RADIO
With just over a month remaining in the 2018 season, the patient approach goes out the window to a certain extent. The shorter the remaining runway, the greater latitude you should allow yourself in making roster decisions – and the more context-dependent these decisions become. Tailor your transactions to the situation at hand; if it makes sense to jettison a big name for an unproven player on a hot streak, don’t be afraid to pull the trigger.
Every Sunday until the end of the season, we'll look at the best middle infielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. These are based on standard 5x5 scoring; adjust accordingly for your specific setup.
Let’s get to it. Below are your second base and shortstop waiver wire targets for Week 22.
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Week 22 Middle Infield (MI) Waiver Wire Targets
Jonathan Villar, 2B/OF, Baltimore Orioles (43% owned)
At this point it seems fair to say that Villar’s incredible 2016 performance was an aberration. However, since returning to everyday player status after his trade to Baltimore, Villar has shown that he can still help fantasy owners. In 22 August contests, the veteran has hit .250 with four home runs, four stolen bases, and respectable run production. He’s slotted in at first, second, or third in all his games with the Orioles thus far, so he’ll have plenty of opportunities to pad those numbers.
Ben Zobrist, 2B/OF, Chicago Cubs (38% owned)
If you can deal with the occasional day on the bench, Zobrist is an excellent pickup. After a down year in 2017, the 37-year-old has proven there’s still some life in his bat by hitting .308/.390/.459. The counting stats are admittedly modest – in 107 games, he’s tallied 105 R+BI and nine homers – but owners in need of a batting average boost aren’t likely to find many better options on the waiver wire at this juncture. That’s particularly true when you consider that he’s hitting an eye-popping .368 in the second half.
Willy Adames, 2B/SS, Tampa Bay Rays (31% owned)
Adames was featured in this space last week, and not much has changed. The 22-year-old logged a pair of multi-hit games in the past week, each of which included a home run, and Friday’s effort also included a stolen base. The Rays’ phenom is now hitting a blistering .347/.422/.597 with five homers, five steals, and 28 R+BI in August. He clearly deserves to be owned in more leagues at this point.
Dansby Swanson, SS, Atlanta Braves (19% owned)
Swanson is the only player highlighted this week who doesn’t offer eligibility at multiple positions, but he’s also been one of the hottest hitters in the game recently. In the last two weeks of action alone, the Braves’ shortstop has nearly doubled his home run total for the season. During this hot streak, Swanson has slashed .310/.348/.714 with five homers and 22 R+BI, providing Atlanta with excellent production as they fight for their first division title since 2005.
Aledmys Diaz, 3B/SS, Toronto Blue Jays (13% owned)
Toss out his pathetic April performance – a period during which few fantasy owners were likely to be rostering him anyway – and Diaz is hitting .283/.317/.494 with 12 homers and passable run production in just 262 plate appearances. He’s also recently earned eligibility at third base in addition to shortstop. Like most players on the wire, Diaz is unlikely to win you a league by himself, but he can certainly contribute to your championship push.
