The fantasy baseball season continues to be difficult to navigate through. After the Cincinnati Reds were forced to miss a few games when a positive COVID-19 test occurred, it appears the New York Mets could as well. The Mets’ Aug. 20-21 games have been postponed, and we’ll see if there are more as a result of a couple of positive tests.
Injuries are taking a toll as well, especially to the New York Yankees, who lost MLB saves leader Zack Britton. As crazy as it sounds, even though the season is still young, it feels like it usually does in late August as fantasy owners have to grind their way to the finish line.
Waiver-Wire Targets:
Toronto Blue Jays Outfielder Randal Grichuk — Admittedly, this hot streak by the outfielder can be attributed to him playing well against the Orioles, but I’ll recommend him anyway. Grichuk is right at the 50 percent owned threshold, but he has hit six home runs since Aug. 14, with four of those coming against the Orioles. In a doubleheader Aug. 20, Grichuk went hitless in eight at bats. If you’re in need of a power boost, the outfielder is worth taking a flyer on even though his recent surge could just because of one team.
Miami Marlins Starting Pitcher Pablo Lopez — If you’re dealing with a Stephen Strasburg injury or trying to stream a starting pitcher, Lopez would be a good target. The right-hander has struck out at least five in three of his four starts and has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his starts. The 24-year-old has shown he can provide a strong start for fantasy owners and won’t kill you. Lopez does have one start with eight strikeouts, so he can give a boost in that department as well.
San Francisco Giants Starting Pitcher Kevin Gausman — Orioles fans know the inconsistencies of this former first-round draft pick. The talent has been there, but the results haven’t followed enough for the 29-year-old. The ERA still isn’t good for Gausman, as it currently stands at 4.65. The reason we are recommending the right-hander is because the strikeouts have been there. Gausman currently ranks sixth in all of baseball with 42 strikeouts. A player who ranks in the top 10 in any category should probably be on a fantasy roster. I’ll put it like this for fantasy owners: If you have other pitchers who can help with the WHIP and ERA categories and you need a boost in the strikeout category, Gausman is your guy.