Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Week 2

The first week of the 2017 MLB season is done, and now fantasy baseball owners can look ahead to Week 2. Overreacting to slow starts is not good strategy, but the waiver wire is a valuable tool and additions can be made any time.

Here are five waiver wire additions to consider for the coming week.

5. Jason Heyward, OF, Chicago Cubs

Heyward is 5-for-16 (.313) over his first four games this season, with two runs scored and one RBI. He was out of the lineup Saturday against a left-handed starter, and he’ll oddly be on the bench again Sunday against right-hander Zach Davies. That said, Heyward’s solid start is a good sign after he hit just .230 with seven home runs and 49 RBI in 2016.

Heyward is still just 27 years old, and despite a drop in power since hitting 27 home runs in 2012 he was useful as a two-category producer in 2015 (.293 batting average, 23 stolen bases) while driving in 60 for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Heyward has nowhere to go but up after last season. As long as an injury isn’t the explanation for his weekend benchings, elite defense will keep Joe Maddon writing Heyward into the lineup on a regular basis. In deeper mixed leagues, Heyward is well worth a speculative add based on the idea he has figured something out.
ESPN Ownership Rate: 33.5%

4. Greg Holland, RP, Colorado Rockies

Holland picked up his fourth save of the season Saturday night, and he has allowed just one base runner (via walk) in four innings of work while striking out six. Left-hander Jake McGee vultured a save Friday night, but Holland had worked in three four days and he was right back closing things out at the next opportunity.

Holland missed all of last season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, but he was one of the best closers around from 2013-2015 with 125 saves for the Kansas City Royals. That elite form may not come back all the way, and there are durability concerns now, but Holland is back on the fantasy radar.

The only thing keeping Holland from being higher on this list is an increasing ownership rate. It’s worth checking to see if he’s available in your league, and adding him immediately if so.
ESPN Ownership Rate: 68.7%

3. Kendall Graveman, SP, Oakland Athletics

Graveman no-hit the Texas Rangers for six innings Saturday night, and he wound up allowing one run on two hits over seven innings in a win. Through two starts this season he a 2.08 ERA and a 12:3 K/BB ratio over 13 innings. His ground ball rate thus far (54.5 percent) fits with his track record (52.1 percent in 2016), but a career K/9 rate of 5.7 does not fit with his current 8.3 K/9 rate over a two-start sample.

Graveman is in line for some correction, but a good ground ball rate, a favorable home park and a 3.05 ERA over July and August last season points to a suitable mixed league starter. If injuries have thinned your starter depth (David Price, Sonny Gray, Rich Hill, etc.), Graveman should be on you radar to add this week.
ESPN Ownership Rate: 26%

2. Brandon Finnegan, SP, Cincinnati Reds

Finnegan was excellent in is 2017 debut last Wednesday night, holding the Philadelphia Phillies to one hit over seven innings while striking out nine and walking just one. He’s a two-start pitcher for the coming week, with a road game Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates followed by a home outing against the Milwaukee Brewers. Those are matchups he can take advantage of.

Control has been an issue for Finnegan in his career, with a BB/9 rate over 4.0, so he needs to show improvement there to be a viable mixed league option all season. But it is worth adding him right now based purely on upside, and even if he has bad start once in a while a spot in the Reds’ starting rotation should be secure.
ESPN Ownership Rate: 39.4%

1. Steven Souza, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

Over the last five games, since going hitless on Opening Day, Souza is 9-for-19 with three doubles and three RBI. He has hit leadoff in two games against a left-handed starter, and fifth otherwise against right-handed starters, which is worth noting in daily formats even without a dramatic platoon split.

Over 803 combined at-bats in 2015 and 2016 Souza hit 33 home runs, drove in 89 and stole 19 bases. But injuries (left hand-2015, left hip-2016) derailed him, and striking out in nearly 34 percent of his plate appearances over that span has put a lid on Souza’s batting average (.247 in 2016).

Souza has legitimate 20-20 potential, if he can stay healthy. His .409 average thus far is going to come down, but all Souza needs is 400-500 at-bats to be a fantasy asset. AL-only league owners should be adding him immediately, and mixed league owners should at least have Souza on their radar.
ESPN Ownership Rate: 8%

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