LAB REPORTS

Targeting the Streams and Wire Gems to Help You Win Your Week

Week 20 is upon us! This edition of The Weekly Wood Chipper is continuing the trend from last week. I realized after last week's edition that I LOVE to check the waiver wire. In fact, I probably love it too much. I'm always looking for the next big thing, and that can both help and hurt me. It usually amounts to meaning no one is safe on my fantasy team, except maybe my favorite Brave in Acuna Jr. Otherwise, my roster turnover throughout the year is the equivalent to a GM changing their franchise every week...

Nonetheless, we move. We are always looking to the waiver wire for the next best thing, the best stream, the better arm, and the hot bat. I truly believe with conviction that's how a fantasy league is one. Maybe not changing your team as much as I do, but you must be flexible and adapt throughout the season. When I realized just how much I love the wire, and how much I would love helping others scour the wire, then The Weekly Wood Chipper can be more about the bats and arms I love that could help your team out.

As the season winds down, I want to reinforce the "advice" that many of you probably already know, because it's so true. Target hitters and pitchers on winning teams. You want shares of guys who will fight to the end, ESPECIALLY if your league runs forever into September like mine does. We have to sift through call-ups, roster expansion, and pitching restrictions on young studs as October approaches.

Let's get to it. The wire is where it's at, and some streams to follow.

Scorchin' Wood- Hot Bats for the Homestretch

• 2B/3B/OF Zack Gelof (74% CBS, 27% ESPN)- I know more people play fantasy baseball on CBS, but my ESPN brothers and sisters in Christ need to pick it up! My gosh. Gelof is eligible at two scarce positions and hitting in Sac-town. He has done nothing but rake when healthy this year. His 162-game pace would be for 106 runs, 30 homers, 75 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. WHAT ARE WE DOING!?
• OF Cam Smith (45% CBS, 8.8% ESPN)- only batting .223 on the year but is hitting .357 in August with 3 homers and 7 RBIs. The Astros get a weak schedule this week too.
• 2B/DH Gleyber Torres (45% CBS, 48.7% ESPN)- He graduated for me to the main list. He's batting .298 in August at the 2B position. As the Tigers fight for the playoffs, I think you could do worse than Gleyber. Torres is batting leadoff, and has a mythic slugging catcher in Dillon "Dings" Dingler behind him.
• OF Cole Carrigg (76% CBS, 18.1% ESPN) and OF Zac Veen (42% CBS, 7.8% ESPN)- Batting near the top for the Rockies, Carrigg finds himself in this space again JIC he's available still. Rockies play in Coors all week, and he is even on his way to gaining SS eligibility. As for Veen, he has two homers since getting called back up, and he's a fun prospect to add. The Rockies will play more than half of their September games in that beautiful Rocky Mountain air.
• DH/1B Josh Bell (42% CBS, 15.9% ESPN)- Bell is a pro's pro. Keeps on hitting even at the young age of 34. He has 3 homers and 9 RBIs in his last 15 days with a 6:6 BB:K ratio to boot. Make sure he isn't out there if your bats need a boost. 72 ribeye's on the year will play.
• OF/DH Griffin Conine (32% CBS, 7.7% ESPN)- After 6 homers and 10 RBIs in July, he's followed that up with 4 and 9 already in August. .286/.412/.595/1.007 slash line... he's a fun bat to take a look at, especially if you need the power.
• Honorable Mention: Tim Tawa, Andruw Monasterio, Nathaniel Lowe

Lowe finds himself here again this week, and I honestly debated (kind of) on including him in the list above. Only one lefty this week, so he should get some run, especially when the Guardians face three righties in Coors to close the week.

• STOP & Check Now: JOSHUA BAEZ (duh)- I'D HIGHLIGHT HIM IN RED, Jac Caglianone OF COURSE, Caleb Durbin, & Bryson Stott

Not sure I even have to elaborate with Cags. He's one of if not the hottest hitter on the planet right now. As for Durbin, he is hitting in the middle of Boston's lineup and is on a tear in the month of August (really has been since summer began).

Sneaky Lumberjacks- Arms for the Playoff Hunt

• SP Tyler Mahle (67% CBS, 11.4% ESPN)- Has been great for the Braves recently (two QS since the deadline). Pitching for the Atlanta offense can lead to wins for your stretch run and Mahle has 105 Ks in 106.2 IP this year. Could be a great option at the backend of your staff.
• SP Joe Musgrove (38% CBS, 8.7% ESPN)- Slated to return this week or next, Musgrove's arm and velocity have looked great in his rehab stints. Recently, he built up to 70 pitches, and given Randy Vasquez's struggles, I bet the Padres bring him up and push him some even though he hasn't pitched in almost 2 years. Musgrove has maxed out at 97 mph and averaged 95.2 with the fastball in his recent rehab start.
• SP Eric Lauer (23% CBS, 4.5% ESPN)- Listen, I have never been the biggest Lauer fan. However, 6 QS in his last 8 and pitching for the Evil Blue Empire in LA will play all day. He gets the Rockies this week in Coors, and possibly ATL next week, which I don't love, but the schedule down the stretch isn't scary at all for LA with matchups against STL, WSH, CIN, MIA, and SF down the stretch.
• SP Tomoyuki Sugano (15% CBS, 3.9% ESPN)- normally I would never really be about picking up a Rockies pitcher (RIP Chase Dollander), but Sugano has actually been really serviceable. He has a 4.43 ERA on the season and QS in 3 of his last 5. I obviously wouldn't dare start him this week against the Dodgers and Cleveland in Coors, but I'd keep him in mind if your league is equally scarce in starting pitching as mine is.
• RP Jacob Webb (42% CBS, 12.4% ESPN) - He has pitched great in the closer role for the Cubbies, and I honestly don't see how they move him from it. With Palencia lurking though, proceed with caution. Roster both maybe if you are in desperate need for saves. Webb has 4 saves in his last 15 days with a 2.33 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.
• RP Kodai Senga (31% CBS, 8% ESPN)- Maybe Senga has found his true calling? He has looked great in the closer role for NYM, and with Devin Williams on the IL he should get some run at it. 5 consecutive scoreless outings and 3 saves last week.
• Honorable Mention: Hunter Dobbins, Jacob Lopez, Anthony Kay, Mad Max Scherzer
• STOP & Check Now: Ian Seymour, Brandon Pfaadt, Kade Anderson, Kyle Leahy

Favorite Water Sources- Streaming Arms & Bats

• Houston Arms- vs. LAA, ATH
• Aaron Nola- vs. MIA
• Walker Buehler- @ NYM, vs. MIN
• Cody Bradford- vs. LAA

You may see Houston thrown around a lot this week. I like their pitching matchups this week against the Angels and facing A's hitters away from their homer-friendly confines. Cristin Javier is a sneaky two-start if you're feeling risky. Wesneski even too, who has a quality start in two of his last three. Nola has been quietly start-able if you play in daily leagues and are looking to stream a guy against a Marlins team that has struggled on the road this season (26-36 vs. 38-25 at home). Buehler is the other lower-rostered arm I like this week. I like any pitcher against the Mets right now, and the Twins offense is rather mid and he gets them in Petco. Lastly, another deeper roster stream is Cody Bradford against the Angels, because well, the Angels. Also, deGrom and Leiter (may come back this week) are still on the mend so he should have staying power at least for this week.

• Reds & Cards Hitters- 8 Games this week
• Guardians- vs. SF, @ COL
• Caleb Durbin- vs. ARI, SF
• Houston Hitters

Reds and Cards hitters get a nice bump this week with a double-header to kick off the week against each other, and a full 8-game slate. Guardians will get some great pitching matchups against the Giants before playing in the beautiful Rocky Mountain air. Fire them up. I've always loved Nathaniel Lowe and in typical Lowe fashion, he has quietly been super productive in Cleveland. Red Sox may have struggled some this past week against their kryptonite, the Blue Jays (4-9 this year), but Durbin sure hasn't. I love how patient he is at the plate, and he has 16 RBIs already in August... don't let him stay on your wire if there, and stream away this week. Lastly, the Astros find themselves as streamable options on offense and defense this week. Facing the Angels and the A's away from Sac-town will do that for a club. I like Cam Smith of course, and Isaac Paredes if available (44.7% ESPN).

That does it for me this week. Good luck to everyone, no matter where you find yourself in the postseason picture. Have some fun with it, and give your buddies crap for having their first down season in a while if you have to. That's (some) of what it's all about. God bless!

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