Week 5 Waiver Wire Targets
Quick hits looking at potential players to target on the week four waiver wire.
I’m back for another week of waiver targets. It’s still me, Jon.
I’m going to get right into it, but check out last week’s article if you didn’t read it yet, it sets the groundwork for the format of this post.
Pitchers
First, I will reiterate something from Friday’s Daily Notes, I believe it’s time to pick up Paul Skenes if possible. He threw 65 pitches on Thursday (the 18th), and I imagine we’re just one or two more AAA starts away from him getting the call. I highly doubt he comes up and starting ripping through quality starts, since the Pirates have already shown their hand in limiting Jared Jones to five innings rather than a certain pitch count. But he’s likely already a top-20 SP in the league so he must be started in every league when he arrives.
And Christian Scott (NYM) isn’t a bad consolation prize as a pitcher that should be in the Majors before June or July, I think.
Duh
Again, these are your guys that probably aren’t available if you’re in a competitive league, but for anybody out there playing in a real soft league, it will let you know who I view as must-own.
Nick Lodolo (49% Owned): I’m writing this before his Friday night start, but I don’t care how it goes. Unless he gets hurt again tonight, he must be picked up everywhere.
Cristopher Sanchez (40% Owned): It was the Road Rockies this week, but he was awesome and he’s off to a great start (27% K%, 9% BB%, 49.2% Strike%).
MacKenzie Gore (38% Owned): He was on “Probably” last week, but with his dominating performance of the Athletics he gets the boost up here. The fastball velo is up, the Stuff+ is up, and he has a sparkling 27.7% K-BB% through three starts.
Edward Cabrera (34% Owned): I am probably too hot on him right now, buying too much into that first start. But SP is really thin now and we’re all looking for some upside. And upside is what E-Cab gives you. The 32% Ball% in his first start was really encouraging, even if it is just a single data point. You can bail on him quickly if he goes out and walks four guys this weekend, but I think the landscape of the fantasy game this year requires us to give Cabrera a shot in most leagues.