Here is The Game Day’s Week 11 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Top Free-Agent Pickups. Set these key Week 11 MLB Pickups for your waiver wire list this weekend, then follow along with our full fantasy baseball tips page all MLB season.
Week 11 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Top MLB Pickups To Target
Week 11 MLB Waiver Wire: Top Pickups
Tejay Antone, SP/RP, Cincinnati Reds (47% rostered on Yahoo!)
Tejay Antone’s graduated from the sleeper tier of pickups to a top pickup again, as he closes in on being rostered on half of Yahoo! teams. He’s not being used as a conventional closer. Still, he recorded the Cincinnati Reds’ most recent save, and he’s recorded three this season.
Beyond the saves, he’s been electrifying overall. According to FanGraphs, in 17 appearances totaling 28.0 innings, he’s spun a 1.61 ERA, 2.52 SIERA, 0.71 WHIP, 9.8 BB%, 36.3 K%, and 37.6 CSW%. Also of note, given his homer-friendly home digs, he’s induced a grounder at a hefty 57.7% clip.
- Tejay Antone Waiver Wire Tip: You’ve had opportunities to snag him for cheaper, but that window’s closed. Don’t miss the boat on him now. Pony up a FAAB bid of 30-35%.
Adbert Alzolay, SP, Chicago Cubs (47%)
As is the case with Antone, Adbert Azolay’s elevated to priority pickup territory. Gamers have finally awoken from their slumber, and Alzolay’s skyrocketed from being on 30% of rosters last week to 47% now.
The talented righty has pitched in five innings or more in nine of 10 starts, coming one out shy in the outlier, holding the Milwaukee Brewers to only two runs on two hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts in his third start of the year on April 24. He’s held the opposition to three runs or fewer in all but his first turn of the year. Overall, he’s sitting on a 3.62 ERA, 3.32 SIERA, 0.91 WHIP, 5.2 BB%, 27.2 K%, and 30.2 CSW%.
- Adbert Alzolay Waiver Wire Tip: Gamers should place a FAAB bid of 25-30% of their budget to secure Alzolay. Although, it’s possible that won’t be enough with gamers finally on Alzolay’s scent.
Jonathan Schoop, 1B/2B, Detroit Tigers (19%)
Jonathan Schoop’s never a hitter you’re excited to have on rosters. However, he’s a rock-solid option who’s no stranger to hitting in the heart of bad lineups. He’s exceeded 20 homers in four straight full seasons (last year’s pandemic campaign excluded), and he has a career .258 batting average.
He’s pacing for more than 20 homers and is hitting .251 this year. Bastardizing the late Dennis Green’s memorable postgame rant, Schoop is who we thought he was. Enhancing his case for adding now, though, he’s hot. Since May 1, he’s slashing .289/.352/.474 with five homers.
- Jonathan Schoop Waiver Wire Tip: Don’t break the bank for Schoop, but stick in a FAAB bid in the 15-20% range.
Week 11 MLB Waiver Wire: Sleeper Pickups (6-15% FAAB)
- Alex Cobb, SP, Los Angeles Angels (12% rostered)
- NEW - A.J. Pollock, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (47%)
- NEW - Odubel Herrera, OF, Philadelphia Phillies (24%)
- Garrett Cooper, 1B/OF, Miami Marlins (33%)
- Greg Holland, RP, Kansas City Royals (33%)
- NEW - Ryan Mountcastle, 1B/OF, Baltimore Orioles (47%)
- Willy Adames, SS, Milwaukee Brewers (23%)
- Ty France, 1B/2B/3B, Seattle Mariners (35%)
Alex Cobb’s turned back the clock in his first year with the Los Angeles Angels. In seven starts totaling 33.1 innings, he’s recorded a 3.78 ERA, 3.04 SIERA, 1.35 WHIP, 8.4 BB%, 30.1 K%, 29.4 CSW%, and 56.5 GB%. He’s not going to be confused for a workhorse. Still, he gives off vibes of Charlie Morton of recent years, meaning he can thrive in a five-and-dive gig.
NEW - The Los Angeles Dodgers reinstated A.J. Pollock from the injured list on an off day Thursday, and he was penciled into the lineup Friday before riding the pine Saturday. However, he did record a hit as a pinch-hitter on Saturday night. The Dodgers have the lineup depth to rest regulars more frequently than thinner clubs, so Pollock isn’t a shoo-in to play every day. However, he should play regularly, and he’s been excellent since last year, smacking 20 homers, stealing four bases, and slashing .272/.316/.524 in 316 plate appearances since 2020.
NEW - Odubel Herrera got off to a brutally slow start to the year. The flip’s switched over the last month, though. In 110 plate appearances since May 5, he’s hitting .313/.385/.521 with four homers, 14 runs, 12 RBIs, and three stolen bases. His do-it-all contributions are outstanding, and he’s climbed to the leadoff spot in the order over the last five games.
Garrett Cooper is another middle-of-the-order bat in a bad offense, hitting cleanup in five straight contests for the Miami Marlins. He’s white-hot over the last month, slashing .347/.410/.547 with three homers in 83 plate appearances, with a gaudy 54.5 HardHit%.
As Kev Mahserejian pointed out in the Week 10 Fantasy Closers: Bullpen Depth Chart News & Baseball Saves Tips piece, Greg Holland has recorded the only save for the Kansas City Royals since Josh Staumont was placed on the injured list. Holland has closer experience with 215 saves on his resume, which could earn him some leash. Further, while his control has been bad (15.2 BB%), he’s striking out batters at an adequate rate (25.0 K%), and his plate discipline numbers aren’t a far cry from last year’s marks when he recorded a 6.3 BB% and 27.7 K%. Since 2020, Holland has nine saves, a 2.63 ERA, 3.72 SIERA, 1.25 WHIP, 10.3 BB%, 26.5 K%, and 30.6 CSW% in 49 relief appearances stretched across 48.0 innings.
NEW - I was bullish on Ryan Mountcastle’s outlook entering the year, and he was dreadful to start 2021. However, he’s come on strong. Mountcastle’s ultra-aggressive approach is likely to make him prone to ups and downs. Still, he’s in the midst of the upswing of that equation over the last month. In 88 plate appearances since May 5, he’s ripped six homers while slashing .274/.295/.560. However, his 2.3 BB% and 34.1 K% speak to his free-swinging ways.
Willy Adames no longer has Wander Franco breathing down his neck after being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, and he’s raking for his new club. He’ll inevitably cool down a bit. However, two homers, a 13.6 BB%, and .289/.386/.500 line through his first 44 plate appearances in Milwaukee is worthy of scooping up to see what sticks. Before last year’s pandemic-season struggles, Adames was a .263/.328/.414 hitter with 30 homers and 10 stolen bases in 907 plate appearances, providing an idea of what’s in his range of outcomes.
Ty France has slotted in the cleanup spot for the Seattle Mariners in four straight games. He’s swinging a scalding-hot bat since returning from the injured list on May 24, too. In his first 40 plate appearances off the injured list, he’s hit .342/.375/.421. He’s not adding power, but his low strikeout rate bodes well for his batting-average potential.
Week 11 MLB Waiver Wire: Depth/Streamers (0-5% FAAB)
- Hansel Robles, RP, Minnesota Twins (23% rostered)
- Kyle Zimmer, RP, Kansas City Royals (6%)
- Gregory Polanco, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (3%)
Saves are saves, and Hansel Robles has gone back-and-forth alternating them with Taylor Rogers in the Minnesota Twins’ last four saves.
Kyle Zimmer’s on twice as many rosters as he was when I touted him last week. He’s less likely to record saves than Robles, but he’s a better bet to help in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts with the occasional save sprinkled in.
Gregory Polanco has hit cleanup or fifth for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 16 of 17 starts since returning from the injured list on May 11. The 29-year-old lefty’s high strikeout rate has tanked his average. However, he’s made loud contact when putting the ball in play, providing a useful power and speed combo with five homers and four stolen bases that play in NL-only formats and 14-team mixers or deeper.
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