Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds: Week 2
Welcome to baseball season, everyone! Fantasy baseball is back, and with some hiccups along the way, we are finally here.
Each week, we will take a look at players that are less than 50% owned according to Yahoo and who could help your squads out the most. Remember, if you aren’t scouring the waiver wire, you are falling behind your league mates.
Kyle Lewis - Seattle Mariners (OF)
Ownership percentage: 30%
Totally fair to ask yourself the question, “Who is Kyle Lewis?” Let’s dive in.
The bomb-hitting outfielder has been biding his time while larger prospects like Mitch Haniger, Evan White, and Jarred Kelenic have overshadowed Lewis. However, Lewis has been strong in his own right -- he smashed 17 home runs across two stops a season ago.
To piggyback off that strong performance, Lewis slammed two home runs in each of his first two games, manning the cleanup spot, and drove in two while hitting third in the series finale.
If you need help in the outfield, Lewis makes for a great option.
Avisail Garcia, Milwaukee Brewers (OF)
Ownership percentage: 48%
The slugging outfielder Avisail Garcia was already primed for a big season with the Milwaukee Brewers after posting 20 home runs a season ago. But with Ryan Braun injured and missing the last two games against the Chicago Cubs, Garcia looks poised to post even bigger numbers.
Garcia has always been a solid fantasy asset -- while his power is what gets noticed, his speed is an underrated aspect of his game. In 2019, the big man swiped 10 bases to go with those 20 long balls.
The Brewers are one of a handful of teams with six games this week, so from a sheer volume perspective, keep an eye on Garcia. Due to a low walk rate, he doesn’t provide a ton of help if you are in on-base percentage leagues, but he’s solid otherwise.
Aaron Civale, Cleveland Indians (SP)
Ownership percentage: 39%
Right-hander Aaron Civale will make his 2020 season debut Monday, but it certainly isn’t for the faint of heart -- going up against two of his AL Central rivals this week in the Chicago White Sox (Monday) and Minnesota Twins (Saturday).
However, Civale is the next in a long line of Cleveland Indians' arms that are pretty spectacular, and he was pretty darn good in 2019. Over 57 ⅔ innings pitched, Civale recorded a 2.34 ERA with a tidy 1.04 WHIP.
Now, the context within your own pitching staff is critically important to understand. Civale does not strike out a lot of batters -- his 20.3% strikeout rate is nothing to shake a stick at. That said, he’s a solid back-end arm that will play on a strong team, so consider him a worthy addition for your rotation.
Greg Holland and Trevor Rosenthal, Kansas City Royals (RPs)
Ownership percentage: 10% and 1%
Figuring out saves in this short season is perplexing at best. Incumbent closer Ian Kennedy, who was quite solid in the relief role in 2019 and likely cost drafters some premium draft-day equity, seems to be out of the closer role. He worked the sixth inning in his only relief appearance in 2020.
That leaves veteran right-handers Greg Holland and Trevor Rosenthal, and I would consider adding both of them, as neither one is without their flaws.
First, let’s examine the elder statesman Holland. While he has closing experience and opened last season finishing off games for the Arizona Diamondbacks, he’s a long way past his prime form. He did, however, close out the Royals' lone win on Saturday.
Rosenthal is a bit tougher to crack. He was out of baseball for two seasons, and then in 2019, he walked (not a typo) 30.3% of hitters. He does possess premium velocity, but he is essentially a one-pitch pitcher.
The Royals likely won’t win a ton of ballgames, but if you need to chase saves, considering these right-handed arms.
Two-start arms worth your consideration:
- Elieser Hernandez (MIA): vs. BAL, vs. WAS (1%) (Update: Miami's home opener has been canceled due to eight players and coaches testing positive for Covid-19).
- Chris Bassitt (OAK): vs. LAA, at SEA (18%)
- Austin Voth (WAS): vs. TOR, at MIA (5%)
