As we moved into the dog days of summer, most MLB teams are about to cross the threshold of 100 games remaining. The 2022 Fantasy Baseball Week 11 Waiver Wire has all of the components we have come accustomed to seeing. We have the hot new top prospect in Gabriel Moreno, some possible saves, and the usual streaming pitchers.
With the amount of pitching we have seen infused into the majors this year, some good and some bad, my feeling of the landscape is that we have seen the best that the player pool offers. Your pitching staff is what it is at this point, and I hope you are comfortable with it. If you are streaming one or more spots by design or necessity ( I have several teams in that situation), there will still be matchup or two start streamers that we will focus on weekly. But, I am not expecting too many saviors to come along and save our staff. There are no pitchers I recommend this week to bid on for the long haul.
Gabriel Moreno, C, Toronto Blue Jays (unowned)
The Blue Jays did us a favor by starting Gabriel Moreno for yesterday's afternoon tilt with the Tigers. This made the 22-year-old eligible for tonight's FAAB Run in the NFBC. Moreno figures to give a jolt to the Blue Jays lineup, which surprisingly could use a kick in the pants.
The Blue Jays' top prospect offers the rare combination of power and hit tool from the catcher position. His career .310 average and .825 OPS in the minor leagues offer a glimpse into what the future can hold. While I expect him to be a perennial All-Star and push fellow rookie Adley Rutshman for the long-term dynasty Catcher #1 overall, I would temper expectations for this year.
Teammate Alejandro Kirk is enjoying a breakout year. While he is best suited for Designated Hitter, Catcher is his natural position and he will continue to get 3-4 starts there per week. This week we should see him plenty as the Blue Jays play seven straight at home. Upon the return from the IL of veteran Danny Jansen, the situation will become even murkier.
While Moreno has the skillset to render this all moot, he is going to have to show it to make the lineup more than three times per week. We have seen several other high-end prospects get the call this year and struggle. The possibility for this stint to be brief exists, stopping me from bidding more than 10% of my remaining FAAB at this time.
Jake Burger, 3B, Chicago White Sox (3%)
In the last week, Jake Burger has three home runs and five RBI to pair with eight runs scored. He avoided the Injured List with lower leg discomfort earlier in the week and clubbed that third home run on Saturday.
Burger has been playing every day for three weeks now, and the .275 batting average compliments the eight bombs quite well.
Jack Suwinski, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (28%)
23-year-old Jack Suwinski has been a pleasant surprise for the Pirates. In June he is hitting .385 with three home runs, after hitting five in May with a forgettable average. We have seen him bat as high as third for Pittsburgh, who play seven games this week, but most importantly he has been in the lineup against both lefties and righties
Bryson Stott, 2B/SS, Philadelphia Phillies (63%)
The Phillies infield situation has been dire. The defense has been terrible, and the best offensive performer Jean Segura just went on the IL for up to three months with a finger injury. This opened up an opportunity for Bryson Stott to be recalled, and he has since run with it.
Stott made the big club on the heels of a big spring, and the defensive woes of Alec Bohm, but couldn't hit the side of a barn. He was sent to Lehigh Valley and made some adjustments and hit .333 over 40 at-bats. The Segura injury opened the door for a recall and Stott has continued to hit ever since, continuing the .333 average over the next 30 at-bats with three home runs. This was capped by a walk-off three-run home run earlier this week.
Stott has claimed the starting second base position and is shifting to shortstop on scheduled days off for Didi Gregorius. He is playing every day and hitting. I would not be surprised to see him slide into the leadoff spot of this lineup later in the year. The Phillies play eight games in the upcoming week, adding to his intrigue. Ride the hot streak, and pray for the long-term upside.
Ezequiel Duran, 2B, Texas Rangers (38% owned)
Ezequiel Duran, acquired from the Yankees in the Joey Gallo deal, has now played every day since making his Major League debut at third base. This coupled with already being eligible on the NFBC at second bases doubles his value. His minor league resume consists of a .362 OBP, .267 average, and some pop with plus speed. His playing time looks secure, so he could be a useful fantasy asset for the foreseeable future. The Rangers have a full seven-game schedule this week, as well.
Matt Strahm, RP, Boston Red Sox (8%)
The Red Sox bullpen has been an enigma all season, with nine pitchers appearing in save opportunities. Jake Diekman and Matt Barnes have struggled with consistency, while Hansel Robles cannot seem to stay on the field. Tanner Houck recorded a save earlier this week but seems better suited for a flexible role as he can throw to a higher pitch count when needed.
Matt Strahm now leads the team with a mere three saves, the most recent being last night. He seems to have the upper hand for the role as of now, but keep an eye on John Schreiber should Strahm falter.
Jason Adam, RP, Tampa Bay Rays (3%)
The Rays have long been a fantasy owner's nemesis when it comes to bullpen usage. Last year they had ten pitchers record a save, while this year is already up to seven. With the announcement that Andrew Kittredge would miss the rest of the season, many in the fantasy community began to speculate on Jason Adam as the next man up. The very next day, he recorded his second career save.
With a 33% strikeout rate and 34.8% CSW rate, he has all the making of your typical lockdown closer. Colin Poche and Brooks Raley figure to stay in the mix, but Adam looks dominant and can certainly run away with the role.
Seranthony Dominguez, RP, Philadelphia Phillies (38%)
Seranthony Dominguez is the best reliever on the team since Brad Lidge. This is a statement of fact. The problem is that due to injury he has only thrown 25 innings over the last three seasons coming into 2022. So far in 2022 Dominguez has an elite 33.7% strikeout rate and a respectable 8.1% walk rate.
Yesterday afternoon Corey Knebel felt stiffness in his shoulder while warming up and did not enter the game. While it is always hard to predict bullpen usage when a manager is changed out, this is likely the opportunity the 27-year-old needs to become a fantasy star. This is the reliever to throw the bag at this week, thank me later.
Chris Flexen, SP, Seattle Mariners (55%)
Chris Flexen has been very pedestrian this year, with pops of terrible mixed-in. But we need to identify a two-step streamer each week for some of our wounded pitching staff. I always have a soft spot for former KBO standouts in America, so I am willing to try to build on Flexen's 2.89 ERA over his last three starts. This week he lines up with the Twins and Angels, making him my streamer of the week.
The problem with streaming for two starts is that it doesn't always work out as it is mapped out on Sunday mornings. Last week we took a risk on Kyle Bradish, and only ended up with a non-descript four-inning outing as the weather pushed his second start to Monday against Toronto, a huge no thank you for me.
David Peterson, SP, New York Mets (80%)
Again, two-start weeks often blow up and David Peterson's is not a certainty. Tylor Megill is back and we aren't quite sure how the Mets' rotation will lay out for the next week. If it falls as it looks, he will face the Brewers and Marlins, who both strike out a considerable amount against lefties.
For more discussion on the 2022 Fantasy Baseball Week 11 NFBC FAAB Run you can check me out on Twitter @JTrela20. Otherwise, join me to talk fantasy baseball and football on the Stack Attack Fantasy Podcast.