RADIO
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto is a fantasy baseball waiver wire pickup and add in Week 18 of the MLB season. I break down why he can help and continue to help your team.
BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues
ROSTERED IN: 32% of leagues
ANALYSIS: It's not often that we advise you to rush out and pick up a 37-year-old player off of waivers, but here we are. Yeah, his .266 average is still far below his .303 career batting average and his days of hitting 25 homers and driving in 100 runs are over, but there is reason for optimism and really no reason that he isn't owned in 68% of leagues.
Everyone bailed on Votto after a disappointing April and a May that he missed all but four games of. It's time to go back and get Votto. He hit .293 with five homers and 17 RBI in the month of June. Hell, he even stole a base, his first in 18 months! His strong hitting has carried over into July as well. Votto is hitting .299 this month with three homers, 11 RBI, and nine runs scored. He even netted his first triple since May 11, 2019 this month!
This isn't all just smoke and mirrors. His Statcast page shows that Votto is having perhaps his best season since 2015, the beginning of the Statcast era. His 13.3 barrel percentage is by far the best since Statcast came around and is in the 86th percentile of the entire major leagues. His hard hit percentage of 49.2% is in the 87th percentile. His average exit velocity and max exit velocity are in the 91st percentile and are his best in the Statcast era. What does this mean?
It means that Votto is finally healthy and seeing the ball well again. His chase rate of 20.9% is in the 89th percentile. His 13 homers, despite missing most of May, suggest that he could at least flirt with 25 homers this year. His xWOBA is far above where he currently sits, suggesting that his average could continue to climb. The .315 BABIP lends credence to that since he has only been below .313 twice in his career, once being his miserable 2020 season. Votto is staring down a .280/20/90 season and few are paying attention. Don't let him pass you by as well.
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups
Chandler Simpson - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 12)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues CALL-UP ETA: July ANALYSIS: Unlike many players currently in the minor leagues, Chandler Simpson has proven he can be a valuable fantasy player at the MLB level. In his time in the majors, he hit .285 with 19 stolen bases in 35 games. Unfortunately, being a valuable fantasy player […]
Brady House - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 12)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: The Nationals went viral on social media this week for making a fun call-up. They called up their bat dog from Triple-A. While this was very cute and should improve the vibes a little bit in Washington, I don't think Bruce the Bat Dog will help […]
Samuel Basallo - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 12)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: Samuel Basallo might be the best hitter in the minors right now, and he has catcher eligibility. What more do you need to know (I know catcher is super deep this year, but still)? Basallo has been an age-to-level monster for the majority of his pro […]
Andrew Painter - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 12)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: Painter's last two starts don't give a ton of confidence that he is ready to be in the majors. It may not even be before the All-Star break before we see him, but that does not mean we are in stash territory. The good news is, […]
Colby Thomas - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 12)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues CALL-UP ETA: July ANALYSIS: The A's continue to lose, and Colby Thomas continues to hit homers in Triple-A. The A's just got swept by the Angels, bringing their record to 26-44. While plays like Denzel Clarke's HR robbery can generate a spark for a team, the A's might need […]
Download Our Free Waiver Wire App
Like what you see? You can download our free fantasy baseball mobile app for iPhone and Android which includes more waiver wire recommendations at every position, 24x7 player news, notifications, injury alerts & daily articles.
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!
