Fantasy waiver wire: Top prospects getting the call in September
The month of September allows major league teams to expand their active rosters up to 40 players and gives them substantially more depth than they've had throughout the other five months of the regular season.
Not since spring training will we see as many young players with uniform numbers in the 60s and 70s on the field. This is great for tired pitching staffs and veterans who need an extra day off, but it can be painful for fantasy owners looking to accumulate those all-important stats down the stretch.
If fantasy owners have any free agent acquisition budget left, this may be the best week to spend it before time runs out.
DOUBLE CHECK: Last week's recommendations, including Luke Weaver, Lucas Giolito
At this point, we're going to scrap our free agent acquisition budget (FAAB) bid recommendations. If you have money left, spend what you can to get what you need. (All stats through Thursday's games.)
TRADED TARGETS
2B Brandon Phillips, Los Angeles Angels
(available in AL-only formats)
Phillips was the only player of any fantasy value to switch leagues in Thursday's flurry of waiver trades. He'll continue to play every day and possibly hit toward the top of the Angels order.
SP Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
(AL-only)
Playable only if you're desperate for innings, Leake has taken on a lot of water in the second half of the season. (We'll stop the pun count at 1.) He had a decent 3.12 ERA before the All-Star break, but is 1-5 with a 6.90 ERA and 1.76 WHIP since.
NEW: OF Nori Aoki, New York Mets
(NL-only)
This transaction may have flown under the radar since Aoki wasn't part of a trade, but a free-agent signing by the injury-riddled Mets. With Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto out for the season, Aoki is instantly the team's best option in left field. He won't hit for much power, but he can steal a base here and there. In deep leagues, anyone getting regular at-bats has value.
BEST BETS
SP Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals
(promoted Friday)
Fortunately, St. Louis already had a ready-made replacement for Leake in the rotation.
Flaherty, 21, could only make a couple of starts for the Cardinals, considering he's already thrown 148 2/3 innings this season, Adam Wainwright could soon return from the disabled list and St. Louis could soon fall out of the NL playoff chase. Still, he looks like the best pickup of the call-ups.
C Francisco Mejia, Cleveland Indians
(promoted Friday)
Already on the Indians 40-man roster, Mejia first gained notoriety last season when he put together a 50-game hitting streak (and was going to be in the trade that Jonathan Lucroy ended up rejecting). He's followed up 2016's breakout with another strong season -- hitting .297/.346/.490 with 14 homers and seven steals as a 21-year-old at Class AA Akron. He could possibly see some action at third base.
OF Alex Verdugo, Los Angeles Dodgers
(promoted Friday)
As with Flaherty and Mejia, Verdugo was also a participant in this year's All-Star Futures Game. He's hit .314/.389/.436 with six homers and nine steals at Class AAA Oklahoma City. With the Dodgers cruising toward the playoffs, Verdugo, 21, could give their regular outfielders a rest a couple times a week.
STILL IN MINORS
SP Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers
(not yet on 40-man roster)
We mentioned him last week as a speculative pickup. He could be promoted to serve as a bullpen arm and spot-starter if the Dodgers have any more pitching "injuries" down the stretch. Buehler, 23, is up to 123 strikeouts (and 29 walks) in 87 2/3 innings. Enough said.
SP Tyler Glasnow, Pittsburgh Pirates
(on 40-man, but still at Class AAA)
In my chat on Monday, I mentioned the 24-year-old righty, who's struggled in his previous time in the majors, but has been very good since the Pirates sent him to Class AAA in mid-June. He's now pitching from the stretch, even with the bases empty. And it's helped him considerably. He's 8-2 with a 2.06 ERA in 14 starts at Indianapolis.
1B Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks
(not on 40-man)
At 26, Walker is a little old to be classified as a prospect. But after being released by the Orioles last winter, he became Pacific Coast League player of the year at Class AAA Reno. The numbers are outstanding: .309, 32 homers, 113 RBI and 103 runs scored. Unfortunately, he has Paul Goldschmidt in front of him in Arizona.