It’s probably too late to add two of fantasy baseball’s most intriguing waiver-wire candidates.
Although it feels like years ago, Taijuan Walker caused giddy drafters to pat themselves on the back after posting a 1.44 ERA, 25 strikeouts and three walks in April. As everyone rejoiced the Seattle Mariners starter’s breakout, his season unraveled.
Walker decayed into free-agent fodder—until last Tuesday, when he struck out 11 batters during a three-hit, complete-game shutout. The dominant display against the Los Angeles Angels, who 10 days earlier tagged him for six runs before he could escape the first inning, put the 24-year-old righty back on the map.
Meanwhile, 35-year-old outfielder Curtis Granderson also faded into obscurity by hitting .221 on the heels of last year’s resurgent campaign. For all of his struggles, the veteran outfielder has compiled 28 homers after going deep twice in extra innings on Saturday.
Despite batting a moribund .193 after the All-Star break, he also has 13 homers. For those critical of his 51 RBI—part anomaly and part a byproduct of leading off most of the season—the New York Mets are now batting him cleanup behind Yoenis Cespedes.
Walker and Granderson both would have made the cut if their Yahoo Sports ownership rates hadn’t climbed above 50 percent. Look their way if still on the waiver wire, but everyone else can focus on these players instead.