For the remainder of the season, fantasy baseball managers are looking for Mr. Right Now, rather than Mr. Right. Wise managers will use a combination of recent performances and the upcoming schedule to find players who can help them for a week or two, before they move on for the next temporary option. Here are several players who are either on a hot streak or are heading into favorable matchups.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups
Warming Bernabel, 1B/3B, Rockies (35% rostered on Yahoo)
Sure, Bernabel has enjoyed outstanding batted ball luck with a .394 BABIP, but he has also shown excellent skills during his initial 11 MLB games. The 23-year-old has struck out just eight times in 45 plate appearances, which is great news for someone who plays half his games in the park that best rewards hitters for putting the ball into play. And speaking of parks, managers who pick up Bernabel now could get a massive reward when he kicks off an eight-game home stand in the middle of next week.
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Colson Montgomery, 3B/SS, White Sox (39%)
A White Sox offense that desperately needs a centerpiece may have found one in Montgomery. The 23-year-old has shown outstanding power skills since debuting on July 4 by homering eight times in 28 games. Montgomery has driven in 24 runs in those contests, making him a potentially elite source of homers and RBI for the stretch run. It’s also reassuring to know that his expected stats are nearly identical to his actual marks.
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Jakob Marsee, OF, Marlins (13%)
When one of the best base stealers in the Minors gets the call, roto managers need to take notice. Such is the case with Marsee, who accumulated 47 steals in 345 at-bats at the Triple-A level this season. And the speedster isn’t a one-trick pony; he also hit 14 homers. A career .239 hitter in the Minors, Marsee may not hit for average right away. But he knows how to take a walk and what to do when he reaches first base. Marsee has started each game in center field since being promoted.
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Nathan Lukes, OF, Blue Jays (6%)
Lukes was quietly one of the big winners of the trade deadline, as the Blue Jays inability to acquire an impactful hitter has allowed him to remain in the leadoff spot against righties. The 31-year-old has terrific plate discipline (33:35 BB:K ratio) and should score plenty of runs while hitting in front of George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Lukes has also shown some pop of late by hitting six homers in 19 games since July 7.
Matt Wallner, OF, Twins (11%)
Matchups are everything for Wallner, who has posted an eye-popping lifetime .910 OPS against right-handers while being regularly benched or handcuffed by lefties (.582 OPS). Fortunately for the lefty masher, the Twins are set to face a righty in 16 of their next 18 games, starting Friday. He should go deep several times over that stretch, as could Trevor Larnach (6%), who has similar career splits.
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Emmet Sheehan, SP, Dodgers (24%)
Sheehan has remained in the rotation through the trade deadline and the return of Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell, which says something for how highly he is viewed by the Dodgers front office. The 25-year-old allowed two unearned runs while posting a 5:1 K:BB ratio during his initial August start and may be the most talented starter who remains on waivers in more than half of Yahoo leagues.
Chris Paddack, SP, Tigers (22%)
Paddack has had one good start and one bad start for the Tigers, which mostly corresponds to his inconsistent pattern during his tenure with the Twins. I’ll admit that the 29-year-old is a risky option, but he also has plenty of upside for an upcoming two-start week that includes matchups with the White Sox and Twins. For those who are chasing wins, Paddack is a risk worth taking.
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Bailey Falter, SP, Royals (11%)
Bailey faltered in his first start with the Royals (sorry, I couldn’t resist), but he still deserves credit for posting solid results (3.73 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) in 22 starts with the Pirates. His current waiver wire appeal is similar to that of Paddack, as Falter will make two home starts next week against teams who sit last in their respective divisions (Nationals, White Sox). He has an excellent chance to pick up a win, which is fantasy gold at this time of year.
Randy Rodríguez, RP, Giants (48%)
Rodríguez should be rostered in over 90% of leagues. The right-hander is among the best relievers in baseball, having logged a 1.51 ERA and 0.86 WHIP this year. And he has taken over the closer’s role on a respectable team since Camilo Doval was traded on July 31. At worst, Rodríguez is a top-10 reliever for the stretch run.
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JoJo Romero, RP, Cardinals (27%)
Shallow-league managers wisely targeted Cade Smith and Rodríguez when they moved into ninth-inning roles last week. Romero was less desired but could wind up being just as valuable. The 28-year-old has already earned a pair of saves during August in his new role as the ninth-inning man on a team with a .500 record. Romero has shown improved control skills in recent weeks, which could make him just good enough to hold the closer’s role.
