A bit earlier than usual, here are five players to seek on your fantasy baseball waiver wire heading toward next week.
5-Los Angeles Dodgers C Yasmani Grandal
Grandal has posted a pedestrian slash-line (.231/.348/.482), but 14 home runs since the start of July have given him 21 for the season along with 54 RBI. Recent acquisition Carlos Ruiz should take at-bats away against left-handed pitching, but fantasy owners that have be slow to consider Grandal can dump a useless catcher and add him.
Yahoo! Ownership: 59%
4-Atlanta Braves OF Ender Inciarte
Since the All-Star break, Inciarte is hitting .357 with 30 runs scored and 12 RBI. More stolen bases would be nice (3-for-6 on steal attempts since the break, 11-for-17 for the season), but Inciarte is a mixed league asset at the most important time of the year.
Yahoo! Ownership: 29%
3-Arizona Diamondbacks SP Robbie Ray
Ray had an inefficient outing Thursday night, with 108 pitches over five innings, but he still has a 1.50 ERA with a 29:7 K/BB ratio over his last four starts. It’s hard to expect a lot from Ray, with a 4.28 ERA over 26 starts this season, but good peripherals (11.2 K/9. 3.4 BB/9) make him an intriguing fantasy option down the stretch.
Yahoo! Ownership: 54%
2-Los Angeles Angels RP Fernando Salas
With Huston Street (knee surgery) and Cam Bedrosian (arm/finger) out, Salas has become the Angels’ closer by default. Save opportunities won’t be plentiful, but Salas is worth adding in AL-only and deep mixed leagues.
Yahoo! Ownership: 12%
1-San Francisco Giants OF Denard Span
So far in August, Span is hitting .330 with a .511 slugging percentage, four home runs, 13 RBI and 12 runs scored (98 plate appearances). He generally won’t stand out in any one fantasy category, but Span is just the kind of boring player your league-mates will forget about that can put you in position to win your league.
Yahoo! Ownership: 33%