RADIO
Hard to believe we're coming up on the end of April, right? Hopefully your teams have come flying out of the gate. If not, though, there's no need to fret.
As we discussed last week, there's a happy medium between making hasty moves and taking swift, decisive action. Be patient without being passive. Need help in the outfield? These are the players to add this week. As always, the names below can be found on the waiver wire in the majority of Yahoo leagues. Let's hit it.
Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options for outfield, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.
Waiver Wire Adds in the Outfield
Ender Inciarte, Arizona Diamondbacks (39% owned)
He's cooled off somewhat in recent days, but Inciarte still sports a .329/.354/.419 line. He also appears to have won the confidence of his manager, as his name's been penciled into the leadoff spot for the majority of Arizona's games this season.
While Inciarte doesn't offer much in the way of power, he makes plenty of contact and has impressive speed. The roster crunch in Arizona hasn't improved, with a four-man outfield rotation in place and Yasmani Tomas still lurking. For the moment though, Inciarte looks like he owns a dominant share of playing time. He's a solid three-cat contributor for as long as that holds.
Odubel Herrera, Philadelphia Phillies (31% owned)
One of the few bright spots in what's sure to be a long, dreary season in Philadelphia. Herrera has hit safely in eight straight games and boasts a solid .281/.333/.441 triple slash. He's also swiped three bags.
Just 23 years old, the rookie has shown enough to earn some time in the leadoff spot. Granted, the Phillies don't have a whole lot of options. The putrid lineup behind him will cut into Herrera's runs scored, but he's a good bet for a high average and some juice in the stolen base department. The fact that he carries eligibility at both second base and shortstop only helps his case as a worthy addition to your roster.
Desmond Jennings, Tampa Rays (28% owned)
Back in 2011, Jennings was the light of our lives, the fire of our loins. In just 63 games, he hit 10 homers and stole 20 bases. Tampa had let Carl Crawford walk the previous winter, and Jennings looked well on his way to replacing Crawford's All-Star production. Sadly for fantasy owners and Rays fans (they exist, probably), he's never really lived up to that promise.
Although he's maintained double-digit pop and a solid walk rate as a pro, his stolen bases have declined each season and he's settled in as a .250 hitter. Still, there's value to be had here. While Jennings is off to a slow start at the plate, it's encouraging that he's already stolen five bases. The monster many expected hasn't materialized and likely never will. You could do worse than 15/30 upside, though. Be sure to keep an eye out for his knee issue, which kept him out of the lineup this weekend.
Chris Young, New York Yankees (23% owned)
Speaking of 2011, that's the last time Young was fantasy relevant. That season capped a five-year run in which Young averaged 23 homers and 20 steals per campaign, albeit with ghastly batting averages. He hasn't come close to those numbers or accumulated more than 375 plate appearances in any of the three seasons since. The renaissances of Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira have overshadowed Young's own gaudy start: .357/.426/.762, with four homers.
Is this sustainable? Almost certainly not. Also worth noting is Young's lack of a starting job. Then again, Yankee Stadium is kind to hitters and the Bombers employ a lot of old, injury-prone dudes. It's not hard to imagine Young having a useful fantasy year. Regardless of the long-term outlook, he's one of the most popular adds in recent days and sometimes riding the hot hand pays off. You can still grab him in three-quarters of leagues.
Michael Saunders, Toronto Blue Jays (8% owned)
Saunders returned from the disabled list on Saturday and started in right field, going 0-for-2 with a walk. Saunders has battled injuries and inconsistency as a pro, and playing half of his games in Safeco didn't help matters. Still, he's got a 19/21 season to his credit and a solid walk rate for his career.
The Blue Jays' lineup has lived up to expectations thus far, leading the MLB in runs scored. In a better lineup and home park, Saunders could be a sneaky good source of power and speed. He's strictly a follow at this point in shallow leagues, but worth a flier in deep and AL-only.
