As we roll out of the MLB All‑Star break into Week 16, here are five under‑50% rostered hitters in Yahoo fantasy baseball leagues who are peaking at the right time — and deserve a spot in your lineup.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups
Romy González (1B/2B/3B/SS, BOS) – 28% rostered
Gonzalez, a 28-year-old utility man, is primed for a breakout week. Though he went hitless last week, he’s scorching hot in July, slashing .375/.389/.781 with a 1.170 OPS. His favorable matchups make him a priority add this week.
With the Red Sox facing the Phillies and Dodgers, he’s scheduled to face three left-handed pitchers in Week 16. That’s been his forte, as Gonzalez is mashing .389/.444/.708 with four HRs and 16 RBI in 72 ABs versus left-handed pitching this season. Between González’s multi-positional eligibility and his dominance against LHP, getting him into your lineups is a must this week.
Chandler Simpson, OF, Tampa Bay Rays – 37% rostered
Simpson’s elite speed and recent production make him a top waiver add. He’s fifth in MLB in steals (27) and hitting .308, with eight SBs and a .347 average since his call-up on June 24.
Per Statcast, Simpson is 96th percentile or higher in base-running run value, xBA, whiff%, K% and sprint speed — all strong indicators that he’s a weapon for any fantasy manager needing steals with a high batting average. He snapped an 18-game hitting streak on Sunday, but with games against the White Sox and Reds this week, he should continue to cook at the top of the order for the Rays. Simpson should be rostered in all formats.
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Austin Hays, OF, Cincinnati Reds – 22% rostered
Hays, now “healthy” and batting cleanup for the Reds, is delivering steady run production. He’s a reliable short-term addition in the outfield with a .289 average and 40 RBI in 50 games.
Advanced metrics put Hays above the league average in several key batting categories. If health wasn’t a concern, he’d be more widely rostered. Consider streaming him through Wednesday; he’s facing the Nationals and has slashed .349/.406/.556 against them over 18 career games.
Mickey Moniak, OF, Colorado Rockies – 12% rostered
I considered Ryan McMahon here, but I’m rolling with Moniak because he’s been more consistent recently. The schedule is favorable, with the Cardinals traveling to Colorado for a three-game road trip and the Rockies flying out to Baltimore to face an underwhelming Orioles pitching staff over the weekend. Moniak is displaying a ton of power, ranking near the 80th percentile in xSLG, barrel percentage, hard-hit percentage, bat speed, and LA sweet-spot percentage.
In an abridged Week 15, Moniak finished 39th, delivering one HR, four runs with two RBI with a .462 batting average. Over the past month, he’s batting .339. There’s also untapped potential on the base paths, as he’s 84th percentile in sprint speed, per Statcast. Having registered a hit in 13 of his last 14 games, he’s a guy to target if needing help in the outfield or utility spots.
Victor Caratini, C/1B, Houston Astros – 15% rostered
Caratini’s coming off consecutive three-hit efforts and enters Week 16 as one of the hottest hitters in MLB. He ranks in the top 50 over the past two weeks, hitting .389 with two HRs, four runs and eight RBI over that span.
Caratini is a must-roster asset in two-catcher leagues and is gaining momentum in one-catcher formats, too. He’s been a top-5 option behind the dish over the past 30 days, so if you’re looking for an adjustment at backstop, Caratini’s stock is rising. With matchups against suspect pitching staffs in the Diamondbacks and Athletics, Caratini should deliver some pop in the middle of the Astros’ lineup for fantasy managers.
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