Week 20 has arrived, and for many, it’s playoff time—the most critical stretch of the season. Whether you’ve secured a first-round bye or are gearing up for a tough matchup, congrats! Best of luck to those still fighting through the final weeks of their regular season. Additionally, if you’ve been eliminated from contention, there’s still plenty to play for, as it’s always fun to play spoiler and force your opponent to earn their playoff spot.
This week brought some significant injury news, particularly on the pitching front. Minnesota Twins' pitcher Joe Ryan was placed on the 15-day IL with a Grade 2 teres major strain, sidelining him for weeks if not the rest of the year. The 28-year-old had been outstanding, posting a .212 xBA and a 2.88 xERA this season, making his loss a major blow. Baltimore Orioles' standout Grayson Rodriguez also hit the 15-day IL with right lat/teres discomfort, another tough loss for fantasy teams. Additionally, Miami Marlins pitcher Jesus Luzardo, dealing with a lumbar stress reaction, isn't likely to resume throwing for at least six more weeks, making his return this season unlikely.
On the offensive side, Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger is day-to-day with left hamstring soreness after an awkward landing at first base during Tuesday’s game against the Twins. Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno was placed on the 10-day IL with a left adductor strain, likely sidelining him for several weeks. Finally, Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O’Neil was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to Sunday due to a leg infection.
As always, we’re here to help with your fantasy lineup, offering some intriguing waiver options to consider while they’re hot. To qualify for this list, a hitter must be around 50% owned or less in Yahoo! leagues. Players will only reappear if they continue their strong performances from previous weeks. Let’s dive in.
Michael Busch, 1B/3B - Chicago Cubs (49% Owned)
Cubs 1B/3B rookie Michael Busch has baffled me all year. He is batting a nice .261 and has been far better than his MLB debut last season – a stint in which he hit .167 – yet Stat-cast still has him projected with an xBA of .224, nearly a 40-point drop from his batting average. Additionally, his BABIP looks elevated (.356) but not too far off his career minor league levels. While he’s someone to steer clear of if his 31.1 K% will hurt you, he’s also walking at an 11.5% clip – good enough for the 88th percentile in the league. Dare I say, we may be looking at a mini breakout.
Busch still has some holes in his game, but he’s a good bet to at least be a contributor in the power department over the season’s final stretch. Aside from his small bump in BB% from 2023, he’s hitting a more significant number of line drives this year (25%) as opposed to 2023 (8.7%). The former first-round pick has hit his way to a top-five launch-angle sweet-spot percentage (SwSp%) in the league, destroying the ball at a launch angle between eight and 32 degrees over 408 plate appearances (40.5%).
Brandon Lowe, 2B - Tampa Bay Rays (45% Owned)
Rays second-baseman Brandon Lowe has been absolutely locked in at the dish since the start of July. He hit .325 with six home runs on the month and is already up to two more long balls while batting .296 thus far in August. Lowe has been driving the ball well, evidenced by his seven two-baggers since the All-Star break – one more than he had all of the first half. He’s at a .265/.348/.527 slash on the year and his batted ball metrics support his strong production.
The 30-year-old keystone occupant has been hammering the ball more often than not when he gets a hold of it, which happens quite frequently (44.1 Chase Contact percentage). He’s barreling the ball 16% of the time – good enough for the 95th percentile. His .537 xSLG is also in the 95th percentile, and his 42.3 SwSp% puts him in the top 1% of the league. A .373 xWOBA is also impressive.
Masyn Winn, SS - St. Louis Cardinals (38% Owned)
St. Louis SS Masyn Winn has been solid as a table-setter for the Cardinals in his first season of big-league action. He’s one long ball away from double-digit homers and steals and has cut his strikeout rate down to a super respectable 17.3%. Winn has a hit in five straight games, a double in three straight, and multiple hits in five of his last 15. Over that stretch, he’s racked up three home runs, nine runs scored, eight RBI, and one steal.
His xBA of .265 shows his success at the plate is no fluke, and a strong .324 BABIP is uber-close to the .318 he hit in his last extended look at Triple-A pitching. He’s a top 70 scorer in points leagues and should probably be rostered in more than just 38% of Yahoo! leagues.
Michael Conforto, OF - San Francisco Giants (20% Owned)
As a whole, Giants OF Michael Conforto’s contributions have been unremarkable. His .239 average isn’t incredibly inspiring, though he has been hitting the ball well and playing almost every day when healthy. Conforto is registering a hard-hit ball 45.3% of the time during his at-bats, and his 90 MPH average exit velocity has been his highest since 2016.
The veteran outfielder is currently amid a six-game hitting streak with four multi-hit efforts during that time. Conforto has clubbed two homers and four doubles during the streak while knocking in nine RBI and scoring six runs of his own. It’s unclear how long this will last, but he's worth a look while he remains hot at the dish.
Ernie Clement, 2B/3B/SS - Toronto Blue Jays (11% Owned)
Toronto 2B/3B/SS Ernie Clement can be the answer if you need a batting average boost. The Blue Jays third-baseman presents excellent positional versatility and has appeared in every single contest for Toronto since the All-Star break. Additionally, he typically occupies the middle of the order, though in recent days has found his way up to both the two-hole and leadoff spot.
If you’re looking for power, search elsewhere, but Clement can hold his own with his hit tool. Stat-cast gives him an xBA of .276, hinting that he may even be slightly underperforming. At the moment, the 28-year-old garners some of the best plate discipline in the game, making him a favorable target in points leagues. Clement is striking out a minuscule 6.5% of the time and has decidedly pulled the ball at a much higher clip on the year. Even more intriguingly, he’s swiped four bags in 72 at-bats since the break. That matches his total from the first half (192 at-bats).
Deep League Options
Parker Meadows, OF - Detroit Tigers (6% Owned)
Since returning from the injured list this past Saturday, there’s arguably no hotter hitter in baseball than Detroit OF Parker Meadows. The Tigers outfielder has appeared in four contests since coming back, piling up two hits in each, going 8-for-18 (.444 with a double, triple, homer, and steal). Additionally, he has yet to walk and has struck out four times, though he does have a 10.6 BB%. Before his call-up, Meadows hit .292 with a 12.7 BB% and 19.0 K% over 51 games with eight home runs, 31 runs scored, and 19 pilfers.
Alex Call, OF - Washington Nationals (4% Owned)
Through 59 plate appearances, Nationals OF Alex Call is batting an outlandish .396 with a .508 OBP and 1.071 OPS. He’s walking a robust 15.3% of the time and striking out at a more-than-respectable 16.9%. Five of his ten appearances have resulted in multi-hit games, and over the last two days has hit second in the Nationals’ lineup. Call has three straight two-hit games and chipped in three steals during his torrid stretch. There’s sure to be some regression, but I’m willing to bet on a player with all that red on the bottom of their Stat-cast batting profile.
Pitching/Streaming Options
Jonathan Cannon, Chicago White Sox (6/11% Yahoo/CBS)
Trusting a White Sox player this year hasn’t been the easiest thing to do. Heck, they just almost tied the longest losing streak in MLB history after losing 21 games in a row. Jonathan Cannon has had his moments though. Aside from having a spectacular name for a starting pitcher, Cannon has shown flashes of his ability to shut down lineups. After a rough six-start stretch from June 23rd to July 25th, (in which he allowed four or more earned runs three times and did not acquire a single win), the rookie right-hander has done much better lately.
Over his last two starts against the Kansas City Royals and a hot Oakland A’s team, Cannon has pitched 13 innings while allowing just seven hits and two earned. It’d be nice to see him strike out a few more batters (7:5 K:BB), but he’s been more than serviceable and picked up a win his last time out. Also, aside from a miserable April in which he pitched to the tune of a 7.24 ERA of 13.2 innings, he hasn’t had an ERA higher than 3.48 in any other month. One other note, in four starts since the break, he’s got a 2.88 ERA over 25 innings and is lined up to take on the New York Yankees and Houston Astros this upcoming week. If you'd like, you can fade him against the former, but I would at least pick him up early in the week for his second start against the latter.
As we head into Week 20 of the fantasy baseball season, it’s crucial to remain vigilant and strategic, whether you’re gearing up for the playoffs or playing the role of spoiler. The impact of recent injuries to key pitchers like Joe Ryan and Grayson Rodriguez cannot be overstated, and fantasy managers must navigate these changes with careful consideration. While some players face extended absences, others might offer opportunities for savvy pickups to bolster your roster in these pivotal weeks.
Among the players to consider are Michael Busch, who has shown promise despite a challenging start, and Brandon Lowe, who’s been on a hot streak since July. Masyn Winn and Michael Conforto are also making their case with strong performances, while Ernie Clement offers stability and versatility. For those in deep leagues, Parker Meadows and Alex Call are intriguing options worth monitoring. Additionally, Jonathan Cannon presents a potential streaming option for those in need of pitching help. Stay proactive and make strategic moves to maximize your chances of success as the season reaches its climax. Good luck!
