At this point in the season, fantasy baseball owners are surely starting to see what their teams are made of-strengths, weaknesses and disabled list stints all color that perspective. The waiver wire is the best tool to bolster a roster, since trades can be hard to make work.
Heading into a new week, a bit earlier than normal again, here are five players to consider grabbing on the waiver wire in your league.
5. Denard Span, OF, San Francisco Giants
Span returned from a shoulder injury on Thursday night, and went 4-for-5 with a home run and a double. Injuries have become an increasing issue in recent years for the 33-year old, but Span has routinely offered solid, if unspectacular, fantasy production and being back in the leadoff spot for the Giants sets him up to do so again.
NL-only league owners should have Span on their radar now. Mixed league owners can be more hesitant/speculative, but in deeper leagues Span is worth a flier as a depth option.
ESPN Ownership: 3.3%
4. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Oakland Athletics
It’s only May 12, but Alonso has already set a career high with 11 home runs. Five of them have come in his last five games, with two multi-homer games. His .303 batting average is an outlier for his career, in a small sample, but Alonso’s BABIP (.297) thus far is not far from his career mark (.301).
Alonso is hitting a lot more fly balls than he ever has, with a 52 percent rate, which has driven his home run/fly ball rate to 28.2 percent. The sustainability of either number is worth questioning, but the stark difference in fly ball volume points to a change in plate approach that may stick.
It’s worth capitalizing on Alonso’s current run, particularly in AL-only leagues.
ESPN Ownership: 56%
3. Keon Broxton, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Over his last 15 games, Broxton is hitting .380 with two home runs, seven RBI, 13 runs scored and five stolen bases. An unstainable BABIP (.580) over that span has helped, but Broxton has hit second and first and Craig Counsell’s batting order in the last two games. He has earned the bump up in the batting order, and as long as it keeps up there’s fantasy upside for Broxton.
Broxton strikes out a bunch (39 times this season), but otherwise there’s a lot to like as a multi-category fantasy producer. Now may be the time to get on the bandwagon in mixed leagues.
ESPN Ownership: 34.1%
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2. Justin Wilson, RP, Detroit Tigers
After blowing his fourth save of the season with an ERA above 8.00, Francisco Rodriguez was finally removed as the Tigers’ closer this week. Wilson has proven worthy of taking the role, with a 23:4 K/BB ratio and eight holds this season (14.2 innings), though he has only worked in one non-save situation since being elevated on Tuesday.
Wilson would be higher on his week’s list, but the lingering chance Rodriguez takes the ninth inning back will remain until further notice. That being said, as usual, anyone in line for saves is a valuable fantasy commodity in all leagues.
ESPN Ownership: 44.2%
1. Addison Reed, RP, New York Mets
A tumultuous week for the Mets has ended with yet another key injury. Closer Jeurys Familia has been diagnosed with an arterial clot in his right shoulder, and he is facing surgery with an extended absence surely coming regardless.
When Familia was serving a domestic violence suspension at the start of the season, Reed picked up four saves. He tallied 101 saves from 2012-2014 with the Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks, so closing experience is not an issue.
Reed is a virtual must-add in all fantasy leagues, since he is likely to be first in line for save opportunities from here on out this season. Even if you’re doing fine in the saves category right now, adding Reed to keep someone else in your league from doing it is good strategy.
ESPN Ownership: 40.7%
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