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If you're having roster issues in your NL only league, well, you've come to the right place. If you aren't, then congratulations. This post can't really help you at the moment, but you're more than welcome to stay. Below you'll find our analysis on a couple waiver wire pickups for really deep or NL-only leagues, as of May 2nd, 2015.
This week, I tried to identify two hitters under 10% owned that are (almost) guaranteed to play five or six games a week. I'm not projecting these guys as significant contributors, but I am betting on them to get a lot of at-bats, and at-bats equal opportunity. I think they represent your best bets for the here and now in roto formats as placeholders in your lineup for the currently disabled or slumping.
Editor’s Note: for other waiver wire options, check out RotoBaller’s fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups list. It's updated every single day. Our awesome writers bring you analysis on hot or emerging NL-only options, and also all other fantasy positions. You can also download our waiver wire iPhone app for free, and easily stay updated.
J.T. Realmuto - C - Miami Marlins
In just his second season of a three year, $28 million dollar deal, the Marlins have parted ways with former starting catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The beneficiaries? J.T. Realmuto and anyone who needs a backstop. Thus far, Realmuto is hitting .239 with three runs batted in and six runs scored. Pretty "meh" numbers, and even though he's never been projected as anything more than average bat in the major leagues, there are a few reasons to like him as a fill-in on your squad.
Realmuto makes great contact with the ball and has an impressive 12.5% strikeout rate so far. The 92.4% contact rate isn't sustainable, but it does give us a sense of how much he's improved in the area. Even with some slight regression towards his career average, he's an above-average contact creator. There's chance for an uptick in batting average, too, as he's been a little unlucky (.268 BABIP) in the small sample size we have to breakdown thus far in 2015. His game power is somewhat impressive and with a full season of play, there's a chance he reaches double digit home runs. Right now, the catcher job is essentially his alone and he's owned in 8% of Fleaflicker leagues.
Justin Maxwell - OF - San Francisco Giants
You don't really ever expect a baseball player to hit his stride at 31 years old, but that just might be what we are witnessing in the case of Maxwell. The journeyman has bounced around from club to club, with just one season (2012) that he registered over 100 at-bats in. In 51 at-bats this season for the Giants, Maxwell is hitting .255 with 13 line drives and three home runs. It's a super small sample size, and I expect strikeouts to still be an issue, but he has cut last year's disgusting 44% K rate in half, down to 22% and he's making more solid contact than ever before, as evidenced by his increase in line drives.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy has said that even when Hunter Pence returns from injury that Maxwell will still have a spot in the lineup. That said, there's no doubt in my mind his peak value is now while he's swinging a relatively warm bat and at-bat opportunities are plentiful. Right now, he's owned in roughly 6% of Fleaflicker leagues.
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