Hunter Strickland (CP/SEA) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 18% of Yahoo! leagues

ANALYSIS: 

Strickland will make a short rehab stint in Rainier, expecting to join the big league club after just one three-game series. He won’t have any issue regaining the closer role, as the Mariners haven’t found much success there. Roenis Elias has filled in as the interim closer, but he’s given up a 5.60 xFIP and has already blown two saves. Strickland was injured last year as well, but still ended up picking up 14 saves in just 45 innings of work. He sported a .289 combined wOBA and has struck out 25% of batters over the past two seasons. The Mariners aren’t a team that have very many save opportunities, but Strickland will take advantage when given the opportunity.

If you’re in a 12+ team league and need to pick up some saves, there is no reason to not pick up Hunter Strickland. He’s a safe bet for 10 to 15 saves in this second half and there isn’t much downside. He’s only 18% owned and his short-term match-ups are solid. With the Mariners already announcing that Strickland will be in the major sin less than a week, he’s worth stowing away until next week.