It may not feel like it, but the fantasy baseball season is winding down. As we head into Week 18 of the season, only six total weeks are left in the regular season. This is the time to make that playoff push and finally cut the dead weight on your roster to try and spark some momentum. Here are four players you should send to waivers.
Fantasy baseball waiver wire
Player to drop
Giancarlo Stanton, OF, New York Yankees
Stanton has spent a lot of time on the injured list this season, but at some point, the name recognition has to fade. He is hitting .200 on the season and has become home run =-dependent. Stanton has 12 points this week and had 13 between two games in which he had a long ball. If he doesn’t hit a home run, he shouldn’t be in your lineup and should be on waivers at that rate.
Hunter Brown, SP, Houston Astros
Brown has had several good outings but has fallen on recent hard times. At the start of July, he had zero points against a tough Texas Rangers team. That could be expected, but then he had -6 against the Seattle Mariners and only seven fantasy points against the Colorado Rockies. Brown has allowed nine earned runs over his last 8.1 innings of work.
Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins
Buxton is rostered in 54.6% of leagues despite having a dismal season, batting .195. If he is in your lineup, you are praying for a home run, as that is the only time he is beneficial. This week, he had a game with 13 fantasy points, hitting two home runs and four RBI. He still has only six fantasy points this week in standard ESPN scoring leagues.
Alek Manoah, SP, Toronto Blue Jays
Manoah was horrid to start the year and was a frequent flyer in this column. The problem he generated was finally solved as the Blue Jays sent him down to the team’s rookie affiliate to try and figure out his issues from an extended spring training. He returned on July 7 and looked his normal self, tallying 21 fantasy points. Manoah followed that up with another brutal performance, struggling with his location. He allowed four earned runs on three innings of work and had -9 fantasy points. Don’t get wooed back in.