Jake Bauers (1B/OF, CLE) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 15% of leagues

ANALYSIS: A popular sleeper pick heading into 2019, Indians outfielder and first baseman Jake Bauers never really woke up once the season started, with his ownership cratering as fast as his batting average. Through the first two months of the season, Bauers slashed .217/.307/.339 with only five home runs and a 71 wRC+. But things have been looking better over the past month and a half, and now Bauers is getting back on the fantasy radar.

Since the start of June, Bauers has seen a marked improvement at the plate, with his slash line sitting at a much more respectable .279/.321/.510, along with six home runs, 16 RBI, and 12 runs scored. While his strikeout rate has risen three points over that time, Bauers' underlying power numbers have seen significant increases, with his wOBA climbing 60 points, and with a .231 ISO that is over 100 points better than in his first two months with Cleveland.

Along with the improvements in his own numbers, Bauers should also be helped going forward by a Cleveland offense that has started to come out of its own malaise; with the Indians putting up a top ten wRC+ and top five wOBA since the start of June. Available in 85% of leagues, it may be time to take another look at the other Bauer(s) in Cleveland.