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 20

Waiver wire targets and pickups for NL-only leagues. Jon Denzler identifies who to target, pickup, or stash in deep leagues for week 20.

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 - Devin Mesoraco (C, NYM) - 4% owned

After his mid-season move to Queens, Mesoraco has received enough playing time to keep him on fantasy radars but has not been good enough to secure a move away from the club. To date, with both the Mets and Reds, he is slashing .220/.303/.383 with nine homers and 28 RBI. The good news for fantasy owners is that in July he hit .240, posting his best numbers so far. While not great production, catching is the worst position this year by far, and any output is valuable off the waiver wire. Most productive catchers are owned in all leagues, so in deep leagues, this is the risk to take. Besides, Mesoraco has a decent walk rate at 9.1% this year, so there is there still some hope the skills play up.  In a weak pool, take the risk of past track record.

1B - Mark Reynolds (1B/3B, WAS) - 4% owned

This campaign for Reynolds has been a mixed bag, but he is still posting a 127 wRC+ which could come as some surprise to fantasy owners. Where Reynolds gets the most value is with his power numbers, and in 57 games he has 11 homers but only three doubles. The rest of the line is good as well, with a .264/.347/.514 slash to date. Even more surprising, Reynolds has dropped his K rate from 29.5% last season to a 25.7% line this season. Not great, but improvement is an improvement. The other good news is that his walk rate is actually up a point as well, showing that it was not just Coors that helped add a floor to the profile. While not a regular in the lineup, if the Nationals fall out of it officially, he could be seeing more ABs the rest of the way. If not, this is a safe play at the corner with power upside for most teams.

2B - Kolten Wong (2B, STL) - 1% owned

Wong will be one the key players to watch as the team changes managers and perhaps the front office moving forward, but at least, for now, there is a not a trade demand on the table from player and agent. Maybe some of that is due to the .223 batting average this campaign, which is reflected by the 1% ownership rate. And yet, this creates an opportunity for owners, as hidden within that average is .282 line in the second half. In fact, Wong looks to be a different hitter after the break, with no homers but only five strikeouts in 12 games so far. Without digging too much into the film, it looks that limited ABs have paid off, and Wong is not selling out for power as he was in the first half of the season. If this keeps up, the batting line should return to the .280 career average, and be a fantasy steal off the waiver wire.  

3B - David Bote (3B, CHC) - 2% owned

Appearing on the fantasy radar even before a walk-off grand slam versus the Nationals, Bote is an intriguing player who perhaps has no future in Chicago long-term, but might be worth the add next season based on where he ends up. To date, through 34 games, he is slashing .329/.418/.539 with three homers and three steals. The power is the most exciting piece, as before 2017 in the minors he showed little to no power. Then at Double-A he hit 14 homers in 127 games, and to start this year, at Triple-A, he hit 13 in 61 games. The good news is that he was able to add this power without much of a drop in the batting line, and this should bode well for fantasy owners looking to add a short-term piece to the hot corner. There is no way to expect him to keep hitting above .300 the rest of the way, but with that lineup, he will get pitches to hit and will be the beneficiary of plenty of other hitters. This seems like a low-upside play, who in his prime might hit a dozen homers, but with a decent batting average could be a valuable piece at third. Buying now seems to be a safe bet.

SS - Freddy Galvis (SS, SDP) - 3% owned

Cooling off since the hot start in San Diego, Galvis looks to be nearing the end of his time in a starting role in the majors, even as he is only 28. That being said, for the time being, until some prospects are called to the club, Gavlis is the sure starter with the Padres, and this adds some value to what there is in the batting line. In 120 games to date, Galvis is hitting .237/.296/.355 with eight homers and six steals. This puts him on a pace to pass last year’s power totals but should fall short with speed on the bases. The other interesting line is that Galvis is both striking out and walking more, with both numbers up a few points, but still hitting for less power than last year as well. The reason to add the rest of the way is the .278 batting average so far in the second half, which offers a marked improvement on the beginning to his time with the Padres. If he can keep that up, this is an above average hitter with a starting role, who could run into some more power.

OF - Chris Bostick - (OF, MIA) - 0% owned

When he last appeared on this list, Bostick was at Triple-A for the Pirates and on the bubble for a call. Now, he has been dealt to the Marlins, where he might slot right into the starting line-up with their offensive issues to date. In the minors this year, he was slashing .295/.351/.436 with four homers and six steals. While more of a batting average play that any of the counting stats, he does score a bit with 32 runs in 78 games. To be honest, it was a surprise to see him dealt to Miami for cash, as he looks to be a legitimate OF4 in the bigs, with more upside as he grows into his frame. He is only 25, so that speed should stick around for a bit, even if he might never steal more than 15 in a campaign. This is an easy buy-low, as he might be a starter by the end of the week.

OF - Alen Hanson (2B/SS/OF, SFG) - 2% owned

How Hansen has fallen, as at the start of the year, backed by a good month, he was the fantasy darling. And now, available in 98% of leagues, which seems to be a bit of an overreaction from the community. The season-long stat line is still appealing with a .281/.305/.476 slash through 73 games. Add to that six steals and homers, with 31 runs, and this is not just an empty batting line that might scare some owners away. At the same time, while he features as an outfielder here, with the ability to slot in on the infield as well, the lack of standout counting numbers mean that he is still valuable. Even better? A .292 batting average in August could say that he is rebounding to the breakout May.  If not, Hansen still looks to be a safe add.

OF - Adam Frazier (2B/OF, PIT) - 2% owned

Another player in the Hansen mode, Frazier lacks standout numbers but still offers more production to fantasy lineups than most might think. First, if you can play second and the outfield, this list will find a slot for you. That flexibility is worth its weight in gold, as owners can cover three plus positions with one bench slot. Second, Frazier has been good in the box with a .285/.350/.435 slash in 73 games supported by 30 runs. Even with a short demotion to the minors, Frazier is a worthy player to have, and even more when his stats seem overly skewed by one bad month. In May he hit .212 but has not fallen below .250 in any other month this season. Take out that May, and he is a .300 hitter with 0.5 runs a game, making him a top-eight fantasy second baseman in the national league. When he available in 98% of leagues, owners should jump on this, and slot him right into a starting role.  

P - Dylan Floro (RP, LAD) - 1% owned

With the Kenley Jansen news from Colorado this week, the Dodger bullpen looks to be in a bit of flux. It would seem that Josh Fields has the inside track to the interim closer role, but owners should hedge by adding Floro as well. To date, in 51 innings, he has posted an ERA of 2.68 with 7.76 K/9 in support. The walks are a bit high at a flat three but with only 0.53 HR/9 those offers to real red flag with a late-inning role. While never posting a save in the majors, he did have seven while at Triple-A with the Rays in 2016, so there is some track record. Floro has been effective this season and might work his want into that late-inning role if others continue to struggle. For owners chasing saves, this is the dart to throw.  

P - Jesse Biddle (SP/RP, ATL) - 3% owned

After a month away, Biddle is making a return to the list, and the young lefty seems to have the rest of the season to prove his worth to the club. After spending eight years in the minor with three teams, Biddle looks to not only have a path to playing time but also is performing well enough to keep that role. In 45 innings this campaign he is striking out 9.20 per nine innings, and only allowing an ERA of 2.60. The other good sign is that his GB% is up 12 points from his minors average, and while this might regress a bit, if it keeps, then Biddle is an intriguing option to pair with A.J. Minter for the Braves. The one concern is that even in the minors, Biddle tends to a walk a bunch, but another spot that has seen movement in the right direction since he made the team. Another pitcher with a plus 50 GB%, Biddle is a clear buy-low with some ratio upside.

P - Sal Romano (SP, CIN) - 2% owned

Finding a starter for the list this week was somewhat tricky, which means that Romano with his 4.96 ERA is the best option for desperate owners. And yet, there are a few reasons to be hopeful for fantasy production down the stretch. First, Romano is quite effective against righties with .226 average so far this year. Against lefties, the numbers are not as good, with a .291 average, but owners can look to matchups for some help in determining Romano’s usability. Second, the strikeouts are up from the beginning of the season when he was averaging 4.94 K/9 in April, and now is posting a 6.35 line. While not great, this is close to a two per game improvement, so something is changing in the approach. While there will not be many wins to be had, it does look like Romano is a better pitcher now than earlier in the year. Worth a dart at the very least.

 

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

Roman Anthony

Will Undergo MRI on Wednesday
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Travis Hunter

Jaguars List Travis Hunter as Starting Wide Receiver, Backup Cornerback
Kyle Tucker

Leaves With Calf Tightness on Tuesday
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Max Scherzer

Blue Jays Confident Max Scherzer Will Make Saturday Start Despite Back Tightness
Roman Anthony

Leaves Early With Back Injury
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Done for the Year With Torn ACL
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Nick Kurtz

Back in Action on Tuesday
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs
Nick Lodolo

Scratched With Illness
Dalton Kincaid

Role Not Expected to Grow?
Quinshon Judkins

Zero Chance Quinshon Judkins Plays Against Bengals?
Najee Harris

Says He's Expecting to Play Against Chiefs
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Departs Monday with Quad Injury
Franz Wagner

Collects Double-Double in Blowout Win
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Achieves Rare Numbers at EuroBasket
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Dominates Against Sweden
Stefon Diggs

Expected to Suit Up in Week 1
Kristaps Porzingis

Finding Form at EuroBasket
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Suffers Minor Injury at EuroBasket
DJ Moore

Bears Experimenting with DJ Moore in Backfield
Rome Odunze

Could Move All Around the Offense
Carolina Panthers

Dave Canales Comfortable With Panthers' Young Receivers
Quinshon Judkins

Not Considering NCAA Return
Dallas Goedert

Healthy for Week 1
Marvin Mims Jr.

Returns to Practice Monday
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Carted Off Monday With Knee Injury
Jason Adam

Diagnosed With Ruptured Left Quadriceps Tendon
Victor Wembanyama

Looking "Quite Stellar"
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Scratched on Monday
Matthew Stafford

Expected to Start in Week 1
Edward Cabrera

Heading to Injured List With Elbow Sprain
Najee Harris

Cleared for Contact, Could Play in Week 1
Denny Hamlin

Ends Eventful Day at Darlington in Seventh Place
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Almost Earns a Top-Five Finish at Darlington
John Hunter Nemechek

has His Best 2025 Performance at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Has An Underwhelming Performance At Darlington
Josh Berry

Crashes Early and Suffers A Playoff Setback at Darlington
Harry Ford

Called Up for Major-League Debut
Victor Scott II

Activated From Injured List
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Dealing With Hamstring Tightness, Expects to Play Monday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

"Staying in Milwaukee"
Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Agrees to a One-Year Contract with Milwaukee
Kyrie Irving

"Healing Up Great"
Dante Exum

Mavs Agree on a One-Year Deal
Jaylen Warren

Agrees to Two-Year Extension With Steelers
De'Von Achane

Practicing Monday, on Track to Play in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Could Report to Browns This Week
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs, Trent McDuffie Not Expected to Finalize Extension
Chase Elliott

Under Playoff Pressure After 17th-Place Darlington Finish
Kyle Larson

Despite Hendrick Mediocrity, Kyle Larson Remains Pretty Safe in Playoffs
Alex Bowman

Opening-Lap Crash and Botched Pit Stop May Have Sunk Alex Bowman's Playoff Hopes
Erik Jones

Darlington Master Erik Jones Comes Up Short but Still Finishes Third
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Impresses at Southern 500
Dameon Pierce

Ahead of Schedule, Ready for Season
Jordan Love

May Wear Thumb Brace During Season
Chicago Bears

Bears Head Coach Admits Offense Could Face Learning Curve
Matt Chapman

Leaves Early on Sunday, Expects to Play Monday
A.J. Brown

Says He'll Be Active For Season Opener
Luis Garcia

to Make Season Debut on Monday
Max Scherzer

Exits Due to Back Tightness
Taylor Ward

Exits Early After Collison
Sal Stewart

Reds Promoting Sal Stewart to Majors
Daniel Suarez

is A DFS Risk for Darlington Lineups?
Randy Rodríguez

Randy Rodriguez to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Noah Gragson

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Noah Gragson for Darlington?
Ty Dillon

is an Excellent Punt Option for Darlington DFS Lineups
Bogdan Bogdanović

Bogdan Bogdanovic to Miss the Rest of EuroBasket
Denny Hamlin

Picking Up Where He Left Off At Darlington
Kyle Larson

The Sky Is The Limit for Kyle Larson at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

a Strong DFS Play at Darlington This Weekend
Tyler Reddick

Shouldn't Be Overlooked at Darlington This Weekend
Alex Bowman

An Easy Place-Differential Play in DFS This Weekend
Ty Gibbs

Could Be Strong at Darlington This Weekend
Erik Jones

Has Best Darlington Qualifying Effort Since Last Win
Zane Smith

Hopeful For Another Solid Run At Darlington
Dallas Mavericks

Olivier-Maxence Prosper Waived by the Mavs
Lauri Markkanen

Dominant in Win Over Great Britain

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP