Brandon Crawford (SS, SF) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 7% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Brandon Crawford's decline has been in full force since his career-best 2016 season. Who was once an offense-machine at the SS position is now more of a liability. That is if we look at the overall trend, though.

Exploring Crawford production on a greater level of detail we can paint another picture. Yes, his batting average is an all-time low .231 and he's striking out at a 23.3% pace, but he's also been heating up lately. Since the calendar flipped from June to July, and up to this point, he's hit for more HR (four of a total nine in the season) than in any other prior month, helped San Francisco with 17 RBI and improved his average to a not-horrid .263. The team has gone from cellar dweller to surprising Wild Card contender in the past month and he's been one of the catalysts on offense.

For someone on the rise, playing in a team with playoff aspirations and without anyone threatening his playing time (he's a staple in the heart of the Giants lineup), his super-low ownership strikes one as a little bit surprising. He won't offer speed at MI but there is enough pop to make him interesting in deeper leagues.