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Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend. We’re roughly a third of the way through the season, and if you’re lagging behind in the standings, you’re probably thinking about shaking things up a bit. Maybe you’re finally going to cut bait on that struggling big-name player, or are working on a blockbuster trade.
There are still gains to be made on the margins, however. Here are some corner infield options worth considering.
Editor’s Note: To read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.
Week 9 Corner Infield Waiver Wire Targets
Steve Pearce, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays (47 percent owned)
Pearce was one of the best hitters in baseball during the month of May, slashing an impressive .325/.415/.638 with seven homers and 32 R+RBI. There doesn’t seem to be anything fluky about his performance, either. In fact, a glance at his peripherals suggests a legitimate change in approach. Pearce has trimmed his strikeout rate to below 15 percent and is walking nearly as often. He’s also not pulling the ball quite as often as in the past. Pearce was quite useful for fantasy owners in 2014, so this isn’t unprecedented.
Mike Napoli, 1B, Cleveland Indians (43 percent)
Napoli has four homers in his last seven games, bringing his overall line up to .234/.306/.486. He’s also stolen two bases in that time. Did you know that Napoli has 35 career steals? Strange but true. Anyway, he’s comfortably nestled in the cleanup spot of the Indians’ lineup and as a result in on pace to hit triple digits in both runs scored and batted in. He may not keep this up, but right now Napoli’s producing like a top 10 first baseman.
Matt Adams, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals (21 percent)
Adams played sparingly in April and was unimpressive when he did see the field. May has been a different story, as he’s hit .371/.420/.661 with four homers. With Brandon Moss scuffling of late, Adams has an opportunity to seize a bigger piece of the playing time pie. He doesn’t hit for enough power to be your primary first baseman in all but the deepest of formats, but makes for a fine CI option.
Luis Valbuena, 1B/3B, Houston Astros (4 percent)
Valbuena has always been a liability in batting average thanks to his propensity for whiffs, but last season he hit 25 homers in just 434 at-bats. That pop made him at least worth a flier in deep leagues. Unfortunately, until recently, it was missing in action. Valbuena went without a home run in April, and was hitting just .198/.290/.319 as of ten days ago. He homered in three consecutive games last week and has raised his OPS over 100 points as a result.
Hyun Soo Kim, 1B, Baltimore Orioles (3 percent)
Kim struggled enough in spring training that the Orioles tried to demote him to the minors. He exercised his right to refuse that demotion, but barely saw the field through the first eight weeks of the season. He’s finally getting a chance to prove he belongs in the lineup, though, as he’s started the last six games. Kim is hitting .360/.448/.480 and is definitely an intriguing fantasy option as long as he continues to receive consistent playing time.
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