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To help you dominate all of your 2018 fantasy baseball leagues, below are some 2018 fantasy baseball first base (1B) sleepers & waiver wire pickups to consider adding to your fantasy baseball teams. Be sure to also use our other lineup resources and tools shown in the icons below.
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2018 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire by MLB Position
ALL - C - 1B - 2B - SS - 3B - OF - SP - RP
Ji-Man Choi (1B, TB) - Week 26 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 11% of leagues ANALYSIS: Ji-Man Choi has been performing steadily better at the plate each month since June, and has settled into a fantastic rhythm all throughout September. In 60 AB this month, he has wracked up five dingers in addition to a remarkable slash of .283/.380/.617 with a season-high ISO of .330. Choi has accomplished this hot run down the home-stretch by leveling out his high grounder rate of 43.5% with a very high frequency of fly balls (41.3%) and producing...continue reading
Jay Bruce (1B/OF, NYM) - Week 26 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Mets first baseman/outfielder Jay Bruce has been a big disappointment this year. Bruce is normally known for his power and routinely provides 30 homers annually. Unfortunately, he has just nine this year. Bruce has slowly bounced back to give you the power your roster needs. It would not be wise to acquire him if you have a concern with batting average. In the last 14 days, he has three homers and 12 RBI, but...continue reading
Daniel Palka (1B/OF, CHW) - Week 26 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 15% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago White Sox first baseman/outfielder Daniel Palka has been destroying pitching recently. He has six homers, nine RBI and a .273 average in the last 14 days. His 2018 rookie campaign has brought about 27 homers. Unfortunately, he does need to work on his plate discipline as he has a 33% strikeout rate. Also, he currently doesn’t use most of the field; he pulls the ball 44% of the time. Palka will have a full seven-game schedule...continue reading
Josh Bell (1B, PIT) – Week 26 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 42% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell has been a bag of mixed emotions this year. 2018 has not been what fantasy owners had expected, particularly following a 2017 season in which he hit 26 homers with 90 RBI. The outlook is trending up though even with only 11 homers this year. In 70 fewer at-bats, Bell has already hit 31 doubles, compared to 26 in all of 2017. Bell never demonstrated elite power in the minors but...continue reading
Hunter Dozier (1B/3B, KC) – Week 26 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Over the last 30 days, Kansas City Royals infielder Hunter Dozier has four homers, 15 RBI, and a .269 average. It doesn’t sound particularly impressive. However, he is useful in most leagues if you just need power. Dozier has a 46% hard-hit rate, 52.7% against right-handers which he faces the most this week. He also has a .293 wOBA against right-handed pitchers. In the second half, he has made some improvements at the plate. He has increased...continue reading
Luke Voit (1B, NYY) - Week 26 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of leagues ANALYSIS: Remember when everyone thought Greg Bird was going to be a fantasy stud? He's battled injury as usual, and been pretty terrible when he has played. Enter Luke Voit, a little-known 27-year-old who entered the season with 62 plate appearances in the majors. Since taking command of the Yankees' first base job on August 24, Voit has hit an absurd .342/.422/.747 with 10 home runs and 39 R+BI in 90 plate appearances. That includes three...continue reading
Ryan O'Hearn (1B, KC) - Week 26 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 14% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kansas City Royals first baseman Ryan O’Hearn was a sleeper slugger who has made an instant impact for Kansas City with his power. After hitting 11 home runs in 100 Triple-A games this season, O'Hearn has matched that total in 38 games for the Royals. It starts with a 45.3% hard-hit rate combined with a 43% fly ball rate. With a decent contact rate (70.2%), it is easy to see why he has been on a power surge. If...continue reading
Tyler White (1B, HOU) - Week 25 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 50% of leagues ANALYSIS: Houston Astros first baseman Tyler White is right on the line, but why? How greedy are fantasy managers if they are not happy with the performance he provides. In the last 14 days, White has one homer with 11 RBI to go with a .286 batting average. He has a schedule of six games at home with a series against the Mariners before the Angels come into town. Currently, the schedule has him facing three righties, two...continue reading
Matt Davidson (1B/3B, CHW) - Week 25 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago White Sox corner infielder Matt Davidson shot out of the gates to start the season. He had nine homers with 18 RBI in March and April. However, since then he only has 11 homers in the rest of the season combined. He is dedicated to the fly ball revolution with a 47% rate. Although he doesn’t have an extremely high hard-hit rate, 39% is still well enough to produce some serious results. Davidson missed four games...continue reading
Ji-Man Choi (1B, TB) - Week 25 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 11% of leagues ANALYSIS: At 27 years old, Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi has come out of nowhere to be a viable fantasy asset down the stretch. He has made an impression in the second half with seven homers, 24 RBI and a .290 batting average. Choi’s success is due in part to a 44.7% hard-hit rate contributing to a .517 slugging. Choi will even bring recent success into the upcoming schedule. In the last 14 days, he hit...continue reading
Ryan O'Hearn (1B, KC) - Week 25 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kansas City Royals first baseman Ryan O’Hearn continues to surprise and give the Royals hope that there are some young bats that can turn this organization around quicker than expected. Power. He is giving you nearly a homer a week. It starts with a 49% hard-hit rate combined with a 43% fly ball rate. Then you see a .632 slugging and then all you need is a decent contact rate (70%). If O’Hearn can keep his 15% walk rate...continue reading
Luke Voit (1B, NYY) - Week 25 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Yankees first baseman Luke Voit may not be hitting a home run every other night like he was a week ago, but is still a great addition for the fantasy stretch run. Posting a .265/.359/.559 slash since the beginning of September, Voit has been hitless in three of the last four games. Prior to that, though, Voit had a five game hitting streak that included home runs on back-to-back-to-back nights. Since being recalled by the Yankees on...continue reading
Niko Goodrum (1B/2B/3B/OF, DET) - Week 24 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Though his seven-game hitting streak came to an end on Saturday, Detroit Tigers utility man Niko Goodrum filled up the box score during that week. He homered three times, stole two bases, and scored seven runs while driving in an additional four. Goodrum’s rookie campaign has been a mixed bag, but he has tallied 16 homers and 11 steals. He also qualifies at every position save catcher, and that versatility is especially handy down the stretch. As we...continue reading
Trey Mancini (1B/OF, BAL) - Week 24 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 40% of leagues ANALYSIS: Some people are waiting for the 2017 Trey Mancini to return. It is likely that will be one of his career-best performances. However, the performance he had in the first half this year is also not indicative of his true talent. The skill he has displayed in the second half is more likely to be the player he becomes. He has a .345 wOBA with an improved hard-hit rate (39%). He is one short of matching his RBI output...continue reading
Tyler White (1B, HOU) - Week 24 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 46% of leagues ANALYSIS: Houston Astros first baseman Tyler White has supposedly struggled the last couple of weeks, at least for our liking. During that time he hit three homers and 13 RBI with a .265 batting average. If nothing else, he has demonstrated he is human and will have stretches where he won't have super-elite production. Of course, when looking at the underlying stats you notice that he had a BABIP of .243, meaning he isn’t underperforming as much as we thought. To support...continue reading
Luke Voit (1B, NYY) - Week 24 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Yankees first baseman Luke Voit looks like a downright steal by the Yankees. They acquired him from the Cardinals at the deadline for a couple of pitchers in a trade that slipped by the attention of most fantasy analysts, as Voit appeared to be just a backup to Greg Bird. With Bird in a terrible slump, Voit was given the opportunity and seemingly has zero desire to give the job back. Since the trade...continue reading
Ryan O'Hearn (1B, KC) - Week 24 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 7% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kansas City Royals first baseman Ryan O'Hearn has come out of nowhere to be a fantasy asset to close the season. In 61 at bats against righties this year, O'Hearn is batting .361 with eight homers and a 1.311 OPS. That is a microscopic sample, but wow. The lefty is a power hitter who likely will hit for a low average and not steal you bases, but he can provide value in the right week. Given that he...continue reading
Trey Mancini (1B/OF, BAL) - Week 23 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 37% of leagues ANALYSIS: Patience is key, particularly with young sophomore players. Realistically, it isn’t patience as much as it is striking while the iron is hot in this case. Very few managers likely held onto Mancini during his rough patches this season (May-July). Mancini has rewarded those been an improved source of production and he was likely acquired off the waiver wire cheaply. In the month of August, he is batting .291 with seven homers and 20 RBI. For those that were delayed to jump...continue reading
Wilmer Flores (1B/2B/3B, NYM) - Week 23 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: Flores has had a decent go of it this year and the results were likely more than most had expected. He has 11 homers, 48 RBI, and a .272 average. Additionally, as a utility player, he has earned positional eligibility all over the infield. Flores’ plate discipline has really improved as well. He has a 5.5% swinging strike rate, albeit with only a 47% swing rate. He has also really impressed with his walk rate (8.8%). The question then...continue reading
Tyler White (1B, HOU) - Week 23 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 39% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tyler White was first introduced when his ownership level was at 2%. Though his ownership has risen, he is still under-owned. White routinely bats in the middle third of one of the best lineups in the league. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and George Springer have all returned from the disabled list. The Astros have their full complement of weapons, which should only increase White’s counting stats. His last two weeks have been...continue reading
Tyler Austin (1B, MIN) - Week 23 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tyler Austin was acquired by the Twins from the Yankees to serve as a power bat against left-handed pitchers. While his performance against righties hasn’t been very good, it seems to be enough for the team to give him more regular playing time. Austin’s batting average this season (.236) doesn’t instill confidence and might even cause some trepidation when contemplating acquiring him. However, he has started working to improve the stats in the second half, with...continue reading
Yonder Alonso (1B, CLE) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 44% of leagues ANALYSIS: At this stage of the season, you might just need a power bat that will get you over the hump in a couple of key categories. That is exactly what 31-year-old Cleveland Indians first baseman Yonder Alonso will provide, power. The Indians will enjoy a stretch at home taking on the Twins followed by the Rays. Alonso will face all righties against Minnesota, but will likely encounter the committee staff that Tampa Bay has employed as of...continue reading
Wilmer Flores (1B/2B/3B, NYM) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 12% of leagues ANALYSIS: Opportunity and consistency. Sometimes that is all a player really needs in order to thrive. For most of the season, New York Mets infielder Wilmer Flores has been a utility player that has slotted in all over the infield. Now that he has the first base job, he can finally relax at the plate without a need to press to earn more playing time, ultimately resulting in inferior performance. Flores is also slotted in at a prime...continue reading
Trey Mancini (1B/OF, BAL) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Orioles lineup, as a whole, is not one to get excited about. However, they do have an injection of youth that can suddenly catch fire. Additionally, they are a professional ball club. Baltimore Orioles first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini is poised to take advantage, hitting in the middle third of the lineup. He does only have one HR, four RBI, and a .283 AVG in the last two weeks. On the season he is batting .236, however, he...continue reading
Jedd Gyorko (1B/2B/3B, STL) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 12% of leagues ANALYSIS: St. Louis Cardinals infielder Jedd Gyorko fell off of the fantasy radar earlier in the season, but he has regained his fantasy value. He has slashed .304/.400/.507 in August and has eight extra-base hits this month, including three home runs. Gyorko has a double in each of his last three starts, registering a run scored in three of the last four starts. Gyorko entered this season having averaged 25 HR/600 PA for his career, but he has seen...continue reading
Kendrys Morales (1B, TOR) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 39% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kendrys Morales enters Friday's action having hit five home runs in his last four games. That surge has him among the most added players in fantasy baseball this week, but he's still available in over 60 percent of Yahoo leagues at the moment. The veteran began the season ice cold with a .499 OPS in April, but opened the month of May with a two-homer game. Since that day, he's hit .278/.355/.500 with 17 homers in 88 games,...continue reading
Trey Mancini (1B/OF, BAL) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of leagues ANALYSIS: For most of 2018, Trey Mancini has failed to meet the standard that he sent in his successful rookie campaign last year when he produced a .826 OPS and 24 HR. While he never failed to hit less than three HR in a month all year, between May to July he produced mediocre OPS between .597 and .674, while his ISO hovered between .125 and .151 off of hard contact rates between 25.5% and 33.3%. That wasn't a...continue reading
Ronald Guzman (1B, TEX) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: Despite all the success of younger rookies, Texas Rangers first baseman Guzman has had what should be considered a successful rookie campaign. He has demonstrated an ability to hit for power. In 297 at-bats, Guzman has 13 homers and 47 RBI. His power occurs despite a 30% hard-hit rate; however, he does distribute the ball all over the field (38%pull, 36%center, 26%opposite field). Guzman’s developing power does come with an increased strikeout rate (29%). This stems from his tendency to...continue reading
Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TB) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers started off his rookie campaign quite strong. In the first half, he hit .252 with five homers, 25 runs, and 18 RBI. He also added 13 doubles and a couple of stolen bases. However, the league has made adjustments and now he must do the same. The second half, contrary to the first half, has been a mixed bag. He has nearly matched the first half numbers with four homers and 16...continue reading
David Freese (1B/3B, PIT) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 5% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates infielder David Freese is doing just enough to get a fantasy squad into the playoffs. He continues to hit for a very high average. Unfortunately, the other counting stats will depend on his teammates. In the last two weeks, Freese has one homer with six runs, five RBI, and a .344 AVG. He is also hitting .324 overall in the second half, which should give optimism that he can produce. The Pirates believe so...continue reading
Tyler White (1B, HOU) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 2% of leagues ANALYSIS: Keep an eye on Houston Astros first baseman Tyler White as he continues to perform when he is in the lineup. With the return of George Springer from the disabled list, there are fewer spots for Yulieski Gurriel, Marwin Gonzalez, and White to occupy. Even with only 12 plate appearances in the last week, White hit two homers, four RBI, and a .364 batting average. In 94 plate appearances, White has a...continue reading
Josh Bell (1B, PIT) – Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 45% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell has had a lost season in 2018, posting a .266/.349/.413 slash line, but seems to have turned the corner as of late. He has two home runs in the last week, getting a hit in six of his last seven games, and is flashing the power that led to 26 home runs and 90 RBI in 2017. Taking a step back to the beginning of July, Bell is slashing .310/.400/.490 and his...continue reading
Tyler White (1B, HOU) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 2% of leagues ANALYSIS: With Jose Altuve and George Springer on the disabled list, there was some reshuffling done which now allows first baseman Tyler White to get some playing time at first base. Thus far, he is making the most of it. In the last two weeks, he has three homers, nine RBI, and a .342 batting average. In 79 plate appearances, White has a slash line of .279/.380/.574. These totals are boosted by a 14% walk rate...continue reading
Daniel Palka (1B/OF, CHW) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 5% of leagues ANALYSIS: In the last 30 days, Chicago White Sox first baseman/outfielder Daniel Palka has compiled seven HR with 17 RBI and a .306 AVG. The important thing to know is that he has very unique splits. At home, he is a .277 hitter that only generates 33% hard-hit rate and his swing is catered toward a ground ball result (46%). Contrarily, on the road, his swings generate more fly balls (44%) and hard-hit rate (43%), resulting in more...continue reading
David Freese (1B/3B, PIT) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 5% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates infielder David Freese has been an underestimated player this year. Ok, may he is not big-time power hitter, but he is just another guy who can hit the ball. However, it is worth pointing out that he does have a slash line of .292/.346/.474 so Freese does provide exactly what you need in a player, the ability to get on base and above-average slugging. In the last 14 days, Freese has two homers with nine...continue reading
Trey Mancini (1B/OF, BAL) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: Baltimore Orioles first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini came busting into the league in 2017 hitting .293 with 24 HR and 78 RBI. He was given a hard dose of reality in 2018, as he is hitting a terribly low .231, pulled down partially due to a .271 BABIP. No matter his issues, though, he still has 16 home runs and is an undoubted boost to power numbers. If there is a silver lining, it is that Mancini has...continue reading
Albert Pujols (1B, LAA) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 40% of leagues ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols is currently on the disabled list with knee inflammation but the well-timed All-Star break gives him the possibility of returning fully healthy for the second half. Since the All-Star break (July 23), Pujols has only had two hitless games and has two home runs and four doubles in the same time span. Even at 38 years old, Pujols continues to smack the ball with authority, with a Hard-Hit rate better than he has in the...continue reading
Trey Mancini (1B/OF, BAL) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: Baltimore Orioles first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini came busting into the league in 2017 hitting .293 with 24 HR and 78 RBI. He was given a hard dose of reality in 2018, as he is hitting a terribly low .231, pulled down partially due to a .275 BABIP. He does have 15 homers on the season though. If there is a silver lining, it is that Mancini has shown some signs of life recently. In the last 14...continue reading
David Freese (1B/3B, PIT) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 3% of leagues ANALYSIS: At 35 years old, Pittsburgh Pirates corner infielder David Freese is demonstrating that he can be a productive player on your roster. In 211 plate appearances in 2018, he has a .286 batting average to go with eight homers and 36 RBI. He has also frequently been in the middle of the Pirates lineup, putting him the position to enhance his run creation tallies. It is surprising because he is not hitting the ball that hard (33%)...continue reading
Greg Bird (1B, NYY) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 46% of Yahoo leagues ANALYSIS: An inability to stay healthy has plagued Greg Bird throughout his major league career, which is why he still doesn't have 600 plate appearances to his name despite debuting in 2015. What Bird does have is power, a park seemingly tailor-made for his swing, and a stacked lineup in which to ply his trade. Bird's current numbers don't jump off the page (.236/.326/.446, nine home runs) but that's partly due to a slow start that's still dragging...continue reading
Kendrys Morales (1B, TOR) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 15% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Kendrys Morales has yet to show his age and is hitting cleanup for the Blue Jays. Even at 35 years old, he is not a handicap to any fantasy lineup. By itself, his 13 HR and .253 average on the season does not exude confidence, but, when you look at his recent performance, you will see the benefits he still provides. Since July 23, Morales is hitting .302 with two home runs,...continue reading
Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TB) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Given the dominance of the Yankees and Red Sox, the Rays were never likely to contend for a playoff spot. They have been respectable, though, posting a .500 record and a positive run differential entering Saturday's action. One reason has been the play of rookie Jake Bauers. The 22-year-old has hit .242/.347/.500 with nine home runs and four stolen bases in 50 games since getting promoted to the majors in June. He has not run as much as fantasy owners...continue reading
C.J. Cron (1B, TB) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 49% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays first baseman C.J. Cron has predictably not maintained the torrid pace he set early in the season, but he can still help your fantasy squad. Cron is still the cleanup hitter for the Rays and has hits in two of his last three starts. After a putrid June, he has rebounded quite nicely since the beginning of July. The 28-year-old has seven multi-hit games in that time period, which has helped him to produce a .313/.356/.627...continue reading
C.J. Cron (1B, TB) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 46% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays first baseman C.J. Cron has predictably not maintained the torrid pace he set early in the season, but he can still help your fantasy squad. Cron is still the cleanup hitter for the Rays and has hits in three of his last four games After a putrid June, he has rebounded quite nicely in July. The 28-year-old has six multi-hit games this month, which has helped him to produce a .355/.406/.677 line. Cron has...continue reading
Wilmer Flores (1B/2B/3B, NYM) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 7% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Mets infielder Wilmer Flores is a tricky player to value, as he keeps hitting, but his playing time is always a question. The Mets have been a train wreck as usual, but for once they seem willing to let Flores play regularly instead of blocking him with retreads. Closing in on his 27th birthday, Flores has slowly but steadily improved each season in the major leagues. Currently, he is hitting .271/.327/.454 with nine home...continue reading
Ryon Healy (1B/3B, SEA) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 38% of leagues ANALYSIS: Seattle Mariners corner infielder Ryon Healy is well-known for his streaky performance and had a spell of good production this past week. He hit three homers and drove in 12 with a .429 batting average. Do not get too excited about the average. Healy provides one thing for your team, power in spurts. He does not even offer value in OBP leagues with a lowly 3.6% walk rate. He strikes out often enough (22.9%), but, unfortunately, it...continue reading
Greg Bird (1B, NYY) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 46% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird has cooled off a bit after a torrid start to July, but is still slashing .261/.333/.449 this month. He has a hit in five of the last six games and has a double in two of those games, scoring two runs and driving in three. Bird has also had opportunities to hit near the middle of the lineup (usually 5th, 6th, and 7th), a good thing considering that the Yankees are one of the...continue reading
Kendrys Morales (1B, TOR) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 13% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Kendrys Morales has yet to show his age and is hitting cleanup for the Blue Jays. Even at 35 years old, he is not a handicap to any fantasy lineup. By itself, his 12 HR and .257 average on the season does not exude confidence, but, when you look at his recent performance, you will see the benefits he still provides. Over the last seven days, Morales is hitting .450 with a...continue reading
Jake Bauers (1B, TB) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of Yahoo leagues ANALYSIS: Given the dominance of the Yankees and Red Sox, the Rays were never likely to contend for a playoff spot. They have been respectable, though, posting a .500 record and a positive run differential entering Saturday's action. One reason has been the play of rookie Jake Bauers. The 22-year-old has hit .245/.346/.472 with six home runs and three stolen bases in 38 games since getting promoted to the majors last month. He has not run as much as...continue reading
C.J. Cron (1B, TBR) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 45% of Yahoo leagues ANALYSIS: C.J. Cron has predictably not maintained the torrid pace he set early in the season, but that doesn't mean he can't still help your fantasy squad. In fact, after a putrid June, he's rebounded quite nicely in July. The 28-year-old has five multi-hit games this month, which has helped him to produce a .375/.426/.708 line. Cron has also flashed improved plate discipline in that time, posting easily his best walk and strikeout rate of the year on...continue reading
