Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 18 feat. Lawrence Butler and Clayton Kershaw
The second half of the fantasy baseball season has only just begun, yet a number of intriguing players have already emerged on the waiver wire. While some of their success predates the All-Star break, some are making a case to be included on fantasy rosters sooner rather than later.
Scouring the waiver wire is an important factor in fantasy baseball for many reasons. Not only do underrated players emerge as viable options for managers, but injuries to key players need to be replaced in one way or the other.
Here's a look at some intriguing players to consider adding from the fantasy baseball waiver wire
Clayton Kershaw
Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw is slated to make his season debut on Thursday against the San Francisco Giants. The 36-year-old has yet to pitch this season for the Los Angeles Dodgers; however, now he will enter the rotation at a pivotal time for the club.
Clayton Kershaw is widely available in fantasy leagues (30.5% rostered in ESPN), but that could soon change once he is activated from the 60-day IL. Managers should look to add Kershaw wherever they can before it is too late.
Zach Neto
Although the Los Angeles Angels might not be the sexiest team when it comes to fantasy baseball, sophomore shortstop Zach Neto has been impressive at the plate lately. The 23-year-old is enjoying the best season of his young career and is in the middle of a hot streak that has seen him rake 14 hits in his last 10 games.
Lawerence Butler
One of the hottest players in the MLB lately has been Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawerence Butler. The rookie has been simply incredible at the plate over his last 20 games, posting an impressive .355 batting average with seven home runs and 23 RBIs for the surprisingly potent A's lineup.
It remains to be seen how long he will keep this up. However, it may be in the best interest of fantasy baseball owners to ride the hot hand while he is on fire. The A's have been one of the top offensive teams this year, so landing a piece of that lineup is a good idea.