We have made it through another week of action and are now in the second half of the season. At this point, it is all about playing the hot hand and having great matchups in the coming weeks. We are nearly two-thirds of the way through the season, so there will be a few players to track due to injuries, increased playing time, streaming starting pitchers and some new closers.
I highlight a few players to target in your weekly free agent acquisition budget (FAAB) process and fantasy baseball waiver wire. Know there are many others available and, more importantly, others who may be better fits for your teams. If you have any questions, please ask me on Twitter.
- 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 22
Note: We use Yahoo for player percentages and recommend players rostered in no more than 60% of leagues.
Hitters
Spencer Torkelson (1B – DET)
Rostered: 35%
Suggested Bid: 12%
Spencer Torkelson was recalled on August 17 and has swung a nice bat in his five games back. He’s hit safely in three out of five games for a .412 batting average. He has seven hits, four being extra-base hits, with two doubles, a triple and a home run. Striking out was an issue for Torkelson early this season, but through the first five games, he’s walking 15% of the time while striking out 15%. Torkelson may be streaky, but he can supply plenty of power down the stretch for your fantasy teams.
David Peralta (OF – SD)
Rostered: 13%
Suggested Bid: 3%
David Peralta became the primary RF for the Padres when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit the injured list (IL). It was slow going for Peralta, but he appears to have found his swing at the plate. He enters the weekend hitting safely in 11 of his last 14 games for a .367 batting average. Peralta has five doubles, three home runs with nine runs scored, nine RBI and a stolen base. The Padres face seven righties next week, making Peralta an intriguing streamer for your fantasy teams.
Adrian Del Castillo (C – ARI)
Rostered: 10%
Suggested Bid: 17%
Adrian Del Castillo was swinging it well at AAA before he was recalled for the injured Gabriel Moreno. He has continued to swing it well with the Diamondbacks, resulting in the primary catching duties. Del Castillo has hit safely in seven of 10 games since he was promoted for a .361 batting average. He has two doubles and three home runs to go with 14 RBI. Del Castillo still strikes out too much, 35% of the time, but his overall offensive skills make him a strong catching option for the coming weeks.
Pitchers
Spencer Schwellenbach (SP – ATL)
Rostered: 58%
Suggested Bid: 34%
Spencer Schwellenbach is having a great season for the Braves and is currently on quite the streak. Over Schwellenbach’s last five starts, he’s allowed 10 earned runs over 31.2 innings pitched with 45 strikeouts. He has a 2.84 ERA and 2.18 SIERA with an impressive 33.1% K:BB ratio. Schwellenbach faces the Twins and Phillies this week, making for a nice two-start option with the ability to continue starting the rest of the season.
Robbie Ray (SP – SF)
Rostered: 47%
Suggested Bid: 14%
Robbie Ray has made six starts since returning from Tommy John surgery, which has been a mixed bag of success. Ray has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four out of six starts for a 4.88 ERA and 3.33 SIERA. Ray has struck out 39 over 27.2 innings pitched for a 23.3% K:BB ratio. Ray faces the Marlins this week, making for a great stream and an arm worth rostering for the rest of the season.
Andrew Heaney (SP – TEX)
Rostered: 13%
Suggested Bid: 11%
Andrew Heaney was quite the model of consistency for a few months but hit the skids in July. The month of August has turned around Heaney’s recent success. Over four starts, Heaney has allowed eight earned runs over 20 innings pitched for a 3.60 ERA and 3.33 SIERA. More impressive are the 24 strikeouts over 20 innings pitched for a 22.6% K:BB ratio. Heaney faces the White Sox and A’s this week, making for an outstanding two-start option.
Closers
Chad Green (RP – TOR)
Rostered: 42%
Suggested Bid: 14%
Chad Green has been solid since taking over as the Jays’ closer. Over nine August appearances, Green has six saves with a 2.16 ERA and six strikeouts. The Jays are playing some good ball of late, giving Green plenty of save chances. If you are looking for saves, Green should be of interest to your fantasy teams.
Lucas Erceg (RP – KC)
Rostered: 28%
Suggested Bid: 23%
With James McArthur‘s struggles and Hunter Harvey hurt, Lucas Erceg has taken over as the Royals’ closer. Erceg has three saves in his last four appearances. Over nine appearances since joining the Royals, Erceg has not allowed a run while striking out 14 over 10.1 innings pitched. Erceg has a save or a hold in all nine appearances. He’s one of the top relieving targets this week, wherever he is available.
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