Alex Verdugo (SP, LAD) - Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues

OWNED IN: 32% of Leagues

ANALYSIS: Only 23 years old, Verdugo owns a 60-grade hit tool and a strong plate approach. In the minors, he was a consistent .300 hitter with pop, but he’s struggled to find playing time in the majors. The concern about Verdugo coming into the season was his ability to hit lefties and whether he would get enough starts to justify owning him. The sample against left-handers may still be small, but both of those issues have disappeared.

Verdugo has taken over centerfield since AJ Pollock’s injury, and he’s hitting .333 with a .952 OPS against lefties this year. Overall, Verdugo looks like a solid second outfielder: .311 BA, .200 ISO, and run and RBI production in a strong team context. Verdugo also has enough speed that he could provide ten stolen bases this season. The only knock against him is that he’s batting in the bottom half of the Dodgers’ order, but it’s still a better context than most alternatives.

Pollock isn’t returning anytime soon, and Verdugo will continue to grow into his role as the everyday centerfielder. For now, owners should take advantage of the Verdugo’s opportunity and capitalize on his talent and newfound playing time.