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We’re rapidly approaching the point where unexpected successes or struggles can’t merely be hand-waved as small sample flukes, though some still qualify as such. While 80 percent of the season remains, there is such a thing as being too patient.
Around this time last year, I was able to trade Allen Craig and Tony Cingrani for valuable assets. Their slow starts ultimately became lost seasons, and I divested before it was too late. If you’re ready to cut loose an anchor or two from your roster, these five outfielders are available on the wire in the majority of fantasy baseball leagues.
Editor’s Note: To read about even more waiver wire options for the outfield, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.
Week 6 Outfield Waiver Wire Adds
Rajai Davis, Detroit Tigers (45 percent owned)
We know what Davis is at this point. He’ll give you a decent batting average, plenty of steals, and not much else. He also doesn’t have a full-time starting gig and hasn’t topped 500 plate appearances since 2010 – the only time he ever did. He’s hitting well in the early going, however, and platoon partner Anthony Gose is scuffling after a blazing start. If you’ve got a need for speed, you could do a lot worse than Davis…
Nori Aoki, San Francisco Giants (39 percent owned)
…But if you’d prefer a player who requires less hands-on management, Aoki might be your man. While his stolen base totals and attempts have declined each of the last two seasons, he’s run wild so far, swiping eight bags in 10 attempts. He’s locked in as the Giants’ leadoff hitter, so don’t expect him to slow down any time soon. Aoki’s an asset in the batting average category as a career .286 hitter. If the defending champs can get their moribund offense going, he should give owners a boost in runs as well.
Alex Guerrero, Los Angeles Dodgers (37 percent owned)
Despite seeing only a handful of starts, Guerrero won Rookie of the Month honors in April. With Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig’s injuries, Guerrero has gotten more playing time lately. Puig should be back soon, but Crawford’s likely to miss significant time. Scott Van Slyke and Andre Ethier still stand as obstacles to regular at-bats. However, owners in deep leagues or with large benches should definitely have the Cuban expat on their rosters anyway. He’ll be a high-maintenance asset, to be sure. Still, the talent is obvious and the results have been there so far.
Mark Canha, Oakland Athletics (24 percent owned)
Canha roared out of the gate before reverting to the fringe major leaguer we expected over the next couple of weeks. A funny thing happened as the calendar turned to May, though – he started hitting again. He’s sitting at .264/326/.437 for the season, with four homers and 29 R+RBI. Canha is your prototypical A’s player, a guy who wasn’t highly regarded yet hit well at every level as he progressed through the minors. Since he was a Rule 5 draft pick, he has to remain with the big club all season or be offered back to the Marlins. As long as he continues to produce, Canha should see consistent at-bats.
Kelly Johnson, Atlanta Braves (18 percent owned)
Johnson was a revelation way back in 2010, hitting 26 homers, stealing 13 bases and posting an .865 OPS as a second baseman. He hasn’t been fantasy relevant since, but he’s tearing the cover off the ball right now. Over the last two weeks, he’s slashing .286/.333/.619 with four homers and 15 RBI. While he’s no longer eligible at second base, Johnson does carry eligibility at both corner infield positions in addition to the outfield. As you might expect, his hot hitting has made him one of the more popular adds this month. His HR/FB% will definitely regress over the long haul, but nothing else leaps out as particularly fluky. He costs nothing in over 80 percent of leagues.
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