After six months of regular season baseball, we can see the finish line from here. I wanted to start this season finale of Waiver Wired with a thank you. it’s probably good news if you hung with me until the end here.
It’s not lost on me how awesome it is to cover fantasy baseball for a living. I try to put that attitude into everything I do for Rotoworld, whether it’s a podcast, a live chat, or this column. Playing even the tiniest role in your success is a rewarding thing indeed, so thanks.
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Below you’ll find some recommendations separated by category as well as some streaming options for the final weekend. Be sure to click on through to the second page for the annual Waiver Wired Awards, where I take a look back at some of the best waiver wire bargains from the season. Good luck this weekend and thanks again for reading.
Have specific questions about your roster? Ask @djshort on Twitter.
MIXED LEAGUE PICKUPS:
(Players rostered in under 50 percent of Yahoo leagues)
Note: Percentages are from the morning of Thursday, September 26th
Power: Austin Hays, Trent Grisham, Eric Thames, Brett Gardner, Randal Grichuk, Sam Hilliard, Austin Dean, Kole Calhoun, Brandon Nimmo, Kyle Tucker
Speed: Jon Berti, Kevin Pillar, Harrison Bader, Delino DeShields, Raimel Tapia, Josh Rojas
Multi-position eligible players: Cavan Biggio, Garrett Hampson, Brandon Lowe, David Fletcher, Ian Happ, Gavin Lux, Shed Long, Wilmer Flores, Matt Beaty, Robinson Cano, David Bote
Saves: Jairo Diaz, Justin Wilson, Erik Swanson, Joe Jimenez, Daniel Hudson
SUITABLE STREAMERS
Note: Keep in mind that the final weekend of the season can be unpredictable and things often change at the last minute. The best advice I can give is to pay attention.
Friday
Anthony DeSclafani SP, Reds (Yahoo: 48 percent rostered) at Pirates
Nathan Eovaldi SP, Red Sox (Yahoo: 39 percent rostered) vs. Orioles at home
Jose Urquidy SP, Astros (Yahoo: 3 percent rostered) at Angels
DeSclafani is really a no-brainer. He’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in six out of his last seven starts and finishes his season against a team in chaos. There’s no way he should be out there in any league. This has been a lost year for Eovaldi, but he pitched well last time out against the Rays for his first regular season win as a starter since last September. There’s some risk here, but he has a good chance of getting a win against Baltimore. Urquidy has pitched well when called up this month, posting a 2.25 ERA and 14/2 K/BB ratio over 12 innings. The only question is if he’ll stick around long enough to qualify for a win.
Saturday
John Means SP/RP, Orioles (Yahoo: 48 percent rostered) at Red Sox
Logan Webb SP, Giants (Yahoo: 8 percent rostered) vs. Dodgers at home
Brett Anderson SP, Athletics (Yahoo: 23 percent rostered) at Mariners
Similar to DeSclafani above, Means should be scooped up in all competitive formats. The southpaw has been a true bright spot for last-place Baltimore, posting a 3.54 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 150 innings. He’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in six out of his last seven starts. Webb’s ERA might scare you off, but he’s been better than the surface numbers suggest and he’ll start at home against a team who could be resting some regulars. Anderson will be pitching on extra rest for this one, making his first start since September 17. The southpaw gets a weak opponent and has been a respectable starter all year, even with the lack of strikeouts.
Sunday
Sandy Alcantara SP, Marlins (Yahoo: 29 percent rostered) at Phillies
Alex Young SP, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 37 percent rostered) vs. Padres at home
Tanner Roark SP, Athletics (Yahoo: 40 percent rostered) at Mariners
Alcantara holds a 2.90 ERA and 57/20 K/BB ratio in 68 1/3 innings since the start of August and could be looking a breakout season in 2020. Young was hit hard for six runs — including three homers — over five innings by the Cardinals last time out, but he still holds a 3.74 ERA and 1.20 WHIP this season and deserves another shot assuming he makes this start on Sunday. Roark should be started with this matchup even taking his recent struggles into account, but just keep it mind that it’s likely to be all hands on deck for Oakland.
