Matt Beaty (1B/OF - LAD) - Beaty is a must-add for me for the coming week(s) with all of the injuries the Dodgers have suffered of late. His playing time seems pretty assured for the next few weeks at least, and despite a lack of consistent playing time at the big league level, Beaty is a quality bat with above-average contact skills and likely above-average power as well. His exit velocities have been a tick above league average through 380 MLB PAs, and his minor league K rates are exceptionally low for a player with above average pop. He should be added in all formats and started in most immediately.
Huascar Ynoa (SP - ATL) - Ynoa definitely experienced some BABIP regression on Sunday, as he was singled to death by the Brewers in a 10-9 defeat. Ynoa allowed 9 hits and 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings, and 6 of those hits were singles on a day when he had a swinging strike rate of almost 20%. I keep trying to find reasons why Ynoa won't keep up this hot start (Sunday notwithstanding), and most of them are grounded in "well, he hasn't shown this kind of control ever before" and "he's allowed a lot of HRs in the upper minors and majors". Both of those things are true, yet I still feel that Ynoa's mechanics have improved over the past few years, and that the control is just plain better as a result. As far as the homers, he's not likely to be a huge GB guy so they'll be there, but he's shown so much bat-missing ability that I believe him to be a clear top-50 SP already. Days like Sunday should be the exception for him, not the rule going forward.
Spencer Howard (SP - PHI) - Howard was excellent at AAA on Sunday, allowing 1 run over 4 innings and striking out 8, and he happens to be matched up with Chase Anderson's schedule. Anderson was blasted by the Jays Sunday, giving up 7 runs in 1 1/3 innings, and he's averaging only 4 innings a start on the year. I could easily see the Phils going to Howard in the next few weeks, and his K upside makes him difficult to ignore as a potential add in most formats. If you have a roster spot available, I'd choose to speculate ahead of the curve.....I don't see a huge amount of prospects that are still down in the minors that are likely to arrive very soon.
Daulton Varsho (C/OF - ARI) - Varsho feels like a must-add for the short-term in any leagues where he has catcher eligibility. The position isn't quite as weak as it looked like it might be in the preseason, but it's still weak enough where a hitter with Varsho's potential could easily be a top-10 performer at the position. His speed gives him a huge advantage over others at the position, and I know that he hasn't shown a ton with the bat yet at the MLB level, but there is potential for both average and power here in above average levels. There's a lot to like here, and a good few weeks as the primary catcher could lead to more playing time both behind the dish and in the OF later in the season. Clear waiver target for the coming week in all formats.
Alex Wood (SP - SF) - Wood continues to impress, tossing his 6th straight solid outing in limiting the Pirates to 1 run on 8 singles and a walk over 6 innings, fanning 8. The monstrous GB rate is a major plus, significantly higher than anything he's ever posted before, and interestingly enough the GBs are being generated off of the two pitches that aren't his sinker. The control has been typically solid, and he's missing bats better than he ever has before as well. The schedule has been a major help to this point, but his next two will be against a depleted but still dangerous Dodgers squad, so we'll know a bit more about him this great start in a few weeks. For me, I'm valuing Wood as an SP4 in 12-team leagues right now, making him a clear top-50 SP. There's nothing here other than the relatively easy schedule (and he did face COL in Coors once) that makes me expect a decline in performance.
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