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Lauren's fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for 1B and 3B for Week 11 of the 2024 season. Consider adding these free agent first basemen and third basemen.
Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues (30-50% rostered)
Eugenio Suarez, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks (31% rostered)
Since joining Arizona this past offseason, Eugenio Suarez has largely been a disappointment. In fact, the 32-year-old's offensive numbers have begun to trend downward over the last two seasons, hence why the Mariners decided to move on from him after just two years. Still, he hit 53 home runs with Seattle and reached a career milestone on Friday against the Mets.
2️⃣5️⃣0️⃣
Congratulations to Eugenio Suárez on the 250th home run of his career! pic.twitter.com/PavKkTb9nP
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) June 1, 2024
Suarez's sixth-inning solo home run was the 250th long ball of his career. He hit a 109.4 mph lineout one at-bat prior, his hardest-hit ball this season. Along with his .279 BABIP, this would suggest that Suarez is soon due for improvement. Perhaps reaching this feat will help to boost his confidence at the plate. The D-backs have the Giants and Padres on deck at home this week.
Matt Vierling, 3B/OF, Detroit Tigers (50% rostered)
No one has seen his stock rise as much as Matt Vierling has this past week, and for good reason -- he's belted four homers and driven in 10 runs to the tune of a .429/.452/.964 slash line. The best part is that he took both Paul Skenes and Jared Jones deep in a doubleheader against the Pirates this week. Pretty impressive.
After Matt Vierling's 11-pitch battle with Paul Skenes ended with a K, he hit Skenes' first-pitch slider his next time up and sent it deep to left. He has two homers in today's doubleheader and has four homers since Sunday. pic.twitter.com/o1C74tl2H3
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) May 29, 2024
His offensive numbers across 52 games this year don't look too shabby either; Vierling owns a .833 OPS and has tallied 19 extra-base hits in 182 PAs. His batted-ball metrics also support his recent surge. The 27-year-old ranks in the 91st percentile in average exit velocity and placed 92nd and 93rd, respectively, in LA sweet spot and chase percentage, per Statcast. Vierling has kept his strikeouts to a minimum, though he could stand to walk a bit more.
Waiver Wire for Deeper Leagues (10-30% rostered)
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 2B/3B/OF, Toronto Blue Jays (11% rostered)
The bright lights in New York aren't for everybody, and that seemed to be the case for Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who's put together a decent first two months in a Blue Jays uniform. IKF has batted .267 this year, with four home runs and 17 RBI across 56 games. For comparison's sake, he had just six homers in 361 plate appearances last season with the Yankees. He's nearly eclipsed that total in almost 200 fewer PAs.
Isiah Kiner Falefa BABY! Over the last week he’s 10-for-26, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 0 K, 1.274 OPS! pic.twitter.com/6kuuByQ9dv
— Discuss Baseball (@discussbaseball) May 30, 2024
The 29-year-old is beginning the new month on a hot streak, slashing .333/.429/.583 with eight hits, four walks, and just one strikeout in his last seven games. At the bottom of the AL East, Toronto needs all the help they can get. Luckily, things have started to look up for the Jays, winning four of their last five games, including one by an exciting Davis Schneider walk-off home run. They'll face the Orioles at home and the Athletics on the road this week.
Ty France, 1B, Seattle Mariners (14% rostered)
Although still not where Seattle needs him to be, Ty France enters June slugging .739 with two homers, a double, seven RBI, and three walks over the last week. The M's hope he can keep it up as the month progresses as they look to extend their lead in the AL West over the second-place Texas Rangers.
Ty France has put the Mariners ahead with a massive, 417-foot, solo homer here in the 8th inning.
They now lead, 5-4. pic.twitter.com/x0K58pxa15
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) June 1, 2024
His batted-ball metrics may not support it, but France can rip one occasionally (as you can see above). It can't all be boiled down to bad luck, either; he's simply not the power-hitting first baseman Seattle desperately searching for. Still, the club will continue to get out of him what they can, and it may be wise for your fantasy team to do the same.
Deeper Waiver Wire Options to Consider (Under 10%)
Alex Kirilloff, 1B/OF, Minnesota Twins (6% rostered)
The Twins haven't had much luck with their first-round draft picks recently. Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis, although fantastic players when healthy, are frequently hurt. Alex Kirilloff, who isn't hurt quite as often, has struggled immensely at the plate.
Alex Kirilloff goes yard for the second straight day. And that's to left-center field, which is exactly, exactly what you want to see with Alex Kirilloff.
Huge homer, both for the Twins and for Kirilloff's own season.
Twins lead, 5-3. pic.twitter.com/D67AWJlqVk
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) May 25, 2024
The 26-year-old is hitting just .217 on the season with a .697 OPS. It hasn't been pretty, but he's finally been swinging a hot bat within the last week -- slashing .353/.400/.706 with two home runs, six RBI, and two walks. As MLB.com's Do-Hyoung Park mentions above, Kirilloff driving the ball to left-center is an encouraging sign.
More Waiver Wire Pickups to Consider
- Mark Vientos, 1B/3B, New York Mets (10% rostered)
- Donovan Solano, 1B/2B/3B, San Diego Padres (1% rostered)
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