RADIO
Welcome to May, Rotoballers. Summer is around the corner, and it's time for us to dig deeper into the wire to find players that your competition will overlook to their detriment. While they grasp names, ballers grasp glory.
And because we're looking for glory, the training wheels are coming off. No longer is 50% ownership the threshold for consideration. From now on, we're operating at a minuscule 35%. That means more obscure sleepers, more unfamiliar names, and more opportunities to learn about players you would've never thought could help your team to the trophy.
And remember, ballers don't wait. Ballers make moves. Money moves in fact, thanks Cardi B. Ballers don't care about the name on the back of the jersey. Ballers only care about the numbers next to the name. Let your competition go out of their way to acquire last year's studs. You're a baller, and you're too busy getting W's with guys your leaguemates have never heard of. Here are your week 6 outfield waiver wire targets.
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Week 6 Outfield Waiver Wire Targets
Matt Adams (OF/1B, WAS) - 45% owned
Ok, so I realize I just made a big deal about dropping the cutoff to 35% ownership, but it's my column so just give me this one. With the tear that Matt Adams went on this week, I can’t not talk about him. If it weren’t for the fact that he shares a dugout with Bryce Harper tha God, we might be referring to the Washington Nationals as the “Matt Adams Show”.
The Matt Adams Show has been absolutely MASHING as a part-time player in 2018. The main attraction is the 7 home runs on just 77 plate appearances, but the opening acts include a .297/.416/.672 batting line, an eye-popping .375 ISO, and a downright disturbing 41.3% hard contact rate. On top of those massive gains, the Matt Adams Show has raised his walk rate to 14.3%, more than double his career average.
The Matt Adams Show has appeared to tap into something new, and both the eye test and the metrics support the authenticity of his performance. No, he didn’t just become one of the best power hitters in baseball overnight and there will be some regression, such as a 41.2% HR/FB rate that is likely to plummet. That said, under no circumstances is his increased production a mirage. Fantasy players have been wondering who was going to be this year’s Ryan Zimmerman, specifically a talented hitter who finally put it all together for a monster season. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Matt Adams Show.
Jorge Soler (OF, KC) - 32% owned
Up until this season, Jorge Soler’s biggest impact on the league was being the trade chip that netted Wade Davis for the Chicago Cubs. After being expected to fill a major role for the Royals in 2017, Soler struggled to the tune of .144/.245/.258 over 110 plate appearances. The young Royal struck out 32.7% of the time, but could only manage 2 home runs and a very below average .113 ISO. Considering Soler’s calling card was supposed to be his power, those metrics were less than ideal.
Flash forward to 2018, and something appears to have clicked. So far, Soler has produced 4 home runs and a .208 ISO. Much of that occurred over the last week, registering a .300 average with 2 bombs and six runs batted in. The stretch brings Soler’s season line to .297/.415/.505 over 123 plate appearances in 2018. Whereas Soler was one of the worst hitters in baseball a year ago, he is now rating as well above average.
There’s reason to be concerned about his long-term output, what with a .388 BABIP and just a 66.5% overall contact rate. But there’s also enough to suggest that Soler has been slightly unlucky as well, as he’s making hard contact an impressive 42.3% of the time, and he’s making contact at an 83% clip when swinging at pitches in the zone. Thus, success for Soler is almost purely dependent in his patience and approach. If he takes his time and picks his spots, he’s a stud. But if he gets too aggressive, he’ll struggle. Regardless, he’s worth an add, especially if you need some power in the outfield.
Franchy Cordero (OF, SD) - 17% owned
I feel like I say this a lot, but Franchy Cordero needs to be owned in all leagues. The man with maybe the best name in all of baseball has hit 6 home runs and stolen 3 bags in just 88 plate appearances, and oh by the way had hit .364 over 22 at-bats over the last week. Franchy has successfully wrestled control of consistent at-bats away from the injured Hunter Renfroe. San Diego desperately needs the kind of energy that Franchy brings to the lineup and, despite the heavy strikeouts, he possesses one of the most intriguing power/speed skill combos in the major leagues. The fact that Franchy is owned in just 17% of leagues is becoming a tad comical. If your league is one of those where the 23-year-old is available, move on from guys like Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Taylor, Carlos Gonzalez, or Avisail Garcia in favor of an impressive skill set and an amazing name.
Alex Gordon (OF, KC) - 3% owned
No, you read that right, octogenarian outfielder Alex Gordon is being featured in a waiver wire article in 2018. But, if you hit .333 with 2 home runs in a week, you earn a mention. The 34-year-old is a part time player at this point is his career, but he is producing far better than his disastrous 2017. Over 78 plate appearances, Gordon has a line of .288/.333/.411 and is striking out just 16.7% of the time. He’s not hitting for much power despite his two homer week, but Gordon is the very definition of a professional hitter. Shallow leaguers need not apply here, but the OG Royal could be a better injury replacement option than more widely owned players like Jackie Bradley Jr., Carlos Gomez, or Jose Bautista.
No, you read that right, octogenarian outfielder Alex Gordon is being featured in a waiver wire article in 2018. But, if you hit .333 with 2 home runs in a week, you earn a mention. The 34-year-old is a part time player at this point is his career, but he is producing far better than his disastrous 2017. Over 78 plate appearances, Gordon has a line of .288/.333/.411 and is striking out just 16.7% of the time. He’s not hitting for much power despite his two homer week, but Gordon is the very definition of a professional hitter. Shallow leaguers need not apply here, but the OG Royal could be a better injury replacement option than more widely owned players like Jackie Bradley Jr., Carlos Gomez, or Jose Bautista.
Johnny Field (OF, TB) - 0% owned
I think the rookie Tampa Bay Ray will be my official Waiver Wire mascot. I can’t get enough of the 26-year-old outfielder. Over the last week, Field picked up 34 at-bats and posted a .265 average with 2 homers, 7 runs, and a steal for good measure. Performances like his 3-4 with all of his hits going for extra bases against the Blue Jays will put Field in line for more playing time. Tampa is allowing their less heralded players to get run this season, and guys like Mallex Smith, Daniel Robertson, and Matt Duffy are taking advantage of the opportunities. Field still strikes out too much and walks too little, but if he continues to get to his power in games, there’s a decent possibility that he’ll have a real impact on fantasy rosters in 2018.
