On the hitting side, the waiver wire needs to be cleaned up in the coming days. There are plenty of hitters listed in today’s edition who have been mentioned in recent articles but have been slow to enjoy a rise in roster rate.
The opposite is true with pitchers, where there are few enticing options right now. Managers who need to add an arm may need to stream the position based on matchups over the coming days.
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Hitters to add
Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants, 46%: Simply put, Eldridge is on fire. Over the past 14 days, the 21-year-old ranks 27th among all players on the Yahoo Player Rater. The rookie has shown strong plate discipline (19.8% strikeout rate, 13.0% walk rate) and terrific batted-ball tendencies (91.8 mph average exit velocity). Given his age, prospect status and recent performance, Eldridge should be rostered in at least 75% of Yahoo leagues.
TJ Rumfield, 1B, Rockies, 20%: Like Eldridge, Rumfield was covered in a recent article on NL rookies. The 26-year-old has proven to offer a balanced batting profile, as he hits for average (.275) and should go deep 20 times. He lacks eye-popping upside, which makes it easy to leave him on waivers in shallow formats. But in most 12-team leagues, there is a spot for Rumfield, who is more attractive than usual today, as the Rockies are at the outset of a six-game homestand.
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Troy Johnston, 1B/OF, Rockies, 15%: Jung Hoo Lee is rostered in 48% of Yahoo leagues. He has 7 HR+SB, 62 R+RBI and a .325 average. Josh Jung is rostered in 54% of Yahoo leagues. He has 9 HR+SB, 62 R+RBI and a .301 average. Johnston is rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues. He has 7 HR+SB, 64 R+RBI and a .312 average.
One of the three players will spend the next week at Coors Field. Which one do you want on your roster over the next seven days?
Cole Carrigg, OF, Rockies, 17%: I promise that I’m not a Rockies fan. But I need to reference a third member of Colorado’s offense, as the lack of interest in Carrigg is perplexing. While the roster rate for White Sox rookie outfielder Braden Montgomery has risen to 29%, Carrigg remains available in many more leagues. The disparity makes little sense, as Carrigg is the speedier player and has been excellent at the dish (.861 OPS) since joining the Rockies. Like Rumfield and Johnston, his roster rate should rise during the team’s upcoming homestand.
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Nasim Nuñez, 2B, Nationals, 12%: Managers in 12-team categories leagues should take a second look at Nuñez. The speedster ranks second in the majors with 26 steals, but until recently, he has mostly been a one-category contributor. The infielder has been more effective at the dish in June (.378 average), which makes him a more viable option for those who need a speed boost.
Pitchers to add
Gage Jump, SP, Athletics, 35%: In a starting pitching pool that currently lacks exciting options, Jump stands out from the crowd. The 23-year-old was a notable prospect when he debuted on May 26, and he has continued his ascension by posting a 2.37 ERA and 0.99 WHIP across his initial five MLB starts. Jump has logged an impressive 26:9 K:BB ratio and deserves plenty of credit for having a respectable start (5 IP, 3 ER, 6:1 K:BB) during a recent series in a bandbox in Las Vegas that caused virtually every other starting pitcher to endure a forgettable outing.
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Griffin Jax, SP/RP, Rays, 33%: Jax has logged a 2.57 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in nine starts since joining the rotation on April 26. The good news is that the right-hander seems to be getting more comfortable with his new role, as he has allowed just one unearned run over 10 innings while producing a 9:2 K:BB ratio in his past two starts. Jax will have limited upside until the Rays let him work deeper into games, but he has still shown enough to be a lineup fixture in 12-team leagues and an attractive streamer in 10-team formats.
Hitters with favorable weekend matchups
Spencer Horwitz, 1B, Pirates, 22%: The Pirates are in prime position to enjoy a productive series when they arrive at hitter-friendly Coors Field this weekend. They’ll face a Rockies staff that ranks last in baseball by a wide margin with a 5.59 ERA. Horwitz is among Pittsburgh players with the best chance to take advantage of Coors, as he puts plenty of balls in play while maintaining a 13.5% strikeout rate. While Horwitz will help those who need a corner infielder, his teammate Nick Gonzales (25%) can meet the needs of those with a middle infield vacancy.
Joc Pederson, DH, Rangers, 4%: After flopping with the Rangers last season, Pederson has bounced back to the tune of a .792 OPS. The slugger has been especially effective of late, batting .258 with six homers and a .950 OPS over his 20 games since May 26. As a left-handed hitter who thrives against righties, Pederson is primed for a big weekend when he spends three games in the leadoff spot against a trio of subpar San Diego right-handers.
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Pitchers to stream this weekend (ranked in order of preference)
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Griffin Jax vs. WSH (Friday, 33%)
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