Credit: Keith Allison

With it being about halfway through the regular season, this only means a few more weeks in the regular season for fantasy baseball. Only a few more weeks to collect some more players, make some trades, and make sure you make the ultimate goal of the fantasy playoffs. Anything can happen when/if you make the playoffs. Hopefully, I can help you with a few of those decisions.

With the All-Star Game looming next week, I have chosen some players that have been on an all-star like level these past few weeks. None would obviously be on the all-star team right now, but if they kept up their current performances they would be going to Washington, D.C. next week.

2018 Fantasy Baseball Week 16 Waiver Wire

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Hitters

Rougned Odor, 2B, Texas Rangers (49% owned in Yahoo)

Odor was up to his old bad boy tricks by being benched about 18 games ago for supposedly being out too late partying. Since then, he is hitting .299 to go along with five of his six home runs. In the past two weeks, he is hitting .302 with an OBP of .412. During this time, he scored ten times, hit three home runs, got six RBI and stole three bases. Like I said, it looks like he is back to his old tricks.

Odor will have to go on a tear in the second half in order to match his numbers from the last two seasons. I give him a punching chance. I feel like with the 2B and SS positions being very fickle this season, Odor is a nice addition to fill all the major categories in your fantasy lineup.

Stephen Piscotty, OF, Oakland Athletics (25% owned in Yahoo)

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Since when did Piscotty become Babe Ruth? Piscotty seems like he has transformed this past week by hitting a home run consecutively in the last four games. Currently hitting in the middle of the Athletics lineup, he is getting plenty of RBI opportunities. In the last 25 games, he has hit eight of his 11 home runs. I have always been high on Piscotty but this might be the icing on the cake.

Going forward, Piscotty has a very high upside in the offensive categories. Another positive this year for Piscotty is he is lowering his strikeout rate. 19.8% is the lowest of his career. In 2017, he played about 20+ more games than in 2018 and already has very similar numbers. With the way that he is playing and the Oakland Athletics, he could be close to the type of numbers he put up in a successful 2016 year. I would ride the hot bat here.

Pitching

Mike Fiers, SP, Detroit Tigers (12% owned in Yahoo)

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After his deplorable start against the Indians on June 22, where he gave up four earned runs in five innings which included two home runs and three walks, he has been pitching well over his last three starts. Since he toed the rubber against Cleveland he has lowered his overall ERA from 4.29 to 3.65.

In the last fourteen days, he faced the Athletics, the Blue Jays, and the Rangers. In these three starts, he had a combined three quality starts and one win. During this time, his ERA is 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.76 with only 16 strikeouts. I know it is sexy to strikeout batters, but Fiers is still being successful in doing it at a lower rate. He will look to keep up his nice run against the Astros on Friday.

Andrew Suarez, SP, San Francisco Giants (15% owned in Yahoo)

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Suarez has enjoyed success for about the last month. Because of his large success, his ERA has dropped from 5.06 (June 8th) to his last start 3.75 (July 9th). Basically, Suarez is an unknown putting up phenomenal numbers right now. He has very good control and posts a nice 52% groundball rate. The lefty has a K rate of 8.25 per nine innings. His only hiccup for me is giving up the long ball.

As a rookie, I put less trust in this pick, but I feel like he is a good streaming option for most of his starts from here on out, especially at home. He is going to have his ups and downs but is still a solid pickup. Suarez now has only given up one run in his last four starts. He will face Oakland on Sunday before the All-Star Break.

Deep Dives

These are players who are better suited to be owned in 14-plus team leagues or deeper roster leagues.

Nick Williams, OF, Philadelphia Phillies (5% owned in Yahoo)

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Now introducing your first place Philadelphia Phillies! Yep, you heard me right. Entering Wednesday night’s play, the Phillies stand alone atop the NL East Division. It is hard to believe especially with the way the Braves have started and the way the Nationals have faltered this year.





Besides the Phillies starting pitching, they seem to be getting contributions from a lot of different players this year. Nick Williams is one of them. Even though he is hitting a disappointing .253, Williams has himself a six-game hitting streak. While hitting in the middle of the Phillies lineup, he is a deep player I would consider having on my team especially in a friendly Citizens Bank Ballpark. In the last week, he is hitting .333 with two home runs and five RBI.

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