Fantasy Baseball: Severino Showing Road Success, Rengifo & Alexander Offer Late-Season Value
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[CITY, STATE] – september 22, 2023 – As fantasy baseball leagues enter their final push towards championships, identifying impactful waiver wire additions is crucial. This week’s targets include veteran pitcher Luis Severino, infielder Luis Rengifo, and starting pitcher Jason Alexander, each offering unique potential for a boost down the stretch.
Luis Severino (SP, New York Yankees): Rostered in 44% of Yahoo leagues
Luis Severino is emerging as a valuable streaming option, particularly in away games. His home ERA this year sits at a concerning 6.34 in nine starts at Yankee Stadium. Though, his road performance has been considerably better. Both of his starts sence returning from the injured list have come on the road, where he’s allowed just three runs while striking out 11 over 10 innings against the Cardinals and Angels.
Facing the Pirates this week presents a favorable matchup.Pittsburgh has scored the fewest runs in the league and,as the All-Star break,ranks third-worst in runs scored and OPS. The Pirates are projected to start Bubba Chandler, who is likely limited to around four innings, perhaps handing a significant advantage to Severino and the Yankees’ offense.
Luis Rengifo (INF, Los Angeles Angels): Rostered in 16% of Yahoo leagues
With the final two series of the season at Coors Field, rengifo is a potential steal upside play. While many Marlins with potential are already rostered, Rengifo presents an intriguing option. He’s been a relative disappointment this season, posting a 76 OPS+ and 0.4 WAR in 135 games,after averaging a 109 OPS+ and 2.1 WAR from 2022-2023. However, he’s shown advancement in the second half, hitting .257/.333/.382 in 46 games.
Notably, Rengifo is a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts since the All-Star break, a stark contrast to his 2-for-8 success rate in the first half.This stolen base potential gives him an edge over other potential pickups like Otto Lopez and Yoán Moncada,though Lopez may be preferable in categories beyond steals.
Jason Alexander (SP, Houston Astros): Rostered in 17% of Yahoo leagues
Looking ahead to next week, Jason Alexander stands out as a strong two-start pitcher option. Despite facing contenders in the Rangers and Mariners, he’s been effective recently, including a seven-inning scoreless outing against the Blue Jays on Wednesday and allowing just three runs in 11 innings across two starts against the Yankees.
The 32-year-old journeyman previously posted a 5.40 ERA in 11 starts and seven relief appearances for the Brewers in 2022. This season, he has a 4.19 ERA in 10 starts and five relief appearances for the Astros. While his fastball velocity is below average, he’s positioned to deliver a win and limit ERA and WHIP damage against mediocre offenses this week.
Waiver Wire Quick Hits
* Colorado Rockies Hitters: With six home games at Coors Field,Rockies hitters are worth considering.While Mickey Moniak and Yanquiel Fernández face a challenging schedule against left-handed pitchers, Jordan Beck (19% rostered), Tyler Freeman (8% rostered), and Kyle Karros (1% rostered) become more appealing. Beck is hitting .315/.358/.491 at Coors Field this season and has been productive against lefties.
* Sean Burke (SP, Chicago White Sox): For those seeking a high-risk, high-reward option, sean Burke showed his best velocity of the season in his return to the majors Wednesday against the Rays. He’s scheduled to face the Orioles on monday and Padres on Sunday, both at home. The White Sox have been surprisingly productive offensively, potentially increasing his chances for a win.