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

Digging Deeper - Waiver Wire Options for Week 21

Matt Wallach outlines his favorite week 21 waiver wire pickups and adds for deep leagues, and AL-only or NL-only fantasy baseball leagues for the 2021 MLB season.

Welcome back to the NL-only and AL-only pickups column. Each week, I'll look at five players who are under 15% rostered in Yahoo! leagues and who can be considered as options to add in deep-league formats, such as 15-teamers or AL or NL-only leagues.

I'll also include a recommendation for what to do with each player on your roster. And lastly, I'll take a look at some of my picks from the previous week to see how they're performing.

Without further ado, let's get into it.

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

 

Rowdy Tellez - 1B, Brewers

11% rostered
Recommended move: Add for the long haul 

Since becoming a Milwaukee Brewer in early July, Tellez has done nothing but rake, as he has hit at a .333/.414/.613 clip in 87 plate appearances. He probably should be rostered at a higher rate considering the success, but perhaps managers are still discounting him due to the slow start he got off to when he was a Blue Jay, as well as him being a first base only option, in addition to him being platoon bat.

Those are valid reasons to discount him some, but it really is difficult to overlook these results. He's been one of the game's better power bats over this span, and Statcast agrees with these strong results on the back of a 10.8% barrel rate and a 46.2% hard-hit rate, with an ideal batted-ball distribution consisting of 47.7% fly balls and a minuscule 33.8% ground ball rate. He's doing a lot of things well, and in deeper leagues, it would be hard to match his production elsewhere on the wire.

While Tellez is a platoon bat, rostering managers should feel confident that when he does start, he should be expected to do well. It perhaps is a bit of a one-dimensional profile, as Tellez probably won't be expected to keep hitting for such a high average or contribute anything in terms of stolen bases, but he should be a good accumulator of counting stats down the stretch for the Brewers. Another point in his favor is that the team has some favorable matchups coming up. They face the weakened Nationals pitching staff this weekend and then get the Reds in the series after that. Notably, both series are at home. Important because American Family Field is a very favorable place for left-handed power. Overall, expect Tellez to be a solid power option at first base for the remainder of the season.

 

Connor Joe - 1B/OF, Rockies

8% rostered
Recommended move: Add for a few weeks

If you need somebody with more roster flexibility, Joe would be a good option, since he comes with dual first base and outfield eligibility. He has quietly hit well for the Rockies this season, with a .291/.359/.496 slash line, seven home runs, and a 115 wRC+ in his first 142 plate appearances for the team. He's done even better lately, with six of those home runs coming since July 30th, and with a 161 wRC+ in that span.

His Statcast metrics also look good in that same time frame, with strong hard-hit and barrel rates of 41.7% and 14.6%, respectively. Like Tellez, Joe does a great job of getting balls in the air--also key to take full advantage of Coors Field--with a 32.7% groundball rate for the year, and an even better 25% rate in that same hot stretch from July 30th to now.

Joe definitely looks to be a competent hitter and a profile that will definitely work in Colorado, which as it turns out, is where the Rockies will be playing all of their games this week, which should have even more so on the radar. Also, they should be quite favorable matchups as well. The Rockies face the reeling Padres rotation and should face Jake Arrieta in his Padres debut, who has notably had a home run issue this season (2.19 HR/9). After that, they get a weak D-Backs pitching staff, so things should be expected to go well for Joe this week. Even after that, the Rockies will face the Cubs on the road, who don't look too strong right now either, so Joe could reasonably stick in lineups for at least that series.

 

Chas McCormick - OF, Astros

2% rostered
Recommended move: Add for a few weeks 

McCormick didn't have a true, solid everyday role for the Astros for most of the season, but ever since trading Myles Straw prior to the deadline, he has emerged as their starting centerfielder and should remain in that role for the rest of the year.

It also doesn't hurt that McCormick has been hitting well at the plate since the start of August, with a .326/.354/.457 slash line, which is good enough for a 128 wRC+. It's actually been the opposite of what would be expected from McCormick, as he is billed as a pure power hitter, but he's actually been a high-average, low power bat in that span, but it would probably be expected for him to revert back to his usual self in the coming weeks. What's most important is that he's hitting the ball well. For the year he has a 12.3% barrel rate to go along with an impressive 50% hard-hit rate. It's been even better since the start of August too, with a 16.7% barrel rate and a 56.7% hard-hit rate. As long as he continues to hit the ball well, good results should follow.

The biggest downside of his game is the high strikeout rate, which stands at 31.7% for the year and 33.3% since the start of August. That may limit just how much fantasy upside he has, but he could make up some value with his speed, as he has three stolen bases on the year, so he could at least be more well-rounded than the traditional power hitter. Hitting in a good lineup and now with a clear role makes McCormick a much more intriguing deep-league outfield option.

 

Jorge Mateo - 2B/OF, Orioles

2% rostered
Recommended move: Add for a few weeks 

The reason for rostering Mateo is pretty clear at this point. You're going to be hoping for a ton of stolen bases while also not being a complete drag elsewhere in the other categories. It was hard for Mateo to do that consistently while with the Padres earlier this season, but now with the Orioles, the playing time should be there to show just what he can do.

Since joining the Orioles on August 6, Mateo has hit well, with a .308/.328/.487 slash line, albeit with a .429 BABIP and not a single walk. Don't expect that kind of offensive output to stick, but he has hit the ball harder, with an 89.5 miles-per-hour average exit velocity in that span, which is up three ticks from his full-season mark. Most important though to his fantasy value is that the team is letting him run, as he has already accumulated three stolen bases in just ten games, while being caught once. Hopefully, the team lets him continue to run, and that he gets on base enough to make it work.

Playing time in Baltimore though does seem a bit messier than what would maybe be expected. Ramon Urias is back from injury, which means that Mateo could be in some sort of playing time split with Richie Martin. We'll have to see how much he plays, but it seems logical to think that the Orioles would want to see what they have in Mateo for the rest of the season and give him plenty of opportunities. Hopefully it comes with enough overall offense to make it valuable in fantasy leagues.

 

Seth Brown - OF, Athletics

1% rostered
Recommended move: Add for a few weeks 

With the PED suspension of Ramon Laureano, the A's have had to shuffle up their outfield a bit. That means that Brown will be in their starting lineup more often than not. He's made the most of it, showing huge power with a .269/.286/.692 slash line in the last week or so, with three home runs and even a stolen base in there to boot.

Brown has decent Statcast metrics with a solid 38.2% hard-hit rate and a more encouraging 14.5% barrel rate, so he likely should be expected to remain a solid contributor for the remainder of the year as the team's primary right fielder. The main downside here is that Brown is a straight platoon player, meaning he won't be in there every single game, with him sitting against left-handed starters. That limits his fantasy value considerably since it is hard to roster a part-time player, but at least he's on the strong side of the platoon and should be in there most of the time. He could be someone to keep an eye on for a potential hitter to stream in case he ends up with good matchups, but in deeper leagues where the pickings are slim, Brown is at least a good hitter getting most of the playing time, which should have him on more radars.

 

Reviewing Last Week's Picks

At the end of each week's post, I'll review what happened with last week's picks and offer a suggestion for them in the future.

Sam Hilliard (OF, COL) 

Last week: 9% rostered. This week: 7% rostered. 

Hilliard didn't perform all that well last week, with just three hits and a 45 wRC+. He had some tough matchups against the Astros and Giants on the road, which is understandable. While this week's recommendation in Joe is the more-hyped Rockie right now, Hilliard should still be under consideration because of all the home games and good matchups the Rockies have this week. Don't be surprised if Hilliard has a standout week this time around.

Current recommendation: Hold.  

Yandy Diaz (1B/3B, Rays)  

Last week: 6% rostered. This week: 5% rostered. 

Diaz continued to hit well last week, with a .267/.333/.667 slash line, and he continues his recent power surge with another two home runs in that span. Unfortunately, it wasn't a full week's slate of games as he suffered a thumb injury that kept him out of the Rays' series this weekend and the start of their series against the lowly Orioles. It doesn't seem like a serious injury though, so he should be back in there soon enough, while hopefully still hitting well.

Current recommendation: Hold. 

Jack Mayfield (2B/3B/SS, Angels) 

Last week: 6% rostered. This week: 4% rostered. 

Mayfield's hot streak was bound to stop at some point, which seems to have happened to him last week as he managed just three hits last week and added nothing else of significance. The triple-eligibility is nice, but he needs to be hitting. This is a clear drop.

Current recommendation: Drop.  

Luis Garcia (2B/SS, WAS) 

Last week: 2% rostered. This week: 1% rostered. 

Garcia still has plenty of upside, but it seems like he's getting BABIP'd to death, as he went .263/.333/.316 last week, and his BABIP for the season remains a low .230. He notably did gain shortstop eligibility in Yahoo leagues with his fifth appearance there coming last week. Whether to hold or drop is dependent on the situation. He has upside, but the results haven't been there just yet, and other options could be available elsewhere. I'd probably lean towards a drop, however,

Current recommendation: Drop. 

Hoy Park (SS, PIT) 

Last week: 1% rostered. This week: 1% rostered. 

Park got off to a hot start as a Pirate but has cooled off considerably. He hit just .167/.200/.292 last week, with a high 34.6% strikeout rate. He was a nice story out of the Yankees' minor league system this year and at the start with Pittsburgh, but he's looking more like a Quad-A player than serviceable Major League shortstop right now.

Current recommendation: Drop. 



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!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




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

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
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
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
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF