Dodgers: Yasmani Grandal Waiver Wire Add
By Bill Pivetz
Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal has been on fire over the last month. If you are in need of a producing catcher, he should be at the top of your list.
Since the All-Star break, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been one of the hottest teams in the league. They were 5.5 games back before the break and now lead by 1.5 games. One of the reasons for that is the production of catcher Yasmani Grandal. If you missed out on the Gary Sanchez sweepstakes, who is not even catcher eligible yet, he should be your next option.
Grandal already posted career highs in home runs and RBI while maintaining his batting average from last season. He has 19 homers and 52 RBI with a .234 average. It is hard to find a catcher who can hit for contact and power.
The first half was a bit of a struggle, though. In 65 games, he hit .212/.323/.434 with 12 home runs, 37 RBI and 20 runs. While the second half is still in its infancy, Grandal has stepped up big time.
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In the last 24 games, he is hitting .288/.412/.600 with seven homers, 15 RBI and 15 runs. He also has a 26:16 K:BB ratio. The contact, power and plate discipline are all there, which makes Grandal a dangerous batter in the final six weeks of the regular season.
The Dodgers offense as a whole is on fire since the break. The team is second in batting average, ninth in home runs and fifth in RBI. While he is getting some rest in favor of A.J. Ellis, Grandal is an integral part of the team and should be added in all leagues. He is starting five out of every seven games, which is good enough for me.
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Fantasy owners are noticing Grandal’s hot bat. He’s been added in 4.3 percent of leagues over the last week, bringing his ownership percentage to 49.1 percent in ESPN leagues. With limited catcher options on the waiver wire, Grandal’s power surge is worth adding to your team.