Big Kid Adds (Week 23)

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even larger entry fees ($2.5K to $15K). They are named Elite leagues (previously called High Stakes Leagues), and there are nine of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain every advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in four or more leagues.

Batters

Walker Jenkins (8): In 19 PA, I haven’t seen anything that would change my value of him. While his Contact% is down from 85% in AAA to 72%, his strikeout rate dropped from 15% to 5%. He only has a .188 AVG (.143 BABIP), but his .250 ISO will play.

A small, faded red flag is that teams are not throwing him any fastballs (26% vs league average of 48%). It seems there is a book out on how to attack him.

Turner Hill (5): The 27-outfielder had a stretch of six straight starts for the Giants, but has only started in one of the last three games. Right now, Hill, Drew Gilbert, and Jonah Cox share two outfield spots.

I can see his appeal. He makes a lot of contact (88% Contact%, .342 AVG) with some power (9 HR in AAA). Additionally, he stole 24 bases in the minors this year with one so far in the majors. Kind of a Nico Hoerner-lite profile.

Will Smith (4): With Smith coming off the IL, he was an easy add for teams wanting to improve their catching.

Blaze Alexander (4): Before BLAZE went on the IL, he was starting every game, playing all over the field (2B, 3B, SS, and possibly OF qualified), and batting .312/.368/.439 with 4 HR and 9 SB.

Since returning, he’s struggled (.368 OPS) and only started in four of six games, at three different positions.

Héctor Rodríguez (4): After starting slow (.306 OPS in 34 PA), he has taken off with a 1.137 OPS in his last 39 PA. As I write this, he has hit another home run for a total of five.

Just looking at his overall stats, he doesn’t seem to have a weakness. The only complaint might be that he hasn’t stolen a base yet.

Jonah Cox (4): After appearing locked as a bench warmer, Cox started in six of the last seven games, including starts against both lefties and righties. In 75 PA, the 25-year-old outfielder has been balanced with a .294 AVG, 4 HR, and 8 SB. His batting average is at risk because it is propped up by a .516 BABIP, and his swing-and-miss will bring it down (44% K%, 64% Contact%).

Hao-Yu Lee (4): Starting (13 straight starts), hitting (.742 OPS, 8 HR, 2 SB), and qualified at two positions (2B and 3B). Some team in every league could use that help.

Starters

Elmer Rodríguez (5): I know there weren’t many starting pitcher waiver wire options,* but Rodríguez should not have been considered. Coming into the week, he had a 4.70 ERA (5.43 xFIP), 1.52 WHIP (5.1 BB/9), and 6.3 K/9. Still, managers in half of these leagues added him for a two-start week and were rewarded with 5 ER, 5 K, and 3 BB (2 HBP) in 3 IP.

He has never shown any control at any level, but for some reason, giving up just two walks in his previous start made people think he has turned things around?

His struggles stem from the fact that he can’t get any non-fastball over the plate. If he falls behind in the count, he is forced to throw a fastball across the plate or walk the batter. Besides complete desperation, I have no idea why he was rostered.

* Note: I think the wire is extremely picked over as managers are looking at each upcoming matchup and focusing more on pitcher matchup than pitcher talent.

Mike Burrows (5): Burrows was making progress from an elbow injury and had 15 K with just 5 BB in 13 IP during his rehab. But just before coming off the IL, his shoulder started acting up, and his rehab was stopped. He’s not rosterable anymore with so little of the season left for him to get healthy.

Davis Martin (4), Andre Pallante (4), and Nick Pivetta (4): As I note above, these deep-league managers are scrapping for any available starting pitchers.

• Martin: Martin came off the IL and is facing the Astros this week. He wasn’t on bid lists for the Astros. Martin now lines up for two starts against the Pirates and Cardinals next week.
• Pallante: Again, he’s still on the IL and might come off to face the Dodgers or at Colorado this week. Those aren’t the matchups managers are adding him for; it’s for potential starts against the Giants (x2) and the Pirates.
• Pivetta: It’s not known when Pivetta will return, but he’s the best pitcher of the three and the Padres have some weak (and strong – LAD, at COL) matchups coming up.

Yusei Kikuchi (4) and Randy Dobnak (4): The desperation continues, as managers will add any pitcher with a pulse. While Dobnak’s results were great in his first nine appearances (1.58 ERA, despite a 1.40 WHIP), he turned back into a pumpkin over his last two starts (6.75 ERA, 1.33 WHIP).

Kikuchi starts against the Pirates this week, and his managers are hoping goes okay. He continues to get hit around (.331 BABIP and 1.5 HR/9) and has a 5.65 ERA and 1.49 WHIP.

Getting ahead with Martin, Pallante, and Pivetta keeps managers from starting Kikuchi, Dobnak, and Rodriguez.

Relievers

Bryan Hudson (8) and Elvis Alvarado (8): Both pitchers got their team’s last two Saves, so it’s reasonable that they’ll get some more this season.