RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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This article — and one pitching staff in every fantasy baseball league — got a major shot in the arm when the Mariners announced that Kade Anderson will join their team on Saturday. But there is much more to this week’s batch of options than one stellar starter. While rookies such as Joshua Báez and George Lombard Jr. have grabbed the headlines and watched their roster rate soar, there are plenty of exciting young hitters who remain available in more than 70% of Yahoo leagues.
There is also an influx of new closers to choose from and a couple starting pitchers who may help Anderson to end the waiver-wire drought at the position. Overall, it’s a great time to have some open roster spots.
Pitchers to add
Kade Anderson, SP, Mariners, 38%: The roster rate for Anderson will surge over the next 24 hours, and wherever it settles, it won’t be high enough. The left-hander is the best pitching prospect to arrive since Paul Skenes, after logging a 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 13.0 K/9 rate in Double-A this season. Anderson will make his first career start at home against the Cubs on Saturday. It doesn’t matter who your worst pitcher is – cut him right now and add Anderson, who could perform at an ace level right away.
Joe Musgrove, SP, Padres, 23%: After multiple setbacks, Musgrove is finally nearing his return from October 2024 Tommy John surgery. The right-hander was a fantasy stalwart prior to the injury, as across four seasons as a member of the Padres he posted a 3.20 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 9.4 K/9 rate. The news gets even better with Musgrove, who recorded radar gun readings during his recent rehab starts that were better than the ones he logged prior to his injury. Given the lack of pitching options on the waiver wire in recent weeks, Musgrove could be a savior for fantasy teams that cannot grab Anderson.
Brayan Bello, SP/RP, Red Sox, 10%: The Red Sox brought Bello back from the minors on July 12 and found him a new role as a bulk reliever. The results have been outstanding, as the right-hander has logged a 0.99 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 23:4 K:BB ratio. He has sometimes finished games and sometimes followed an opener, which has resulted in three wins and a save over that stretch. Bello is especially valuable in leagues that have a limit on starts, as he will provide starter-like numbers without cutting into that cap.
Adrian Houser, SP/RP, Giants, 3%: Deep-league managers who want to get ahead of the crowd for a two-start pitcher next week can grab Houser now. The right-hander has been at his best of late, logging a 0.72 ERA and 1.00 WHIP since July 26. And next week, he will make two starts at his pitcher-friendly home park against teams the Angels and Diamondbacks, who rank 29th and 27th respectively in OPS vs. righties.
Ben Joyce, RP, Angels, 21%: Since returning from a season-opening stint on the IL on August 5, Joyce has been arguably the best reliever in baseball (0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 8:1 K:BB ratio). Most importantly, the right-hander has shown his trademark velocity that makes him the hardest thrower in baseball. The Angels quickly moved Joyce into the closer’s role, and he has tallied three saves since August 12. Given his skills and role, he’s easily the most appealing reliever on the waiver wire.
Mason Montgomery, RP, Pirates, 17%: While we were debating whether incumbent Gregory Soto or deadline acquisition Luke Weaver was going to emerge as the Pirates closer, Montgomery may have snuck in and grabbed the job. The left-hander has earned all of the team’s three saves since the August 3 trade deadline, and since July 1 he has been one of the best relievers in baseball (1.02 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, 18.3 K/9 rate). Although some teams avoid having a southpaw work the ninth inning, the presence of Soto to handle left-on-left matchups in earlier frames could help Montgomery to keep his ninth-inning gig.
Managers who cannot grab Joyce or Montgomery can also consider Kodei Senga (27%) or Clayton Beeter (17%).
Hitters to add
Abimelec Ortiz, 1B/OF, Nationals, 20%: Ortiz was an RBI machine in Triple-A this season, driving in 74 runs in 85 games before getting the call to replace Luis García Jr. as Washington’s first baseman. He has continued his powerful, productive season since joining the Nats, batting .260 with five homers, nine RBI and an .888 OPS in 17 games. Ortiz sits against lefties, which shouldn’t be a problem in the coming days, as Washington will play 12 of their next 13 games against right-handed starters. In those matchups, he exclusively bats second in the lineup.
Zac Veen, OF, Rockies, 14%: Although Veen debuted last season, he is otherwise in a similar situation to Ortiz, having been ultra-productive (1.037 OPS) in Triple-A before being called up in August and placed in a heavy-side platoon role. The outfielder should benefit from his hitter-friendly home park, where he will play 15 of his 24 September contests, which is perfect timing for those who are set to participate in the fantasy playoffs. Managers who are streaming hitters aggressively down the stretch should appreciate the predictable playing time for both Veen and Ortiz.
Griffin Conine, OF, Marlins, 22%: A late bloomer could be every bit as valuable as the youngsters who are garnering more buzz on the waiver wire. The 29-year-old ranks fifth in baseball with nine second-half homers, and during that stretch he has posted a lofty 50.8% fly ball rate while ranking third among all hitters in average exit velocity (95.3 mph) and 4th in barrel rate (19.7%). He’s the best waiver wire option for those who are looking for stretch-run homers.
Alejandro Kirk, C, Blue Jays, 45%: Managers who lost Hunter Goodman to the IL earlier this week, and those who still haven’t found a viable replacement for the likes of Shea Langeliers or Samuel Basallo, can pivot to a boring veteran who is swinging a hot bat. Kirk maintains one of the best strikeout rates at the catcher position, which enables him to provide a helpful batting average. And du...
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