It's been a long ride for all you fantasy baseball players, but the end is finally in sight. With just two weeks left in the MLB's 2017 regular season, now is the time to keep your foot on the gas and find some value from the waiver wire to boost your club.
The four players detailed below can do just that, and they're owned in under 50% of ESPN leagues.
Kyle Gibson - Minnesota Twins (SP)
ESPN Percentage Owned: 44.7%
To start the season, Kyle Gibson of the Minnesota Twins was dreadful. Awful. And if we take a look at his season-long stats, it's very easy to overlook the Twins right-hander -- he's thrown 147 1/3 innings while posting a 5.07 ERA, 4.79 SIERA, 16.8% strikeout rate, and 36.0% hard-hit rate allowed.
But if you are looking for a starting pitcher to bolster your rotation, Gibson is your man. He's 5-0 over his last six starts (38 2/3 innings pitched) with a 2.33 ERA, 22.5% strikeout rate, and .270 wOBA.
Gibson's command is his biggest problem. He's walked 8.9% of hitters this year, but that percentage has been cut down to 5.3% during this six-start stretch.
Mitch Haniger - Seattle Mariners (OF)
ESPN Percentage Owned: 43.6%
After returning from getting a Jacob deGrom heater to the face during the summer, Mitch Haniger struggled to get himself back on track -- until the calendar flipped to September.
| Month | PA | AVG | SLG | wOBA | Hard% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August | 38 | .211 | .474 | .300 | 31.0% |
| September | 68 | .382 | .647 | .438 | 38.5% |
The Seattle Mariners are struggling to keep pace in the American League Wild Card race (they sit 4.5 games back heading into action on Monday), but clearly, Haniger isn't to blame. If you are looking for some outfield help, check out the young Mariners righty bat.
Tim Anderson - Chicago White Sox (SS)
ESPN Percentage Owned: 29.4%
Having a player that possesses the ability to hit power and steal bases is a major asset in fantasy baseball, but it's also hard to find. That's what makes guys like Mike Trout and Charlie Blackmon so valuable (and expensive), but Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is a bargain basement version of those studs that you can find at your local thrift shop.
Anderson has swiped 13 bags in 558 plate appearances this year while hitting 16 of these puppies.
If you play in an on-base percentage league, he can be tough to roster -- the shortstop has only walked 2.3% of the time and owns a .281 OBP. However, Anderson provides significantly more value in an average league, and that sneaky combination is worth taking a look at if you need help up the middle.
Juan Nicasio - St. Louis Cardinals (RP)
ESPN Percentage Owned: 28.2%
The St. Louis Cardinals have a new closer, and it's thanks to a division rival seemingly making a mistake.
How they acquired him is irrelevant, but what we know is that the Cardinals needed bullpen help, and they got their man in Juan Nicasio.
After losing Trevor Rosenthal to injury, St. Louis moved quickly to acquire the veteran right-hander, who has been fantastic this season. In 65 2/3 innings, Nicasio has recorded a 2.74 ERA and 24.6% strikeout rate, with opponents managing just a .217 batting average against him.