Waiver Wire: Yangervis Solarte

Aug 1, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman

(26) connects for a double during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

One of the better stories over the last two seasons has been the emergence of Yangervis Solarte coming out of practically nowhere, to become a serviceable player in the MLB. The Yankees brought him into spring training in 2014 to see if he could stick as a utility guy, and he not only had a huge spring but he also carried that success over into the regular season.

Solarte won the hearts of most Yankees fans as he burst on the scene and was the ultimate underdog story. Solarte had a torrid start in 2014 for the Yankees but cooled off and ultimately found himself as a part of the Chase Headley deal that brought Chase to the Bronx.

Solarte had a pretty decent stretch with the Padres after the trade and posted a nice .267/ 4 HR/ 17 RBI, line that allowed him the Padres to hold him to begin the 2015 season.

In the midst of all the Padres high profiled moves, Solarte was overlooked, but looked to as a possible starter at both 1B, 2B, and 3B. Throughout the season the Padres have used Solarte in a super utility role as he has had to step in all three positions due to injuries or under performances from other players.

On the season, Yangervis Solarte has been able to slash a .266/7 HR/40 RBI line, speaking similarly to what he was able to do last season. The reason I like Solarte as a pickup is because he gets routine playing time, offers multi position eligibility, and is on a current surge.

Over the last two weeks, Solarte has been able to mash for a .347/2 HR/7 RBI line, while becoming a key part of the disappointing Padres lineup. As in the case of most switch hitters, Solarte has really excelled from the left side of the plate.

Off righties this season, Solarte has hit. 290 off of them, while hitting 6 out of his 7 home runs on the year against them. Also, like most hitters in general, Solarte has found more success on the road, .279/7 HR/24 RBI as well compared to the cavernous Petco Park.

Also take into account that Solarte has 36 more games on the road this season, thus leaving plenty of room for production. Solarte’s position eligibility can mask some of the holes of your fantasy squads as well, because we all have certain guys that can be interchangeable as the fantasy playoffs are coming fast.

I would advise fantasy owners to take a chance on Solarte, as you can use him just as the Padres do. He will continue to get steady at bats, and you can potentially slot him into nearly three spots on your team.

Do not expect a sudden power surge, but he is capable of approaching the 15 homer mark while also offering steady counting stats. Make the move and see if Yangervis Solarte can provide the fantasy spark you need down the stretch.