Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Week 8

As the month of May starts to wind down, here are five players to consider adding to your fantasy baseball roster this week.

5. Matt Adams, 1B/OF, Atlanta Braves

Adams was the odd-man out with the St. Louis Cardinals, with just 48 at-bats in primarily a bench role so far this season (.292, one home run, seven RBI). Now, with Freddie Freeman (left wrist) expected to miss at least 10 weeks, Adams steps in as the Atlanta Braves’ starting first baseman after a trade on Saturday.

Adams hit 16 home runs over 297 at-bats in 2016, and he hit at least 15 home runs in three of the last four seasons. He struggles against left-handed pitching (.210/.248/.348 career slash-line), but his per 162-game career numbers (.271, 19 home runs, 72 RBI,) point to some upside with regular playing time.

Adams is worth adding in NL-only leagues in particular, and he has to be on the radar of owners who will be without Freeman for a while.
ESPN Ownership: 2.3%

4. Fernando Rodney, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Rodney’s track record of keeping his manager and fantasy owners on edge is well established, even while he compiles solid save totals, and 2017 has been no different. A 12.60 ERA in April put his status as Arizona’s closer in doubt, but six scoreless appearances so far in May with four saves have curbed that for now.

Rodney’s 8.04 ERA and 5.2 BB/9 this season are still very ugly numbers, but he does have 18 strikeouts in 15.2 innings and 10 saves now. As long as he’s walking the tight rope more often than not, and keeping the ninth inning, there’s mixed league fantasy value here.
ESPN Ownership: 40.1%

3. Jose Berrios, SP, Minnesota Twins

After struggling in his first taste of the big leagues last year (8.02 ERA, 5.4 BB/9 over 14 starts), Berrios seems to have figured it out now. Over his first two starts since being called up from Triple-A, against the formidable lineups of the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies, Berrios has an 0.59 ERA, a 0.39 WHIP and a 15:2 K/BB ratio over 15.1 innings. He has hit three batters too, but that has not been a symptom of wildness in the bigger picture.

Berrios will get another challenge in his next start, scheduled for Wednesday night against the Baltimore Orioles on the road. It’s unrealistic to expect him to pitch at the level he has over his first two starts this year, but even with some regression Berrios should still be very useful in mix leagues.
ESPN Ownership: 59%

2. Ian Happ, OF, Chicago Cubs

Injuries and illness forced the Cubs to call Happ up on May 13, and all he’s done is hit (.333, two home runs, 4 RBI, .714 slugging percentage over six games). A short-term promotion seemed likely, but after Jason Heyward’s return from the DL for Saturday’s rained-out game Happ may be here to stay.

Happ has started games in all three outfield positions since being promoted, but he may settle in as the Cubs’ primary center fielder is Joe Maddon’s lineup on Saturday was any indication. Versatility is the word on the North Side, and Happ offers that with minor league experience at second base and a report last week regarding working him out at the corner infield spots.

Assuming he indeed sticks around in the big leagues going forward this season, Happ should add multi-position eligibility at some point and being part of a good lineup will prop up his offensive production. The time to add one of the Cubs top prospects looks like now.
ESPN Ownership: 44.1%

1. Corey Knebel, RP, Milwaukee Brewers

Since replacing Neftali Feliz as Milwaukee’s closer, Knebel has picked up three saves in the last week. A bought of wildness lately, with four walks over his last three outings, has been offset by eight strikeouts over that span and a 15.5 K/9 rate this season overall.

Knebel’s ERA surely won’t stay under 1.00 (0.82), but he is virtually locked in for save chances and his peripheral skills fit the role. That screams fantasy value, even if the Brewers start to come back to Earth as a team. Run, don’t walk to your waiver wire in mixed leagues.
ESPN Ownership: 48.1%

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