We have made it through another week of action and have some stats to give us an idea of some player’s production. At this point of the season, it is all about playing the hot hand and great matchups in the coming weeks. The season is still young, so there will be a few players to track due to injuries, increased playing time, streaming starting pitchers and some new closers.
Each week, I will highlight a few players to target in your weekly Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) process. However, know there are many others available and, more importantly, others that may better fit your teams. If you have any questions, please ask me on Twitter (@bdentrek).
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Assistant
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Tools
- Weekly Fantasy Baseball Content
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire & FAAB Targets: Week 16
Note: We use Yahoo for player percentages and recommend players rostered in no more than 60% of leagues.
Hitters
Rostered: 36%
Suggested Bid: 14%
Jose Miranda is a man on fire right now. After a four-hit game on Friday, Miranda rides a nine-game hitting streak into Saturday. He is hitting .559 with six doubles and a home run with 11 runs and 12 RBI during that span. Miranda has been solid all season, as he now has nine home runs with a .324 batting average and 42 RBI. His plate discipline is excellent, as he’s striking out 13.6% of the time on the season with a 41.3% hard-hit rate. Miranda continues to find regular at-bats for the Twins, meaning he should find a permanent roster spot on most fantasy teams.
Rostered: 10%
Suggested Bid: 6%
Colt Keith has found his swing of late and is becoming a must-rostered player. He enters Saturday, hitting safely in 11 of his last 14 games for a .286 batting average. Keith has even showcased some power with four home runs and a .286 ISO. Keith is now hitting .240 with seven home runs and four stolen bases. He brings nice MI and CI flexibility, increasing his fantasy appeal.
Rostered: 3%
Suggested Bid: 7%
Rowdy Tellez has been a man on fire since the beginning of June. Since then, Tellez is hitting .354 with six home runs and 20 stolen bases. Over the last eight games, Tellez has flexed his muscle with five home runs with a .600 ISO. Tellez is hitting in the middle of the Pirates’ lineup, and he’s continually finding his way into run-producing situations. Tellez should be rostered at 1B or CI in 12-team and deeper leagues.
Brooks Lee, Parker Meadows and James Wood are three prospects who will also be quite popular this week.
Pitchers
Rostered: 44%
Suggested Bid: 11%
Brayan Bello is having a rough 2024 season, but after some extra time off, he bounced back with a nice start. Bello threw 6.2 innings against the Marlins with one earned run and seven strikeouts. He had a 22.2% K-BB and 12.1% SwStr in the game, significantly improving from his previous starts. Bello is scheduled for a nice two-step next week against the A’s and Royals, which makes him a nice pick-up, mainly if he’s found his 2023 form.
Rostered: 26%
Suggested Bid: 9%
Christian Scott returned to the Mets this past week and was good but not great. He allowed four earned runs over 5.2 innings pitched with two strikeouts. Before that start, Scott had a 3.90 ERA and 3.95 SIERA with a 17% K-BB over his five starts with the Mets. Scott has an incredible two-start week against the Pirates and Rockies, making him a must-add.
Rostered: 16%
Suggested Bid: 9%
Andrew Heaney has been great most of this season, yet fantasy managers are not acknowledging him. Over his 11 starts, Heaney has allowed three earned runs or less for a 3.21 ERA and 3.60 SIERA. Heaney has 63 strikeouts over 61.2 innings pitched, which is good for a 19% K-BB, supported by a 13% SwStr. Heaney has a tough matchup versus the Astros next week, but he likely needs to be added for more than just next week’s start.
Shane Baz has been called up to take Aaron Civale‘s spot in the Rays’ rotation, so he’ll also be a popular FAAB target.
Closers
Rostered: 56%
Suggested Bid: 8%
James McArthur continues to be the Royals’ primary closer, and he has picked up three saves in his last five appearances without allowing an earned run. McArthur has four wins on the year, with 15 saves and a 3.25 SIERA. He is not a significant strikeout arm, but the saves are what we care about, and McArthur is getting enough of those to be rostered in most 12-team and deeper leagues.
Rostered: 30%
Suggested Bid: 8%
With Jordan Romano having surgery, likely ending his season, Yimi Garcia must be back on the fantasy radar. Garcia is starting a rehab assignment this weekend, and after a few appearances, he should return to the Jays as their primary closer. Garcia has five saves in the year, and there should be plenty more to follow once he returns. It’s time to add him before he returns and the price increases.
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