Steve Pearce (1B/2B/OF, TOR) - Waiver Wire Pickups

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OWNED IN: 8% of Yahoo! Leagues

ANALYSIS: It is hard to ignore a player when they hit a walk-off grand slam. It becomes even harder to do so when they do it twice, in the same week no less. The Blue Jays’ Steve Pearce did just that, vaulting himself onto ESPN highlight reels all week. Looking past the highlights, Pearce has seen a steady increase in his playing time across the border, and the results have been nice. Pearce is hitting .277/.355/.506 over his last 30 days, which has included 23 games. He has hit five home runs in that time with 14 RBI and nine runs scored. While those numbers are not elite by any means, Pearce’s eligibility at 1B, 2B and OF in most leagues makes him all the more attractive as a bench bat. The addition of Nori Aoki may cut into Pearce’s playing time a bit, but as long as he keeps coming through in clutch situations he will find his way into the starting lineup more often than not in Toronto. Owners in 14-team leagues and AL-only formats should consider adding Pearce while he is hot, as having a home run hitter who can play almost every spot carries a lot of value.