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Week 20 Waiver Wire - Outfielders (OF)

Greetings, RotoBallers! After an unexpected two week absence, I’ve returned to the top of the waiver wire mountain to give you, my people, the names you need for fantasy glory. Like manna from heaven, I bring you cheap homers for nothing more than your undying affection.

Ok, so that metaphor is a little too much. Ok, a lot too much. But make no mistake RotoBallers, I bring you the goods. Need an outfield-eligible utilityman to plug the holes in your lineup, I gotch’u. If need some dingers in your power-starved roster, look no further. We’re looking very deep from now on, with only one name this week owned in more than 10% of leagues.

Here are your Week 20 Outfield Waiver Wire Targets. We’re breeding champions at Rotoballer, and make sure you’re hitting all of our content to get the edge on your competition. Follow us on Twitter for immediate news updates, and check out our Premium section for the real deep dives. Go get those championships!

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

 

Week 20 Outfield Waiver Wire Targets

Steven Souza Jr. (OF, ARI) - 28% owned

This one hurts a bit. As a Rays fan (yes, we exist), Steven Souza Jr. is a walking, talking reminder that Trea Turner does not play in Tampa Bay. Remember when San Diego acquired Wil Myers? I do. Remember that the Rays preferred Souza to the ultra-toolsy Turner so much so that they let Washington take Turner in the Myers deal? I do. Anyway, Souza spent much of the year playing for no one after Tampa traded him to Arizona in the offseason and he started the year on the disabled list. He spent so long on the shelf that he sort of became a bit of an afterthought to the fantasy world. He didn’t do much to dispel that opinion in his first 100 plate appearances of 2018, and his season line of .254/.327/.413 with what would be a career low .159 ISO if the season ended today isn’t going to inspire a lot of optimism.

Fast forward, and Souza has shown flashes of what made him so exciting to Tampa in the last two weeks. He still strikes out way too much, but his bat-to-ball skills and pitch recognition have started to come back to him, allowing him to barrel the ball. The improving skills have produced a much more palatable .294/.351/.588 line with a .294 ISO and a pair of homers over the last 14 days. You’d hope for more power, but all of the metrics suggest that he could go on a tear very soon. He should be added in all leagues.

Joey Wendle (OF/2B/3B, TB) - 9% owned

You’d be forgiven for never hearing of Tampa Bay super-utilityman Joey Wendle before this season. He’s a lot older than your typical prospect, but the 28-year-old languished in obscurity in the A’s farm system before the Rays acquired him at the winter meetings this past December. Dubbed a “little engine that could”, Wendle wasn’t considered anything particularly useful to most ball clubs, let alone a fantasy team.

While the counting stats aren’t anything special, Wendle has been a surprisingly capable player for the Rays and for fantasy owners. Over the last two weeks, he’s produced a .355/.416/.516 line while chipping in a steal, a home run, five runs, and seven runs batted in. That line comes while splitting time at third and second, both of which Wendle qualifies at along with his typical outfield spot. Fantasy owners won’t get a lot of power and steals, but the Rays have given him shots towards the top of the order, meaning he could be a sneaky source of runs. Nothing in his profile suggests that his season line of .292/.344/.415 is fluky, and with a solid hard hit percentage of 37.2% there’s a chance that he could barrel the ball and produce more power than expected. He’s a solid add for the team needing some flexibility in their lineup and to get some more average or decent upside fill-in at bats for the stretch run.

Hunter Renfroe (OF, SD) - 9% owned

If Wendle is a professional hitter with less than average pop, Hunter Renfroe is the exact opposite. A talented slugger who lived on prospect lists thanks more to his prodigious power than his approach or bat-to-ball skills, the sophomore slugger struggled out of the gate in 2018, earning him a short-term demotion to work out his kinks. His season line of .246/.310/.483 with 12 home runs and 39 runs batted in leaves a lot to be desired, but a week like the last is why he’s the kind of guy you just can’t quit.

In 28 plate appearances, Renfroe hit four dingers to go with a .360/.357/.920 line. When Renfroe connects, the ball flies. The better question is how often will he connect? The 26-year-old carries a dismal contact rate on the year of 69.9%, meaning he doesn’t have the kind of bat-to-ball skills to consistently mash if he’s not getting the pitches he wants. This week, he did. Next week, he might not. What is encouraging is that Renfroe is dropping his swing percentage on pitches outside the zone and is swinging less often. Hopefully, this is a sign that his eye at the plate is improving and he’s taking shots at pitches that he can do damage with. Pitchers are throwing him in the zone less frequently, so if his eye is improving like it seems, Renfroe could be a sneaky add in OBP leagues on top of those looking for cheap power. He’s talented and strong enough that if the last week is showing that his game is starting to click he could be a very valuable add.

Franmil Reyes (OF, SD) - 6% owned

Outside of the Yankee’s dynamic duo of Stanton & Judge, the Padres might be running out the strongest pair of outfielders in baseball. This isn’t to say they’re the best, not by a longshot, but Renfroe and teammate Franmil Reyes swing mean sticks. The rookie has shown in short order why his pop has made him so coveted as a prospect despite average to below average tools everywhere else. In just 130 plate appearances, the 23-year-old has slugged 9 home runs and produced a whopping .262 ISO with a .262/.308/.525 line. The last week saw Reyes pound 3 homers while hitting .500 and striking out just four times on 18 at-bats. Much like Renfroe, if Reyes connects, the ball goes very far.

Make no mistake, contact and strikeouts are Reyes’s most critical fantasy concerns. He only has produced contact on 68.6% of his cuts, but has produced a solid 82.1% contact rate on swings in the zone. The problem there is that Reyes’s batting eye is not great, and he has only swung at 59.9% of pitches in the zone, well below average in baseball. He’s not the hacker that his 35.4% strikeout rate would suggest, rather just inexperienced against better pitchers.

Franmil Reyes is unlikely to make huge gains as a hitter in 2018. He’s not terribly useful in OBP leagues, and his strikeout rate makes him sub-optimal in points and head-to-head leagues. But the power is very real. If you’re desperate for pop and don’t have any good options on your bench, Reyes would be a very savvy pickup as a cheap power source with a higher ceiling than most. Add away!

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Progressing in Recovery
Jonathan Kuminga

Receives New Offer From Warriors
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Emil Heineman

Aiming to Take the "Next Step" This Season
Braeden Cootes

Good to Go for Camp
Ivan Fedotov

Blue Jackets Acquire Ivan Fedotov From Flyers
Garrett Crochet

Punches Out 12 in Win
Cole Ragans

to Return on Wednesday
George Kirby

Strikes Out 14 in Win
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
NHL

Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Malcolm Brogdon

Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks

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