Points League Hitters: Waiver Wire Pickups - Week 23

August 29, 2021

Nicklaus Gaut's H2H points league waiver wire pickups for Week 23 of the 2021 fantasy baseball season, identifying free agents hitters to add.

We'll be doing this roundup of points leagues every week here at RotoBaller, with waiver wire targets and streaming pitchers being evaluated in terms of the different scoring systems of ESPN, Yahoo!, CBS, and Fantrax.

Player values can vary wildly from platform to platform, so we'll make sure to highlight where players are the best and worst fits. We know points league players get neglected and we're here to help.

These waiver-wire adds are for the week of August 30 - September 5, looking at players below 50% rostered for ESPN and Yahoo! Stats and rankings are calculated using games through Friday, August 27.

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Know Your System

If you've read me even a little, you likely know what I'm going to say...You must account for, as precisely as possible, how a player performs under your particular scoring system. Don't be fooled into believing you can just make rough adjustments in your head, bumping up guys with high on-base percentages and low strikeout rates. Every point, in every category, counts.

For example, ESPN and Fantrax are virtually identical in their scoring for hitters and roster size. The only difference is that stolen bases are worth one more point on Fantrax and ESPN subtracts one point per strikeout. That's the difference between Ronald Acuna Jr. being a top-five hitter versus top-20.

If your league uses standard settings, then great! Turn to page 94 and you can skip ahead to the leaderboards. If you play with custom settings, it'll still be fine. Go back to page 43 and look below at the scoring systems of the four major platforms. I bet there's a chance that you'll find that your league's scoring is very similar to one of the four (well, not Yahoo!'s), even if it's not the platform you actually play on.

For example, my home league started on a now-defunct platform before moving first to ESPN and is now at Fantrax. But our scoring is basically ESPN standard only with two points for stolen bases and a handful of other minor adjustments.

If you look above, you'll likely find a suitable mirror to your own system. While every point counts, as long as they aren't seismic changes you can get away with some "close enough" calls. IE. If everything is the same except for HBP (or something similar), you're probably fine.

Waiver Wire Leaderboards

In addition to our overall waiver wire leaderboards, we're deep enough into the season that we'll also start doing a 14-day leaderboard, as well, giving us a window into recent production. The charts are updated prior to Saturday's games, on stats and ownerships. All leaderboards, overall and 14-day, are sorted according to the player's roster%, and clicking on a chart will open a new page with a magnified version.

*APR = Average Platform Ranking - the average platform ranking between ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, and Fantrax (standard point settings)

The Hansels

Let the recency bias wash over you because these players are just so hot, right now. So, just for fun, let's start making a chart of the players in the top-100 of APR over the last two weeks before diving into the position-by-position analysis.

First Base

Must Add

• Frank Schwindel, CHC - Pay no mind to his overall 335 APR, as Schwindel only has 112 PA for the season but has thrived since moving into a full-time role. Over 91 PA in the month of August, Schwindel is slashing .373/.429/.639, with a .447 wOBA and 183 wRC+. A small sample but he hasn't shown any signs of letting up yet, posting a 55 APR over the last two weeks and collecting multiple hits in six of his last 10 games.
• Miguel Sano, MIN - After a tough two months of the season, slashing .163/.280/.395, with a .296 wOBA, Sano has continued to heat up as the summer does. Since June 1, he's slashing .246/.323/.487, with a .342 wOBA and 117 wRC+ but also slashed his strikeout rate, dropping from an atrocious 38.7% K% to a much more manageable 31.5%.

• Bobby Dalbec, BOS - Dalbec's fantasy profile will get a whole lot more interesting if he continues to suppress his strikeouts while keeping the power. In the month of August, Dalbec has a .484 wOBA and 25.0% K%, compared to a .282 wOBA and 37.5% K% prior to.

Can Add

• Brandon Belt, SF - After another two-dong night this past week (his second such night of the month), Belt now has 8 HR since returning from the IL on August 5, posting a .389 wOBA - though just a .211 AVG. He is currently on the Bereavement list, however, so keep an eye on his return.
• Christian Walker, ARI - Walker was in the middle of an injury-riddled, mostly lost season but keeps hitting, posting a .438 wOBA (.415 xwOBA) over the last two weeks, with a 59 APR. He's not the most exciting but Walker has always had a points-friendly profile but needs to collect a lot of plate appearances. Walker has averaged .80 pts/PA on ESPN, .89 pts/PA on CBS, 3.12 pts/PA on Yahoo, and .98 pts/PA on Fantrax. For context purposes, for the season Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has averaged .82 pts/PA on ESPN, .92 pts/PA on CBS, 2.36 pts/PA on Yahoo, and .99 pts/PA on Fantrax.

Desperate Adds

• Nate Lowe, TEX - Lowe has had a better stretch, as of last, posting a 106 APR over the last two weeks but his per-PA scoring rates remain unviable in most scoring formats unless you're desperate. Even with a better APR, Lowe still only had a ho-hum .327 wOBA over the last two weeks and it was backed by just a .262 wOBA.
• Miguel Cabrera, DET - Finally getting career home run number 500 out of the way (and 501 the next day) Cabrera continues to be a fine hole-plugger, if necessary, posting a .351 wOBA and .365 xwOBA over the last two weeks.

Notable IL

• Garrett Cooper, MIA
• Bobby Bradley, BOS
• Ji-Man Choi, TB
• Seth Brown, OAK
• Daniel Vogelbach, MIL
• Danny Santana, BOS

Second Base

Must Adds

• Andy Ibanez, TEX - The 28-year-old rookie could cool off at any time but someone this hot needs to be paid attention to. Ibanez has now collected at least two hits in his past seven games and has a .529 wOBA over the last two weeks. Granted, that is backed by only a .396 xwOBA but that isn't exactly a number to be ashamed of. And after batting towards the bottom of the lineup, Ibanez has now batted second in his last two games.

Can Adds

• Cesar Hernandez, CHW - Hernandez has continued to struggle since starting his tenure with the White Sox, slashing .210/.298/.300 over his 114 PA with the Southsiders and has been dropped from the top of the lineup for the past three games.
• Luis Arraez, MIN - Arraez provides plenty of hits, they just tend to be empty ones, as Minnesota's offensive decline persists. Arraez's biggest value is in leagues with a strikeout penalty, where his 9.4% K% gives him a large value bump.
• Josh Harrison, OAK - Currently entrenched as Oakland's left fielder, Harrison only has a 152 APR over the last two weeks but his .315 wOBA over that period is backed by a much better .359 xwOBA.
• Nick Solak, TEX - In five games since returning from the IL, Solak has gone 8-for-22, with one home run and a .421 wOBA - but just a .260 xwOBA.

Desperate Adds

• Garrett Hampson, COL - Hampson has a .383 wOBA and .367 xwOBA over the last two weeks (112 APR) but only got 32 PA from his platooning role. Fine as a streamer if he's starting but probably only for Colorado's four games at home later in the week.

Notable IL

• Donovan Solano, SF
• Jon Berti, MIA
• Christian Arroyo, BOS
• Chris Owings, COL

Third Base

Must Adds

• Jeimer Candelario, DET -Candelario has slowed down slightly, running a 108 APR over the last weeks, with a .307 wOBA. But that was backed by a .363 xwOBA and our new candy man still has a .342 wOBA and .342 xwOBA for the season.
• Patrick Wisdom, CHC - Wisdom has spent the last week on fire, hitting two home runs on Friday night, now hitting five home runs in his past seven games.

Can Adds

• Carter Kieboom, WSH - Playing every day, Kieboom is finally starting to show the hitting chops that made him one of Washington's top prospects. He only has a 113 APR over the last two weeks but his .319 wOBA over that period is backed by an impressive .440 xwOBA.
• Abraham Toro, SEA - Toro is currently on a nine-game hitting streak, slashing .342/.390/.368 over that period, with a .339 wOBA and 120 wRC+.
• Brian Anderson, MIA - It looks like Anderson is finally starting to come around, running a 100 APR over the last two weeks. And like Kieboom above, his expected results are more impressive than the actual ones. Anderson's .300 wOBA over that period is backed by a .371 xwOBA.

Desperate Adds

• J.D. Davis, NYM
• Hunter Dozier, KC

Notable IL 

• Evan Longoria, SF

Shortstop

Must Adds

• Nicky Lopez, KC - Lopez just keeps hitting and running; in his last 12 games, he's slashing .362/.434/.447 over 56 PA, with eight stolen bases. And while Kansas City is bad, his particular spot in the lineup isn't, as he's locked into batting second, sandwiched between Whit Merrifield and Salvador Perez.

Can Adds

• Miguel Rojas, MIA - Rojas has had a junky week so far, going just 1-for-14 but continues to bat leadoff with an excellent hit tool and minuscule strikeout rate.
• Ramon Urias, BAL - Urias has been on a nice run, collecting multiple hits in five of his past six games. He's posted a 60 APR over the last two weeks, with a .420 wOBA and .391 xwOBA.
• Josh Rojas, ARI - Rojas has an 85 APR over the last two weeks but his .344 wOBA over that period is backed by just a .268 xwOBA.

Desperate Adds

• Didi Gregorius, PHI
• Kevin Newman, PIT - Newman has been on a heater, at least by his standards, with a 78 APR over the last two weeks, posting a .360 wOBA and .357 xwOBA.

Notable IL

• Nico Hoerner, CHC
• Niko Goodrum, DET

Outfielders

Must Adds

• Anthony Santander, BAL - OVer 87 PA in August, Santander is slashing .337/.368/.687, with a .441 wOBA and 185 wRC+. He has hits in five of his last six games, hitting four home runs, with a .617 wOBA. He'll be away from his home bandbox this coming week but gets two friendly parks in Toronto and New York. No reason he should be available.
• Connor Joe, COL - No average Joe, Connor has absolutely crushed in the second half, slashing .320/.400/.612, with a .423 wOBA. He's settled into the Rockies left field job and has batted leadoff in his past 16 games. With a 33 APR over the last two weeks and getting four games at home this week, Joe will only stay on the wire for so long.

Can Adds

• Brandon Nimmo, NYM - Nimmo is starting to heat up, getting his modest eight-game hitting streak ended on Friday. But over that streak, he had four multi-hit games and slashed .368/.429/.474, with a .395 wOBA and 153 wRC+. And with Francisco Lindor returning from the IL, Nimmo's spot atop the order should get that much juicier.
• Andrew Vaughn, CHW
• Jake Meyers, HOU - With Chas McCormick on the IL, the centerfield job looks to be Meyers, for the moment. In his 14 games as a starter, Meyers is slashing .327/.345/.545, with a .375 wOBA and 144 wRC+. He also has a 30.8% K% for the year so be aware if your league penalizes strikeouts.
• Brandon Marsh, LAA - Marsh has a 56 APR over the last two weeks, posting a .446 wOBA and .401 xwOBA. Just be aware that a 39.6% K% will keep him from being viable if you have a strikeout penalty.
• Ian Happ, CHC - You have to keep an eye on the schedule, as Happ is going to sit often against LHP but he's been crushing lately, posting an 18 APR over the last two weeks, with four home runs and a .515 wOBA over 42 PA.

Desperate Adds

• Yadiel Hernandez, WSH
• Odubel Herrera, PHI
• DJ Peters, TEX - Peters has five home runs since returning to major league action on August 3 but also has a .167 AVG and 36.0% K% over that time.
• Rafael Ortega, CHC - The Ortega experience looks like its ending, as he's slashed just .150/.227/.275 over the last two weeks, posting a. 225 wOBA and 39 wRC+.

Notable IL

• Kyle Lewis, SEA
• Clint Frazier, NYY
• Aaron Hicks, NYY
• Kole Calhoun, ARI
• Miguel Andujar, NYY
• Chas McCormick, HOU
• Yonathan Daza, COL
• Adam Engel, CHW
• Harold Ramirez, CLE
• Willie Calhoun, TEX

Catchers

Must Adds

• Travis d'Arnaud, ATL - d'Arnaud came off of the IL just to go on paternity leave but is back with Atlanta now. Since returning from injury on August 11, d'Arnaud is slashing .250/.351/.500, with a .365 wOBA and 127 wRC+. Oh, and Atlanta gets four games in Colorado this week.
• Daulton Varsho, ARI - Varsho is producing but part of his value lies in just how much he's playing, splitting time behind the plate and in the outfield. He has a 79 APR and .405 wOBA over the last two weeks, putting up top-five per-PA scoring rates.
• Elias Diaz, COL - Diaz has a .419 wOBA and 84 APR over the last two weeks and gets four games at home.

Can Adds

• Carson Kelly, ARI - Kelly has had a 147 APR over the last two weeks, with a .372 wOBA and .340 xwOBA.
• Tyler Stephenson, CIN - Ahh, the perils of platooning. Stephenson has .471 wOBA (.369 xwOBA) over the last two weeks but has only gotten 22 PAs over that time.
• Ryan Jeffers, MIN - With Mitch Garver heading back to the IL, Jeffers gets a full-time role back for the time being.

Desperate Adds

• All catcher adds are desperate adds.

Notable IL

• James McCann, NYM
• Mitch Garver, MIN
• Danny Jansen, TOR
• Jonah Heim, TEX
• Roberto Perez, CLE

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