RADIO
Kyle Bishop suggests five middle infield targets for week 2, second basemen (2B) and shortstops (SS), for fantasy baseball owners to consider adding to their rosters in 2018.
April may not be the time for drastic decisions, but that doesn't mean you can't make improvements on the margins. Besides, injuries happen, and some already have. Whatever the reason for your need, RotoBaller has you covered on the top waiver wire targets.
Every Monday until the end of the season, we'll look at the best middle infielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Let’s get to it.
Week 2 Middle Infield (MI) Waiver Wire Targets
Chris Owings, 2B/SS/OF, Arizona Diamondbacks (45 percent owned)
Other than an unsuccessful pinch-hit appearance on Opening Day, Owings has recorded at least one hit in every game in 2018. He’s also scored eight runs while driving in six and has both a home run and a stolen base through nine contests. With both Ketel Marte and Jarrod Dyson struggling and Steven Souza on the disabled list for at least a few more weeks, Owings has a golden opportunity to establish himself as an everyday player in Arizona. So far, he’s making the most of it. The veteran had 12 HR and 12 SB in 386 plate appearances last season and qualifies at three positions.
Eduardo Escobar, 2B/3B/SS, Minnesota Twins (25 percent)
Jorge Polanco’s suspension was a bitter pill to swallow for many fantasy owners (as well as some analysts) who nabbed him late in the drafts on the strength of last year’s second-half breakout. It did, however, open up a path to more consistent playing time for Escobar. He’s handled the bulk of the work at shortstop in Polanco’s stead and acquitted himself well, posting a 1.131 OPS with a homer and 10 R+RBI in five games. The switch-hitter quietly hit 21 HR last season after adding nearly 10 percentage points to his fly ball rate.
Dansby Swanson, SS, Atlanta Braves (17 percent)
2017 was a tremendous disappointment for Swanson and any fantasy owner who bet on him. The cliché “sophomore slump” definitely applied to the Braves’ shortstop, as he hit .232 with just six home runs, three stolen bases, and the awful run production one would expect given those other numbers. The early returns on 2018 have been much more encouraging. Swanson is batting .382 with a homer and a stolen base, and he’s recorded multiple hits in five games already. Last year, he didn’t record his fifth multi-hit game until June.
Derek Dietrich, 1B/2B/3B/OF, Miami Marlins (16 percent)
Dietrich has been a part-time player since breaking into the majors in 2013, but the Marlins’ gutting of their roster has given him his first chance to take a starting role and run with it. He’s currently locked into the second slot in the lineup, which will help his counting stats even considering the lack of talent on the roster. Qualifying everywhere on the diamond except catcher and shortstop, he’s got some sneaky value in deeper formats, as well as NL-only.
Jed Lowrie, 2B, Oakland Athletics (9 percent)
Lowrie is currently on a five-game hitting streak which includes three multi-hit efforts and two home runs. The veteran enjoyed a rare healthy season in 2017, and hit .277/.360/.448 with 86 runs scored. He spent most of that year batting third in front of Khris Davis, and has continued to do so in 2018. Lowrie no longer qualifies for any position besides second base, but he’s a decent MI option anyway.
