Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Two Yankees among bats to add for an offensive boost
The following players are widely available in Yahoo Fantasy Baseball formats and may be worth grabbing, depending on your league’s depth.
Aaron Hicks, OF, New York Yankees (15% rostered)
Hicks has three homers and two steals while batting .323 with more walks than strikeouts over eight games in July. The Yankees have remained patient with him all season (a .359 OBP thanks to an elite walk rate helps), and more power is finally starting to show. Hicks has 10 runs scored and eight RBI over the eight games this month, as counting stats will be there in New York’s lineup. Hicks has been a big disappointment over the last few years, but he's worth adding in deeper fantasy leagues given his power/speed resume and recent signs of life in his bat. He has a .606 OPS in New York compared to .825 on the road, and while Yankee Stadium has played like an extreme pitcher’s park this year, it seems like a safe bet Hicks performs much better at home moving forward.
Matt Carpenter, 1B/2B, New York Yankees (16%)
Carpenter doesn’t have an obvious everyday spot in the Yankees lineup, but he’ll continue to play plenty in a super utility role while hitting so well. The veteran looked finished but has bounced back in a big way after revamping his swing during the offseason. It’s a small sample, but Carpenter’s suddenly up to 10 homers with a staggering 260 wRC+ over 77 plate appearances this season. Among qualified hitters, Yordan Alvarez leads MLB with a 197 wRC+. Carpenter is hitting both lefties and righties, and while he’s sure to cool off, the veteran is three seasons removed from hitting 36 homers with 110+ runs scored and 100+ walks. He’s also been hitting toward the middle of a Yankees lineup that’s scored by far the most runs in baseball. Eligible at middle infield, Carpenter can be added in deeper fantasy leagues.
Danny Jansen, C, Toronto Blue Jays (9%)
Jansen remains available in more than 90% of Yahoo leagues despite posting a 1.165 OPS after the All-Star break last season and a 148 wRC+ this year before suffering a hand injury that he’s getting ready to return from. Gabriel Moreno has a bright future, but his 66 wRC+ won’t be hard to send back down to the minors as soon as Jansen is ready (he homered during Sunday’s latest rehab game). Since last year’s All-Star break, Jansen has 14 homers over 121 at bats. Among qualified catchers, teammate Alejandro Kirk leads MLB with an .876 OPS at an extremely thin position to fill in fantasy. Jansen will return with a .915 OPS (and to a Toronto pitching staff that will welcome his catching).
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Nolan Jones, 3B, Cleveland Guardians (16%)
Jones was called up to the majors Friday after hitting .311/.417/.500 in Triple-A and slugged a homer while walking more than striking out over the weekend. Jones has 70 grade power and could also add a handful of steals, and he’s available in nearly 85% of Yahoo leagues. Jones will soon add OF as well, but he’s extra valuable given his 3B eligibility, as the position is behind only catcher as the thinnest in fantasy baseball.
Josh Rojas, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Arizona Diamondbacks (53%)
Rojas was dropped in many fantasy leagues after hitting just .216/.260/.299 in June, but he’s rebounded while batting .485 over 10 games in July, when he’s raised his season OPS more than 100 points while adding three homers/steals. Selective at the plate and yet to be thrown out on the base paths, Rojas has recently been batting leadoff versus righties. Eligible at a whopping four different positions, the hot-hitting Rojas has already been a popular add of late and likely won’t be available in fantasy leagues much longer.
