Fantasy Baseball Week 15: Top 3 Waiver Wire Adds

With the All-Star break coming up, Week 15 is extended to count for the weekend and the following week. This gives you more time to add players from the waiver wire.

Week 14 is in the books and, while Week 15 officially starts on July 11, games won’t be played until the 15th. This gives you some time to research what players you want to add off the waiver wire.

There are plenty of players producing that you need to add for the second half. There are also some players slumping, but can certainly pick back up after the break, and you want to be ahead of that.

In this list, I will including two batters and a starting pitcher. I will base my selections on standard league values and scoring. If you play in a deeper league, I apologize if these players are already owned. I do want to cater to the majority of fantasy owners.

As far as scoring, it will be contact (hits, average), power (home runs and RBI) and speed for the batters. With pitchers, wins, ratio stats and strikeouts will be the key factors.

So, here are the three waiver wire selections I recommend for this upcoming week.

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1. 3B Yangervis Solarte, SD

Solarte is the second most-added hitter in ESPN leagues over the last week, up 18.8 percent. He’s been one of the lone bright spots for the San Diego Padres this season.

Over his last seven games, not counting July 10, he has four home runs, 12 RBI and six runs scored. Oh, and he’s hit safely in all seven games.

On the season, Solarte has a .302 average with eight homers and 35 RBI, good for first, fifth and fourth on the Padres, respectively. Though he missed a lot of time in April and May, leading to his 48 games played.

The added benefit to owning Solarte is his multi-position eligibility. He can be slotted at first or second base as well as third in ESPN leagues. That kind of flexibility is much-needed towards the end of the season. The contact and power are there, so he should be owned in more leagues.

2. 2B Javier Baez, CHC

While he doesn’t have the same power as Solarte, Baez is contributing in all facets of fantasy baseball. He also has multi-position eligibility, second base, third base and shortstop. I like having these kinds of players on my team.

On the season, Baez is hitting .272 with nine home runs, 30 RBI, 27 runs and six steals. He has played in 71 games, but many of those games were in a pinch-hitting role. He has just 47 games as a starter. That number may not continue go rise with the success the Chicago Cubs infielders have had this season.

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In the month of July, Baez has a .290 average with one home run, three RBI and one steal. He has started seven of those nine games at third base, as Kris Bryant slots over to right or left field.

However, infielder Tomma La Stella is back from the DL after dealing with a hamstring injury, so playing time may be hard to come by.

Baez is available in 62 percent of leagues, so if you need some power or average, then he should be someone you look at.

3. SP Jeremy Hellickson, PHI

Yes, I am as surprised as you are that a Philadelphia Phillies pitcher is on the list. But Hellickson has pitched well in recent weeks. His last four starts have all been quality starts. In that span, he went 2-1 with a 2.16 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 18 strikeouts.

The Phillies are looking to move Hellickson, who is a free agent at the end of the season. The Boston Red Sox are said to be in the market for a starting pitcher. Hellickson going to the American League East could be interesting.

He spent five years with the Tampa Bay Rays, posting a 40-36 record, 3.78 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. While the teams aren’t the same as they were back then, I would perfer him stay with the Phillies in the National League.

Hellickson is owned in just 24.9 percent of leagues. His week 15 matchup has not been announced, so you may want to wait before starting him. He should be picked up regardless, though.

Next: Brandon McCarthy: Deep Waiver Add

These three players have been lighting up the stat sheets over the last month or so. The only thing that worries me is the All-Star break. I’m hoping that the rest does not cool off Solarte or Baez. Hellickson should be fine as he gets five days’ rest between starts anyway.

They are available in a majority of leagues, so owners in every league format should have no problem adding them to their roster off the waiver wire.