Points League Hitters: Waiver Wire Pickups - Week 25

Nicklaus Gaut's H2H points league waiver wire pickups for Week 25 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 September 13 - September 19, looking at players below 50% rostered for ESPN and Yahoo! Stats and rankings are calculated using games through Friday, September 10.

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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

• Bobby Dalbec, BOS - Ok, so it's getting to be the last call for Dalbec, or at least, it should be. The Boston first baseman just keeps staying hot, posting a 25 APR over the last two weeks and hitting three home runs in the past week. Good things happen when hitters with premium exit velocities slash their wicked high strikeout rates.
• Brandon Belt, SF - Speaking of people who shouldn't be on the waiver wire, Belt has a 46 APR over the last two weeks and continues to put up per-PA rates that compare favorably with the best players at his position, particularly in leagues without a strikeout penalty. Belt has averaged 2.21 pts per-PA on Yahoo and 0.92 pts/PA on Fantrax, rates that rank third, trailing only to Vladimir Guererro Jr. and Joey Votto.

Can Add

• Miguel Sano, MIN - With a 34.5% K% on the year and a 37.0% K% over the last two weeks, Sano is virtually unplayable in leagues with a strikeout penalty. He has four home runs in the past two weeks but has a .358 wOBA that's backed by a .325 xwOBA.

Desperate Adds

• Miguel Cabrera, DET - There's nothing wrong with Cabrera's production but he's ideally a hole-filler and not someone you need to depend on.
• Nathaniel Lowe, TEX - Lowe has been better in September, slashing .286/.394/.429 over 33 PA and posting an 86 APR over the last two weeks. But that September line is pretty empty, coming with no home runs, seven runs scored, and three RBI.
• Christian Walker, ARI

Notable IL

• Mitch Moreland, SD

Second Base

Must Adds

• Abraham Toro, SEA - Toro has gotten on a heater again, collecting multiple hits in four of his past six games and posting a 72 APR over the last two weeks. The power that he flashed for a brief period following his trade to Seattle but he rarely strikes out and starts every day in the middle of the Mariners order, making him a solid points asset.

Can Adds

• Nick Solak, TEX - Solak has been ice cold over the last week, slashing just .182/.217/.182 over his past six games, with a .183 wOBA and 11 wRC+. Ice. Cold.
• Luis Garcia, WSH - The Nationals rookie (who is still just 21-years-old) has started to come around in September, slashing .282/.300/.564, with a .359 wOBA and 123 wRC+. Unfortunately, the Nationals offense has helped keep his counting stats light, which is a problem considering Garcia doesn't have much power in his game. But he has excellent plate discipline and is someone to keep an eye on for the rest of the season.
• Josh Harrison, OAK - Harrison remains a high-floor, low-ceiling, low-risk option, posting a 129 APR over the last two weeks. But he's also now batted leadoff for Oakland for 12 straight games, which should bump his value up as long as the trend continues.

Desperate Adds

• Brad Miller, PHI - Only for leagues with daily moves, as he doesn't generally play vs LHP but Miller has been hot lately, running a 47 APR over the last two weeks, with a .490 wOBA and .435 xwOBA.

Notable IL

• Cavan Biggio, TOR
• Wilmer Flores, SF
• Jon Berti, MIA
• Donovan Solano, SF
• Andy Ibanez, TEX

Third Base

Must Adds

• Jeimer Candelario, DET - Sigh. Candelario is a top-75 hitter by APR (as he's been most of the season) and has a 48 APR over the last two weeks. He also, apparently, will never cross the 50% rostered threshold. See you next week!
• Evan Longoria, SF - Don't be fooled by just a 167 APR over the last two weeks, as Longoria only returned from the IL on September 3. But since returning, he has a .390 wOBA and 148 wRC+ that looks an awful lot like his .386 wOBA and 145 wRC+ for the season. If he's playing every day, Longoria is easy money.

Can Adds

• Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, PIT - If Pittsburgh is going to let Tsutsugo play every day (and bat second), then he is certainly worth a look. He's currently on a six-game hitting streak, slashing .318/.423/.636 over those 26 PA, with two home runs. Unfortunately, he plays for the Pirates, so that hitting has only resulted in four runs scored and four RBI. Not great.
• Carter Kieboom, WSH - About the best thing you can say about Kieboom over the last two weeks, is that he's playing every day, racking up an impressive 59 PA. That about ends the best things, as he hasn't hit a home run in September, only collecting four runs and four RBI.

Desperate Adds

• Patrick Wisdom, CHC - Wisdom is falling back to earth hard, with a .247 wOBA and .265 xwOBA over the last two weeks. And much like his whiffy spirit animal, Miguel Sano, Wisdom has a 39.7% K% that makes him virtually unrosterable in leagues with a strikeout penalty.

Notable IL 

• Nope

Shortstop

Must Adds

• Nicky Lopez, KC - Umm, so we can probably put away the worries about whether Lopez would hit enough to be viable in fantasy. Lopez has at least two hits in six of his past seven games and has nine such games in the past two weeks. Over that stretch, he's slashing .407/.448/.537, with a .426 wOBA and 173 wRC+. There's no reason he should still be on the wire.

Can Adds

• Edmundo Sosa, STL - Sosa has still been producing, running an 83 APR over the last two weeks. His per-PA rates are great but only 39 PA over that stretch makes him tough to count on in weekly-moves leagues.
• Luis Urias, MIL - Urias has heated up again, running a .402 wOBA (.370 xwOBA) over the last two weeks, with three home runs and a 62 APR.

Desperate Adds

• Brendan Rodgers, COL - Everyone is finally getting what they wanted, with Rodgers finally getting a chance to play most every day. Unfortunately, the results have been lackluster. While he has 52 PA over the last two weeks, Rodgers has posted just a .296 wOBA and .305 xwOBA. Playing him for a week's worth of road games is probably not wise.
• J. P. Crawford, SEA - Crawford has a 49 APR over the last two weeks but his .369 wOBA over that period is only backed by a .303 xwOBA.

Notable IL

• Nico Hoerner, CHC

Outfielders

Must Adds

• Austin Hays, BAL - If you hadn't noticed, Hays is currently on a 16-game hit streak, slashing .361/.391/.656 over those 64 PA, with a .438 wOBA and 183 wRC+.
• Lane Thomas, STL - He doesn't have the pedigree to assume that this production will continue but right now, Thomas is looking like the latest Cardinals hitter to only hit their stride after they leave St. Louis. Thomas has a 12 APR over the last two weeks, slashing .293/.373/.534, with a .383 wOBA and 139 wRC+. And over his 101 PA as a National, he's slashing .314/.406/.523, with a .396 wOBA and 147 wRC+.
• Jo Adell, LAA - It's only been a few weeks but Adell is starting to play like what was promised by his former top-prospect status. He has a 53 APR over the last two weeks, slashing .300/.349/.600, with a .397 wOBA over 44 PA. And more importantly, the rookie has gotten his plate discipline under control, running a 15.9% K% that's down from a 26.4% K% over his first 91 PA.

Can Adds

• Odubel Herrera, PHI - Herrera has slowed down lately but still has a .353 wOBA and .345 xwOBA over the last two weeks.
• Lorenzo Cain, MIL - Cain continues to rake, running a .446 wOBA (.407 xwOBA) over the last two weeks. Unfortunately, the Brewers continue to rest him in preparation for the playoffs and Cain and consequentially only collected 37 PA over that time.
• Leody Taveras, TEX - Taveras continues to be a much better hitter since returning from his minor league banishment, running a 70 APR over the last two weeks, with a .355 wOBA and .343 xwOBA.
• Akil Baddoo, DET - Baddoo isn't putting up flashy numbers but they are steady and he's playing every day. Over his 49 PA in the last two weeks, Baddoo has a 92 APR, with a .357 wOBA and .359 xwOBA.
• LaMonte Wade Jr., SF - Wade does sit some on the crowded Giants offense but has 42 PA over the last two weeks, posting a .441 wOBA and .435 xwOBA.
• Darin Ruf, SF - Like his teammate Wade, Ruf doesn't play every day for the Giants but continues to just mash. Only 37 PA over the last two weeks but Ruf has a .423 wOBA and .406 xwOBA.

Desperate Adds

• Rafael Ortega, CHC - Ortega has a 92 APR over the last two weeks but you probably shouldn't get wrapped up in the smoke, as he has a .329 wOBA backed by just a .229 xwOBA
• Jesus Sanchez, MIA
• Jarred Kelenic, SEA
• David Peralta, ARI
• Max Kepler, MIN
• D. J. Peters, TEX

Notable IL

• Brandon Nimmo, NYM - How dare you.
• Kyle Lewis, SEA
• Connor Joe, COL
• Clint Frazier, NYY
• Justin Upton, LAA
• Aaron Hicks, NYY
• Jarren Duran, BOS
• Alex Dickerson, SF
• Kole Calhoun, ARI
• Garrett Cooper, MIA
• Jake Fraley, SEA
• Miguel Andujar, NYY
• Austin Slater, SF
• Brett Phillips, TB

Catchers

Must Adds

• Alejandro Kirk, TOR - Kirk has a 56 APR over the last two weeks, hitting four home runs and running a .412 wOBA and .427 xwOBA.
• Mike Zunino, TB - With a 36.4% K% for the season, Zunino is a tough play in leagues with a strikeout penalty. But in those without, his 29 home runs (with a .360 wOBA and .357 xwOBA over the last two weeks) are certainly useful.

Can Adds

• Elias Diaz, COL - Diaz has a 101 APR over the last two weeks but his .374 wOBA is backed by only a .316 xwOBA. With Colorado on the road all week, I wouldn't expect much.

Desperate Adds

• All catcher adds are desperate adds.

Notable IL

• Mitch Garver, MIN
• Wilson Ramos, CLE

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