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Kyle Bishop suggests five middle infield targets for week 26, second basemen (2B) and shortstops (SS), for fantasy baseball owners to consider adding to their rosters in 2018.
Last MI waiver wire pickups column of the year, Brent, can’t hold anything back now. After almost six months, it all comes down to this week.
As we have every Sunday thus far, we'll look at the best middle infielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. These are based on standard 5x5 scoring; adjust accordingly for your specific setup.
One last time, let’s get to it. Below are your second base and shortstop waiver wire targets for Week 26.
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Week 26 Middle Infield (MI) Waiver Wire Targets
Amed Rosario, SS, New York Mets (42% owned)
Rosario has been a regular presence in this space down the stretch. His ownership rate has risen substantially during that time, but he still comes in well below the cutoff. Since August 1, the 22-year-old has hit .302/.332/.454 with five home runs, 12 stolen bases, and 57 R+BI in 45 games. 2018 ended up being a season to forget in Queens, but the Mets have had a top-five scoring offense in the second half. Rosario’s performance out of the leadoff spot has keyed that surge and bodes well for his future.
Johan Camargo, 2B/3B/SS, Atlanta Braves (38%)
The Braves clinched their first division title since 2005 on Saturday (grumble). Credit for that is due to many players, and Camargo is one of them. Seemingly an afterthought in Atlanta’s initial plans (remember that they opened the year with Jose Bautista penciled in at third base), the 24-year-old forced his way into the lineup in short order. He’s hit .272/.352/.458 with 18 homers and 133 R+BI in 127 games.
Joey Wendle, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Tampa Bay Rays (37%)
Did you really think we wouldn’t highlight Wendle one final time in 2018? A frequent feature in this column all season, it wasn’t until August that the Rays’ newest Swiss Army knife saw his ownership rate climb above single digits. He’s been a major asset in batting average for most of the year (currently batting an even .300), but recently Wendle has been more adventurous on the base paths as well. He has 15 stolen bases on the year, with seven of those coming in the last month.
Lourdes Gurriel, 2B/SS/OF, Toronto Blue Jays (21%)
Though a leg injury robbed him of a few weeks and perhaps a bit of momentum (recall that at the time of the injury, he had recorded multiple hits in 11 straight games), Gurriel has had himself a nice year as a rookie. In 62 games, the 24-year-old is hitting .292/.320/.463 with 11 home runs and 64 R+BI. Three of those homers have come in the last three games.
Jorge Polanco, SS, Minnesota Twins (14%)
Polanco’s suspension for a positive banned substance test torpedoed his chances of living up to my preseason expectations, but he has played well since returning to action. The 25-year-old has hit .287/.343/.430 with six homers and five steals in 68 games and has steadily improved for one month to the next, particularly in terms of his power. You’d like to see him be more efficient on the bases – those five steals have come in 10 attempts, and he’s been thrown out on three of his four tries in September – but Polanco’s performance down the stretch inspires hope that he can put it all together over a full season in 2019.
