The fantasy baseball season is winding down and that means the playoff push is reaching a fever pitch in everyone’s league. There is quality talent available on any waiver wire to help teams push their way to the right side of the playoff bubble or improve their seed in the season’s closing days.
Hunting through a waiver wire can be time consuming, so I took the liberty of doing it for you. Here are some players who are probably available but are likely to rack up sizable point totals down the stretch. Pick them up now and thank me later.
Bruce Chen SP – Royals
Chen, the Royals’ left-hander, has been a starter for most of his career but was a part of the Kansas City bullpen until mid-July. He pitched well in relief, compiling a 2.41 ERA in 33 2/3 innings, but since replacing the struggling Luis Mendoza in the rotation, Chen has put together one of the best stretches of his career.
The lefty has posted a lights-out 1.14 ERA and 0.63 WHIP in five starts since July 12. In his most recent outing, he shut out the vaunted Red Sox offense over 7 2/3 innings, striking out six in the process. He has been virtually unhittable over the last month.
The Royals are currently making their own playoff push; they sit just 3.5 games out of the last wild card spot in the AL, so they will likely lean on Chen to make some extra starts down the stretch. This further increases Chen’s value for fantasy players. He is owned in less than 50 percent of ESPN leagues, but that figure has increased by more than 35 percent in the last week alone, so now is the time to move on this emerging ace.
James Loney 1B – Rays
Loney has looked like a renewed player in his first full season after leaving the Dodgers. He was the target of a lot of criticism from the LA media after failing to come close to matching the .331/.381/.538 line he compiled in 2007. Playing with the small-market Rays seems have given him a fresh start.
The first baseman has posted a .312/.360/.450 line this season and is on pace to have his highest home run total since that ’07 season as well. His batting average ranks sixth in the AL, but he has surprisingly been dropped in 11 percent of leagues in the last week.
Loney is not injured, so there should be no reason to drop him. Pick him up off waivers while you can and take advantage of your league’s carelessness.
Travis Wood SP – Cubs
I wrote about the Cubs’ lefty earlier this season, but he is still toiling under the radar over a month later, despite an All-Star appearance. Wood currently sports a 3.00 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in 24 starts this season. He hasn’t missed a start yet and has been remarkably consistent; 20 of his outings have been quality starts.
Believe me, I am a Cubs fan and I have watched the vast majority of Wood’s starts and he brings it just about every game. His intensity and focus are fun to watch, not only on the mound, but also at the plate where he’s slugging .468 this season. I know that’s not very scientific evidence, but he certainly passes the eye test and I believe he’s one of the most undervalued players in fantasy baseball.
Wood is only owned in 66 percent of leagues despite his stats and his All-Star selection and that number has dropped six percent in the last week. ESPN rates him as the No. 28 starting pitcher in baseball, so he can help a team in almost any league. Pick him up if he’s available
Dylan Sinn is a freelance contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSinn or subscribe at Facebook.com/CraveOnlineSports.
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