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Week 2 Waiver Wire Watch List

Bill Dubiel's list of fantasy baseball free agents to watch in Week 2 of the 2019 season. These are players to monitor and could be potential pickups off the waiver wire in deeper leagues.

As important as it is to be active on the waiver wire, snagging that next hot bat or pitcher on a roll before anyone else can, let's be honest--there are only so many roster spots. That's why your watch list is just as important as your waiver wire activity, and perhaps even more so.

Throughout the season, you want to get the jump on your competition and sniff out the breakout players before they break out. That's what this list is all about--using some in-depth research and advanced analytics to find the players who aren't quite there yet but are on their way.

This is not necessarily a list of players you should add right away - it is a list of people to keep a very close eye on in most leagues, and to consider picking up in deeper formats. In some cases, we will even caution you not to pick up a widely-added player, and steer you away from the fool's gold. Use it to build your own watch list.

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

 

Pitchers to Watch in 12+ Team Leagues

Lucas Giolito (SP, CWS)

Do you remember when Giolito was considered one of MLB's premier pitching prospects? Yeah, me either. His first full season in the majors came with the White Sox last year, and he was quite literally one of the worst starting pitchers in the game. Giolito finished the season--a full 32 starts and 173 innings pitched--with a 6.13 ERA. I'm honestly shocked they let him make that many starts. His 5.37 SIERA backs that number up, as do the rest of his peripheral stats. A 16.1 K%, an 11.6 BB%--this guy was not a major league-caliber pitcher.

That's why he's on the watch list and not the add list. But, my eyebrows are raised after his season debut. He carried a no-no into the seventh inning against the light-hitting Royals, and finished with two runs, three hits and a walk allowed over 6.2 with eight strikeouts. At one point there was top-prospect pedigree here, and Giolito is still not even 25 years old. Keep him on your watch list and see how he fares against some more difficult opponents.

Sandy Alcantara (SP, MIA)

Alcantara only saw 34 innings of big league action in 2018, and there wasn't a ton of impressive material there to work with. His 3.44 ERA in that time was backed up with a 5.42 SIERA, so it's not particularly impressive upon further review. The 6'5" flamethrower has struggled with walks for much of his professional career, and that held true last year (15.8 BB%).

So I took notice when he threw eight innings of shutout ball against the Rockies while issuing ZERO free passes. He yielded just four hits while striking out six in an extremely efficient outing. Alcantara has a ton of potential in the long term, and at age 23, I have plenty of hope for him to make some sustainable changes in the control department. The Marlins have very little to lose this year, so expect them to give Alcantara a pretty long leash as he gets truly acclimated to MLB hitters. I'm not adding quite yet, as I want to see him show up a few more times before I'll be a true believer.

Spencer Turnbull (SP, DET)

I will be the first to admit that I said "Who?" when I learned that Spencer Turnbull would have a starting opportunity in the Tigers rotation. More the fool am I, because Turnbull has impressed through his first two starts. Through his first 11 innings this year he's notched 15 strikeouts and four walks and is coming off a 10-strikeout performance against the (again) light-hitting Royals.

The 26-year-old righty has been good through two starts, but I'm not ready to declare him a stud-in-the-making yet. For one thing, the Tigers are B-A-D BAD, so if you're looking for wins look elsewhere. In the minor leagues, he was a middling achiever as far as strikeouts are concerned, so I'm not sure I'm buying the K% yet. Keep an eye out for what could be a next-level sleeper, but don't bit just yet.

 

Batters to Watch in 12+ Team Leagues

Joc Pederson (OF, LAD)

Speaking of guys with top-prospect pedigree! Joc Pederson has always been part of that pesky Dodgers outfield platoon from the last few years, but with Yasiel Puig now in Cincinnati Pederson, he has the left field job relatively locked down. He's making the most of the opportunity, hitting .412 with three big flies, eight runs scored and five RBI through six games.

The big factor that gives me some hope is the fact that Pederson cut down on his strikeouts in 2018, setting a career low in K% with just 19.2%. When he first emerged in the MLB, that number was over 29%, so there has been some true growth over his MLB career so far. Pederson is never going to be a high batting average guy, so expect that to regress closer to his career average as the season progresses. However, there is legitimate 30-homer power here, so keep an eye out if you're in any format where HR or slugging percentage matters.

Niko Goodrum (OF, DET)

Besides being a terrific inspiration for fantasy team names, Niko Goodrum is following up a minor breakout season in 2018 with a solid start to 2019. Goodrum's primary value is his speed, so the 12 steals last year in 131 games was actually somewhat of a disappointment. The 16 homers, on the other hand, was a bit of a surprise given his minor league numbers. I think that something like 12 homers with 22 steals is a more realistic expectation, and Goodrum is showing signs of making that happen.

In 2019 his OBP is an exceptional .483, thanks in large part to the fact that he's walking in a quarter of his plate appearances. Some simple math for you: high OBP+above-average speed+green light=terrific roto value. If Goodrum can maintain an OBP over .330 or so, he should push for 25 steals, which along with 12+ homers and a middling batting average makes him a valuable cheap piece. If you waited on steals, keep an eye on Goodrum.

Dansby Swanson (SS, ATL) 

For a former number one overall pick, Swanson's career so far can be seen as nothing but a disappointment. Once heralded as the next great shortstop, Swanson has been dreadful at the plate for the last two years but maintained regular playing time thanks to his defensive and base-running abilities. He has hit below .240 in each of the last two seasons while averaging just 10 homers and 6.5 steals in that time. That's worse than the average shortstop, much less on a production level you'd expect from a number one overall pick.

He has roared out of the gates in 2019, hitting .353 with two jacks, four runs, and six RBI through six games. Plain and simple, given his track record you can't trust Swanson after just a week of good games. BUT, given his pedigree, it's worth noticing when he gets off to this good of a start. He's in a great lineup, and if he can begin hitting the counting stats will start to add up.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Progressing in Recovery
Jonathan Kuminga

Receives New Offer From Warriors
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Emil Heineman

Aiming to Take the "Next Step" This Season
Braeden Cootes

Good to Go for Camp
Ivan Fedotov

Blue Jackets Acquire Ivan Fedotov From Flyers
Garrett Crochet

Punches Out 12 in Win
Cole Ragans

to Return on Wednesday
George Kirby

Strikes Out 14 in Win
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
NHL

Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Malcolm Brogdon

Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks

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