Kuzul

Once the calendars flip to a new year, the following statement becomes true: It’s never too early to start preparing for your fantasy baseball draft.

Consider this your go-to guide for the weeks ahead. We’ll delve into the top players at every position and hit on a handful of prospects you’ll want to know about—both to include in your Opening Day lineup and those you’ll want to stash for use later in the season. For good measure, we’ll toss in a handful of draft tips as well.

These rankings are based on a standard, five-by-five mixed rotisserie league. While they’re applicable in other types of leagues, you’ll have to adjust the rankings based on the scoring system you’ll be playing under.

Let’s get started.

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Fantasy baseball’s finish line is well in sight.

One week remains on MLB‘s schedule. Although keep in mind that any tiebreaker game—a real possibility in both leagues’ wild-card races—classifies as a regular-season contest. As a result, any stats accrued count in fantasy leagues.

Without any long-term ramifications, managers should feel no loyalty to anyone. Don’t like a decent pitcher’s matchup? Dump him for someone scheduled to tussle against a lesser adversary. 

Unsure about someone such as Alex Bregman, who has missed a few days but isn’t ruled out for the season yet? Don’t hold out hope for two games. Go get someone who will play six or seven.

Heading into the final week, the last batch of waiver-wire recommendations will focus heavily on matchup plays. That makes pitchers a larger focus.

It’s also important for gamers to know their circumstances. Which categories still contain potential for mobility? Is there an innings limit, and if so, how many frames remain before reaching it? 

For the final time this season, here’s a look at the top adds available in over half of Yahoo Sports leagues. 

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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.

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It’s time to give fantasy baseball managers their annual reminder: Baseball doesn’t end once football begins.

The college season commenced on Saturday, and the NFL will follow this week. Meanwhile, MLB is five months and roughly 130-135 games into its campaign. It takes resilience to avoid complacency in favor of football, which offers a fresh slate of unlimited possibilities.

For rotisserie baseball players, every stolen base and strikeout could present the difference between first and second place. Some head-to-head participants, meanwhile, have a week remaining before the playoffs start.

Football drafts can wait a moment, as it’s now time to scour the baseball waiver wire for impact free agents, all available in over half of Yahoo Sports leagues.  

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Life would be much easier if fantasy baseball leagues followed MLB rules.

When the calendar flips to September, the league’s roster limit magically increases from 25 to 40. The added flexibility makes life much easier for managers, especially when delegating a bullpen and National League bench.

Unfortunately, this fake game of ours doesn’t offer the same luxury. The roster spots stay stagnant during the season’s final month, which often forces fantasy managers into tough decisions. As nice as it would be to stash that top prospect or slumping regular, nobody can waste space with only five weeks remaining.

Meanwhile, useful players are shouting for attention on the waiver wire. All available in over 50 percent of Yahoo Sports leagues, these guys are rolling at the right time. Capitalize on their recent successes while they last.

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Not every fantasy baseball pickup needs to be flashy. When hunkering down for a title run, owners just need players who get the job done.

Most of this week’s waiver-wire recommendations meet that mold. They’re not all buzzy adds, but they’re delivering to little fanfare. If they keep it up, these unheralded gems can ignite a championship push.

Even the promoted newcomers consist of a 32-year-old baseball veteran and a refined 22-year-old prospect poised to spend his career under the shadow of his position’s superstar peers. 

And fair warning to Arizona Diamondbacks fans: This list will conjure memories of that horrendous Shelby Miller trade. Sorry in advance.

Here’s the latest batch of players to snatch off the waiver wire, where they remain in at least half of Yahoo Sports leagues. 

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Tepidness isn’t a trait fantasy baseball managers can exude during the final weeks of a championship run.

There’s no time to keep waiting for disappointments to turn the corner. The trade deadline has passed in most leagues, so gamers now have limited methods to fortify their rosters.

Anyone searching for a spark will have to rummage the waiver wire for unheralded gems. 

This week’s top-10 list features a wide assortment of options, including far more catchers than usual. Since the finish line is in the periphery, a couple of starting pitchers will return to the column because of favorable matchups this week.

As always, every player is available in at least half of Yahoo Sports leagues. Some will pass the halfway line soon, so don’t procrastinate.

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The best-laid plans of fantasy baseball players will often go awry. 

Because of MLB‘s long season and amount available data, baseball requires more skill and less luck than fantasy football, its more popular cousin. Yet even expert gamers must realize that most outcomes are out of their control.

Draft day plays a huge role in determining the champion, but this is a game of attrition. Which team avoided injuries more than the others? Who hit the waiver wire first whenever a hot pickup surfaced? Most importantly, who stays active and keeps grinding until October?

These final weeks separate the diehard warriors from the casual managers who already grew frustrated or bored. The weather’s nice. The gridiron is beckoning, and six months is a long time to spend fixating on a game.

Increasing the difficulty level on climbing the standings, most trade deadlines have passed or will within the week. While the waiver wire offers assistance, few marquee upgrades remain available in competitive leagues.

But hey, continuing to show up in late August and September is half the battle. Just reading a fantasy baseball column shows readiness to fight for a title. So let’s prepare.

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So this is why everyone preaches patience when drafting closers.

“Don’t draft a relief pitcher early” has become fantasy baseball’s slightly less stern version of “Never take a kicker until the final round.” They’re at the mercy of a manager’s ideologies and his team producing save opportunities. 

Also, closers change all the time.

There’s a high turnover rate near MLB‘s trade deadline, which especially caused chaos this summer. Last week‘s waiver-wire column discussed Dellin Betances, Tony Watson, Kelvin Herrera, Jake Barrett and Edwin Diaz, but there are three more movements to document.

The Houston Astros reversed course by bequeathing the ninth innings to Ken Giles, whom everyone expected to serve as their closer all along. With the announcement made Tuesday, fantasy gamers have had ample time to skyrocket his Yahoo Sports ownership rate above the 50 percent barrier. 

It’s too late to tout Giles, but two more new closers remain available in over half of Yahoo leagues. Before the revolving door settles down, some gamers have one last chance to snatch a major upgrade for free.

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Fantasy baseball’s biggest Major League Baseball trade deadline winner isn’t eligible for waiver-wire recognition.

Days after dealing Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs, the New York Yankees continued to gut their dominant bullpen in favor of elite prospects. Baseball fans woke up Sunday morning to news of them sending Andrew Miller—who was next in line for saves behind Chapman—to the Cleveland Indians for a package led by minor league outfielder Clint Frazier and pitcher Justus Sheffield.

Anyone constructing rest-of-season reliever rankings should now catapult Dellin Betances to No. 1.

The lone remaining stud in New York’s three-headed monster will take his 2.50 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 1.27 fielding independent pitching (FIP) and 45.0 strikeout percentage into the closer’s role. He was far too valuable as a seventh-inning dynamo to rot away on the waiver wire, but anyone should have grabbed him immediately after the Miller trade (or probably the Chapman transaction) where available.

He’s already owned in 82 percent of Yahoo Sports leagues, and that number should keep rising until he’s on a team in every league with at least one active owner. Nevertheless, this week’s top free agents are still littered with relievers available in at least half of Yahoo leagues. 

Monday’s non-waiver deadline and a couple of non-related promotions and injuries have created an array of talent to cover as the calendar turns to August.

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