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Over the course of the season I’ll be giving you two players at second base and shortstop per week who I think can help your team. These players are usually widely available in any format, and should turn nice profits in the weeks to come.
As always, feel free to reach out to me directly @Roto_Dubs with any questions about the middle infield or fantasy baseball in general.
Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options for second base and shortstop, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.
Second Base (2B) Waiver Wire Pickups
Johnny Giavotella (LAA) - Owned in 4.7% of Fleaflicker leagues
Giavotella has been batting leadoff for the Angels on occasion, which should provide him with plenty of opportunities to score runs considering he has Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and the red-hot Kole Calhoun behind him. He has a respectable .265 average on the season, and already has 30 runs scored and 33 RBIs. I like him as a middle-infield option for the rest of the season in deeper leagues, particularly if he can bring his batting average up a bit. His 12.7% K-rate and .293 BABIP indicate that an uptick is definitely possible.
Baller Move: Add in points leagues with 12+ teams/add in roto leagues with 12+ teams
Jedd Gyorko (SD) - Owned in 5.6% of Fleaflicker leagues
Gyroko has actually been pretty good since returning to the Padres on June 30th, collecting 10 hits in 33 at-bats. The raw power is there, and at his best Gyorko can knock 20 balls out of the park. Unfortunately, his .230 batting average and 24.8% K-rate makes him difficult to trust in most points leagues, particularly if he is unable to find his power stroke. Gyorko is a roll of the dice at the moment in deep leagues, but keep an eye on him going forward. Be ready to pounce if he heats up.
Baller Move: Monitor in points leagues with 12+ leagues/add in roto leagues with 12+ teams
Shortstop (SS) Waiver Wire Pickups
Jordy Mercer (PIT) - Owned in 4.0% of Fleaflicker leagues
With Josh Harrison out for at least a couple months, Mercer should be able to settle in at shortstop without the threat of Jung-Ho Kang. He’s been red-hot lately, hitting .352 across his last five games, raising his batting average on the season to .242. His ceiling is probably around .260, but if he’s able to get on base a bit more, he could find some use in deeper formats. Batting in the back end of the lineup may yield more RBI opportunities as the Pirates make a playoff push.
Baller Move: Add in points leagues with 12+ teams/add in roto leagues with 12+ teams
Nick Ahmed (ARI) - Owned in 3.8% of Fleaflicker leagues
Nick Ahmed has had a surprisingly solid June/July hitting .310 with 13 runs scored and 10 RBIs in his last 30 games. He only has four steals on the year, but I expect that number to go up in the second half. He swiped 26 bags in Double-A in 2013, so the speed is definitely there. He needs to work on getting better jumps, as he’s been thrown out in five of his nine attempts this year. The Dbacks have been surprisingly good this year, and Ahmed has the contact ability (only 16.7% K-rate) to produce counting stats from anywhere in the lineup.
Baller Move: Add in points leagues with 12+ teams/add in roto leagues with 12+ teams
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