Fantasy: 3 players to target on waivers

Every Sunday, theScore's MLB editors will shed light on three potential targets to claim on the waiver wire in your fantasy league in a player-versus-player format.

*Players must be owned in 30 percent or less of Yahoo fantasy leagues to qualify.

David Freese vs. Will Middlebrooks

David Freese struggled in his first season with the Los Angeles Angels, setting a career-high with 124 strikeouts and the swing and misses appear to be here to stay. Manager Mike Scioscia has dropped Freese into the middle of the lineup and he's been driving in runs at a team-leading rate. With Josh Hamilton moving on to Texas, Freese hitting in the middle of the order could be a permanent thing and he could lead to a solid pickup for runs, home runs and RBI if you're willing to sacrifice average. 

A move from Boston appears to have benefited Will Middlebrooks as he's already surpassed his home run totals from a season ago in 44 less games. The 26-year-old possesses plenty of pop in his bat but playing at pitcher-friendly Petco Park could diminish some of that - all three of his home runs this season have come on the road. Hitting for average has always daunted Middlebrooks - so have the strikeouts. 

Pick: Despite a strong start, Middlebrooks has yet to appear in more than 94 games in his career so he'll need to keep these numbers up over a longer period of time to make him a realistic fantasy option. While Freese is a flawed player, he projects to play a bigger role in the Angels' offense and could put up a solid season. 

Jed Lowrie vs. Tim Beckham

Jed Lowrie set a career-high with 16 home runs in 2012 with the Houston Astros and the shortstop appears right at home after returning this offseason. He's been hitting in the middle of the order for much of the season and his RBI numbers have been a direct result. His career .261 average likely means his current numbers aren't sustainable, though Lowrie is capable of giving you double-digit home runs and 50-plus RBIs in a season. 

After what seemed like an eternity, former first-overall pick Tim Beckham is in the majors and he's contributing to an average Tampa Bay Rays offense. While his injury-plagued minor league numbers didn't provide a lot of power, Beckham has been strong early on and possesses a swing capable of doing some damage. A weak middle-infield for the Rays also benefits Beckham's ability to play every day - though hitting near the bottom of the order will affect his RBI numbers and runs long term. 

Pick: While Beckham's strong start is something to keep an eye on and his multi-position eligibility is nice, Lowrie's track record makes him the safer pick right now. 

Joe Kelly vs. Tim Lincecum

Joe Kelly has looked strong in two-thirds of his outings this season, allowing three runs in 12 2/3 innings in a pair of starts against the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees. The right-hander is striking out more than a batter per inning and his walks are down. With plenty of pop in the Boston Red Sox lineup, he should get the offense needed to surpass his career-high 10 wins. 

Tim Lincecum has been sharp entering a contract year as manager Bruce Bochy has shown confidence in the 30-year-old by keeping him in the rotation. Lincecum managed to shut down the high-powered offenses of both the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. Though his strikeouts are down, so are his walks and home runs allowed.  The Giants' offense has been miserable to start the season and have cost Lincecum a pair of wins already this year - expect that to be a trend all season.

Pick: While Kelly pitches in the much tougher division from an offensive standpoint, the 26-year-old appears equiped with the stuff that could make him the ace of Boston's staff. One poor start has ballooned his ERA, but all his other numbers project to be much better than Lincecum.