Hey RotoBallers. Welcome to my Week 6 rundown of valuable waiver wire options for AL-Only fantasy baseball leagues. It’s always a challenge to stay ahead of the curve in deeper fantasy formats, so it is important to know which players are performing well now and which will play well all season long.
Whether your team is dealing with injuries or lack of production, here are a few waiver wire recommendations to consider picking up or adding to your fantasy team.
Logan Morrison (1B, SEA) - 4% Owned
After struggling at the plate for the first few weeks of the season, Logan Morrison has found his stroke. He is 15 for his last 42 and has 4 HR and 7 RBI during that stretch. A lot of his poor play early on was due to some bad luck. Many of his outs came from hard hit balls that just weren't finding a hole. Morrison continues to hit the ball hard and now his strikeouts are down as well. The man known as "LoMo" is currently one of the Mariners most dangerous hitters and is a solid fantasy play going forward.
Eddie Rosario (2B/OF, MIN) - 1% Owned
Eddie Rosario made his MLB debut last week and hit a home run on the very first pitch he saw. The rookie infielder has actually found some playing time in the corner outfield spots with Oswaldo Arcia dealing with a hip injury. Rosario has played in five straight games and has 5 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI and 1 SB. He should continue to play everyday until Arcia returns. He is a serviceable option for owners in need of temporary outfield help.
Eduardo Escobar (SS/3B/OF, MIN) - 7% Owned
It's nice to have a player who can substitute for multiple fantasy positions. Eduardo Escobar is not only versatile, but his production has been impressive as well. He has 10 R, 2 HR, 14 RBI and 1 SB in just 25 games this season. His 14 RBI is good enough for fifth on the Minnesota squad. He has been even better as of late, with 10 H, 4 R, 1 HR and 9 RBI in his last six games. Add in the fact that Escobar can play both infield and outfield positions and fantasy owners may find an excellent utility man sitting on the waiver wire.
J.J. Hardy (SS, BAL) - 11% Owned
J.J. Hardy returned to the Orioles lineup after spending the first month of the season on the disabled list. He has already belted his first home run of the season and should be the primary shortstop going forward in Baltimore. The two-time all-star has posted 20+ HR five separate times in his career and should provide solid production from the shortstop slot. Owners should add him now before he garners more attention.
Josh Hamilton (OF, TEX) - 13% Owned
Despite his off-the-field issues, the fact remains that Josh Hamilton is an incredible talent. He is back in Texas after spending the past two years in Los Angeles. The best years of Hamilton's career came while wearing a Rangers uniform but it remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank upon his return. Hamilton will be 34 later this month. He posted 10 HR and 44 RBI in just 89 games last season after producing 21 HR and 79 RBI in 151 games in 2013. He still has a long rehab assignment ahead of him but he did go 1-for-3 in his first game action. Hamilton should be back by the end of the month and fantasy owners may want to add him now before it's too late.
Kyle Gibson (SP, MIN) - 4% Owned
After a rocky first start of the season, Kyle Gibson has produced quality starts in four of his last five appearances and each of his last three. In his last two outings, Gibson has picked up two victories without allowing a single run. He currently owns a 17 inning scoreless streak and is now 3-2 on the season. Gibson does not strike out a whole lot of batters, but he is a strong option in deeper formats for those fantasy owners in need of some victories and ERA help.
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