Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Last chance to add Danny Duffy and Brandon Nimmo
More Fantasy Baseball: Still waiting on these six breakouts
Playing the waiver wire is as much about guarding assets as it is acquiring players. What does that mean? Especially in leagues with weekly rosters, you should be using part of your bench to own the guys you don't want anyone else to own, just in case.
There are a couple of players we talked about last week who have done just enough since to propel them to the top of most league's radars. Even though I may have questions about their recent success or longterm outlook, it's time to make sure they're owned.
Last week it was hard to find anything Danny Duffy was really doing better, and that hasn't necessarily changed. But after a second consecutive quality start, Duffy's ownership is certain to go up. On Tuesday he held the Twins to one run on four hits over six innings. That's the good. The bad is that he only struck out four Twins and walked just as many. So why the urgency?
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We're talking about a pitcher who was universally drafted this spring and owned a 3.47 ERA over 612 innings from 2014-17. That he fell below 50 percent ownership a month into the season is a little surprising, even if his performance left little reason for hope. Duffy hasn't looked like his old self the last two starts, but he has thrown back-to-back quality starts, allowing just two runs in 13.2 innings. They weren't the type of performances that would move the needle for a definitively bad pitcher, but for a pitcher of Duffy's pedigree they should, and will.
I'm looking for Duffy in any league 12 teams or deeper. At the very worst you're getting a two-start pitcher for next week.
In that same article last week I told you to add Brandon Nimmo in deeper five-outfielder leagues, and then Scott White told you why he was one of the best sleeper hitters for this week. Guess what? Nimmo is still raking.
On Tuesday he launched his fifth home run of the season, extending a hot streak that is going on three weeks now. Since May 13, Nimmo has a .304/.418/.625 slash line with four stolen bases and almost as many walks as strikeouts. He's leading off almost every day and showing the type of plate discipline that suggests he should.
I'm now adding Nimmo in any five-outfielder league and I would consider him in a deeper points format. It's time stop worrying about how long he can keep this up and just enjoy the production.
Since the theme seems to be retreads today, Carlos Rodon had a successful rehab start on Tuesday. Surprisingly, and most importantly, he worked his pitch count up to 86 pitches, which means he's essentially ready for his first big league start. The original plan was for Rodon to make one more rehab start, but even if he does you should see him in the big leagues by next week. This is a young lefty with swing-and-miss stuff and a fresh arm, and he should be close to universally owned.
The bar is a lot lower for catchers, so the fact that Max Stassi is going to play regularly is enough for me. Stassi's opportunity comes as Brian McCann heads to the DL, but there was a case to be made the Stassi had earned the job on his own. Stassi owns a .294/.362/.518 slash line that is aided by his .412 BABIP, but it's not all luck.
Stassi has a 40 percent hard contact rate and a 40 percent fly ball rate, which generally portends good power numbers. Last year he hits 16 home runs in 90 games across three different levels. He should be added immediately in any two-catcher league.
If this list started with retreads it may be ending with a guy we haven't given enough attention. Max Muncy has already gained eligibility at first base, third base and the outfield, but now there's talk about the Dodgers moving him to second. Did I mention he's also crushing the ball? After getting off to a slow start, Muncy caught fire and has a .410 wOBA since April 28. His 45 percent hard contact rate is almost as impressive as his 12 percent soft contact rate. In a standard Roto league with five outfielders, a corner infielder and a middle infielder I have a hard time believing that someone doesn't have a spot for Muncy.