Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire for August, 17 2013.
Tyson Ross, SD SP
Padres right-hander Tyson Ross has been absolutely stellar lately, with five consecutive quality starts while allowing just five runs in his last 34 innings pitched. He has posted a miniscule 1.32 earned run average over that time, helping trim his already impressive ERA down to a 2.62 for 2013 (4.39 career ERA). The Oakland native was drafted by the A’s in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft, but was traded to the Padres on November 16, 2012. The 26-year-old is having the best season of his young career, and even though he holds a 3-5 record thus far, Ross has the ability to help those panicked fantasy owners in search of a last minute playoff spot.
His frightening 9-23 career record isn’t very appealing, but making the move to the National League West might be what brings out the best in Ross. Padres’ manager Bud Black has to be thrilled with his young pitcher’s efficiency on the mound lately, as he has been one of the bright spots in the rotation. Ross’ 96 mph fastball has been keeping opposing hitters honest and helping to set up his sharp-breaking slider for two-strike counts. He’s owned in 26% of ESPN leagues, and owners are beginning to catch onto his recent success in So Cal.
Bruce Chen, KC SP
Who is this guy and what has he done with Bruce Chen? The Panamanian-born southpaw has been nearly unhittable since rejoining the Royals’ rotation last month. In the past six starts, Chen has posted an unreal 0.98 ERA to go along with a 29:7 strikeout to walk ratio in that span. His 1.62 ERA and 1.04 WHIP this season certainly looks good on paper, and even though pitching a gem for the Royals can often end in a no decision, Chen has five wins this year with no losses. The 36-year-old has a 76-72 career record, but his 4.45 ERA over that 15-year span is what makes the veteran’s numbers so shocking this year.
Deploying the lefty in his next start against the Detroit Tigers might be a bit of a gamble as he will face off against the AL Cy Young favorite Max Scherzer on Sunday. Chen hasn’t given up an earned run in his last 14.2 innings pitched, and has miraculously surrendered just six runs in his last 37 innings. Depending on the fantasy owners’ situation, Chen is looking like one of the best waiver wire options available to assist your rotation throughout the post-season.
Will Venable, SD OF
Will-Venable be worth it? This up-and-coming player has been swinging a hot bat lately, making him one of this week’s most sought after waiver wire pickups. The 30-year-old outfielder is hitting .358 over the past 30 days, with an impressive .402 OBP and 14 extra-base hits in that span. He has 16 home runs on the season, so as long as the big flies continue at a steady pace, Venable’s fantasy value should hold up. Having only 40 runs batted in is the result of playing on a team with a poor offense, but his 13 stolen bases and 37 XBH are definitely a plus for any fantasy squad in need of some well-rounded stats.
Darin Ruf, Phi 1B
With Delmon Young being designated for assignment last Friday, the Phillies have announced that outfielder Darin Ruf will see regular at-bats for the rest of the 2013 season. Ruf was drafted by the Phillies in the 20th round of the 2009 amateur draft and made his Major League debut in September of last year. In 110 at-bats since being recalled from Triple-A this year, Ruf has hit .270 with seven home runs, 14 RBI and a .379 OBP for the Phils. At 6-foot-3 and 220 lbs, the 27-year-old clearly has the prototypical physique to be a Big League slugger. Ruf is owned in about 40% of ESPN leagues and I would expect that number to rise as we begin to approach the fantasy playoffs.
Alex Wood, Atl SP
Alex Wood pitched yet another gem on Friday, allowing just one run on five hits and nine strikeouts in 6.1 innings. The lengthy left-hander is a no-brainer pick up if you are looking to solidify your pitching staff during the post-season. Atlanta’s young rotation is arguably one of the craftiest in all of baseball and Wood owns a delightful 2.61 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in over 50 innings pitched. The Braves have a comfortable lead in the NL East, giving Wood plenty of time to plead his case for being a staple in the team’s rotation next year. I went ahead and swooped Wood off of waivers and have been impressed with his ability to pitch for strikeouts opposed to contact.
Martin Perez, Tex SP
The 22-year-old seems to have found his groove on the mound lately and should remain a permanent fixture in the Rangers rotation for the rest of 2013. In his previous start, Perez threw his first complete game where he held the Astros to just one run while striking out eight. The lefty is 2-0 in his last two outings with a 1.76 ERA and spotless 0.98 WHIP in that span. With a 5-3 record, an ERA of 3.44 and a 1.29 WHIP on the season, consider adding Perez to your fantasy squad especially with the Rangers ability to supply their pitchers with decent run support.
