Time to hit the waiver wire! Here are a few players to consider as we hit the season's halfway point.
HITTERS
1B/2B/3B/OF Jace Peterson, Milwaukee Brewers
Do you need speed and positional flexibility? Of course you do! And that's why you should look at Jace Peterson. It may not be the flashiest play, but Peterson has 10 stolen bases this season with seven homers. He's also been seeing the ball well lately, batting .353 across the past two weeks. Peterson qualifies at almost any infield or outfield position in Yahoo leagues.
OF Eddie Rosario, Atlanta Braves
Rosario has returned after a ten-week absence due to an eye issue, and he's played in three consecutive games, recording a hit in each game and a home run on Wednesday. Rosario was great down the stretch last season with a .975 OPS in the last 48 games (including postseason), helping the Braves win a World Series.
OF Harold Ramirez, Tampa Bay Rays
Harold Ramirez looks to have played his way into a full-time role in left field for the Rays, and the bonus is he still qualifies at first base. Ramirez is hitting .366 with 15 hits, a homer, and a stolen base across the last two weeks of play. He's hitting the ball hard, and Statcast has his expected BA at .317. In a year where the league average is .242, Ramirez could be a strong addition.
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OF David Peralta, Arizona Diamondbacks
Peralta hits the ball hard with a max exit velocity in the top 10% of the league, and when you couple that with a 46.6% hard-hit rate means the slugger can put up some good weeks for you. Peralta has been on a hot streak across the past two weeks, batting .355 with three homers and nine RBI—just don't start him vs. lefties. Peralta is batting only .121 with one homer vs. southpaws this season vs. hitting .271 with ten homers vs. right-handed pitching.
OF Nick Senzel, Cincinnati Reds
When Nick Senzel is healthy, he is a very useful fantasy player, and right now, Nick Senzel is healthy. Senzel is seeing the ball well as of late, with 19 hits across the last two weeks of play. That translates to a .442 batting average, two homers, eight RBI and three stolen bases. Put your bids in and pray he stays on the field.
OF Jake Meyers, Houston Astros
In deeper leagues, if you are looking for an outfielder, the Astros seem to be giving the everyday job to Jake Myers- at least for the time being. Meyers is hitting .310 with a homer and ten RBI since rejoining the club on June 24th.
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PITCHERS
SP Jose Quintana, Pittsburgh Pirates
This isn't an exciting play. He won't log you a lot of wins, but Quintana has been solid, allowing only a 37.2% hard-hit rate. He's been able to limit hard contact enough to maintain a 3.33 ERA, and he's only allowed .78 home runs per nine innings. In the weak NL Central, he gets plenty of matchups with the Cubs and the Reds, so all of this could work out if you're desperate for starting pitching.
SP Dean Kremer, Baltimore Orioles
Kremer has been a bit lucky this year, but maybe we should stop waiting for that luck to run out. Kremer's ERA sits at 2.48 even though he only strikes out 6.48 batters per nine and walks too many guys. The home ballpark is favorable, even if his division isn't. If you need an arm, Kremer could see his luck continue as his next matchup is vs. the flailing Angels.
SP Nick Lodolo, Cincinnati Reds
The No. 7 prospect for the Cincinnati Reds has had a bumpy start, but on Tuesday, he struck out eight over 4 2/3 scoreless innings vs. the Mets in his return from the IL. If you're looking for upside, Lodolo could be your play.
