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

Start Your Dynasty Team Rebuild From The Waiver Wire

Ellis Canady recommends players who are valuable waiver wire targets or adds to use as trade assets before the trade deadline of the 2018 fantasy baseball season in dynasty rebuilds.

If your dynasty or keeper team is at the back of the pack, now might be the time to rethink strategies. At the very least, it is time to take stock before other under-performing teams do the same and the resource pool becomes limited. Minor moves now could set your team up for success starting in 2019 instead of hobbling across the finish line with little hope that next year’s results will be different.

Improving your team can be done in a variety of ways. You could collect assets to flip for profit, trade for players that have fallen from grace or just compile players with tremendous upside. We will cover all these topics in upcoming articles. In this article, we will discuss players with potential near-term impact that might be obtained off the waiver wire and flipped for a profit to playoff contenders. Also, look to our waiver wire articles to find players on hot streaks, whose performance is easier to sell in a trade.

Start by scouring the waiver wire to collect assets now that can be used in the trade market to help a team fighting to make the playoffs. Depending on how many days until your league’s respective trade deadline, this could include players currently on the disabled list or even under-performing players. The hope is for these players to have/acquire success in order to assist with your ability to trade them. Whatever these free agency acquisitions garner will be more than you had yesterday, even if it is a lower prospect or a higher draft pick in next year’s MLB or MiLB draft. Always use all your resources available, including your waiver wire.

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

 

Not Regular Waiver Wire Fodder (Sell For Profit)

Robinson Cano (2B, SEA) 52% owned

Cano is eligible to return August 14 following an 80-game suspension for violating the drug policy. The elongated suspension might have caused some managers to hide him on waivers in hopes no one would notice. Check your leagues’ waiver wire. With a return near the trade deadline of most leagues, Cano might draw some interest from a desperate playoff contender. Of course, many might want a player who started the season with four homers, 23 RBI, and .287 AVG in 143 at-bats. Some are concerned about where Cano will play upon his return. Whether it is at first base, second base, or even DH, the Mariners will make sure his bat is in the lineup. This is all great news for the individual that scoops him up for free. It is like getting a stack of two-dollar bills as a “joke tip” because someone seriously doubts that it is real money.

Miguel Sano (1B/3B, MIN) 52% owned

While most fantasy managers anticipated a rollercoaster performance, very few people probably knew Sano would be mostly unusable in 2018. The rapidly increasing number of homers he hit the last couple of years (25 in 2016 and 28 in 2017) led many to believe that the 25-year-old would continue to improve upon not only his power but other categories as well. However, Sano has struggled in 2018, with only seven homers and a demoralizing strikeout rate of 40.5%. He also had an underwhelming .203 batting average, even with a .303 BABIP. His poor performance and fitness led to a demotion in June. While in High-A Fort Myers, Sano hit two homers with 12 RBI and a .328 batting average. He used the time to work on his approach at the plate and had a 27.3% strikeout rate and a 16.9% walk rate. However, in Triple-A Rochester, Sano went 2-for-14 with a double, RBI, and five strikeouts. Regardless, he was recalled back to the majors on 27 July and in two games he was 0-for-7 with five strikeouts. There are still improvements to be made for Sano to save this season. Only time will tell if he can raise his value enough get interested managers to trade for him. If Sano ever gets in shape (both fitness and performance), his value will increase tremendously for you. Even if you can’t find a buyer, you have a young power bat that has demonstrated promise, which will help your team in the future.

Roberto Osuna (RP, HOU) 63% owned

Osuna is serving a 75-day suspension for domestic violence, but will return to the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros after being traded for a package including Ken Giles. He is eligible to return on August 5. The team has already stated he will return to the closer role. Osuna is an elite closer and a very valuable asset in all leagues, which should earn quite a haul. He has nine saves in 15 innings to start the season with an exceptional 13.00 K/BB rate. Make sure someone didn’t discard him in lieu of occupying a DL spot. If you are able to acquire him, you also have the option of keeping him as well. You’ll have to weigh the return against the value of maintaining a great closer on a dominant team.

Ervin Santana (SP, MIN) 32% owned

Santana could be a hidden gem. He has been sidelined since February due to a middle finger injury that he had surgically repaired. His first start was mediocre (5IP, 3 ER, 5K) which might temper people’s expectations and reduce the attraction. Santana is a cheap speculation pick with hopes of returning to the performance level of years past. In 2017, he had 16 wins with 3.28 ERA with a 41.2% groundball rate and limited hard contact to 27.9%. Santana also had a 3.38 ERA the year prior to that. Although not a dynasty investment, a string of solid starts could yield a useful piece in the trade market.

Evan Longoria (3B, SF) 42% owned

Longoria’s start in San Francisco has been a rocky one. It likely has caused him to be an afterthought in many leagues. Additionally, he spent six weeks on the disabled list with a fractured hand so it will be interesting to see if he can get into a rhythm quick enough for you to get some value in a trade. But, for now, let’s look at the underlying stats, which don’t appear as bad as his early season stats would indicate. Longoria, even at 32 years old, can swing a mean bat with a career-high 46.3% hard-hit rate. His swinging strike rate (8.8%) is also is at his lowest mark since 2011. Even Longoria’s batting average (.246) is dragged down by a .277 BABIP, which could also lead toward a positive normalization of his stats. If there were a concern or a situation in which you wouldn’t personally use him, it would be against right-handers with a .225 average (.264 career). However, against southpaws he has a .287 average. It would be a simple acquisition that could pay off if he can restore some element of his former glory days.

 

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

Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
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
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
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
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Kyren Williams

Rams Not Willing to Pay Kyren Williams Top-Market Money?
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Christian Kirk

the No. 2 WR in Houston?
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Jerome Ford

the Likely Starter for Cleveland to Begin 2025
Chig Okonkwo

"Poised" for Best Season of Career
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
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
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
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
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
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