Week 2 Fantasy Baseball: Waiver Wire Pickups
We are more than one week through the fantasy baseball season. Adding the right players off the waiver wire can be the difference between a championship and an abrupt end to your season. Sometimes, players who come out hot can help lead you to the fantasy postseason. In Week 2, there are a few players who have that capability. Let’s take a look at some highly valued players who may still be available on the waiver wire in your fantasy baseball leagues.
Highly Owned Assets
SP Steven Matz, St. Louis Cardinals (60% owned)
It’s been an up and down road, since day one for Steven Matz in the major leagues and 2022 is no different. After getting shelled in his first start of the season, Matz bounced back in his second start throwing 5.2 shutout innings with six strikeouts and no walks raising his K/BB ratio to 11 (11/1) for the season. Matz comes with the risk of those types of outings like his first one, but his control has been on point this season and his upside is still very much there. He’s now owned in 60% of leagues so don’t expect him to be sitting around much longer if he has another solid outing.
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SP Josiah Gray, Washington Nationals (46% owned)
After a poor outing against the Mets, Josiah Gray allowed just one hit over five scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves. Gray fanned five bringing his strikeout total to 10 over his first nine innings of the season. Gray averages 9.7 Ks per nine innings over his career so he’s a solid guy to get if you need more strikeouts. His control issues are his main downfall, but with this being his first season solidly in a pitching rotation, he’ll have the opportunity to fine-tune his control and pitch every five days for the first time in his career. At age 24, Gray has a lot of upside to offer and is now owned in just under half of fantasy leagues. A solid outing against the reigning World Series champs should have him riding high with momentum heading into his next start.
1B Eric Hosmer San Diego Padres (42% owned)
While he won’t bring you much power from the first base position, Eric Hosmer can still hit for average and get on base. He’s already racked up 14 hits with four multi-hit games including a four-hit game against the Braves. His hot start has given him a .378 average and .410 OBP while chipping in three runs and three RBIs. He should be able to drive in several runs batting behind Manny Machado and eventually Fernando Tatis Jr. This would be a good time to stash him until Tatis returns to the lineup. Hosmer can be used as a utility option in the meantime.
Lesser Owned Assets
3B/OF Patrick Wisdom, Chicago Cubs (32% owned)
Wisdom started the season with just one hit over his first six games. Over his last four games, he’s converted seven hits over 12 at-bats with a home run, four runs, five RBIs, and two walks. He’s shown a great ability to drive in runs with eight so far in this young season. Wisdom doesn’t hit for a terrific average, but he won’t sink you there and has a ton of power. Over 106 games played in 2021, Wisdom hit 28 home runs and drove in 61 runs on a team with an anemic offense. Wisdom has proven that he’s a solid run producer and can still be picked up in most leagues.
3B Joey Wendle, Miami Marlins (30% owned)
Wendle has been steady all season with a hit in seven of his eight games played, good for a .333 average (8/24) and a .406 OBP. He’s done a little bit of everything over the start of the season, scoring four times, driving in four runs, and swiping a bag as well. Wendle may not be your answer at third base or infield positions, but he’s a steady player who will help your cause in batting average (career .275 hitter) and will drive in a decent number of runs for a contact hitter.
2B/OF Nick Solak, Texas Rangers (16% owned)
Nick Solak already has three multi-hit games in his first six games of the season. Unfortunately, he went hitless in his other three games, but you have to like the upside and the ability to play him at multiple positions. Solak has scored four times, hit a home run, and gotten on base at a .409 clip. He probably won’t bring too much power to the table, but he has solid plate discipline and could potentially score a lot of runs in a lineup that is known for getting a lot of runners across the plate.
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