Kike Hernandez (2B/3B/SS/OF, LAD) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 3% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Dodgers utility player Enrique “Kike” Hernandez has had himself a hell of a week. Once a throw-in as part of the Dee Gordon deal to Miami, Kike has become a useful major league roster piece in the wake of Corey Seager’s unfortunate injury. While there have been significant struggles in 2018, the 26-year-old is on the verge of turning around his tough-to-look-at .218/.299/.449 line. Over the last seven days, he has a .375/.444/.938 line with an even BB/K and three homers over 16 at-bats. He has been smacking the ball hard, squaring up and making great contact while producing good lift and getting lots of fly balls.

Kike has shown very good pop in his short major league career, but his value has been submarined by an ugly average and way too much swing and miss. While Kike’s 2018 average of .218 does not seem like much of an improvement, it comes by way of a nasty .222 BABIP. Further, Kike’s been lifting the ball more and putting it on the ground less, giving him a better opportunity to put his power to use. Kike will not make fantasy owners forget about Corey Seager, but he could be a cheap source of power for a club with limited option at short. The at-bats are likely to be there, so for the squad in need of a protein infusion, consider Kike.