Weekly greetings, deep league friends. I hope everyone is staying cool and still has both a real life and a fantasy baseball team in the playoff hunt, as the last month or so of summer glides on by. I’m sure some free agent pools are picked more clean than others, but hopefully, there’s still the occasional new face on your waiver wire as MLB teams both in and out of contention continue to make changes to their major league rosters. This week, we’ll dabble more in the medium-deep, looking at players who are 20% owned or less in CBS leagues, most of whom have had at least a small increase in ownership lately.
NL
Blaze Alexander. I was intrigued by Alexander last year when he had a couple cups of coffee with the Diamondbacks, though his opportunities didn’t ultimately amount to much. He’s back with the big club again as of last month, and I didn’t realize he’d been playing quite so much recently. I also really didn’t realize how well he’s been playing, as over the last two weeks, he’s hitting .342 with a .460 OBP, with 4 homers. He qualifies at short and third in most leagues, and also has played 10 games at second this season. Alexander’s CBS ownership has gone up from 14 to 17% this week, and he could be worth a look in medium-to-deep leagues where he’s still available.
Miguel Andujar. I’ve mentioned Andujar pretty recently, but it’s already time for another quick check-in, as his CBS ownership has gone up from 9 to 12% over the last week. He’s never going to be a fantasy stud even when he’s going really well, but he’s provided a strong average all season and has been continuing to do so since he landed in Cincinnati. He’s also getting more playing time than some might have expected, as it’s clear Terry Francona has taken quite a shine to him. When the Reds lineup is clicking, being in the middle of it (Andujar has been hitting cleanup some of late) is a great spot for a hitter to find himself in. (Note: I wrote this before Andujar went and hit a grand slam Wednesday, so I guess that’s what I get for being so bold as to say he’d never be a fantasy stud!)
Kyle Karros. Speaking of guys who profile less as a fantasy stud and more as a solid, more valuable in real baseball than fantasy player, let’s take a glance at Karros. He’s yet another MLB version of a nepo baby, and if you’re too young to remember his dad… well, that’s just annoying. It’s a bit confusing to see the Rockies doing something sensible like calling a young guy up in early August to take an extended look at him, but that appears to be exactly what’s happened. (Cut to Karros getting demoted about 90 seconds after this is posted). Anyhow, Karros is a third baseman, and so far he’s looked anything but overmatched in a teeny sample size, going a cool 7 for 21 (plus 3 walks, versus just 4 strikeouts).
Jordan Walker. Did not expect to be including Walker this week, as I assumed he was over the ownership threshold, but even with a 2% increase, he’s still just up to 19%. He hasn’t even been playing very well of late, and it’s looking like another basically lost season for him. But, this blurb is really just a PSA to remind us that after what seems like ages of hype and disappointment, dude is still only 23. The pressure’s largely off at this point, I would think, so if (and perhaps it’s a big if) he can put a solid last six weeks together, he could help some this season, and be one to watch yet again heading into next year.
AL
JJ Bleday. To slightly misquote myself from the comments recently, Bleday is turning into one of the biggest deep-league fantasy teases in the last few years, and his ownership has moved from 10 to 12% this week. He just feels like one of those guys who could have been a Ramon Laureano-type pleasant surprise this year, where a guy you drafted late in a deep league somehow turns into a solid mixed league option… but he wasn’t. What he has done is give us occasional short flashes of really good hitting (he had a 6 RBI game a week or so ago), so as long as he’s back up with the A’s, there’s a non-zero chance he can help a deepish league fantasy team for the final month-plus of the season.
Keegan Akin. Time for our “desperate-for-saves” blurb, as Akin has gone from 4 to 11% owned. He has two saves in the last week, and many are guessing he’ll continue to get some save opportunities, should there be any, for the Orioles now that Felix Bautista has been ruled out for the rest of the season. It should also be noted that he’s pitched quite horribly over that time: his ERA, which was at 2.92 at the end of June, now stands at 3.56. I’ve been too scared to grab him even in a league or two where I really need saves, so we’ll see if I go from “really need” to “desperate” and decide to get on this dangerous-looking bandwagon. (Another note: I see as I’m turning this in that the Orioles’ save on Thursday went to Dietrich Enns, though he allowed a run, with Akin pitching a scoreless seventh. So… do with this potentially messy situation what you will).
Curtis Mead. Mead makes another blip on the RITD radar this week, as it appears he’ll get some regular at bats at third base for the White Sox for now. Between injuries and the occasional promotion and demotion, the White Sox infield is a definite work in progress for now and the near future, so we’ll see if Mead can establish himself and provide any fantasy value at all down the stretch. He has 3 homers and 5 steals in his 142 at bats, and maybe more consistent production is in the future.
Ryan Bergert. Bergert is getting a chance in the Royals’ rotation after coming over from the Padres at the deadline, bumping the also recently-acquired Bailey Falter to the pen. Bergert has earned the shot, as he’s pitched 47 innings this year (9 starts) with a WHIP of 1.09 and close to a strikeout an inning. He’s probably rostered in AL-only/true deep leagues, but could be an interesting medium-deep league add or even a potential mixed league stream. I think he’s worth a closer look to see if he can keep things up to be of some help this season, and/or to monitor heading into 2026.
Thoughts on Jacob Melton? Looks good so far are you buying? 12 team dynasty 5×5 thank you!!
Hey Hutch! I’m not buying in outside of ultra deep leagues until we see more (but no reason not to stash if you have the room)
Not only did you mention Andujar recently, you mentioned him back in April-ish. Between Andujar & Loreano, you pinpointed two of the most key players a manager could pick off the waiver wire this year, and both within the first 2 months of the season. This is why I follow your reports on a weekly basis. Make sure tgat darn Grey starts paying you 2cents per word instead of 1cent.
All the best Laura!
Jolt
Ha ha, thanks so much for the kind words Jolt; always great to hear from you!! And thanks also for not pointing out how how rare it is that even one guy every few weeks mentioned here goes on to be a key player ; ) But as you and I both know, even one or two key players here and there can make the difference, so we gotta keep looking through the trash to find the occasional treasure!
Drop any of the aforementioned for Roupp, Gallen, Bergert, Paddack or Jacob Lopez?
Wait are you thinking of dropping one of those 5 or adding one?
Sorry for the poor grammar and punctuation. Add Roupp at the expense of
one of Gallen, Paddack, Bergert or Jacob Lopez, or Hold? Thinking Roupp might be innings capped at this point coming off the iL
as usual Laura, we are on same wavelength–
Have picked up 4 of the 8 players u listed all for the minimum $1 bid in FAB in last week or two–
Andujar hot, and maybe he found the right park for his hitting abilities-
Akin scary as a closer, but hoping he becomes a holds guy for me for next year –
Bergert , as you said, is for an eye on 2026–has N Cameron vibes to me, which looks to be a good thing–
Mead, hoping his prospect pedigree turns into something–but we both know, with Only deep leagues, you gotta bid and pray at times-
Some names i am keeping a watch on–
Teodosio of LAA–doing well and will get a lot of runway to prove it or not-
R Lowder, if you have a DL spot to use, could be a nice pickup for 2026-
Edgardo Henriquez–kid can throw gas for Dodgers–can be wild as heck also–but if he can learn control, can be a monster
Hey BB, great thoughts as always! I’m gonna have to learn a little more about Teodosio. Ha, I was starting to get Bowden Francis vibes from Bergert, so it’ll be interesting to see if he’s anything close to the real deal.
I get the Bowden Francis vibes–be a bright star and then flame out–
i think Bergert has a better and more diverse arsenal than Francis does, and with a bit of better command, might be a #3/4 SP–kinda like a poor mans Wacha, but close—-and for us in only leagues with a salary limit, at a buck, i can certainly live with that
Agreed! May not have as high a ceiling as Francis had for a minute last year, but definitely feels like Bergert has the higher floor