Gregory Polanco (OF, PIT) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 6% of leagues

ANALYSIS: It has been a few years since Gregory Polanco has even looked like a pedestrian-level batter, but he is still just 29 years old, and he might well be on his way to recapturing some of the premier form he displayed after arriving in PNC Park. When viewing Polanco's month-by-month figures, one could easily be turned away by the OPS of .657/.705/.535 from April through June, but on closer inspection, he has yet to have a single month without at least two home runs (2.75 per month) and at least one stolen base (2.75 per month), and he hasn't been caught on a single stolen base try in eleven attempts.

In 29 AB thus far into July, Polanco has a burst of life at the plate, clubbing four XBH (one double, one triple, two HR), swiping three bags, and slashing .276/.405/.586. This month, he has decreased his June strikeout rate by 10% to a much more manageable 18.9% while nearly doubling his walk rate and ISO to 16.2% and .310, respectively. He has also attained season-best splits for hard contact rate (43.5%) and soft contact rate (17.4%) while almost cutting his grounder rate in half to 21.7%, leading to the uptick in BABIP to .286. Gregory Polanco is an imposing athletic specimen with great physical gifts, and now that his approach in the box has tightened up and he's directing the ball towards empty space (or the stands), he is definitely a shot worth taking in deeper leagues for the 35-40 SB+HR totals he proved capable of in the past.

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