X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Don't Stop Believing - Buy Targets for Continued Second Half Success

Pierre Camus recommends players with surprising success in the first half to target in waivers or trades. These players may continue to be fantasy value plays.

For certain players, the second half is almost like a whole different season. Players who disappointed for months on end may suddenly catch fire, while players who have seen surprising success may fall back to Earth in a hard way.

Many fantasy owners are skeptical of these sudden success stories, leaving several real-life All-Stars widely available on the waiver wire or up to this very day. Nobody wants to be that guy to "buy high" or jump on every streaky player out there, but some of these players can continue to produce at a high level and shouldn't be overlooked. It would have been nice to have Scott Schebler or Logan Morrison back in April to boost those home run totals, wouldn't it?

Here are some players with surprising first-half fantasy success that could still make desirable add or trade targets. If they're somehow available on the free agent market in your league, they should be immediate pickups. If not, these players should be targeted in trades from unwitting owners who may believe they are selling high. RotoBallers make moves and these are power plays you shouldn't shy away from acquiring, for the right price.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Players to Target for Continued Success

Yonder Alonso (1B, OAK)

Alonso has to be the biggest surprise on this list, as he wasn't even assured a starting job in Oakland prior to the season. He wasn't drafted in a single mixed league and it took a while before he even cracked 20% ownership. Alonso earned an All-Star berth by posting numbers that have him on pace to exceed his career highs across the board. His 20 home runs at the break are more than double his previous best and even exceed his minor-league high of 12. There's no way he keeps this up, right? It's easy to quickly look at his 21.7% HR/FB and dismissively decide that he's bound to decline.

The fact is that more balls are leaving the yard because he's hitting far more in the air than ever before. A 48.7% FB% isn't just high for him, it shows that he's become a full-fledged fly ball hitter. It isn't just a fluke either; Alonso spent the offseason on a new training program and intentionally tweaked his swing in order to generate more lift. Obviously, it worked. Alonso was a college star and a first-round pick by the Reds back in 2008, so the real surprise is that it's taken him this long to figure it all out. The fact he's barely owned in more than half of all Yahoo leagues is a shocker. Don't let him linger on the market in your league any longer if he's available.

Corey Dickerson (OF, TB)

Coors Field can have long-lasting effects on player values, even after they've left. When Corey Dickerson hit .245 in Tampa last season, his prior success was quickly dismissed as a product of the Colorado climate. Turns out 2016 may have been the outlier. Dickerson is among the top hitters in the American League, batting .312 with 17 HR, 42 RBI, and 60 runs scored.

This season, he's focusing less on putting the ball in the air to produce power and more on making contact. A .361 BABIP seems unsustainable, but he enjoyed averages on balls in play of .356 and .367 in 2014 and 2015. Dickerson has shown the ability to produce top-level stats in all categories other than steals, something that won't change in the second half. If you snagged him in a keeper league, hold on tight.

Justin Bour (1B, MIA)

He nearly missed out on an All-Star spot in front of his home crowd, but was able to participate in the Home Run Derby based on the strength of his 20 jacks in the first half. He's just the National League version of Logan Morrison though, right? Believe it or not, Bour is batting .289 and is no longer a liability against lefties.

In fact, he now hits LHP even better than RHP, with a .333 BAA and a home run every 10 at-bats versus left-handers. Bour is an everyday starter who bats in the middle of a fairly formidable lineup, so there are no real concerns here. In just his fourth Major League season, Bour is entering his prime a little later than most at 29 years old, but it does appear he's figured things out.

Felipe Rivero (RP, PIT)

Maybe the biggest All-Star snub that few people were talking about, Rivero could be the reliever that earns your fantasy team 20 or more saves from this point on. Rivero was dominant as a setup man through mid-June and then took over for ineffective Tony Watson in the ninth inning. He has posted a ridiculously low 0.76 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 55 K in 47 1/3 innings this season, along with six saves in six chances.

He's owned in three-fourths of Yahoo leagues, but if he's taken in your league and you're in the market for a closer, make him a primary target. He shouldn't fetch as high a price as most established closer, but his ratios have been better than anyone outside Kenley Jansen and he should keep the job the rest of the way.

Alex Wood (RP/SP, LAD)

As a dominant starting pitcher for the 61-win Dodgers, Wood is owned in pretty much every competitive league out there. Is it just a matter of time before he suffers a similar fate to all Dodgers pitchers not named Kershaw and lands on the DL? That can't be dismissed outright, especially since he was limited to 60 innings last season with triceps soreness and has already landed on the DL once this season. Health is hard to predict, however, so we must assume Wood will keep trotting out there every five games. If so, he should continue to help owners with low ratios and high strikeout numbers.

Wood's 1.67 ERA and .254 BABIP could be due for regression, but maybe not as much as you'd think. Wood has found a way to increase his ground ball rate up to 63.5% and has induced a swinging strike rate of 13.5%. He's getting ahead with first strikes, getting batters to swing outside the zone, and keeping the ball in the park too. A solid 2.81 SIERA and nearly every peripheral points to Wood finishing with numbers deserving of his All-Star status. If you need rotation help, see if a rival owner is willing to "sell high" on Wood, rather than hoping for a rebound from disappointing stars like Johnny Cueto or Justin Verlander.

 

Premium Tools & DFS Research

Get a free trial of our powerful MLB Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Optimizer & Lineup Generator, daily Matchup Ratings, expert DFS Lineups/Cheat Sheets, and more.

Sign Up Now!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
Max Scherzer

Cleared to Start on Saturday
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Kodai Senga

Could be "in Play" to Return Before All-Star Break
Ha-Seong Kim

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim From Injured List
Christian Moore

Placed on Injured List With Thumb Sprain
Luis L. Ortiz

the Subject of Gambling Investigation
Jordan Lawlar

to Miss Multiple Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Receives Encouraging News on his Hand
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Jacob Monk

Sees Plenty of Work With Starters
Avonte Maddox

has Impressed Dan Campbell
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Chicago Bears

Ruben Hyppolite Shows Notable Improvement
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Daron Payne

Commanders Coaches Impressed With Daron Payne
Danny Gray

Makes Impression During Offseason Workouts
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dane Belton

Should Have a Role in 2025
Kaiir Elam

Flashes During Offseason Workouts
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF