If you’re still reading this column at this point of the year, you’ve probably got a significant leg up on your leaguemates and likely are still in contention for a fantasy baseball championship. Meanwhile, other guys in your league are shifting their focus to fantasy football mock drafts, wondering which running back will fall to them in the middle of third round. Now’s the time to take advantage of league-wide complacency and take a leap forward in the standings by snatching up valuable FAAB assets.
There’s been a lot of moving and shaking in the past few weeks around the league as contending teams are manically trying to improve their rosters through waivers and squads that are out of the race are looking to evaluate young talent for next year and beyond. Take San Francisco for example – Camilo Doval was outrighted to the minor leagues recently after holding down the closer role for multiple years before that. MLB teams are constantly looking to better their rosters, and as fantasy managers we should be doing the same.
As a reminder, we’re focusing on players who are between 20-25% rostered in most 12-team leagues and/or 25-50% rostered in 15-teamers. Every league is different, so we won’t be labeling player bids with any sort of recommended dollar amount but instead will use a four-tier investment rating system, ranging from a minimal spend to a potential difference-maker (or LEAGUE-WINNER, if you will).
Investment Rating System
SEVEN GAMES: BAL, CIN, HOU, LAA, NYM, OAK, PIT, SDP, TBR, TOR
Batters
Outfielders
Kerry Carpenter ($$$): Back from an injury, Carpenter hit three home runs in his first two games played since May, reminding fantasy managers how much of an impact bat he can be. Available in close to 75% of 15-team leagues, Carpenter is a must-add in nearly every format for the stretch run of the season. Though the Tigers don’t have much left to compete for, Carpenter is arbitration-eligible this offseason, meaning he’s as motivated as anyone to perform in the final month or two of the season.
Gavin Sheets ($$): It’s okay to roster one White Sox player. As long as he’s productive. And Sheets certainly has been the past few games, riding a 13-for-24 streak entering the weekend. He’s outfield eligible and corner infield eligible, and can pop off for some cheap power and RBI if he keeps up the hot hitting. Thankfully wins are only a pitching stat, so you won’t have to worry about that.
Jordan Walker ($$): Don’t you give me hope, Jordan Walker. I have given up on this guy on multiple occasions now, and he keeps pulling me back in. Walker was mashing in AAA, hitting .343 over his final 75 plate appearances before getting the call back to St. Louis. If he has finally made a breakthrough, he has league-winning potential. If it’s more of the same, well, I might finally be able to quit him.
David Peralta ($): The Freight Train is pulling out of the station again, and this time with the San Diego Padres. Peralta has gone 12-for-29 with three home runs, seven RBI and six runs scored in fantasy weeks 20 and 21 combined and is virtually unowned. He’s the strong side of the platoon in San Diego and will likely start at least four games this week as the Padres face right-handed starters.
Dylan Crews ($): A complete speculation, but with the way that the Washington Nationals have been promoting their minor league prospects recently it would not shock me to see Crews take the place of a fringe veteran like Alex Call on the major league roster in the very near future. With above average speed and a solid hit tool, Crews could add to the Nationals’ already formidable running game and fit the mold of what they seem to want in the outfield.
Infielders
Junior Caminero ($$$): He’s finally back! Caminero missed significant time due to a lower-body injury earlier this season but was raking at the AAA level in Durham with a .304 batting average since his return in mid-July. Now up with the Rays, Caminero is expected to perform well enough to solidify a starting role with the big league club. With Curtis Mead out of the way, Caminero should get regular at-bats.
Tyler Black ($$): I’m already on record saying that Tyler Black is the best thing to happen to Milwaukee since the invention of beer. Of course, last time I declared him the second coming of Ryan Braun he was sent back to the minors after just five games – and the time before that he lasted just seven games. The kid’s electric and deserves a real chance, I just hope he gets it this season.
Will Wagner ($$): The Blue Jays have yet another second-generation ballplayer entering the fray as Will Wagner, son of the great Billy Wagner, has been called up and started his career with a hot bat.
Andrés Chaparro ($): Called up by the Nationals this week, Chaparro debuted with three doubles in a win over the Orioles and is hoping to stick at the major league level. Acquired from the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline after batting .328 with 23 home runs and 85 RBI in AAA this season, Chaparro will compete with José Tena, Idelmaro Vargas, and Juan Yepez for at-bats, but if he continues his hot hitting, he could stick in the lineup for the remainder of the season.
Jonah Bride ($): The Marlins have a handful of exciting prospects that they just acquired at the trade deadline, but why give those guys a taste of the majors when you can run out 28-year old journeyman Jonah Bride every day? For what it’s worth, Bride has batted 11-for-41 with four home runs in the month of August so I guess it’s working. Fantasy managers in deep leagues with a need for sneaky, cheap power can deploy Bride as long as the Marlins do.
Catchers/UT
Adrian Del Castillo ($$): Del Castillo continues to hit for the Diamondbacks, and will stay relevant as long as Gabriel Moreno is injured.
Korey Lee ($): Another White Sox on this list? Well, he’s getting regular at-bats and is available in more than half of 15-team leagues. Might as well take a shot.
Pitchers
Starting Pitchers
Zebby Matthews ($$$): Daniel Zebulon Matthews – or Zebby for short – made his MLB debut this past week with a pitching victory over the Kansas City Royals. Matthews tossed five innings allowing two earned runs on five hits while ringing up five strikeouts. The Twins limited Matthews to just 77 pitches, and if they continue to do so it will cap his usefulness in fantasy leagues. However, if Minnesota will extend the leash after one good performance, perhaps Zebby can be an asset down the stretch.
Martín Pérez ($$$): I’m not sure what the San Diego Padres did with Martín Pérez, but it’s working. Since joining the Padres, Perez has registered a 1.96 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, a 29.6% strikeout rate and a 34.2% CSW. Since arriving in San Diego, Perez has leaned HEAVILY into his curveball, throwing it at 26.3%, 22.2% and 32.3% in each of his last three starts. Compare that to his full season average of just 13%. Meanwhile, Perez has reduced his sinker usage by almost half since arriving in San Diego. It appears that the Padres have tapped into something with the lefty and fantasy managers should hope that he continues to attack with the off speed, because it’s working.
Osvaldo Bido ($$): Bido has put together a pair of strong starts, including a six-inning shutout of the Blue Jays, before Saturday’s outing against San Francisco (which has not concluded as this column is being submitted). Assuming Bido doesn’t get shelled by the Giants, he could be a sneaky streaming start against the Rays on Thursday and then gets what should be a two-start week against Cincinnati and Texas. The A’s aren’t as bad as they seem and neither the Reds or Rangers have really inspired anyone this season.
Bowden Francis ($$): Bowden Francis might be good now? Weird, I know. Despite some gross-looking season stats, Francis has gone out and pitched really well in each of his last two outings, including seven strikeouts against the Orioles in a five-inning no-decision and eight strikeouts against the Angels in a seven-inning one-run performance where he earned the win. He posted CSW rates over 30% in each of his last two starts and generated a combined 22 whiffs over 161 pitches (13.7%), far better than his 7.8% whiff rate on the season. Francis lines up against the Cubs on Sunday and then gets the Angels again in his start this coming week. He’s definitely worth a streaming start with that matchup.
Matthew Boyd ($): Guys. It’s happening.
Welcome to Cleveland, Matthew Boyd. 🫡#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/GMhdHMIrMv
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) August 14, 2024
Boyd is getting a slightly scary two-step this week with the Yankees and Rangers, but at this point of the season he’s the kind of risk I want to take. Boyd allowed just one earned run and struck out six in his Cleveland debut this past week against the Cubs, throwing just 80 pitches to get through 5.1 innings. He got 12 whiffs and registered a 38.8% CSW. It’s time to jump a-Boyd… er, aboard.
Relief Pitchers
Seranthony Domínguez ($$$): It appears the Orioles have handed over the reins of their ninth-inning efforts to Seranthony Domínguez. Dealt to Baltimore by the Philadelphia Phillies, Dominguez has cleanly navigated each of the Orioles’ last two save opportunities entering the weekend while Craig Kimbrel continues to struggle with his command. Brendan Hyde has proved loyal to a fault when it comes to his bullpen, but now that roles have changed it could be more likely to stay this way than some might believe. Whoever throws the ninth for one of the winningest teams in baseball is obviously an important asset. For right now, that guy is Dominguez.
Michael Kopech ($$$): Well, the Dodgers have not been very consistent this season with who they throw in the ninth, so why not take a stab at landing their closer by picking up Kopech? Daniel Hudson blew a save on Thursday night, so it could be a next-man-up situation. Since heading over to LA at the trade deadline, Kopech has thrown 7.1 consecutive scoreless innings while allowing just two baserunners and ringing up 11 strikeouts. Even if he doesn’t get ninth inning work, he’s going to help ratios and strikeouts. Scoop him now before the price goes up after he nabs a save or two.
Jason Foley ($$): Foley is a part of the Tigers’ closer committee, and could get a few save chances this week with the Cubs and White Sox on the docket. The Detroit bullpen has been mostly a crapshoot all season but Foley leads the team with 16 saves. If you’re going to place a bet on a Tiger reliever, Foley’s the one to do it with.