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Just when you think these guys are down for the count, they find a way to claw themselves back to fantasy baseball relevance. This week's column features three aging outfielders who appeared left for dead in the early going of 2016. Here's the thing - although veterans' bodies may begin to fail them in their old age, good hitters don't forget how to hit.
As one of the players on this list will tell you, hitting a baseball is literally the hardest thing on Earth to do. But it's like riding a bicycle: You never really forget. There are three 0ld timers on this list (32 or older) who can make a big impact for the remainder of the season, as well as one rookie who is starting to make a name for himself in a big way. Let's start there.
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Week 12 Outfield Targets
Whit Merrifield, Kansas City Royals
Owned in 25% of Leagues, via Fleaflicker
Great name, great bat, great positional eligibility. This kid can do it all. Since receiving his call-up to the Royals Big League roster on May 17, Whit Merrifield has certainly proven his worth. The rookie is slashing a tremendous .333/.350/.483 line and has only been getting better as his time in the Majors wears on. After an impressive May, Merrifield has stepped it up at the plate thus far in June to the tune of a .839 monthly OPS. How about his past few games, you ask? The 27 year-old is in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak, including five multi-hit games in that span. On Saturday against the Tigers, he went three-for-five with a run scored, a stolen base and a whopping four RBI. The kid is on fire and he just gained outfield eligibility after a streak of games in left field. The team released incumbent second base starter Omar Infante this week. It looks like Merrifield will be here to stay.
Jayson Werth, Washington Nationals
Owned in 38% of Leagues, via Fleaflicker
After weeks of resisting the temptation to include Jayson Werth's name on this list, it's time to make amends. Werth has been Mr. Walkoff as of late, with two clutch ninth inning hits in the span of four days last week. I recall saying something along the lines of strong leadership doesn't count for much in fantasy baseball some weeks back in this very column regarding Werth's relevance as a legitimate fantasy option. Well, his numbers certainly count for something this year, as the veteran outfielder is swatting a healthy .322/.414/.475 in June in addition to his 10 homers and 37 RBI on the year. Those numbers are vintage Werth. The Nationals have been using the grizzly slugger out of the two-spot recently, which is good news for his run totals. There's no telling whether or not Werth can keep up this pace. When he's hitting like this, there's little reason for outfielder-needy teams to pass him up.
Shin-Soo Choo, Texas Rangers
Owned in 44.3% of Leagues, via Fleaflicker
Shin-Soo Choo is back from the DL and starting in the outfield for the AL-leading Texas Rangers. How is he not unanimously owned by now? This is a guy who was a potential MVP candidate as recently as 2013. He's averaged more than 20 HR and 20 SB per 162 games over the course of his career. He's a career .281/.382/.453 slugger with 12 MLB seasons under his belt. Sure, he's been injury prone over the past few seasons and is approaching the tender age of 34. Still, he bats leadoff for an incredibly productive Rangers offense and is already flashing an .801 OPS with a homer and a steal in his first week back from injury. Own this guy now. Own this guy fast.
Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals
Owned in 20.5% of Leagues, via Fleaflicker
Clearly the news has not yet spread that Alex Gordon is less than a week away from returning to action for the Royals in 2016. After a pesky wrist sprain kept the veteran outfielder out for more than a month, Gordon has begun his rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Just two games into said assignment, Gordon has gone three-for-six with a dinger. Due to his strong play, manager Ned Yost has already suggested that Gordon could return as early as the club's weekend series against the Astros. It's worth noting that the Cornhusker was not playing well at all before his injury, as evidenced by his puny .211/.319/.331 line in 42 games. Still, the odds are in favor of a fruitful return for the wily outfielder, considering his All-Star bids from the previous three seasons. Pick up Gordon before your leaguemates begin to notice him again.
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