Texas Rangers

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Additions (June 15)

Published Jun. 15, 2016 5:30 p.m. ET

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Before we get to this week's waiver wire recommendations, let's talk about two injured aces: Gerrit Cole and Yu Darvish.

Of the two, Cole's strained right triceps injury causes the least concern. He's already scheduled to start once he comes back off the DL, so it should only be another 10 days or so without him. Hang tight, and hope he can revert to last year's form. 

As for Darvish, things are much trickier. He's coming off Tommy John surgery, and while he looked great in his first 15 innings, shoulder tightness could turn into a longstanding issue. The Rangers, unsurprisingly, are going to play it very safe with their ace for the time being. There's no current timetable for Darvish's return, so a 15-day DL stint could easily turn into much more. You're not cutting Darvish at this point, but you're certainly concerned. 

If you need some help at starting pitcher in the meantime, here are three of the top options with less than 40 percent ownership:

Danny Duffy, KC: 49 IP, 59 K, 2.94 ERA, 1.06 WHIP

Jerad Eickhoff, PHI: 79 IP, 67 K, 3.40 ERA, 1.17 WHIP

Robbie Ray, ARI: 69 IP, 78 K, 4.57 ERA, 1.59 WHIP

We'll have more on Duffy below, but keep an eye on Ray. His numbers are a little rough, but the strikeout power is there and he's been better in his last few starts. He'll have some run support behind him and last year he finished with a much more respectable 3.52 ERA. 

On to the rest of the waiver wire additions.

If you're new to this feature, here are the ground rules. 

No player in this space will be mentioned in back-to-back weeks, as we don't want to spam you with the same choices over and over again. We'll also limit the waiver wire suggestions to players owned in fewer than 40 percent of FOXSports.com leagues. Got it? Let's get to this week's fantasy baseball waiver pickups:   

Catcher

Evan Gattis, HOU (22.3% owned)

It may seem odd to recommend a player in a 1-for-22 slump at the moment, but Gattis just picked up catcher eligibility in FOX leagues, which is a huge deal. Remember, Gattis has great power and belted 27 HR last year, so he's likely an upgrade at catcher for you, particularly if your league doesn't count OBP as a stat. Take the homers and run.  

First Baseman

Brandon Moss, STL (23.4% owned)

He's up to 15 HR on the season now, and he's 10-for-26 with four dingers in his last seven games. He's red-hot right now, and we've seen in the past that he has 30 HR type of power. So long as he continues to be an everyday player, Moss is worth a pickup, even if his average may dip a bit back to the norm as the year goes on.

Second Baseman

Steve Pearce, TB (30.6% owned)

We've had him listed here before, but it's worth mentioning again. Pearce is a utility man who can play multiple positions and crush left-handed pitching, and the Rays are playing him plenty because of it. He's 8-for-16 over his last seven games, so you can ride the hot hand or simply platoon him against southpaws (1.224 OPS!) and rack up the numbers.

Third Baseman

Martin Prado, MIA (15.6% owned)

I don't love any of the available third basemen this week, but at least Prado is swinging a hot stick. Over his last seven games, Prado is 15-for-29, bringing his average to .333 on the year. He's an everyday player who can help you in at least one category (AVG/OBP), even if the power and speed are non-existent. At least he won't hurt you.

Shortstop

Ketel Marte, SEA (9.5% owned)

He's quietly building up his speed totals (8 SB) while keeping his average up at .273. So long as you're willing to forfeit the power, Marte looks like a 25 SB type who has become an everyday player. You could do worse at shortstop, especially if you're looking for some sneaky speed.

Outfield

Shin-Soo Choo, TEX (32.2% owned)

After two injuries that have cost him most of the season, Choo has fallen off the map. That's good for us. Choo has a three-year average of 19 HR and a .384 OBP, which is one of the league's best. He'll draw a ton of walks, and the strong lineup behind him will help his run totals. He shouldn't be this low-owned, even with the durability concerns.

Starting Pitcher

Danny Duffy, KC (37.7% owned)

We haven't seen Duffy strikeout batters at this rate before, but maybe something has clicked at age 27. The lefty has always been good about limiting the damage (3.14 three-year average ERA), and he's playing for a good team and an elite defense. He may not always dominate, but he's solid enough to plug a gap at starting pitcher.

Relief Pitcher

Will Harris, HOU (21.4% owned)

Harris is the new closer in Houston, as he took the job away from Luke Gregerson after starting the year on absolute fire. Harris has a tiny ERA of 0.61 and 31 K in 29 IP, so there's a lot to work with here. His last four appearances have all resulted in saves, so it's clear that he's won this job going forward. On a good team like Houston, he should be snatched up right this second.   

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