Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Raley, Matos mashing, Lively thriving

The latest Rotoworld Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire column breaks down recent hot streaks from Luke Raley and Luis Matos out on the West Coast and also examines an under-the-radar breakthrough from Ben Lively in Cleveland.

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Luke Raley, 1B/OF, Mariners
Available in 73 percent of Yahoo! leagues

Raley extended his hitting streak to nine consecutive contests during Monday’s series opener against the Yankees when he notched his second straight three-hit performance, raising his batting average to a sublime .311 (32-for-103) across 37 games in his Seattle debut. The 29-year-old righty masher got off to a bit of a cool start at the dish last month, but has picked it up slashing .416/.462/.667 with three homers and two steals in 15 contests since the outset of May. He doesn’t project as a potential fantasy superstar, but Raley figures to continue playing everyday against right-handed pitching and offers four-category fantasy production, while also chipping in the occasional stolen base for good measure. He should be rostered in all fantasy formats, especially with all of the injuries at first base and outfield.

Luis Matos, OF, Giants
Available in 57 percent of Yahoo! leagues

With center fielder Jung-Hoo Lee undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, Matos suddenly finds himself in line for everyday at-bats in San Francisco. The 22-year-old former top prospect gained some traction earlier this spring as a popular late-round breakthrough candidate after showing up to spring training in excellent physical condition and he’s taken advantage of his opportunity, batting .385 (10-for-26) with two homers and a staggering 16 RBI in seven contests since returning to the majors back on May 12. It’s probably too small of a sample size to draw any firm conclusions, but Matos possesses the raw talent necessary to make a five-category impact for fantasy managers. He’s at least worthy of a speculative roster spot in all fantasy leagues until further notice.

Ben Lively, SP/RP, Guardians
Available in 80 percent of Yahoo! leagues

It’s time to start buying in a bit on Lively as a reliable option for fantasy managers, especially in deeper mixed leagues. The unheralded 32-year-old journeyman recorded seven strikeouts and allowed just one run over 5 2/3 innings on Monday to beat the Mets for his third win of the year. He’s been extremely impressive so far in his Guardians debut, allowing three earned runs or fewer for the seventh consecutive start since making his season debut back on April 17. He’ll carry a sparkling 2.84 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 38/12 K/BB ratio across 38 innings (seven starts) into a favorable road matchup on Sunday against the Angels, who have been a middle-of-the-road offense this season.