Looking toward the first full week post All-Star break, and with an added bonus coming off a short week, here are six players to take a look at on the waiver wire in your fantasy baseball league.
6. Colorado Rockies RP Adam Ottavino
Ottavino returned from Tommy John surgery before the All-Star break, and Rockies’ manager Walt Weiss recently referred to him as a “big league closer” in a radio interview. It looks like only a matter of time before Ottavino gets some save opportunities, so he’s well worth an add-and-stash in all fantasy leagues.
Yahoo! Ownership: 3%
5. Los Angeles Dodgers SP Brandon McCarthy
In three starts since returning from Tommy John surgery, McCarthy has a 1.69 ERA with 22 strikeouts and just four walks over 16 innings. Continued health is always a concern attached to McCarthy, but right now he’s absolutely worthy of a roster spot in fantasy leagues.
Yahoo! Ownership: 53%
4. Chicago White Sox SP James Shields
Shields still has dismal numbers on the season (4-11, 5.10 ERA), but after allowing one run over eight innings on Saturday he has posted four straight quality starts with a 1.91 ERA over that span. There are signs of his recent run being a fluke (.198 BABIP allowed, 12:7 K/BB ratio over 28.1 innings), but Shields is back on the fantasy radar and he looks like a worthwhile add in AL-only and deeper mixed leagues.
Yahoo! Ownership: 56%
3. New York Mets 3B/SS Jose Reyes
Spurred by a two home run game just before the All-Star break, Reyes has four RBI over the last three games with three home runs and five RBI over eight games (31 at-bats) since returning with the Mets. He has an everyday spot in New York’s lineup until further notice, which lines Reyes up to provide good counting stats along with dual position eligibility for fantasy owners.
Yahoo! Ownership: 46%
2. Miami Marlins 2B Dee Gordon
Gordon is nearing the end of his 80-game PED suspension, with a minor league stint slated to start Monday and the expectation he’ll join the Marlins as soon as he can on July 28. Fantasy owners didn’t jump off the bandwagon too much by dropping Gordon when his suspension came, but it’s absolutely worth checking to see if he’s available in your league.
Yahoo! Ownership: 79%
1. St. Louis Cardinals OF Randal Grichuk
Since being recalled from Triple-A on July 5, Grichuk has a hit in all eight games while going 12-for-30 (.400) with three home runs, six RBI and five runs scored. It would be nice to see him draw more walks (just one free pass since his recall) and hit for a higher average over the long haul (.231 during his time with the Cardinals this year), but Grichuk is part of a solid lineup and offers nice power numbers (11 home runs and 33 RBI over 234 big league at-bats this year).
Yahoo! Ownership: 41%