Relievers are the highlight of this week’s batch of fantasy baseball waiver wire options, as many teams are in flux with their ninth-inning situation. There are also a couple of interesting starters to grab, but things are less exciting on the hitting side. With few hitters available who are obvious long-term options, managers will be wise to use the upcoming major league schedule to stream their weakest hitting slots.
Erceg is a must-grab reliever right now. The right-hander has earned his way to the top of an unsettled Royals bullpen by posting a 14:0 K:BB ratio across 10.1 scoreless innings since being acquired in late July. He has earned three saves since August 10 and should continue to anchor the relief corps on a club with postseason aspirations.
Uceta is throwing as well as any reliever in baseball, as is evidenced by his 0.90 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and 36:4 K:BB ratio in 30 innings. And with Pete Fairbanks on the IL, the 26-year-old has a chance to collect saves, as he did on Tuesday when he shut down the Astros for 1.1 frames. The only variable that is preventing a full-fledged Uceta endorsement is the fact that the Rays are famous for sharing save chances. Still, Uceta can help many managers in multiple categories.
Hodge has been effective in 30.1 rookie-year innings with the Cubs, logging a 2.08 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and a 36:12 K:BB ratio. He picked up a save on Tuesday, a few hours after the team released closer Héctor Neris, and he has the skill set to hold the role in the coming weeks. Concerns that the team could form a ninth-inning committee, which would also consist of veteran Jorge López, keeps Hodge behind Erceg and Uceta in the waiver wire pecking order.
I can already tell you that the two-start options on the waiver wire next week won’t be pretty. Wise managers will stash Heaney right now, as he should be the best option in an otherwise weak group. The left-hander can post a double-digit strikeout total across a two-start week, and he has an excellent chance to log helpful ratios and earn a win when he takes on the White Sox (last in runs scored) and the A’s (25th in runs scored).
Francis has been one of baseball’s best starters of late, using an altered pitch mix to allow three runs over 19 innings while posting a 22:1 K:BB ratio in his past three starts. The right-hander struggled…