Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Bailey Falter, Tylor Megill, Heliot Ramos (Week 11)

Is it almost June already? Do you all remember that Yogi Berra line about it “getting late early out there?” I know by now all savvy fantasy managers are looking at their league’s standings regularly. Maybe even looking at the live updates during games on their phones. It’s probably too early to fret like that, but it’s time to see where fantasy teams are deficient or are plenty heavy in any category. Looking at everyone with Elly De La Cruz and all those stolen bases.

Make trade offers to fix those imbalances. Anyone who somehow has a surplus of starting pitching — all two of you — make sure to drive a hard bargain when looking for some hitting. That pitching is so valuable, especially this year with all the injuries. In 2001, in my main home league, Barry Bonds was traded for Randy Johnson. Yes, Bonds, in his 73-homer season was traded. Well, that was also the year the Big Unit went 21-6, struck out 372 hitters and sported a pristine 2.13 ERA with a 1.009 WHIP to win his third straight National League Cy Young Award. The team getting Johnson won the league. That’s right, pitching rules. At least elite starting pitching.

That’s just a quick lesson on getting good value in any trade. The goal is to always get the best player in the deal or to make sure it’s equal and I’m filling a need and trading from strength.

Enough with the lessons. Let’s jump into some fantasy baseball deep waiver wire sleepers.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 11

Bailey Falter (SP – PIT): 7%

After getting hit hard for six runs in his season debut on March 31, Bailey Falter has gone to the hill nine times for the Pirates. In all but one of them he’s given up three or fewer earned runs. He’s no strikeout artist — just 33 punchouts in 58.1 innings — though he’s that “crafty lefty” who has an average fastball of 91.6 miles per hour (MPH), but still gets people out. That 0.98 WHIP is very good one-third of the way through the season.

Falter pitches in Toronto tonight, looking to continue his two-game streak of going at least seven innings.

Tylor Megill (SP – NYM): 5%

After missing almost two months with a shoulder injury, Trevor Megill took a big step forward in his second start back from the injured list (IL) when he held the Dodgers scoreless over seven innings. He struck out nine and has 16 punchouts in 12 innings since his return.

Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor both had injury scares this week for the Mets, who need any kind of good news in Citi Field. A healthy rest of the season from Megill would be a big boost to the organization.

Heliot Ramos (OF – SF): 1%

Originally picked 19th overall in 2017 as an 18-year-old out of Puerto Rico, Heliot Ramos has had prospect hounds screaming about his power ever since. Well, he may finally get the chance to prove that power is still there.

Starting in 18 straight games since May 10, Ramos is hitting a solid .299 with a .382 on-base percentage. He’s also contributed two homers and 12 RBI, hitting primarily from the No. 5-8 spots in the lineup. The Giants need to find out if Ramos can become an everyday player, so he’ll get plenty of at-bats for the rest of the season.