RADIO
The All-Star Break is way behind us, and we are in the final stretch of the fantasy season. Let's look at first base and third base fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 19 — July 29 through August 4.
The second half of the baseball season is a pivotal period where teams vie for playoff spots, and players aim to solidify their statistics. During this time, fantasy managers must begin to clearly identify the holes in their team and where they need more production.
As the second half progresses, more prospects and young players will begin to find their footing in the majors, or even some veterans who were written off early begin to turn the corner.
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Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues (30-50% rostered)
Juan Yepez, 1B/OF (33% rostered)
Since being promoted to the major league roster on July 5, Juan Yepez has tallied at least one hit in every single game. In this 15-game stretch, the 26-year-old has been riding an incredible .368/.429/.614 slash line with two home runs, eight RBI, one stolen base, and a 6:12 BB:K ratio.
Yepez has also begun to earn the trust of the coaching staff. He is now usually penciled in the cleanup spot in the starting nine, compared to the bottom half of the lineup where he was when he was first called up.
Juan Yepez:
Has hit safely in each of his 15 games with the @Nationals
Is batting .389 (21-for-54)
Has 10 extra-base hits among his 21 hits pic.twitter.com/sVh20hY2PG— MLB (@MLB) July 24, 2024
Yepez has not only claimed first-base duties in Washington but may have run away with them.
Michael Toglia, 1B/3B, Colorado Rockies (30% rostered)
In the final game of the first half, Michael Toglia made headlines by going deep three times. Since then, Toglia has posted a .300/.333/.400 line with two doubles. In addition, he has only gone hitless in one game.
Since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on June 6, the UCLA product has held a .242/.310/.537 line with 12 home runs, 29 RBI, four stolen bases, and a 16:48 BB:K ratio.
In addition, the 23-year-old does not rely on Coors Field for all of his power production. This season, he has tallied six round-trippers at home compared to ten on the road. This split is due to his excellent 52.8% hard-hit rate and 16.5% barrel rate that can play at any park.
Toglia is worth adding if you need to boost your power stats but beware of the high strikeout rate in points leagues.
Waiver Wire for Deeper Leagues (10-30% rostered)
Rowdy Tellez, 1B, Pittsburgh Pirates (15% rostered)
The 29-year-old has gotten a bit cold at the plate over his last seven games, but that should not deter you from adding him this weekend.
Before this cold stretch, Tellez enjoyed an incredible run at the plate from June 2 to July 11. In this span, the slugger hit for a stellar .351/.394/.629 slash line with seven home runs, 22 RBI, and a 7:20 BB:K ratio.
Rowdy Tellez - Pittsburgh Pirates (9)
pic.twitter.com/Pqbc6kIuji— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) July 24, 2024
Tellez is penciled in the cleanup spot every day in the Steel City, which provides him with ample opportunities to impact the box score. Update: Tellez is dealing with back spasms, and he is considered day-to-day. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status after missing Saturday's game.
Carlos Santana, 1B, Minnesota Twins (22% rostered)
The 38-year-old has enjoyed a nice power surge as of late. Across his past eight games, the switch-hitter has been riding an impressive .296/.441/.667 line with two home runs, four doubles, six RBI, and a 7:5 BB:K ratio.
Santana has struggled to find consistency at the plate this season, but when he finds his footing, he is awfully hard to slow down. He posted an excellent .337 AVG in June but a mere .235 AVG in May.
Santana is a great addition to a points league. His strong 16.3 K rate and 10.2 % walk rate place him in the 80th and 74th percentile among all hitters, respectively.
CARLOS SANTANA WITH A CLUTCH GAME TYING DOUBLE#MNTwins
pic.twitter.com/Bo3sKz9tC2— Twins Talk (@LetsTalk_Twins) July 24, 2024
Usually batting in the top half of the Twins lineup, ‘Slam’ Tana is a safe add going forward who will enjoy the occasional hot surge.
Jose Iglesias, 3B/2B/SS, New York Mets (15% rostered)
If you need some batting average production at your CI, look no further than Jose Iglesias.
Since June 29, the 34-year-old has posted a strong .377/.424/.656 line with three home runs, 11 RBI, one stolen base, and a 4:4 BB:K ratio.
His 13.8% whiff rate and 9.0% K rate are nearly the best among all hitters. In addition, he also boasts a .343 xBA, which suggests that his strong contact skills should continue to play well during the late summer.
Iglesias will not produce in the power department or even in counting stats, as he usually bats in the back half of the Mets lineup. However, if you need AVG or OBP, Iglesias could be a sneaky addition.
Deeper Waiver Wire Options to Consider (Under 10%)
Tyler Locklear, 1B/3B (2% rostered)
Rounding out this list is Seattle prospect Tyler Locklear. Locklear recently rejoined the major league roster after Ty France was designated for assignment.
At Triple-A this season, the former second-round selection has performed well with a .264/.374/.455 line, four home runs, 18 RBI, and a 17:33 BB:K ratio. Earlier in the season at Double-A, he hit for a .294/.401/.532 line with eight home runs and 46 RBI.
It’s Tyler Locklear SZN pic.twitter.com/QMOIg7KmZ2
— Steve (@MarinersSteve) July 22, 2024
While his strong production in the minor leagues has yet to translate to the majors, he has only gotten a brief taste and has yet to truly settle in. Across 40 plate appearances, the VCU product hit two home runs and hit for a mere .184/.225/.368 line.
If you are looking for an upside play to help you during the playoffs, Locklear could be your target. He should be penciled in as the starting first baseman in Seattle and is sure to continue to improve the more playing time he gets.
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