After week 17, the New York Yankees sit atop the American League East by 0.5 games over the Boston Red Sox while the Cleveland Indians have a 2.0 game lead over the Royals in the American League Central, with both teams having gone 9–1 in their last 10 games. The Astros, Nationals, and Dodgers seem to have already run away with their respective divisions, while the Cubs are clinging on to a 2.5 game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central. The Dodgers continue to be the most talked about team, having just swept the Giants in the middle of an eight-game winning stream. On top of that, they appear to be one of the big winners of the trade deadline.
It’s important to take note of the trade deadline as there will be a lot of MLB fantasy implications. The Texas Rangers shipped away Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers. They also acquired a pair of relievers in Tony Watson and Tony Cingrani. The New York Yankees also acquired an ace as they got their hands on Sonny Gray. Other moves saw the Washington Nationals get Brandon Kintzler, the Houston Astros get Francisco Liriano and the Boston Red Sox get Addison Reed. The Cubs also acquired Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila in a trade with the Detroit Tigers.
With a recap of the standings to-date, here’s a look at the best MLB week 18 waiver wire pickups.
Aaron Altherr, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
With the Phillies set to face a slate of favourable pitching matchups that includes six righties, Aaron Altherr should definitely be someone you should look to pick up. So far this season, Altherr has a slash line of .294/.368/.564 with 16 HRs and a robust .360 BABIP. Additionally, Altherr has feasted against righties all year long – .318/.390/.585 with an insane .431 BABIP. If this week’s six opposing righties isn’t enough, Altherr will also be playing in Coors Field.
Nick Williams, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
Another young Philly outfielder makes the list this week – rookie Nick Williams. Since being called up from AAA, Williams has produced a slash line of .289/.333/.533 with a .349 BABIP. Similar to Altherr, Williams has also hit righties better – .301/.354/.493 with a .385 BABIP. While Williams’ strikeout rate may indicate that his performance to-date seems unsustainable, he’d be someone to take a risk on.
Kyle Schwarber, OF, Chicago Cubs
Prior to his season so far this year, Schwarber was projected and on-pace to becoming a star. However, his production this season has been anything but that – .188/.303/.426 slash line in 81 games. Compared to what he produced during his rookie season – a slash line of .278/.396/.557 with 14 HRs in only 176 ABs – his statistics are truly night-and-day. However, if something was way-off mechanically, there might be more room for concern. I believe that Schwarber will be able to salvage this season, which makes now a good time to add him.
Bud Norris, RP, Los Angeles Angels
When Bud Norris landed on the disabled list during the same time that Cam Bedrosian was taken off, there were concerns that Bedrosian would reclaim the closer role. However, now that Norris is back from the DL, he’s converted his first save opportunity. So far this year, Norris has been solid, posting 16 saves with a 3.05 ERA, 3.49 FIP, and 1.19 WHIP while allowing opponents to slash .196/.300/.304. After allowing a walk-off grand slam to the Blue Jays, the public may be iffy on picking him up – a good time to do so if you’re high on him.
Trevor Cahill, SP, Kansas City Royals
Before going on the DL in May, Cahill was having quite a decent year. Now, after being traded to the Royals, he was shelled in his first start with his new ballclub, giving up eight hits and five runs in only eight innings pitched. Since coming off the DL, Cahill hasn’t really been the same but we’re hoping this trend reverses itself. With an elite groundball rate combined with an improved strikeout rate, Cahill should be able to finished the year off strong, with the Royals gunning for a playoff spot this season.
The MLB season is in full swing, so if you’re looking at betting lines, in-game betting and World Series futures, click here to bet on MLB (or any other sports) at BetDSI!
