The 2017 MLB season is less than two weeks old and already there is a sense of urgency for those that want to turn things around following a slow start. While you don’t want to give up on a star player just because they have struggled out of the gate, you might want to entertain shaking things up in terms of the fringe players on your roster. Those that weren’t afraid to take a chance on waiver wire this week were rewarded if they made the right free agent pickup. After strong performances this week, these players might even be worth investing in with a long-term outlook. Here is a look at the best MLB fantasy waiver wire pickups of the week.
SP: Ervin Santana, Minnesota Twins
Santana has shown flashes of his dominant ability over the past few seasons. It might not last over the court of the entire year but he is performing at an extremely high level right now. Santana is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA and a 0.62 WHIP through his first two starts of the season. The veteran 34-year-old is a bit of a liability in terms of K/9 since he has only seven strikeouts through 13 innings so far. However, he has been excellent in all of the other pitching categories early on so he might be worth taking a chance on in the short term.
3B: Eugenio Suarez, Cincinnati Reds
The 25-year-old third baseman has done a little bit of everything for the Reds early on this season. Suarez has hit .429 with two home runs and eight RBI’s. He only has one stolen base but it’s still early and he has the potential to swipe 15 to 20 bags this season. Suarez has been a top-25 batter out of the gate this season. He might be worth taking a chance on as a waiver wire pickup moving forward.
The Reds have been one of the surprise teams in the early part of the season. Entering Thursday, they were 7-2 and atop the National League Central division.
1B: Mark Reynolds, Colorado Rockies
Reynolds might not lead Colorado in home runs this season. However, he has a team-leading three home runs and 10 RBI through his first 32 plate appearances this season. Reynolds has also hit .313 with a 1.170 OPS and is now among the top-25 hitters in MLB fantasy leagues. Reynolds might not hit at this level all season, especially considering Ian Desmond and David Dahl will eventually return from injury. However, since he is off to an excellent start and will play half of his games in the thin air at Coors Field, it’s worth taking a chance on Reynolds in the short term.
The Rockies entered Thursday in second place in the National League West and their offense hadn’t even gotten going yet. They have only scored 34 runs, which is among the fewest in the National League.
SP/RP: Chris Devenski, Houston Astros
Devenski is the top-ranked relief pitcher in MLB fantasy leagues right now. He has thrived with the Astros early on, throwing 14 K’s over just eight innings of work. His 1.13 ERA, 0.50 WHIP and 15.75 K/9 are absolutely ridiculous and he has even picked up a win early on. The fact that Devenski is eligible for a roster spot as a starting pitcher makes him that much more value since you can swap him in without taking out a closer. Devenski isn’t a closer so he won’t get you saves. However, he is an excellent option off the waiver wire if you want to boost your other pitching stats across the board.
1B: Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals
Zimmerman is the least owned player to appear on this list so far but that will change if he continues to perform at a high level. Zimmerman has hit .382 with three home runs and six RBI. He has also posted a 1.152 OPS. Zimmerman has always had the potential to be a solid hitter and if he is able to stay healthy he could be a steal off the waiver wire in MLB fantasy leagues.
The Nats have struggled so far this season, winning just five of their first nine games this season.
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