Waiver Wire Week 3: Happy Accidents

Man, that opening week on the waiver wire was insane. You can really rebuild the backend of your team in the opening weeks, and I can’t believe how much turnover there’s been so far. One thing we never discuss in terms of the waiver wire is who to drop. That’s pretty much up to you guys, but we also want to remind you to show some caution and patience. Dropping anybody you drafted in the opening 10 rounds is a silly mistake at this point, no matter how tempting the waiver wire might look. It’s imperative to pick up the right guys, but dropping the wrong guy could be an even worse mistake. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the waiver wire options we like for this upcoming week!

The stats and roster rates below are updated on 4/3. All rostership percentages are on Yahoo.

Feel free to comment here or reach me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel if you have any questions!

CATCHERS

10/12 Team Adds

Samuel Basallo (BAL, 37% Rostership) – We’re going to try to avoid the same recommendations for this article from the previous week, but some of these guys should not be sitting on waiver wires. Basallo is one of them because this guy truly has the potential to be a Top 5 catcher. He had a .377 OBP and .966 OPS throughout his last season in Triple-A and was even better than that at lower levels. Most importantly, he’s played in all but one game this season and has bat fourth or fifth in all of those. That shows how much trust Baltimore has in his bat, and this series against the White Sox to kickstart the week could be just what the doctor ordered.

QUICK HITS: Francisco Alvarez (NYM, 30% Rostership), Alejandro Kirk (TOR, 48% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

Gabriel Moreno (ARI, 18% Rostership) – You can probably tell this from the previous write-up, but my most impactful variables when it comes to rostering a catcher are playing time and their lineup spot. Moreno thrives in both of those, playing in all but one game and hitting cleanup for this talented D’Backs lineup. That alone makes it hard to believe Moreno is below 20 percent, especially since he had a .353 OBP and .786 OPS last season.

QUICK HITS: Ryan Jeffers (MIN, 6% Rostership), Liam Hicks (MIA, 18% Rostership)

INFIELDERS

10/12 Team Adds

Willi Castro (2B/3B/OF, COL, 23% Rostership) – As someone who lives in Colorado, I was very happy to see this signing. Sadly, we get excited about signing guys like Castro, but it’s a massive improvement on what Rockies fans have seen over recent years. Much like the catchers mentioned, Castro is a great option off the waiver wire due to volume. He’ll play every day for the Rockies and looks like their everyday three-hole hitter. Being a three-hole hitter in the most hitter-friendly park is a massive bump to Castro’s fantasy value, and we didn’t even mention that he’s eligible at three positions. It’s not like these external factors are the only reason we like Castro because he’s averaged about 12 homers and 23 steals per 150 games played over the last three seasons.

QUICK HITS: Carlos Correa (3B/SS, HOU, 41% Rostership), Jake Burger (3B/1B, TEX, 34% Rostership), Nolan Schanuel (1B, LAA, 24% Rostership), Jackson Holliday (2B/SS, BAL, 57% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

David Hamilton (2B/SS, MIL, 4% Rostership) – Hamilton is one of the best waiver wire pickups if you’re desperate for some speed. This former Boston speedster has found himself playing a ton in Milwaukee, playing in four of the first six games. He’s also recorded four steals in that span and could be one of the league leaders in that category if he plays over 100 games. We say that because Hamilton had 55 steals across 189 games over the last two years, despite recording only 471 at-bats. People scooped Chandler Simpson off the waiver wire for the exact same reasons last season, and he was an asset simply due to his speed.

QUICK HITS: Colt Keith (DET, 1B/2B/3B, 19% Rostership), Jonathan India (KC, 2B, 5% Rostership), Caleb Meidroth (CWS, SS, 13% Rostership)

OUTFIELDERS

10/12 Team Adds

Daylen Lile (WAS, 56% Rostership) – This Nationals lineup is one of the sneakiest in the sport. Lile hitting cleanup for them has been one of the big reasons for their success, sporting a .407 AVG and .968 OPS so far this season. That’s on par with what we saw after his call-up last season, collecting a .377 OBP and .958 OPS across his final 60 games. He also had eight homers and six steals over those final two months, displaying some 20-20 potential. His speed was the real asset throughout his minor league career, and it’ll be fun to watch this young Washington lineup develop with Lile looking like the catalyst.

QUICK HITS: Ryan O’Hearn (PIT, 26% Rostership), Joey Weimer (WAS, 30% Rostership), TJ Friedl (CIN, 24% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

Matt Wallner (MIN, 6% Rostership) – I’ve always felt Wallner is an underrated bat. The main issue is that he was a platoon player in the past, but he’s an absolute monster whenever Minnesota matches up with a right-hander. Wallner has a .340 OBP and .846 OPS against righties since 2024. That’s awesome since he’s developed into an everyday player this season, suiting up in all six games while hitting between fourth and fifth. Wallner has also homered in two of his last three outings, and it’s hard to understand why the fantasy community is sleeping on this guy. In any case, go pick him up off the waiver wire because he could be a must-roster player soon if this form and opportunity continue.

QUICK HITS: Jodan Walker (STL, 11% Rostership), Cedric Mullins (TB, 8% Rostership), Tyler O’Neill (BAL, 3% Rostership)

STARTING PITCHERS

10/12 Team Adds

Andrew Painter (PHI, 44% Rostership) – This guy was one of Philly’s top prospects for a reason, and it’s nice to see him finally get a shot at this rotation. Painter struggled at Triple-A last year, but he had a 1.71 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 35 percent K rate at the lower levels before that. Those are some of the best statistics you’ll see, and they carried over in his MLB debut. Painter painted a masterpiece against the Nationals, striking out eight batters while allowing one run across 5.1 innings. There aren’t many opportunities to pick up a prospect with this type of pedigree, and he has a soft landing spot this week. Painter gets to pitch in the spacious San Fran ballpark while facing a 25th-ranked Giants offense from last season.

Will Warren (NYY, 47% Rostership) – I wrote up Warren in my streamers article last week, and all the same rules apply. Most fantasy managers would realize that Warren was already breaking out last season if it weren’t for four stinkers against some of the best offenses in baseball. This righty allowed four runs or fewer in 28 of 33 starts last year, registering a 3.06 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in those games. We’re willing to cherry-pick those because the five duds were against the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Red Sox and Braves. That’s not the case this week because Warren gets a home matchup against the A’s, who have been the worst offense through the opening week. Not to mention, he has a 2.70 ERA and 1.10 WHIP through two starts this year.

QUICK HITS: Casey Mize (DET, 31% Rostership), Kyle Harrison (MIL, 30% Rostership), Randy Vasquez (SD, 27% Rostership), Clay Holmes (NYM, 45% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

Lance McCullers Jr. (HOU, 21% Rostership) – Part of me feels this won’t work, but another part of me remembers how special McCullers used to be. I’m not sure which part of me is correct, but that indecisiveness makes McCullers a worthy pickup off the waiver wire. His opening start is what has me most intrigued, with McCullers striking out nine batters across seven one-run innings in his season debut. McCullers did that against a tough Boston lineup, and we’re talking about a guy who had a 3.48 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 9.4 K/9 rate between 2015 and 2022. He was unable to pitch in 2023 and 2024 due to injuries, but a 6.51 ERA in 2025 had him off-limits for fantasy managers this season. It’s unclear if he can keep that going, but pitching in Seattle against a struggling Mariners lineup is a bonus.

Dean Kremer (BAL, 1% Rostership) – Kremer should be recalled to take Zach Eflin’s spot in the rotation. This guy has been a decent pitcher, posting a 3.95 ERA and 1.25 WHIP since 2022. That’s a serviceable starter, but what makes him an enticing pickup this week are his matchups. Kremer is projected to face the White Sox and Giants in two pitchers’ parks. Chicago was 27th in runs scored, OBP, and wOBA last season, while San Fran was 22nd in wOBA and 25th in xwOBA. It’s rare to find a two-start pitcher off the waiver wire with matchups like those, especially since Kremer has a relatively high floor.

QUICK HITS: Brady Singer (CIN, 24% Rostership), Matthew Liberatore (STL, 23% Rostership), Reynaldo Lopez (ATL, 23% Rostership)

RELIEVERS

10/12 Team Adds

Lucas Erceg (KC, 42% Rostership) – Erceg has already been picked up in most leagues that I play in, but this 42 percent mark indicates that he’s still sitting on some waiver wires. That’s hard to believe because he looks like the unquestioned closer with Carlos Estevez landing on the IL. Erceg has picked up the two saves since that injury and has showcased some nasty stuff in the past. He hasn’t allowed a run through three appearances this season and had a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over the last two years. Erceg also had 14 saves in 2024, so the ability to steal this job remains.

QUICK HITS: Paul Sewald (ARI, 39% Rostership), Jordan Romano (LAA, 41% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

Riley O’Brien (STL, 25% Rostership) – This St. Louis situation could be aggravating all season, but O’Brien looks like the best pickup of the bunch. Ryne Stanek actually picked up the first two saves, but there’s no chance he’s the closer behind his 3.83 career ERA and 1.32 WHIP. We saw O’Brien record the team’s most recent save, and he was the option late last season. O’Brien hasn’t allowed a run through four appearances this year and closed last season with six saves over his last 19 appearances. He also had a 2.25 ERA and 1.05 WHIP during that span, so it feels like just a matter of time before O’Riley runs away with this gig.

QUICK HITS: Cole Sands (MIN, 16% Rostership), Mike Soroka (ARI, 22% Rostership)