Perhaps you’ve noticed that the majority of the teams in your league have five to seven players on the disabled list with only three or four DL spots allowed in the league. This should be a lesson to all that unlimited DL spots are not a bad thing. Until next year though, we will have to replace all of those players with competent waiver wire pickups, and if you are in deeper leagues, the options are limited. That’s why we got four featured experts together for you to recommend four hitters and four pitchers they consider under-the-radar pickups worth adding (less than 20% consensus ownership).

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Q1. What one hitter should fantasy owners look into picking up that is owned in less than 20% of Leagues?

Brad Zimmer (OF – CLE)
“Zimmer is making his return from the DL right about the time you are reading this. Sure, he started poorly with just a .224 batting average, but all factors indicate that number should rise, and with it, he should provide sufficient pop and loads of stolen bases. It isn’t out of the question that he could finish the season 20/20 with a .260 batting average, and I’ll bet anyone would take that on their team. Zimmer isn’t a lock to perform, but no free agent is in leagues this deep so you might as well go with the upside.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Max Stassi (C – HOU)
“Stassi has seen major league playing time with the Astros in each of the last 6 seasons, but that playing time has been sparse. Now that Brian McCann is hurt, Stassi should be the primary catcher in Houston for the next couple of weeks, and potentially longer, considering McCann’s age and performance in 2018. Stassi isn’t a superstar in the making, but he’s a potential home run and RBI factory at a shallow and unproductive position. At the very least, he’s worth taking a chance on.”
– Tim Young (Brewer Rat)

Max Muncy (1B/3B/OAK – LAD)
“Quick, which hitter ranks in the top 15 in hard contact rate, is on a 162-game pace of more than 30 home runs, and is eligible at three positions? Little-owned Max Muncy, that’s who. Muncy wasn’t a huge prospect and never showed a lot of pop in the minors, but he’s hitting well and batting near the top of the Dodgers’ lineup. He’s making an incredible amount of hard contact and looks like he could be yet another example of a player who vastly outperforms his power numbers from the minors once he reaches the show.”
– Dan Harris (FantasyPros)

Ronald Guzman (1B – TEX)
Guzman of the Texas Rangers never really showed as much power in the minors as his 6-4, 225-pound frame might indicate. After hitting a home run in his second major league game, he went nearly a month without another one. However, the 23-year-old seems to be in a nice groove right now. Since May 21, he’s hit a scorching .361/.439/.806 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 11 games.
– Steve Gardner (USA Today)

Q2. What one starting pitcher should fantasy owners look into picking up that is owned in less than 20% of Leagues?

Carlos Rodon (SP – CWS)
“Rodon is a pitcher that fantasy owners should have had stashed on their DL spot for awhile, but judging by his 6% ownership, they haven’t. Rodon has teased fantasy owners for years, but his potential to be a difference-maker is exactly why he should be picked up before he is activated, which should be soon. He is coming off a dominant rehab outing, with eight strikeouts over five innings, and has allowed just one run total in his three starts. At this point, no one needs another pitcher who will give you five innings and allow three runs with middling strikeout numbers. If you’re looking for high upside on your bench, and you should be, look to add Rodon immediately.”
– Dan Harris (FantasyPros)

Nathan Eovaldi (SP – TB)
“Eovaldi has endured a long recovery from elbow surgery, but he’s finally back, and in his first start, he showed why the Rays were willing to pay him to sit on the bench last year. He’s basically a two-pitch starter, whose fastball relies more on speed than substance, but the Rays know how to get the most from pitchers, and playing in Tampa Bay doesn’t hurt. He won’t throw six no-hit innings every time out, but his upper 90’s fastball and devastating splitter will keep the K’s coming.”
– Tim Young (Brewer Rat)

Marco Gonzales (SP – SEA)
The left-hander hasn’t allowed an earned run over his last three starts — a total of 19 2/3 innings — which has lowered his ERA by a full run to 3.60 through 11 starts. Gonzales does a good job of keeping the ball on the ground so he doesn’t get burned very often by the home run. He’ll get another start on Saturday at home against the Rays.
– Steve Gardner (USA Today)

Luiz Gohara (SP – ATL)
“I love Kyle Gibson plenty, but the big Braves lefty, Gohara is the one you’ll want to own. He began the season on the DL, then moved from the minors into the bullpen and eventually claimed his job in the rotation back. The 260-pound fire-baller has ace-type stuff and has impressed to begin the season. It isn’t a guarantee that Gohara will stay up in the bigs with Mike Soroka returning soon, but this is the type of lottery ticket I’m always looking for.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Thank you to the experts for naming their under-the-radar pickups. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter and subscribe to our podcast below for all the latest discussions this season.

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