Using the wire can provide value in many ways. Sometimes, it offers a temporary fix to an injury issue or it’s simply a case of jumping on a player delivering short-term value. But when you pick up a player and he sticks on your team for all or most of the season and contributes throughout, that is the true definition of waiver wire gold.
The 2018 MLB Wire Troll All-Star Team Read Post »
Need some saves in the final week? Try Buttrey, a virtual unknown until he started bagging saves in Disneyland a couple of weeks ago. Now he’s on a run of eight straight scoreless outings, and he’s looked almost unhittable since reaching the majors just over a month ago. Judging by what Buttrey did at Triple-A, his K rate of 11.15/9 seems sustainable, and we love the fact he’s basically maintained his minor league walk rate.
The Wire Troll: Franmil Reyes Rocking for Padres Read Post »
Seeking a Dynasty league option at the keystone corner? Take a look at what Solak — the Yankees’ second rounder in 2016 — has done in his first full season at Double-A. Last year he made an impressive jump to High-A, gaining valuable experience before a late promotion to get his feet wet at Double-A. Solak hasn’t hit for quite as high an average this season, but has racked up the total bases while showing a very intriguing power-speed combination. This is a kid worth watching.
The Wire Troll: Frankie Montas Returns to Majors Read Post »
Wong will probably need offseason surgery on his knee, but he’s off the DL now and is worth adding for the stretch drive. Remember that after an awful start he kept improving once May ended. In June, Wong started to show signs of life, flashed nice extra-base pop in July and then tore it up in August (915 OPS) before getting hurt. He’s actually been healthier this year compared to last season and has a career best in ISO. A superb contact hitter, Wong’s major issue has been staying on the field. Still, the Hawaiian native has shown he can hit for a better average (.285 last year) and his play since July proves that. Just bear in mind that he’s unlikely to play every day, so is mostly an NL-only league asset for now.
The Wire Troll: Kolten Wong Returns to Action Read Post »
In his two previous outings, Betances earned a win and a save and before Thursday, he had gone over two weeks since last being scored on. Going back further, he’s been on a roll since the end of May, posting a 0.00 ERA in June and 0.90 mark in July. Generally, Betances has been very reliable this season, and — as per usual — he’s been a workhorse. There are concerns about his ability to handle the ninth inning (33 career saves, 18 blown), but he’s on the cusp of a fifth straight 100-K season, making him a useful asset whether he’s earning saves or not.
The Wire Troll: Logan Forsythe Turning it on for Twins Read Post »
What is somewhat surprising, however, is that the three teams most favoured to win it all reside in the American League. Even though only one can reach the Fall Classic, the Red Sox (+325), Astros (+450) and Yankees (+700) have been the class of the majors from opening day, as evidenced by the fact that they boast MLB’s three best run differentials (+206, +221, and +154, respectively).
Boston is Best Bet to Win 2018 World Series Read Post »
After getting farmed out a couple of weeks ago, De Los Santos has been lights out at Triple-A, hurling three straight quality starts, each better than the previous one. He’s racking up the wins in the minors and deserves another look in September, when he could be a useful bullpen piece or even get another crack at the rotation.
The Wire Troll: Greg Allen Amassing Steals in Cleveland Read Post »
