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 Waiver Wire Team of the Week: MLB Week 14

Waiver wire targets and pickups for NL-only leagues. Jon Denzler identifies who to target, pickup, or stash in deep leagues for week 14.

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 of 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.  With that onto the island of misfit fantasy toys.

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

 

NL-Only Team of the Week

C - John Ryan Murphy (C, ARI) - 8% owned

For the time being it looks like John Ryan Murphy will be the starting catcher in Arizona, or at the very least, will be getting the majority of the at-bats. For owners who have not jumped on the bandwagon, this might be the last opportunity. So far in 2018 Murphy is slashing .257/.306/.507 with nine homers and 23 RBI. Even with playing in the new Chase Field environment, that .507 slugging should get the attention of fantasy owners. While cooling off in June and only hitting .228, the underlying numbers are there for this to be the outlier as opposed to the norm moving forward. Even with that drop, the K rate was much the same, and hints that there was nothing “wrong” in June, and owners should expect this player to rebound in July.

1B - Rangel Ravelo (1B, STL) - 0% owned

Dipping into the minors as opposed to looking to the backup options at the position, Ravelo has been crushing the ball at Triple-A Memphis this season. For the 2018 campaign, he is slashing .313/.403/.522 with nine homers and 42 RBI. Both of these are up from last season in only a third of the games. The K rate is down to 11.1% from 16.2% last season, and the walk rate is up to 10.7% from the 9% line last season. The other interesting jump is the SLG from .480 in 2017 to .522 this season. The homers are up due to the 13.4% HR/FB rate, which is also up from 9.9% last season. As owners can see, Ravelo is showing improvement all across the board and if/when he gets the call should be an add due to the line-up and team around him. Playing time might be hard to find, but a minor leaguer is only on injury away from the call. Add him while you can.

2B - Carlos Asuaje (2B, SD) - 0% owned

Recently recalled from Triple-A El Paso, the numbers have not given owners much hope this season. The average sits at a paltry .196, but since he was sent down, Asuaje has been raking in the minors. In 35 games he is slashing .338/.408/.492 with 24 R scored. With Wil Myers serving as a constant injury risk, owners should expect Jose Pirela to play some in the outfield, and with that, open second for Asuaje. The other reason to stash Asuaje is the potential for speed and steals, as while so far with the Padres he has not run much, there is a track record of steals in the minors. Not that owners should expect 20+ the rest of the way, but even a handful is worthwhile in this season’s steals environment. Expect the bat to play a bit more than earlier in the year, and pray for additional stats to make this an essential addition.

3B - David Bote (3B, CHC) - 0% owned

With Kris Bryant ending up on the disabled list, the Cubs are looking to rotate a few players through the hot corner, and it seems like Bote was brought up to play. With that being said, his 13 games in the majors have been encouraging, and he is slashing .241/.314/.310 with seven R and one steal. The slugging is a good indicator of the type of player owners are adding, with more singles than anything else. The 11.4% BB% is nice to have as well, and no reason to think that the OBP will fall. Even better, when this is the clear weak link in a Cubs offense, Bote will get pitches to hit and if he takes advantage could be a nice play to add to the batting line. The seven runs are also an indicator that when he gets on base, the rest of the team will pick him up.

SS - Pat Valaika (1B/2B/3B/SS, COL) - 0% owned

For owners looking to roster Valaika the best selling point is the position flexibility with the ability play all over the infield. The batting line is stuck at .127, and the minors numbers hover close to .200 as well so do not expect much offensive production. That being said, playing at Coors means that he can run into a few runs even with low rate stats.  All it takes is for Nolan Arenado to keep hitting for this to pay off in the short term for fantasy owners. Also, with the positional ability, expect Valaika to be a late-inning replacement for a pitcher with the double shift, which should limit his AB but also limit the damage. Not much to spin here, but when the position is fragile this week, take a risk, and it could pay off.   

OF - Tyler O’Neill (OF, STL) - 3% owned

While it looks like O’Neill will only be up for a short bit, over that time, his ability to add a few bombs should make this a worthy look in NL-only leagues. The line this campaign is what can be expected of the power-only hitter, with a .237/.268/.500 slash. The silver lining is that the 43.9% K rate should drop with more chances, and if not, will be an excellent way to judge if this is a worthy long-term add. Even if it falls to close to the 25% line from the minors this could pay off with a bit more production, but also shows that the floor will be closer to 30 moving forward in the best case. The other number that should come down is the 42.9 HR/FB%, as this is high even for the power profile. For owners looking to stream homers, this is the best play.

OF - Kevin Kaczmarski (OF, NYM) - 0% owned

Just added to the major league club in the last week, Kaczmarski should be available in all leagues. Regarding reasons to add, the minor league batting numbers look great with a .363/.413/.450 after the promotion to Triple-A.  Two steals in 24 games is also nice but should play if he continues to get the green light with the Mets. With that OBP there will be chances to run, and the ability to add eight or more the rest of the way should play. And yet, there is bad news. In over 1,400 minors league ABs he only has 11 bombs, and should not be thought of as a power play at all. Still, an outfielder with a good average floor who will get on base is an excellent replacement in the short term.

OF - Jarrod Dyson (OF, ARI) - 2% owned

For owners who added Dyson to begin the season this has not been a campaign to remember, and the batting average sits .191. The “good” news is that most of the damage happened in June when he batted .158 after a strong .260 line in May. What does make Dyson worthwhile to add are the 16 steals with only being thrown out three times. What is also interesting for this player is that most of his chances are coming against righties, but his best batting line is at home against lefties. In those matchups, he is hitting .333, a massive improvement over the rest of the season. Even more, that walk rate is up to 11.1% from last season’s 7.2%, meaning that he does still offer chances to get on base even without using the bat. When he gets on base Dyson should continue to provide speed on the bases. Pair with a high average, no speed player to get the most value here.

P - Richard Rodriguez (RP, PIT) - 1% owned

Making the list earlier in the year, Rodriquez has continued to put up superb numbers in the Pirates bullpen. With George Kontos moving to Cleveland, the opportunity for late-inning chances will be there for this arm. 12.06 K/9 will play in most staffs, and the 2.30 ERA means that owners are not sacrificing much to adds those punchouts. The command continues to be there as well with a 1.15 BB/9 rate to support the season line so far. The issue he has with Baltimore was a high 6.35 HR/9 rate, and while this happened in only 5.2 innings, much of the blame can be thrown at the ballpark more than anything. If he can keep the current 0.86 rate intact, this could be closer material with some deadline moves.

P - Wei-Yin Chen (SP, MIA) - 2% owned

With not much else concerning recommended starting pitching out there this week, owners need to take a risk, and this seems to be the best option. The season line is not great with a 6.14 ERA in 55.2 innings of work, but most of that damage came during June with a 6.20 ERA. The good news is that in his last start Chen was able to go six only allowing one run at home to the Diamondbacks. The previous start was not great with seven earned over four innings, but that was at Coors and needs to be avoided for most pitchers. With this team Chen will get starts, and if he can continue to play better at home the upside if there so some solid, but not great, production.  At home, he has a 2.30 ERA in 27.1 innings. Besides, against lefties, Chen is only allowing a .204 BA. For owners willing to take the risk, this is a home streaming option until he proves he can do more.

P - John Brebbia (RP, STL) - 0% owned

Any chance for saves makes relievers worth the shot, and there is no better place to shoot for that than in St. Louis. While Brebbia sits behind Jordan Hicks for right now, he does have two saves to his name so far for the year. Also, the 3.34 ERA for the season is moving in the right direction with a 2.08 ERA in June. Besides, in June, he held opposing hitters to a .204 average with a .228 wOBA. 15 strikeouts in June are also up from the 10 he had in similar innings in May, which all points to a better approach moving forward. The year line sits at 9.71 K/9 which is up from his 2017 line of 8.88. When walks are close to the same, there is no reason to doubt that his June numbers are for real. He might find himself even further back if the Cardinals add a closer at the deadline, but there is also a chance he is the one moved and finds himself in a better position to add saves.   

 

Bonus Player

Nate Orf (2B/3B/SS, MIL) - 0% owned

Orf’s promotion was announced after the article was drafted but should be an exciting addition to most teams looking to plug holes. At the time of publication, it appears he will be eligible to play the positions listed above, but might also start as only 2B eligible. Never before appearing in the Majors, Orf is off to his best season at Triple-A this season and will at worst be a bench bat for the club. In 74 games he is slashing .307/.412/.463 with six homer and 20 steals. Those steals are exciting, but the batting line on its own might play. Over his career, Orf has been close to .300 hitter, but has never been on this power and speed pace before. The K% sits right around 15%, and the BB% close to 10% consistently. For owners looking to add an unknown quantity, but with a good track record to back-up his recent success, Orf seems to be a player to keep an eye on and stash for the near future. If he has position flexibility, pick Orf over Valaika.  

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers




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

Austin Riley

Leaves Game Early on Friday With Abdominal Tightness
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Rafael Devers

Dealing With Back Inflammation
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Returning on Friday
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Rhamondre Stevenson

Heading into an Important Season
Minnesota Vikings

Josh Metellus, Vikings Have Mutual Interest in Extension
Tua Tagovailoa

2025 Could be Tua Tagovailoa's Last Season in Miami
Rashawn Slater

has "Full Confidence" a Deal Will Get Done
Byron Buxton

Returns on Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Demarcus Robinson

Sentenced to Three Years of Probation
Jalen Nailor

In Line for WR3 Role in Minnesota
Andrew Thomas

Could Miss Start of 2025 Season
Alex Bregman

Expected to Return on Friday
Julio Rodríguez

Julio Rodriguez Won't Suit Up for Midsummer Classic
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Expected to Work Out Long-Term Extension
Bernhard Raimann

a Candidate for an Extension This Summer
C.J. Stroud

Could Sign Multi-Year Deal Before 2026 Season
Kyle Juszczyk

Says Christian McCaffrey Looks Healthy, Explosive
Kyren Williams

Showing Improved Explosiveness
Christian Barmore

"Dominant" this Spring
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF