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To help you dominate all of your 2018 fantasy baseball leagues, below are some 2018 fantasy baseball outfield (OF) 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
Ben Zobrist (2B/OF, CHC) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 39% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs second baseman/outfielder Ben Zobrist has had a really good year as an experienced veteran. He has gotten more playing time than usual, as he had filled in well for Kris Bryant while he recovered from his injury. Since Bryant has returned, Zobrist has mainly played second and has also found opportunities at the top of the lineup. He is slashing .308/.392/.462 this season and has a .369 wOBA. While he only has...
Steven Souza Jr. (OF, ARI) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza Jr. appears to be turning the corner and turning into the 30 home run/16 stolen base player that they traded for this spring. Unfortunately, Souza suffered a pectoral muscle strain in spring training that kept him out for most of the first half (he initially came back in May, but played poorly and landed back on the disabled list with the same injury a few weeks later). No matter his issues early on, he...
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...
Steven Souza Jr. (OF, ARI) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 28% of leagues ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza Jr. appears to be turning the corner and turning into the 30 home run/16 stolen base player that they traded for this spring. Unfortunately, Souza suffered a pectoral muscle strain in spring training that kept him out for most of the first half (he initially came back in May, but played poorly and landed back on the disabled list with the same injury a few weeks later). No matter his issues early on, he...
Hunter Renfroe (OF, SDP) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: After reaching base three times in four plate appearances on Saturday (single, double, walk), Hunter Renfroe's season line stands at .251/.317/.489. This represents a legitimate step forward across the board in his second full MLB season. The caveat, of course, is that he hasn't played every day thanks to a surplus of outfielders on the Padres' roster. That should be less of an issue going forward, particularly with Wil Myers injured yet again....
Manuel Margot (OF, SD) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres outfielder Manuel Margot has had a disappointing 2018 season after posting an ADP of 138 (36th among outfielders) this spring. Fantasy owners were clearly betting on the promising form Margot had flashed in the second half of last year when he looked like a viable 20/20 candidate. Instead, Margot has just five home runs and only has 10 stolen bases. Those poor numbers mask the fact that the 23-year-old has quietly turned his season around as the...
Franmil Reyes (OF, SD) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: After the first few months of his 2018 campaign were characterized by a slough of struggles with a pinch of power, 23-year old Franmil Reyes has exploded into the month of August with a 1.637 OPS and three dingers in 18 AB so far. He sports a few plate peripherals that are far from ideal for power hitting. His incredibly high strikeout rate of 35.4%, along with a below-average pull rate of 34.2%, and a GB/FB ratio of...
Randal Grichuk (OF, TOR) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 13% of leagues ANALYSIS: The first month of the 2018 season was an unmitigated disaster for Randal Grichuk. He hit just .106, then hurt himself trying to make a diving play in the field. Since returning from that injury, however, he's done his best to overcome that rough first impression in Toronto. Grichuk has hit .273/.323/.546 with 14 home runs and 73 R+BI in 56 games after his stint on the disabled list, and has been seeing the bulk of his...
Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TBR) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of leagues ANALYSIS: While Jake Bauers has slumped a bit since the All-Star break, that has at least a little to do with a low BABIP that doesn't pass the smell test. Said slump has dropped his average to .233, but he still boasts an OPS above .800 to go with nine home runs and four stolen bases in 239 plate appearances. By virtue of hitting in the top half of the Tampa batting order, Bauers has also gifted fantasy owners with...
Mallex Smith (OF, TBR) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 54% of leagues ANALYSIS: Mallex Smith has been on fire recently, which is why his ownership rate has skyrocketed accordingly over the last few days. If he's still floating around on your league's waiver wire, though, it's time to put in a claim. The speedy outfielder has bounced back from a June swoon in a big way; since the start of July, he's slashed an absurd .395/.485/.616 and stolen 10 bases. Seven of those swipes have come in the last 10 games. Obviously...
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...
Ben Zobrist (2B/OF, CHC) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 39% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs second baseman/outfielder Ben Zobrist has had a really good year as an experienced veteran. He has gotten more playing time than usual, as he has filled in well for Kris Bryant while he recovered from his injury. Since Bryant has returned, Zobrist has mainly played second and has also found opportunities at the top of the lineup. He is slashing .313/.398/.467 this season and has a .373 wOBA. While he only has...
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...
Mark Canha (OF, OAK) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Oakland Athletics are, in a word, weird. Any team that counts both Brett Anderson and Edwin Jackson as members of its starting rotation in 2018 seemingly has no business being in a wild-card spot in a top-heavy American League. But after sweeping the Blue Jays earlier this week, that's precisely where Oakland finds itself. One reason is contributions from unheralded players like Mark Canha. Canha enjoyed some brief fantasy relevance back in 2015,...
Manuel Margot (OF, SDP) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: Any way you slice it, Manuel Margot's 2018 season has been a disappointment. With an ADP of 138 (36th among outfielders) this spring, fantasy owners were clearly betting on the promising form Margot had flashed in the second half of last year when he looked like a viable 20/20 candidate. Instead, Margot has just four home runs and is only 10-for-18 in stolen base attempts. Those poor numbers mask the fact that the 23-year-old has quietly turned...
Steven Souza Jr. (OF, ARI) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: Coming off a career year in which he hit 30 home runs and stole 16 bases while putting up solid run production, Steven Souza Jr. was a popular late-round target in drafts this spring. Being traded from Tampa Bay to Arizona over the winter figured to only boost his value, even with the installation of a humidor at Chase Field. Unfortunately, Souza suffered a pectoral muscle strain in spring training that kept him out for most of the...
Michael Conforto (OF, NYM) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 44% of leagues ANALYSIS: Overall, this hasn't been a great year for Michael Conforto. After injuring his shoulder on a swing last August, he underwent surgery that most expected to keep him sidelined until after the start of the 2018 season. He made it back in time for Opening Day, but struggled through most of the season's first half and clearly seemed less than 100 percent. That slow start contributed to his pedestrian numbers (.750 OPS, 14 home runs in 394 plate appearances...
Ben Zobrist (2B/OF, CHC) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs second baseman/outfielder Ben Zobrist has had a really good year as an experienced veteran. He has gotten more playing time than usual, as he has filled in well for Kris Bryant while he recovered from his injury. Since Bryant has returned, Zobrist has mainly played second and has also found opportunities at the top of the lineup. He is slashing .307/.395/.443 this season and has a .365 wOBA. While he only has...
Mallex Smith (OF, TB) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Mallex Smith has hits in five of the last six games and has either a run scored or RBI in four of those six games. Smith has also stolen three bases in his last three games (bringing his season tally to 21) and also has a triple and two doubles in the last four games. Since the beginning of July, Smith is hitting .388 with 11 extra-base hits and, even more impressively,...
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...
Kole Calhoun (OF, LAA) – Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun is not generally regarded as an exciting fantasy option, but he had an outstanding month of July. This month, Calhoun has hit nine home runs, scored 19 runs, and driven in 20, posting a .311/.361/.770 slash. For a player that is hitting just .201 on the season and had only three home runs coming into the month, this is quite the pleasant surprise. Calhoun has a home run in back-to-back games and...
Lourdes Gurriel (2B/SS/OF, TOR) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 37% of leagues **UPDATE: 7/29 at 10:00 pm ET - Unfortunately Gurriel left today's game with a lower leg injury. He's being diagnosed with a knee contusion and ankle sprain, but no broken bones. It's still TBD how much time he will miss and if a DL stint will be needed. ** ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Lourdes Gurriel has been white hot of late. In fact, by the time you read this, it may already be too late – Gurriel’s...
Nick Williams (OF, PHI) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: Nick Williams has flown under the radar for most of the season. A slow start and uncertain playing time played a role, but the struggles of Aaron Altherr have yielded everyday at-bats for Williams, and he's taken advantage. The sophomore is hitting .317/.391/.537 with five home runs in July, bringing his overall line up to .257/.331/.456 with 14 homers in 302 plate appearances. This season, Williams has seen marked improvement in his plate...
Joc Pederson (OF, LAD) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% of leagues ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson has four multi-hit games in his last five, adding to the power streak that he was on since the beginning of June. Pederson is now up to 13 home runs since the beginning of June, posting a .287 batting average in 144 plate appearances. Even more impressive is that Pederson has also walked in 8.3% of appearances, bringing his OBP to .357 in the time span. One of the issues with Pederson's...
Jason Heyward (OF, CHC) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward was seen as a free agent bust after a few rough offensive seasons, but has shown some good signs of late. He has a .294 batting average since the beginning of June, posting a .446 slugging percentage and .153 isolated power. Heyward has a .349 OBP in the same time period, putting up solid extra-base and run production totals. Heyward has five home runs and 12 doubles since the beginning of June,...
Jesse Winker (OF, CIN) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: Jesse Winker looked to be in danger of losing playing time after an atrocious showing during the month of May, but ever since the calendar flipped to June, he's been one of the hottest hitters in baseball. The sophomore (he just barely cleared 130 plate appearances last season, so he's not technically a rookie) has posted a blistering .374/.476/.577 line in that span, with six home runs and 49 R+BI. As you might have surmised from that absurd on-base...
Jason Heyward (OF, CHC) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of leagues ANALYSIS: It may seem like Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward has been in the league forever, but in fact, he's just 28-years-old. Now playing in his 9th MLB season, Heyward is having a very serviceable year. He seems to have lost a lot of his power and stolen base upside that was present earlier in his career (six home runs and one stolen base in 2018), but a .287/.350/.426 batting line is solid and he's also...
Stephen Piscotty (OF, OAK) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 39% of leagues ANALYSIS: Now that the start of this year is behind him, A's outfielder Stephen Piscotty is finally showing what he is capable of in the batter's box. The prolonged illness and subsequent death of his mother understandably impacted Piscotty at the end of his tenure in St. Louis and the beginning of this season in Oakland. He turned a corner at the plate starting in June and has batted over .300 for the past two months with nine homers...
Willie Calhoun (OF, TEX) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: FINALLY!!! IT HAPPENED!!! This week is just full of emotions for me. After a surprise demotion to start the season followed by a mopey initial two months, Texas’ top prospect Willie Calhoun has finally gotten back to the show. While it’s exciting that we’ll finally get to see the short slugger in Arlington this year, there are numerous reasons for concern. Not the least of these is his production in the first half of 2018. While his approach is...
Jason Kipnis (2B/OF, CLE) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 33% of Yahoo leagues ANALYSIS: Is Jason Kipnis back?! Quite possibly. Those who drafted Kipnis in 2017 were left thoroughly disappointed with the most lackluster season of his career, and many sought to avoid that trainwreck this season. Kipnis, once a perennial top-10 second baseman, was barely getting drafted this year on account of one bad, injury-riddled year. Over the past 30 days, Kipnis has double-digit runs and RBI, along with four home runs and two stolen bases. However, what's most important, especially for leagues that...
Ben Zobrist (2B/OF, CHC) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: If it’s batting average you’re after, Zobrist is pacing toward his best mark in nearly a decade. The ageless wonder is hitting .293 and has drawn more walks than strikeouts, which has helped him return to fantasy relevance this year despite modest pop (six home runs) and speed (2-for-5 in stolen base attempts). He’s moved around quite a bit, but generally has hit in the top half of the order for the Cubs’ top-five offense. That’s allowed him to...
Hunter Renfroe (OF, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 2% of leagues ANALYSIS: Hunter Renfroe, for me, has lived in the same space of the fantasy world as Mark Trumbo or Joey Gallo. Those are guys that I know I’ll almost never own because I hate guys that strikeout a ton and always swing for the fences. Sure, you can get 40 home runs, which Trumbo did in 2016 and Gallo did in 2017, but that’s literally all they’re good for usually. In my...
Kole Calhoun (OF, LAA) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 12% of leagues ANALYSIS: Over the last two weeks, Cole Kalhoun Kole Calhoun has been extremely productive. The 30-year-old collected four home runs en route to a .296/.375/.778 line. During this period, Kalhoun Calhoun hit fly balls on more than half of his contact, and was rewarded with a completely unsustainable 40% HR/FB rate. So, is this a return to form for a once budding star or just a very good blip on the radar The 2018 season hasn’t been kind to Calhoun. Nine homers...
Jose Bautista (3B/OF, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: Jose Bautista is currently a very widely available asset to fantasy baseball managers due to a recent rough stretch in which he held a .203/.322/.365 slash line, yet still has three HR over his last 74 AB. In his time with the Mets in 2018 (132 AB) the 37-year old former MVP candidate has a solid slash of .235/.396/.432 with five homers and even two steals. So are his recent struggles just the result of a regular...
Ben Zobrist (2B/OF, CHC) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 26% of leagues ANALYSIS: Ben Zobrist has had a really good year as an experienced veteran. He has gotten more playing time than usual as he has filled in well for Kris Bryant while he recovered from his injury. Ben Zobrist still figures to see plenty of playing time in both the infield and outfield. He's slashing .287/.383/.418. He has a .352 wOBA. Zobrist has been successful in most categories besides home runs. He has 41 runs and...
Kevin Kiermaier (OF, TB) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier was not expected to see his fantasy stock drop this much this season, but, after an awful season line of .172/.257/.281 and a busted thumb later, and fantasy owners have given up en masse on the Rays’ 28-year-old star. Kiermaier has been unquestionably bad this year, looking overmatched and underpowered in nearly every way, and the stats support what the eye test says. KK’s approach seems to have deteriorated, his pop has...
Max Kepler (OF, MIN) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler has one of the strangest profiles in baseball. He continues to be very effective against left-handed pitching, but struggles against the strong side put him at risk of losing at-bats to one of the Twins’ very talented hitters in the minors. All that said, Kepler is a potent power bat that has improved his approach at the plate dramatically, posting an 11% walk rate and just a 15.4% strikeout rate. What is most...
Stephen Piscotty (OF, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 28% of leagues ANALYSIS: Stephen Piscotty's Athletics tenure got off to a less than ideal start. Through May 27, his line stood at a wholly uninspiring .222/.277/.335, and he'd spent most of the season buried in the batting order. Since then, however, the 27-year-old has turned his season around. He drew some attention in fantasy circles by homering in four consecutive games this week, but the turnaround actually began in earnest a month ago. Piscotty has hit a blistering .302/.374/.635 with eight home...
Josh Reddick (OF, HOU) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 35% of leagues ANALYSIS: Houston Astros outfielderJosh Reddick has had something of a bizarre season thus far. He blasted six home runs in his first 18 games, then went over two months before hitting another. After hitting .281 and .314 in the last two seasons, Reddick's average was as low as .221. He has brought it up more than 40 points since then, hitting a robust .305/.345/.390 with a pair of home runs and four stolen bases since the beginning of...
Jason Heyward (OF, CHC) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward was seen as a free agent bust after a few rough offensive seasons, but has shown some good signs of late. He has a .306 batting average since the beginning of June, posting a .478 slugging percentage and .172 isolated power. Heyward has a .354 OBP in the same time period, putting up solid extra-base and run production totals. Heyward has four home runs and 11 doubles since the beginning of June,...
Carlos Gonzalez (OF, COL) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 35% of leagues ANALYSIS: Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has a hit in each game that he has started this month, hitting a home run on July 8 and two homers on July 11. He has 15 extra base hits since the beginning of June (including five home runs), knocking in 20 runs, and scoring 28 runs. Gonzalez has a .297 batting average in the same time period and has posted a .517 slugging percentage as well. While Gonzalez is hitting...
Joey Wendle (2B/OF, TB) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays second baseman/outfielder Joey Wendle was very happy to see June end, as he had a .192 batting average last month. July has been a different story, however, as Wendle pushed his July batting average up over .400 (.405) with a two-hit effort on Saturday. That was his second consecutive multi-hit game, and fifth in the last two weeks. Even with a rough June factored in, Wendle only has a 14.3% soft hit ball rate...
Scott Kingery (OF/SS/2B/3B, PHI) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies utility player Scott Kingery has not lived up to expectations as a rookie, although to be fair, those expectations were absurd. To be fair though, there were multiple people speculating that he could produce a 30/30 campaign, something that no MLB player has done since 2012. The 24-year-old has only gone deep four times and has a lousy .611 OPS on the season. However, he has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks. Kingery’s two-hit...
Derek Dietrich (1B/2B/3B/OF, MIA) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 47% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Marlins are not very good, but utility player Derek Dietrich has been a bright spot for them in the season’s first half. The versatile veteran has hit .288/.350/.452 with 11 home runs and 49 runs scored across 92 games, primarily hitting in one of the first two spots of the Miami batting order. Since the beginning of June, the former 2nd round pick for the Rays is slashing .319/.386/.489, slugging five home runs and eight doubles. He...
Alex Verdugo (OF, LAD) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 2% of leagues ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Alex Verdugo makes great contact, drives the ball, and can make something out of nothing at the plate. He also does not strike out much, loves to lace line drives into the gaps, and has enough speed to play even at the bigs. It is all there for him to be a stud in the big leagues; the question is to see where he ends up. It would surprise no one if...
Jordan Luplow (OF, PIT) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 0% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jordan Luplow had an 87 plate appearance cup of coffee with Pittsburgh a season ago, and has now taken 10 plate appearances in 2018. In case you have not noticed, the Pirates are not likely to morph into contenders anytime soon, so now is the time to start looking at the talented youngsters in line to snag at-bats. Luplow has shown marked improvement in the speed department each season, and scouting reports paint a picture of a smart ballplayer...
Jesse Winker (OF, CIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of leagues ANALYSIS: Let’s play a round of Guess That Player. Here are the first two clues: I am a Cincinnati Reds player who has a top-five on-base percentage in baseball. At this point there is only one answer that comes to mind; it has to be Joey Votto. But now for the final clue: I am just 17% owned in fantasy. Much more difficult, but the answer is 24-year-old outfielder Jesse Winker, who...
Kike Hernandez (2B/3B/SS/OF, LAD) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Dodgers utility player Enrique “Kike” Hernandez has nearly become indispensable for fantasy owners. Not only is he crushing the ball, .500 slugging percentage since the beginning of June, but he can play all over the field. He is only hitting .236 in 122 plate appearances since the beginning of June, but there is a strong case to be made that Hernandez should be on all fantasy rosters. Mainly playing shortstop and center field, Hernandez has a .264 isolated power...
Jason Kipnis (2B/OF, CLE) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: Cleveland Indians infielder Jason Kipnis is a veteran showing signs of a turnaround after an abjectly awful start. Since the beginning of July, Kipnis has hit .250/.432/.571 with two homers, six runs scored, and six RBI. Over the last month, Kipnis has a 33.7% hard hit ball rate and just a 30% ground ball rate, which would show that his .304 BABIP is still a bit unlucky. He has a hit in four of his last seven games,...
Brandon Nimmo (OF, NYM) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 41% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo has received a lot of playing time this season with Yoenis Cespedes currently on the disabled list and has made the most of his opportunities. The 25-year-old is hitting .254/.377/.504 on the season, with 13 home runs and seven stolen bases in 297 plate appearances. Nimmo is entrenched as the leadoff hitter and has been capable in this role, even if his strikeout rate his jumped to 35.4% since...
