Christian Arroyo (2B, 3B, BOS) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups

3 years ago by Doug Goldring

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ANALYSIS: Christian Arroyo returned from the injured list on May 25, and since that time he has been very hot, batting .303 with a .954 OPS in 11 games with two home runs and three doubles. He's scored five runs and driven in nine more in that span. In June, he has been perhaps the best hitter in the potent Boston lineup as of Friday, leading the Red Sox with two home runs, nine RBI, a .640 slugging percentage, and a 1.054 OPS in that time, according to the team.

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Perhaps the most important development since his return has been that he has been batting leadoff with some regularity. Kike Hernandez usually occupies that slot, but Arroyo has been the better bat this year, and if Arroyo were to supplant Hernandez, his run-scoring opportunities would rise significantly with all the big bats behind him.

Arroyo isn't without risk, as his wOBA of .346 sits well higher than his .285 xwOBA, meaning some of this success may be fleeting. He's also walking at a career-low 4.4 percent rate. Still, the recent success speaks for itself, and fantasy managers should look to make Arroyo a short-term add for as long as he remains hot. His flexibility with second and third base eligibility should make him easier to fit into the lineup.

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