Perhaps you are like me in that you are looking at the standings in the National League and can’t believe your eyes. The Cincinnati Reds, long the laughingstock of major league baseball, are somehow in first place in the N.L Central Division. Many managers seem to be slow to recognize this trend. Looking at the waiver wire, many Cincinnati players are widely available. No need for any concern, however. My fantasy baseball Cincinnati waivers will identify the Reds that are ready to get fantasy rosters moving toward the playoffs.

Of course, there will be no further mention of Elly De La Cruz after this paragraph. He has taken the baseball world by storm and was added to fantasy rosters long before he even arrived in the majors. There is almost a zero percent chance he is available at all regardless of league size or format. No, the players talked about below are widely available and prepared to transform fantasy rosters. As always, debate and discussion are encouraged. Reminder: all roster percentages are taken from ESPN. With all of that out of the way, let’s get down to it.

TJ Friedl, OF, 4.6% Rostered

Just checking, but would anyone be interested in a player who had four hits, including a homer and a double on Tuesday? How about for a player who has had two or more hits in four of his last seven games? That’s a silly question, I know. However, that is exactly what TJ Friedl has done. Best of all, he is less than five percent rostered. Try not to stampede each other to get to the waiver wire to pick him up.

Over the past week, Friedl is hitting .333 and has a stolen base. For the season, he is hitting .322-4-26 with eight steals, three triples and 22 runs scored in 177 at-bats. His minor and major league numbers are very similar, indicating his hitting isn’t a fluke. His SO% (17.6) is excellent. His .381 BAbip is unsustainable, but it shouldn’t drop by much as he has a .305 career average.

As with most players, there is a word of caution that must be given here. Friedl does not often play when a left-hander is on the mound for the opposition. Please be mindful of that fact. Even so, that doesn’t stop him from being an impactful fantasy asset. No question, he is widely available and ready to assist any manager that has an OF need on their roster.

Joey Votto, 1B, 6.6% Rostered

Quick, anyone raise a hand if they thought that we would ever hear or see anything significant from Joey Votto ever again. Yea, me neither. Yet, there he was making his season debut on Monday and what a debut it was! Votto had two hits in the game, including a home run. Further, he had a walk and drove in three runs. In no way am I suggesting that every game will turn out that way. In fact, on Tuesday he went 0-4 with a pair of strikeouts.

However, the first base position has been shallow from the very beginning of the season. It remains that way today. Votto is hitting in a quality lineup and if there is one thing that he knows how to do, it’s how to swing a bat. Or often, when not to. His minor league average before he was called to the big club was nothing to write home about. However, his .340 OBP clearly demonstrates he still has patience at the plate.

If first base is a need and other options do not appeal, Votto is a veteran player who can help any fantasy team. I can’t believe that I am writing these words, but Votto has earned his way onto this fantasy baseball Cininnati waivers edition.

Ben Lively, SP, 6.2% Rostered

As with Elly above, there is no reason to mention the name Andrew Abbott. He is almost certainly not available in most leagues. If he is, get to the wire and add him to the roster this minute. Finished checking? I can only assume that Abbott was nowhere to be found. Now, go back and check on the name of Ben Lively. Just be sure to shield your eyes when looking at his first two June starts.

Without question, those two trips to the mound were ugly for Lively. Pitching against the Brewers and Cardinals, he allowed 12 runs on 16 hits in 13.2 innings. As he pitched into the seventh inning of both starts, perhaps the Reds left him in too long. As he pitched 9.2 innings in his last two starts, that doesn’t seem to be a concern any longer. In those games against the Royals and Rockies, Lively gave up four runs on 13 hits with eight strikeouts.

Lively did walk four against Colorado, but that doesn’t seem to be a real concern as he walked only nine in his previous seven starts combined. On the season, Lively has a 4-4 record with a 4.11 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. His K:BB is 45:13 in 46 innings. Best of all for those in points leagues, he provides fantasy points each and every time out.

Tough Opponents Up Next for Lively

Ultimately, he does have a tough opponent his next time out, either Atlanta Sunday or Baltimore next week. It may be wise to see how he fares against whichever team he takes the mound against before making a decision. If he does start on Sunday and you need to make up ground, Lively could be just the streamer you are looking for on this fantasy baseball Cincinnati waivers edition.

Matt McClain, SS, 26.3% Rostered

Let me be very clear about this. The recommendation of Matt McLain on this fantasy baseball Cincinnati waivers is meant mainly for managers in ESPN leagues. His roster percentage on other platforms is certainly high enough that he won’t be found when searching the waiver wire. It is mind boggling that McLain is available in almost 75 percent of ESPN leagues, yet that is the case. With that in mind, let’s move forward.

McLain is such a solid ballplayer that he has kept De La Cruz off shortstop, his natural position. That is a pretty significant feat to pull off given De La Cruz’s accomplishments since his call up. Just a glance at McLain’s numbers will demonstrate the truth of that statement. In his last 14 games, McLain has hits in 12 of them. Included in that total are five games of two or more hits. Additionally, during that time, he has scored ten runs and even stole two bases.

For the season, McClain is hitting .313-3-15 with eight doubles and 26 runs scored in 144 at-bats. Since his own call up in May, he has played in 33 of a possible 35 games. He does have strikeout issues, but other than that, McClain is a very solid fantasy asset for any team. If shortstop is a need, adding McClain makes perfect sense.

The Last Word

Thank you for joining me for this fantasy baseball Cincinnati waivers edition! As always, I welcome any and all suggestions, comments and input from my readers. Let’s discuss! Follow me on Twitter @kevin62wilsea. Please feel free to share this article. Be sure to turn to Belly Up Sports and Belly Up Fantasy Sports for all the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL happenings and the latest sports news!

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