Hot wire: 10 players to pick up in fantasy

August 9th, 2017

Could your fantasy team use more power? What about steals? Runs, RBIs or wins?
Regardless of your holes, the fantasy waiver wire has a plug or long-term fix to pick up today. Check the following 10 men -- all sitting in waivers in many leagues, and all ready to help you win.
, 1B/2B/3B/OF, Nationals
While Kendrick lacks the power skills to join shallow-league rosters, the lifetime .291 hitter is batting .339 with nine steals across 187 plate appearances this season. And with injured left fielder not yet on a rehab assignment, the 34-year-old Kendrick should spend the coming weeks as a regular member of second-highest-scoring lineup.
Consider in: 12-team mixed leagues

, first baseman, Astros
White was a popular waiver-wire target when he got off to a stellar start in 2016, though he faded fast and spent much of last summer and this year in the Minors. But since earning another chance with his late-July callup, the 26-year-old has produced a .999 OPS across 32 plate appearances. Though he lacks the full-time role to garner attention in shallow leagues, White has a semi-regular presence in the highest-scoring lineup in baseball, and he can be viewed as a worthwhile option in deeper formats.
Consider in: 15-team mixed leagues
, 1B/2B/SS, Orioles
Though many fantasy owners spent the non-waiver Trade Deadline day discussing the likes of and , those who turned their attention to a smaller deal between the Rays and Orioles may have found a fine waiver-wire target in Beckham. The free swinger has the power stroke (15 homers across 349 at-bats in 2017) to take advantage of his hitter-friendly new digs, and O's manager Buck Showalter has succeeded with players who log unimpressive BB:K ratios, such as , and .
Consider in: 10-team mixed leagues

, second baseman, Phillies
Despite his .341 average and six steals across 98 plate appearances since returning from the disabled list on July 17, Hernandez has surprisingly garnered little fantasy attention. The 27-year-old should be a helpful source of batting average and steals down the stretch, and he could score plenty of runs as the table-setter in a Phillies lineup that ranks 16th in MLB with 110 runs since the All-Star break.
Consider in: 10-team mixed leagues
, starter, Brewers
Woodruff is coming off an impressive big league debut during which he struck out six across 6 1/3 scoreless innings at Tropicana Field on Friday. The right-hander struggled at times in the hitter-friendly PCL this season, but he owns solid career ratios in the Minors (3.31 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) and could provide rotation depth for those struggling to find reliable starters.
Consider in: 12-team mixed leagues
, starter, Astros
McHugh has been solid since returning from a season-opening DL stint on July 22, producing a 3.24 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in three starts. Backed by the highest-scoring lineup in baseball, the right-hander (8.4 K/9 rate since the outset of 2014) has the potential to be a four-category asset down the stretch.
Consider in: 10-team mixed leagues

, starter, Dodgers
Since returning from his second DL stint of the season on July 24, Ryu has allowed just two runs while posting a 20:4 K:BB ratio across 19 innings. Sure, the left-hander is a strong candidate to wind up on the disabled list for a third time in 2017. But owners looking for a short-term pitching boost may not find a better option than Ryu, who owns a lifetime 3.33 ERA and plays for a team on a historic winning pace.
Consider in: 10-team mixed leagues
, starter, Marlins
After showing flashes of effectiveness last season, Urena has gone 10-5 with a 3.91 ERA and a .213 opponents' average across 18 starts this year. The right-hander has shifted toward a fly-ball-heavy approach that leads to the occasional homer (1.2 HR/9 rate in 2017), but also allows for plenty of easy outs at his pitcher-friendly home park. At the very least, Urena should be streamed in all leagues when working at spacious venues or facing light-hitting lineups.
Consider in: 12-team mixed leagues
, reliever, A's
Owners will be forgiven if they are skeptical of Treinen's ability to excel in the ninth inning after he struggled to secure saves with the Nationals earlier this season. But the right-hander needs to be added in deeper formats, as he has produced a 1.35 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP and a pair of saves since joining the A's in mid-July. With Oakland looking ahead to 2018, manager Bob Melvin will likely give Treinen a long leash to prove his ninth-inning mettle down the stretch.
Consider in: 15-team mixed leagues

, reliever, Braves
While owners were focused on Trade Deadline deals in late July, they may have missed out on Vizcaino emerging as the bullpen anchor in Atlanta. Sure, and Brad Hand are fine saves options after Deadline deals moved them into ninth-inning roles. But Vizcaino (2.45 ERA, 1.12 WHIP in 2017) is available in more leagues and could be just as valuable down the stretch.
Consider in: 10-team mixed leagues