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Welcome to Week 13, RotoBallers. Over the season, inclusion in the weekly RotoBaller Outfield Waiver Wire Targets roundup almost guarantees a sharp increase in ownership. For example, just a mention on our prestigious column, and Joc Pederson has seen his rate jump by more than 20%. Johnny Field's percentage increased by 100%!! But unfortunately, our powers are not universal, and previous favorites like Harrison Bader have seen theirs drop. I don't have a good explanation for such a travesty, but it's time for a change. Readers, be the change you want to see in the world.
These players might seem unattractive, but each of them brings something unique and valuable to a fantasy roster. Champions don't care about names, just numbers. Wipe the names from your eyes when you evaluate your roster, just look at their production. The players below can fill holes and provide highly valuable depth, and when the season ends and we see what percentage of championship rosters had unheralded, unexpected, unappreciated producers like these gentlemen, don't tell me we didn't try.
So, without further ado, here are the Week 13 Outfield Waiver Wire Targets. Check out the rest of RotoBaller.com for the content you need to win, and don't forget to follow our team of analysts on Twitter. We have the moves you need to make to get that ring. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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Week 13 Outfield Waiver Wire Targets
Delino DeShields Jr. (OF, TEX) - 35% owned
After dealing with injury and ineffectiveness throughout 2018, the junior Delino DeShields is starting to do some things. The season line of .227/.329/.305 inspires little confidence despite the respectable 15 steals, but over the last couple of weeks the 25-year-old is showing real improvement at the plate. In his last 10 games, DeShields has hit .344/.488/.375. Ignore his power deficiencies, you’re here for runs and steals. And the only way he gets runs and steals is by getting on base.
There are two issues that have kept DeShields from getting the most out of his abilities: strikeouts and fly balls. The youngster has improved his K rate every year since 2016, but it still sits at 20.7%, which is too high for a slap hitter with no semblance of pop. Seriously, this season he’s got a .079 ISO. And for a hitter with so little power, hitting flyballs is bad news. And wouldn’t you know it, over the last couple of weeks, DeShields has improved his approach, with a sparkling 2/1 BB/K ratio, and is hitting fewer flyballs than ever. For the season, 29.6% of contact has resulted in flyballs. For the last 10 games, just 16%. His groundball rate has jumped from 51.4% to 68%. If DeShields continues this trend, his steals and runs, especially with a finally healthy lineup around him, will shoot up. Grab him in deeper leagues if you can get him, and if you’re hungry for steals in a 10-team or 12-team, he’s worth the pickup.
Mark Trumbo (OF, BAL) - 20% owned
I… I mean… I just… look RotoBallers, I don’t know what to do here. I am very much not a fan of Mark Trumbo’s game. I do not like guys who’s entire game is predicated on smacking dingers and don’t walk enough. A couple of years back, I was offered Trumbo in a league for a couple of bad prospects and I declined. “Why bother acquiring a dude I think is going to crash and burn when I could luck into a decent pro with one of these lottery tickets?” I thought. I had the same mindset about Chris Davis, and actually got something useful for him before he dropped off a cliff like Wile E. Coyote. Of course, Trumbo responded to my slight with his best season as a pro, a 47 homer .256/.316/.533 campaign in 2016. I never stopped hating though, and that hate persists to this day.
But I can’t ignore numbers, and last week saw Trumbo hit .348/.375/.913 with 4 homers. There’s not much more to say about Trumbo. If he’s hitting rockets, you want him. RotoBallers, I don’t blame you for grabbing the 32-year-old off the wire. Your man here is not. This is the rare profile where I’m just not even considering adding this guy to any of my teams. If you need pop… yeah ok. Trumbo is notoriously streaky, he’s allergic to taking a walk, and he swings way too often at pitches outside of the zone, but when the dude connects the ball goes far and he’s going to take Chris Davis’ playing time. Good luck to you all.
Stephen Piscotty (OF, OAK) - 11% owned
Stephen Piscotty had one of the more eventful and interesting offseasons in baseball. The talented outfielder struggled mightily after his mother was diagnosed with ALS in May of that 2017. Speaking from a purely baseball perspective, Piscotty’s nine home run, 40 run, 39 runs batted in season with a .235/.342/.367 line was hugely underwhelming, especially considering his 22 homer season from 2016. His struggles were certainly understandable due to the personal circumstances, and the Cardinals made the move to trade him to Oakland. The story was extremely heart-warming, although Piscotty was expendable for St. Louis thanks to the acquisition of Marcell Ozuna. Piscotty was able to take the field much closer to home and be more available to his family for support. His mother passed away in May, but the experience of being closer to her has clearly been a positive one explicitly in terms of his baseball performance.
Over the last two weeks, Piscotty has looked much more like the 2016 version. Over his last 45 plate appearances, his line has been a sterling .306/.422/.611. The average has been propped up a bit by a .348 BABIP, but his missing pop has returned with aplomb, producing a .306 ISO over that span. He’s smacking the hell out of the ball, producing a better BB/K rate, making more contact, and not putting the ball on the ground, all of which he notably did not do a season ago. What’s more, Piscotty has been trending towards this level for the last month to five weeks. He looks looser at the plate, more comfortable in the field, and frankly like a weight has been lifted off of his back. If he is indeed back to the 2016 version, he’s worth an add in all leagues.
Niko Goodrum (OF/1B, DET) - 6% owned
Once again, another week, another surprisingly good piece of work for Niko. A .250/.350/.500 line with his seventh home run of 2018 is pretty solid for 20 plate appearances. The guy is just producing. He's not winning you any weeks or championships by himself, but this guy can put in work in limited at-bats and is a perfect off day or injury fill-in. He strikes out a bit too much, and has been pressing lately, but he gives you surprising speed and gets extra bases off of the good contact he makes. If you're in a league that tracks total bases or gives extra points for extra bases, Niko is an option whose floor is looking much higher than was previously expected. At this point, there are multiple players that would lose playing time in Detroit before anyone considers taking the 26-year-old out of the lineup.
Johnny Field (OF, TB) - 1% owned
My favorite player Johnny Field had a rough week. There’s no other way around it RotoBallers, my boy is hurting. Last week, the rookie connected with just a single hit and six strikeouts with no walks in 16 at-bats. He did chip in a steal, a small offering of Field’s otherworldly talent and athleticism. It’s been a tough month for the 26-year-old, who appears to be pressing at the plate. But we’ve seen talent win out over rough stretches before, and my love is unconditional. Maybe this isn’t the week that Field’s ownership percentage goes up, and maybe this isn’t the week you should add him. But it’s coming RotoBallers. It’s coming.
