is what's happening here with McGehee.

McGehee is going to get to play everyday for the Marlins, and so far that's lead to solid production. While he probably won't lead the league in RBI all season, there's no reason not expect a solid RBI total and 15-20 homers. I wouldn't call McGehee a must own player yet, but he's worth a look for anyone who needs help at the hot corner.

 

Keep checking your waiver wire, and keep checking back here each week throughout the season for more NL-only waiver wire gems. Good luck!

 




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

Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Uchenna Nwosu

Seahawks Place Uchenna Nwosu on PUP List
Taylor Decker

Alim McNeill, Taylor Decker Placed on PUP List
Tyrion Davis-Price

Titans Waive Tyrion Davis-Price
Tre Harris

Chargers Relying on Tre Harris to Be Starting X Receiver
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Micah Parsons

Will Become Highest-Paid Non-QB
MarShawn Lloyd

Vying for RB2 Role
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith Finds End Zone in First Training Camp Practice
Tyler Shough

Pushing for Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
Ar'Darius Washington

Goes on PUP List
Lamar Jackson

to be Even Better in 2025?
Tre Harris

Agrees to Terms on Rookie Deal
Justin Herbert

Off to Good Start at Training Camp
Jameson Williams

Earning Rave Reviews from Lions Coaches
Christian Mahogany

Expected to Start for Lions
Zach Allen

an Extension Candidate in Denver?
Zaire Franklin

May Miss Start of Training Camp
Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard Returning to Portland
Mason Taylor

to Play "Crucial" Role in Jets' Offense
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
T.J. Watt

Once Again Becomes Highest-Paid Non-QB
RJ Harvey

Reaches Agreement on Four-Year Rookie Contract
Rashee Rice

Chiefs Believe Rashee Rice Will Receive Two- to Four-Game Suspension
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF