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In our first edition since the All-Star break, let's look at more first base and third base fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 18 — July 22 through July 28.
The second half of the baseball season is a pivotal period where teams vie for playoff spots, and players aim to solidify their statistics. This phase is equally crucial for fantasy baseball managers as it can make or break their season. Fantasy owners must strategically navigate injuries, hot streaks, and slumps as real-life performances fluctuate to optimize their rosters.
The second half often reveals hidden gems and unexpected heroes, making astute decision-making and keen observation essential for fantasy success. Here are some hidden gems: players who have been hot recently and can help in the standings.
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Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues (30-50% rostered)
Eugenio Suarez, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks (30% rostered)
One player who's hoping his offensive success won't slow down after the All-Star break is Eugenio Suarez, who largely had a disappointing first half but was able to pick it up in its last few weeks. In a 15-game stretch, the veteran posted a. 333 average, four homers, 17 hits, 16 RBI, and 12 runs scored.
Eugenio Suarez in July...
52 PA, .341/.442/.705, 4 2B, 4 HR#Dbacks pic.twitter.com/zj06FCJcBf
— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) July 18, 2024
The D-backs are neck and neck with the Mets for the final NL wild-card spot, with New York holding the tiebreaker as of Saturday. If Arizona hopes to make the playoffs for the second straight year, they'll need Suarez to have a productive second half of the season.
Jake Burger, 1B/3B, Miami Marlins (43% rostered)
Jake Burger is another player who hopes he doesn't slow down at the plate. Like Suarez, his first half was mostly uninspiring, but he was able to get it going before the break. In his last seven games, he's batted .345/.367/.724 with 10 hits, three homers, nine RBI, and six runs.
Jake Burger turned on this high cheese 🍔 pic.twitter.com/EUvpfJydJd
— MLB (@MLB) July 20, 2024
Burger kept his hot streak going on Friday night when he went 2-for-4 with a double, his 11th home run of the season, two runs scored, and two RBI in a win against the Mets. He's been nearly unstoppable in July, with a .916 OPS this month.
Waiver Wire for Deeper Leagues (10-30% rostered)
Matt Vierling, 3B/OF, Detroit Tigers (21% rostered)
Matt Vierling has quietly had a solid year for the Tigers. He hasn't quite put it all together, but he has still set a new career high in home runs with 12 and is just three RBI away from matching his total from last year, also a new career high. The 27-year-old picked it up offensively after a cold stretch, slashing .286/.323/.536 with a home run and six RBI in his last seven games.
Matt Vierling hits his 12th home run of the season. Dan Dickerson on the call #RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/XMgtoQAzGB
— Dan Dickerson Calls📞 (@dannydHRs) July 11, 2024
While it's great that he's seemingly found his power stroke, he draws much fewer walks compared to 2023, thus lowering his on-base percentage. If Vierling can improve that aspect of his game, he'll be an even more complete player for the Tigers. He's already shown improvement, and he's capable of being an everyday player.
Angel Martinez, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Cleveland Guardians (12% rostered)
The Guardians seem to be churning out bats left and right these days, huh? Following a back-and-forth between the minors and majors, Angel Martinez finally debuted on June 22, quickly collecting hits and making a strong Cleveland offense even stronger.
Second career homer for Angel Martínez and we have a tie game! #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/7OXozXhkF5
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) July 13, 2024
He's cooled off somewhat since then but still boasts a .824 OPS and has three doubles, two home runs, four RBI, and eight walks across 14 games. Martinez's elite plate discipline will certainly help the Guardians down the stretch and secure an American League Central division title.
Deeper Waiver Wire Options to Consider (Under 10%)
Juan Yepez, 1B/OF, Washington Nationals (7% rostered)
Former Cardinal Juan Yepez joined the Nationals organization in December and was invited to spring training in January. The 26-year-old has been with Washington's Triple-A ball club since. He belted 11 homers with Rochester and added 41 RBI across 74 games. The Nats selected his contract on July 5, and Yepez hasn't missed a step.
that's my cleanup hitter 🥲 pic.twitter.com/LmPJ5lSTTm
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2024
In 11 games, he's slashing .390/.468/.610 with six doubles, a home run, six RBI, six walks, and eight runs scored. Promoting Yepez was just one of the latest Nationals transactions during a busy July. One of those moves was optioning Joey Meneses, who mightily struggled in 2024. Yepez figures to fill in his everyday role at first base.
More Waiver Wire Pickups to Consider
- Jose Iglesias, 2B/3B, New York Mets (4% rostered)
- Brooks Baldwin, 3B/SS/OF, Chicago White Sox (1% rostered)
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