Fantasy Baseball Pickups: Last call on Kolten Wong

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Kolten Wong, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers (34% rostered)

Wong opened the season quietly, then landed on the injured list with an oblique issue. But ever since his return from the IL a week ago, he's basically hitting like vintage Rogers Hornsby. Wong is simply on a ferocious tear. He went 3-for-4 in his first game back with the Brewers, then 7-for-13 in his next three. On Wednesday, Wong went deep...

Power is really nothing new for Wong. He's hit double-digit home runs three times in his big league career, although he's better known to the fantasy community for his base-stealing ability (24 SB in 2019). Wong is just way too scorching hot at the moment to be left un-rostered.

Jesus Aguilar, 1B, Miami Marlins (50%)

Speaking of must-roster players who hit bombs...

That's some legit oppo power by Aguilar. He's homered five times in his last six games and just finished off a 4-for-11, 5-RBI series against the Brewers, his former team. We shouldn't need to give you a hard sell on Aguilar, because he's only a couple seasons removed from going 80-35-108 for Milwaukee. We absolutely know the power is real. Aguilar has already driven in 19 runs and he's slashing .293/.371/.507. You can't use a guy like that? Of course you can.

Raimel Tapia, OF, Colorado Rockies (37%)

Tapia is the locked-in leadoff hitter for the Rockies, a spot that gives him a clear shot at 90-plus runs over a full season. He made some noise in the spring about gunning for a batting crown, and it's not exactly an unrealistic goal. Tapia hit .321 over 206 plate appearances in the mini-season last year. He also had four separate 20-steal seasons in the minors, so he's a decent bet to help fantasy managers across three categories. Ideally, you'll get your steals from players who aren't single-stat specialists.

Josh Staumont, RP, Kansas City Royals (46%)

Another week, another Royals reliever — but this time we're discussing a guy who's useful regardless of his role. Staumont has triple-digit heat and an utterly unfair curve. He was a revelation last season...

...finishing with 37 Ks in 25.2 innings. He's earned the most recent saves for KC and he's doing it with the expected stellar strikeout rate. Add everywhere.

Shane McClanahan, RP, Tampa Bay Rays (7%)

This young lefty made his MLB debut last October, on the biggest possible stage, flashing the sort of exceptional stuff that's made him a notable prospect...

McClanahan will get the call for a mid-day start against the A's on Thursday, an appearance that's definitely worth your time. If you play in a mixed league of standard size and shape, it's perfectly fine to take a wait-and-see approach with McClanahan. Elsewhere, consider a speculative add. We're dealing with a 24-year-old left-hander with three quality pitches and serious heat. He's struck out 167 batters in 127.2 minor league innings while posting a 1.17 WHIP, so there's plenty of upside here.

Gregory Soto, RP, Detroit Tigers (21%)

In any sort of competitive league, all the closers need to be rostered. Soto earned the most recent save for the Tigers on Tuesday, which lands him on the fantasy radar. He has the traditional closing arsenal — fastball/slider with velocity to spare — and enough wildness to keep batters uncomfortable. Any team can produce a 20-plus save reliever, so please don't fret about his club.

Justin Upton, OF, Los Angeles Angels (19%)

If you want to criticize me for making Upton a permanent fixture in this feature ... well, yeah, OK. I'll take it. But it's my duty to report that he has not yet hit an acceptable roster percentage. Upton feasted in the spring (4 HR, .357) and he's more or less carried that form into the regular season. He's on an 11-game hitting streak — quietly, with several one-hit efforts — and he's cleared the fence five times this season. He's hitting behind Ohtani, Trout, Rendon and Walsh, in favorable RBI position. Anyone needing a power boost should consider him.