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We have completed another week of MLB action, making it time to make more waiver wire moves. With more and more injuries and players slumping, it is time to start changing our rosters. I want to emphasize that it is still not time to panic about your core players. Do not go dropping early picks that are just slumping out the gate. If they are still struggling in a few weeks, we can look at the underlying metrics to see if a drop is in play.
Early in the season, we are interested in players off to hot starts and, more importantly, showing sustainable improvements from last season. With the early injuries, we are also looking into players that may be receiving more playing time. Some of the lower rostered players, or some not mentioned here, are on the solid side of platoons, so make sure you are not adding them if they have a negative schedule. Lastly, the names in the article are in order of percentage rostered, not so much in my preference of adding to your roster. This article will discuss fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the outfield in Week 15, July 18 through July 24.
In the first few weeks, rostered percentages can change quickly. So be quick to check your leagues for their availability. When you want to chat about outfielders, prospects, or dynasty leagues, message me directly on Twitter at @bdentrek. Key points - this list will focus on rostered players in less than 50% of Yahoo! leagues.
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Josh Naylor, Cleveland Guardians
35% Rostered
Naylor has been battling an injury recently, but he has been hitting when he has been playing. Entering Saturday, Naylor had hit safely in eight of 10 July games for a .313 batting average. He has three home runs, a .281 ISO, and 166 wRC+, just proving he is being very productive when he is in the lineup. Naylor is barreling the ball nearly 15% of the time while striking out less than 17%.
Naylor is producing and needs to shake his nagging injuries to be a lock in all lineups. Next week, the Guardians have four games versus the White Sox with a couple of enticing matchups and then have a full seven games the following week. Currently, only two LHP are scheduled to face Cleveland, which enhances Naylor's value.
Trent Grisham, San Diego Padres
34% Rostered
Overall, it has been a disappointing season for Grisham, but there are some signs of life in his bat of late. In July, Grisham is only hitting .220, but he has showcased some power and some nice plate discipline. In July, Grisham is walking 16% of the time to go with three home runs, a .220 ISO, and 123 wRC+. He is even barreling the ball 16.1% of the time. Grisham has also added two stolen bases for the month.
He has nine home runs with four stolen bases on the season (July has helped those numbers a lot) and is hitting .191. Based on the power improvements and plate discipline he has showcased in July, I am willing to buy low on Grisham as he should be in for a much better second half.
Andrew McCutchen, Milwaukee Brewers
30% Rostered
McCutchen has finally woken up this season. Over the last three weeks, he has been hitting .310 with five home runs and a stolen base. In addition, he has scored 13 runs while driving in 16 as he helps in all ROTO categories. Over this stretch, McCutchen has a .238 ISO, .899 OPS, and 147 wRC+ as he hits cleanup most days for the Brewers.
McCutchen's contact quality has also been strong, with a 10.1% barrel rate and near 50% hard-hit rate. He is now hitting .258 on the season with nine home runs and six stolen bases, and an excellent second half could be in store for the Brewers veteran.
Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins
26% Rostered
Kepler has been a very streaky hitter this season and is on the solid side of a streak. Over the last 10 days, Kepler is hitting .387 with three extra-base hits, including a home run. He has a .161 ISO, .973 OPS, and 180 wRC+ while also hitting cleanup for the Twins.
Kepler is hitting .248 on the season with nine home runs, a strong 12.7% walk rate, and a 14.8% strikeout rate. Kepler has showcased solid skills and 20+ home run capabilities throughout his career, so an excellent second half may be in store for Kepler.
Adam Frazier, Seattle Mariners
17% Rostered
Don't look now, but Frazier is starting to resemble his former All-Star offensive form. He entered Saturday hitting safely in eight of nine games (went 2-5 on Saturday) for a .375 batting average. Frazier has even added a home run and a steal over his hot streak while scoring six runs.
Frazier won't usually hit for a lot of power, as his .094 ISO proves, but his .851 OPS and 147 wRC+ tell the story about how helpful he has been for fantasy managers and the Mariners. If you are looking for runs and batting average help, then Frazier is an excellent addition to your team.
Deeper League Waiver Wire
You can check out my NFBC deeper league waiver wire article, which comes out every Saturday, and looks at deeper-league waiver wire options at various positions.
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