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Fantasy Baseball Week 5 Waiver Wire - Fantasy Data

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We are halfway through the shortened fantasy baseball season. This week five waiver wire is full of fantasy-relevant options with all the injuries and COVID-19 news. Since we are halfway through the season, you may need to be more aggressive with waiver claims and FAAB to avoid taking zeros. There are a few must add players with several underrated players that deserve a roster spot. Let’s dive into the week five waiver wire. 

Hitters

Jake Cronenworth, 1B/2B/SS, San Diego Padres

15-20% FAAB

There are several positive attributes in Jake Cronenworth's hitting profile with the quality walk rate, low strikeout rate, and high line drive rate. Cronenworth is slashing .352/.418/.648 with three home runs, 13 runs, 11 RBI, and one steal with a 10.1% walk rate and a 12.7% strikeout rate. In the minors, he hovered above a 20% line drive rate and currently rocking a 31.1% line drive rate. His Statcast data appears to back up the hot start with a 91 mph average exit velocity (80th percentile) and a 47.5% hard-hit rate (77th percentile). Cronenworth’s expected stats further back up the hot start with a .402 xBA, .751 xSLG, and .503 xwOBA, that all ranks in the 95th percentile and above. Add Cronenworth in all leagues. 

Wilmer Flores, 1B/2B, San Francisco Giants

15% FAAB

Surprisingly the Giants as a team rank top-11 in wRC+ this season, and Wilmer Flores is one of their better hitters. So far, Flores has seven home runs, 15 runs, and 19 RBI while slashing .316/.347/.558. His 27.7% line drive is up from his 21.1% career average, and the 51.8% pull rate is up about 11% as well. Flores doesn’t walk or strikeout often but makes a bunch of contact inside and outside of the zone. His 76.5% O-Contact rate is 16% above the league average, and his 87.7% Z-Contact rate being 3% higher than the league average. 

Flores doesn’t typically hit the ball hard with his 87.4 mph average exit velocity, and 34.9% hard-hit rate ranking in the bottom 40% of the league. He provides a high batting average and OBP with sneaky power so far this year. It appears unlikely for Flores to sustain the home run power since his career-high is 18 home runs. However, in a shortened season, add Flores and ride the hot hand. 

Joey Bart, C, San Francisco Giants

15% FAAB

The Giants called up top prospect, Joey Bart, and he is worth adding in most leagues when looking at the fantasy baseball catcher landscape. Last year, he totaled 16 home runs, 46 runs, 48 RBI, and five steals across two levels in the minors. Through three games, Bart racked up three doubles and one RBI. Although the hit tool lags, the power is legitimate. If you need help at catcher, then add Bart where available. 

Nick Ahmed, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks

10-12% FAAB

The often underrated Nick Ahmed deserves a roster spot, especially in deeper leagues. Ahmed may not be exciting, but he compiles statistics with consistency in a deep shortstop position. He has hit three home runs, 15 runs, 16 RBI, and two steals while slashing .253/.311/.389. There is a slight concern with the drop in line-drive rate (15.7%) and an increase in ground balls (55.7%). However, Ahmed is pulling the ball at a career rate of 60.6%. In the small sample, Ahmed’s 89.3 mph average exit velocity and 39.4% hard-hit rate are both career highs. With so many injuries, it’s worth adding Ahmed in deeper leagues. 

Austin Nola, C/1B, Seattle Mariners

8-10% FAAB

Anytime there is a catcher-eligible player that plays multiple positions, interest increases in the fantasy community. The top catchers in fantasy baseball are full of waiver wire players such as Austin Nola, who ranks 5th amongst catchers according to Fantrax scoring. Nola plays at catcher or first base almost every day, and he is slashing .296/.345/.494 with three home runs, 11 runs, and 15 RBI. His Statcast page looks decent with a 90.5 mph average exit velocity (77th percentile) and a 41.2% hard-hit rate (67th percentile). With catcher being an awful position this year, add Nola if you are hurting at catcher. 

Starting Pitchers

Danny Duffy, SP, Kansas City Royals

15-18% FAAB

Royals starter, Danny Duffy, is coming off a five-inning start allowing one earned run and two walks with six strikeouts. In 29.1 innings, he has a 3.99 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 34 strikeouts. Duffy has changed his pitch mix this year with an increase in sinkers, a decrease in sliders, and an increase in changeups. 

  • 2020: Four-seamer - 42.1%, Sinker - 15.9%, Slider - 15.7%, Changeup - 14.5%
  • 2019: Four-seamer - 44.2%, Sinker - 8.9%, Slider - 26.3%, Changeup - 11.3%

Duffy's swinging-strike and whiff rates are up on the changeup and four-seamer and about even with the slider. With the intriguing pitch mix changes eliciting positive results, add Duffy where available. 

Pablo Lopez, SP, Miami Marlins

15-20% FAAB

In the Week 3 Waiver Wire article, I suggested adding Pablo Lopez, and that still applies in week five. In 22.1 innings, Lopez has a 2.42 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts. Even his 2.28 FIP and 2.84 xFIP back up his quality start to the season. We know his changeup is his best pitch, and thankfully he is using it more often. 

  • 2020: Changeup - 29.5%, Four-Seamer - 26.6%, Sinker - 25.4%, Cutter - 11.9%
  • 2019: Four-Seamer - 42.4%, Changeup - 22%, Curve - 19.2%, Sinker - 16.3%

There is a more even split with the changeup, four-seamer, and sinker, which is positive news because he is using his best pitch more often. Lopez also ditched the curveball and increased the sinker usage, and Lopez expressed an analytically driven approach during an interview on a Pitcher List podcast. Add Lopez where available, especially with the pitch mix changes that should result in continued success. 

Brad Keller, SP, Kansas City Royals

12-15% FAAB

In three starts, Brad Keller has not allowed an earned run with 15 strikeouts in 17.2 innings and a 0.91 WHIP. Keller typically displays a low strikeout rate with decent ratios and a ground ball rate of 50% or above, but the career 9.4% walk rate is concerning. His slider has been filthy this year with a 23.1% swinging-strike rate and a 40.4% whiff rate. Keller is a decent streamer and worth adding as a backend starter on fantasy baseball teams. 

Taijuan Walker, SP, Seattle Mariners

10-12% FAAB

Guess who has thrown three quality starts so far this year? It’s Taijuan Walker with a season-long 4.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in 27 innings. He falls into the streaming pitcher category and a post, post-hype sleeper. Walker increased the cutter usage, and there have been positive results with a 23.1% swinging-strike rate, 24.4% whiff rate, and a .170 wOBA. Add Walker in deeper leagues as a streaming pitcher. 

Casey Mize, SP Detroit Tigers

10% FAAB

The Tigers called up top prospect Case Mize, and he recorded seven strikeouts in 4.1 innings with three earned runs. Although Mize displayed a K/9 below nine in the minors, he limited the walks. All of his pitches rate above average, including his most notable pitch in the splitter while paired with a plus, plus cutter. Mize is an exciting pitching prospect with above-average command and four above-average pitches. 

Sixto Sanchez, SP, Miami Marlins

5-10% FAAB

Another top prospect made his major league debut. Sixto Sanchez tossed five innings, three earned runs, and four strikeouts against the Nationals. Similar to Mize, Sanchez limits the walks with a walk rate under 5% last season and a K/9 below nine. However, Sanchez’s plus changeup is filthy. In deeper leagues or if you need pitching, Sanchez is worth a flier. 

Relief Pitchers

Taylor Williams, RP, Seattle Mariners

Whenever you find a reliever with decent ratios recording saves, they are a must-add, and Taylor Williams falls on this list. Williams has five saves in 11 innings with 16 strikeouts and a 3.27 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Add Williams where available. 

Cole Sulser, RP, Baltimore Orioles

Similar to Taylor Williams, don't discount a closer on a bad team. Cole Sulser has five saves in 11.2 innings with ten strikeouts, a 3.86 ERA, and 1.03 WHIP. 

Sergio Romo, RP, Minnesota Twins

We have seen some struggles at times with Taylor Rogers, and Sergio Romo recorded three saves on the season. Rogers is still the closer, but Romo sneaks in saves from time to time. Romo snagged three saves in nine innings with 12 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA and 0.44 WHIP.

Tanner Rainey, RP, Washington Nationals

These next two pitchers provide elite ratios and strikeouts. In 11 innings, Rainey has 18 strikeouts with a 0.82 ERA and 0.64 WHIP. His nasty slider results in a 36.7% swinging-strike rate and an 88% whiff rate. He is worth an add for the strikeouts and ratios even if he isn’t receiving saves.

Josh Staumont, RP, Kansas City Royals

Similar to Rainey, Josh Staumont dominates the ratio and strikeout categories with 23 strikeouts, a 0.79 ERA, and a 1.15 WHIP in 11.1 innings. Staumont displays high fastball velocity at 95.8 mph that results in a 15.9% swinging-strike rate and 32.7% whiff rate. His curveball is even filthier with a 19.7% swinging-strike rate and 68.2% whiff rate. Rainey and Staumont are both worth adding for the ratios and strikeouts. 

Corbin Young

Corbin is passionate about fantasy baseball and football. He loves diving into and learning about advanced metrics. Corbin is a Mariners and Seahawks fan living in the Pacific Northwest. Corbin's other hobbies are lifting weights, cooking, and listening to fantasy sports podcasts.

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Fantasy Baseball Week 5 Waiver Wire - Fantasy Data
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