Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds: Week 16
The waiver wire. Free agent budgets (FAB). It's back, it's real and it's glorious.
With the 2021 baseball season in full swing, nailing the waiver wire and the players available are critical to beating out your league-mates in season-long leagues.
Each week we will take a look at players who are rostered in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues and can help out your season-long squads. Remember, if you aren’t scouring the waiver wire, you are falling behind.
Enrique Hernandez, 2B/SS/OF, Boston Red Sox
Roster Percentage: 38%
Will the real Enrique Hernandez please stand up?
After a very, very rough start to the year, it's fair for fantasy managers to be a bit pessimistic on this recent run of form for the Boston Red Sox table-setter. But it's virtually impossible to ignore his most recent run -- over his last 12 games, he's swatted the ball for a .326 batting average, five homers, and perhaps most importantly, nine walks.
He also continues to keep that multi-positional eligibility -- he even played second and center field in one game alone last week -- so if you need help, peep Hernandez.
Heath Hembree, RP, Cleveland Indians
Roster Percentage: 26%
The Cincinnati Reds have basically been begging for anyone, literally anyone, to take the closers job and run with it. Heath Hembree may be the guy stepping up to take that job.
In Saturday's win, the Reds smacked Josh Hader for a run, and Hembree came in and slammed the door shut, logging his sixth save of the season. He's only blown one opportunity so far, and he has whiffed a whopping 51 batters in only 30 innings this year.
Run to your waiver wire and add Hembree immediately.
A.J. Pollock, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Roster Percentage: 44%
Ok, so I gotta admit -- I did not anticipate us heading into the All-Star Break with the San Francisco Giants, not the San Diego Padres or the Los Angeles Dodgers, leading the NL West. And here we are.
All things aside, one dude that has been out of this world good over the last two weeks is veteran outfielder A.J. Pollock. only owning 195 at-bats this year due to a few nicks, Pollock has come screaming back with a vengeance, recording six home runs over that time span.
As long as he stays healthy, Pollock makes for a very viable waiver wire add.
Wily Peralta, SP, Detroit Tigers
Roster Percentage: 36%
I'm gonna be really honest: I never saw this coming from Wily Peralta. I am as totally stunned as you are -- after bouncing around baseball for quite some time, the veteran right-hander has forced his way into a rotation spot -- and utterly dominated.
In the last month, spanning 21 innings, while Peralta hasn't necessarily whiffed a ton of hitters, he has shined with two wins, a 2.14 ERA, and only a 0.86 WHIP. He is in the midst of a 12-inning scoreless streak in a row.
Keep a close eye on his Sunday start against the Minnesota Twins, but he could make for a viable add.
Notable Two-Start Pitchers to Consider This Week
None
