July 16, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) pours sport drink on starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker (52) in celebration of his 1-0 complete game victory against the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
If you're new to this feature, here are the ground rules.
No player in this space will be mentioned in back-to-back weeks, as we don't want to spam you with the same choices over and over again. We'll also limit the waiver wire suggestions to players owned in fewer than 40 percent of FOXSports.com leagues. Got it? Let's get to this week's pickups:
Catcher
Yasmani Grandal, LAD (35.5% owned)
Grandal's ownership is gaining steam, and for good reason. Over his last 19 games, Grandal is slashing .262/.351/.631 with 8 HR during that time. He won't help you much in the batting average department, but he offers some power at a spot where it's tough to find. He could easily finish with 25 homers this season.
First Baseman
Joe Mauer, MIN (18.1% owned)
If your league counts batting average and on-base percentage, Mauer is a solid option. He gets on base at a high clip (.370 OBP) and although he doesn't offer much in the way of power, he scores runs at a pretty high rate and can help if you're desperate at first base.
Second Baseman
Steve Pearce, TB (23.1% owned)
Pearce is back from a stint on the DL, and he's high OBP (.393), dominance against left-handed pitching and multi-position eligibility makes him a fantastic bench player, if nothing else. Pearce's batting average will likely fall a bit, but he has plenty of pop and should continue to quietly be the best fantasy hitter owned in less than 25 percent of leagues.
Third Baseman
Yangervis Solarte, SD (27.3% owned)
We would go with Justin Turner, who is still owned in less than 40 percent of leagues, but we used him last week. Instead we'll go with Solarte, a player with no glaring holes and multi-position eligibility who is hitting nearly .300 on the season. He won't win you a league by himself, but his .341/.396/.614 slash line over his last 22 games is easy to get on board with.
Shortstop
Marcus Semien, OAK (30.4% owned)
We've listed him here many times before, and now he's up to 20 HR on the season. That ranks him second in fantasy (behind Trevor Story) for homers at the position, and the batting average is climbing as well. Semien is hitting .272 over his last 25 games, and his 9 stolen bases on the year don't hurt his cause, either.
Outfield
Tyler Naquin, CLE (6.9% owned)
With Michael Brantley experiencing pain in his shoulder still, there's a good chance that plenty of playing time will be open for Naquin in the outfield moving forward. The rookie is hitting .314 with a .969 OPS this season and has shown some speed on the basepaths as well. Given the lineup he plays in, he's worth owning so long as he continues to see the field.
Starting Pitcher
Matt Shoemaker, LAA (32.4% owned)
He's fresh off a complete game victory, but we're not just chasing one great performance. Shoemaker has been money after a rough start to the season (9.15 ERA through his first five starts), as he's compiled a 110-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio on the year. He's hot, and he won't have a low ownership like this for very long.
Relief Pitcher
Carlos Estevez, COL (6.0% owned)
We guessed wrong last week, as Estevez has a grip on the closer job, even with Jake McGee back in the fold. Estevez has successfully converted 6-of-7 save chances since moving into the closer role, and until he has a collapse, the job appears to be his.
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