Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds: Week 17
It's waiver time. One of the keys to any fantasy success is not only nailing your draft, but scouring that waiver wire for players who can give your team a boost. Even though fantasy baseball can be a really long season, it's key to search those waivers and take it week-by-week to cement your fantasy status.
The four players below are all owned in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues and could give your team a lift.
Luis Urias - San Diego Padres (2B)
Yahoo Ownership: 20%
If you need some help in the middle infield, Luis Urias has finally been called up by the San Diego Padres and could give your offense a lift. Now, it remains to be seen if he is the unabashed starter -- veteran Ian Kinsler has been manning the keystone -- but he did get the start immediately Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
If you are unfamiliar with Urias' pedigree, peep this -- in 339 Triple-A plate appearances this season, dude rocked a .398 on-base percentage (OBP) and .600 slugging percentage with 19 long balls. Fire in seven stolen bases to boot, and you've got a delicious combo.
If he gets the start again Sunday, you may want to empty out your remaining FAAB wallet on Urias.
Oscar Mercado - Cleveland Indians (OF)
Yahoo Ownership: 33%
In another horrific move by the St. Louis Cardinals, Oscar Mercado was shipped over to the Cleveland Indians, as they entrusted center field to Harrison Bader. That move is looking ugly right now, as Mercado is absolutely on fire at the dish.
Boosted by a five-hit performance on Friday, Mercado is now up to an .813 OPS this season, sporting seven home runs and nine steals in 221 plate appearances. The power was never been a big part of Mercado's game in the minors, but the thefts are real, and he's hitting in a meaty spot in a red-hot Cleveland lineup.
Jeff Samardzija - San Francisco Giants (SP)
Yahoo Ownership: 37%
It's more likely an indicator of how bad the National League is, but after being left for dead, the San Francisco Giants are only 2.0 games out of a Wild Card spot. Jeff Samardzija is a major reason for that.
Surprisingly, the veteran arm has been pretty good lately. He's got a 4.21 xFIP in July, giving up just eight earned runs in 26 2/3 frames. He's recorded a quality start in three of his past four outings.
After posting a career-worst 14.5% strikeout rate in 2018, the right-hander has bumped that up to a more respectable 20.1% mark in 2019. His swinging-strike rate has also jumped up to 9.0% this season. Those aren't great numbers by any stretch, but they're decent enough to put him on the streaming radar, especially with a midweek road matchup against the San Diego Padres.
Ryan McMahon - Colorado Rockies (1B/2B/3B)
Yahoo Ownership: 20%
The best part about fantasy baseball is that we can fall in love with a player, let him completely fall off our radar after a dud start, and then welcome him right back with open arms when he heats up. That's exactly what has happened with Ryan McMahon of the Colorado Rockies, and he's been quietly tearing things up at the dish.
Finally, it feels like McMahon has won the second base job, at least against right-handed pitching. Since the All-Star break, he's started every single game but one, and he's finally delivering on the hype -- a .278 batting average, .936 OPS, and three dingers in that span.
Obviously, we want to plug in McMahon when he's at his home park, but at the end of this week, he heads this week to hitter-friendly Cincinnati before a monster home stretch.
If you are looking to bolster your pop, consider McMahon.
