RADIO
We're headed down the final stretch for the 2017 fantasy baseball season, but it's never too late to improve your team via waiver wire adds. There are plenty of rookies who are hungry to make good impressions in the final weeks. Grabbing the right one might be all you need for that final playoff push.
The corner infield positions traditionally offer power with the potential for high averages, so you may want to target players that can offer an advantage in those categories to bolster your team. In this piece, I'll identify waiver wire targets for first base and third base in week 25 who should be able to contribute in multiple categories, either as replacements or bench depth. These players are owned in 50% or less of Yahoo! leagues.
We'll also look at the names mentioned in last week’s post, noting which players have graduated off of the waiver wire (ownership higher than 50%), which are still recommended pickups, and which we are dropping off the list entirely.
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Week 25 Corner Infield (CI) Waiver Wire Targets
Brandon Moss (1B/OF, KC) 10% owned - Here's a name that hasn't surfaced all year. Moss has always had power, but it usually comes with a batting average that barely hovers over the Mendoza Line and not much else. He must know he's auditioning for a role elsewhere next year, because he waited until the final month of the season to explode offensively. Four HR and 13 RBI this past week have suddenly made him a viable streamer, although it's hard to know how much longer it will last.
Dominic Smith (1B, NYM) 8% owned - You may have been a bit disgruntled if you picked up Smith back when I first recommended him, just before his call-up to New York. It took some time, but now the RBIs are piling up. Smith has driven in 10 runs in the last 10 games and three homers in the past week. We know his pedigree is legit, so don't be shy about adding him even if you're in the playoff mix.
Jeimer Candelario (3B, DET) 2% owned - OK, now he's really up for good. Candelario wasn't even around long enough to finish his cup of coffee in his first call-up for Detroit, but the team is now ready to try him out for his role as next year's starter at the hot corner. Nick Castellanos (see below) has been moved to make room for the 23-year-old Cubs prospect and it's working well on both ends for now. Candelario is hitting .341 with two homers and eight RBI in the last two weeks. While not quite as good as the deposed Castellanos, he's showing the talent that made him a desirable asset for a team sure to rebuild in 2018. He's worth adding in deep mixed leauges, but is especially worth an add in keeper leagues.
Graduated
Nicholas Castellanos (3B/OF, DET) 51% owned - Maybe he should have switched positions sooner. The new right fielder in Detroit has taken well to the role, hitting .433 in the last seven days. He's focusing on contact over power and it seems to be working, as he's got a 14-game hitting streak going.
Hold For Now
Rafael Devers (3B, BOS) 49% owned - The kid isn't resembling Ted Williams any more, but it's still too soon to dump him outright. He's still hitting .291 on the season and had a modest five-game hit streak last week, with three RBI in the last three games. I'd still rather own him than any other name on this list, even in non-keepers.
Jose Reyes (2B/3B/SS, NYM) 49% owned - Reyes is still hot, hitting .292 with six RBI and two steals last week. He's nearing graduation rate, but is still available in half of all Yahoo leagues.
Cut Bait
Justin Bour (1B, MIA) 39% owned - He's got eight hits in his last 24 at-bats, but still no home runs this week. If he isn't going deep, he isn't worth owning... yet.
More Waiver Wire Pickups and Adds
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