C.J. Cron (1B, LAA) - Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: C.J. Cron was nobody's idea of an exciting fantasy asset, but he had improved in each of his first three MLB seasons. Heading into 2017, he deserved to at least be on the radar of owners in AL-only or super-deep mixed leagues. A combination of injury, ineffectiveness, and the presence of Luis Valbuena conspired to keep Cron from playing much in the first half of the season. Since the break, however, he's caught fire. The 27-year-old has hit a blistering .324/.367/.649, with seven home runs and 30 R+RBI in 22 games. Three of those homers have come in his last six contests, and he's already logged six multi-hit games in August.

The Angels are hanging tough in the American League wild-card race, and Cron's recent performance deserves some of the credit for that. He's getting a fair share of time in the cleanup spot lately, and is worth rostering for as long as this hot streak lasts.