Scrounging the waiver wire is one of the best aspects of fantasy baseball. There seem to be gems every week, no matter how deep your league is. It’s also fun to take some risks throughout the year, and there’s really no better feeling than seeing a waiver wire guy develop into a must-roster player. Accumulating multiple of those throughout the season is really the true goal in fantasy because that’s how you build a championship team. With that in mind, let’s look at this week’s waiver wire pickups!
The stats and roster rates below are updated on 6/11. All rostership percentages are on Yahoo.
Feel free to comment here or reach me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel if you have any questions!
Also, check out my Streamers article dropping tomorrow.
CATCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Carter Jensen (KC, 38% Rostership) – How often can you find a catcher on the waiver wire who hits leadoff nearly every day? That’s just what we have with Jensen, and it’s hard to understand why he’s being slept on. He broke out last season with a .391 OBP and .941 OPS, but hasn’t quite lived up to that this year. With that said, he has a four-game hitting streak right now while posting an .835 OPS in that span. That’s a glimmer of hope for a talented player, and we love his schedule next week since he faces weak pitching staffs like Washington and St. Louis.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Yainer Diaz (HOU, 24% Rostership), Gabriel Moreno (ARI, 41% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Dalton Rushing (LAD, 17% Rostership) – Rushing has developed into one of the most hated players in MLB, but you have to be decent for people to even know who you are. This catcher has been more than that, tallying a .275 AVG and .882 OPS this season. What makes him a must-add off the waiver wire right now is that Will Smith is on the IL. Playing time has been the only thing holding Rushing back, but he should play nearly every day until Smith returns to action.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Francisco Alvarez (NYM, 16% Rostership), Alejandro Kirk (TOR, 24% Rostership),
INFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Matt McLain (2B, CIN, 47% Rostership) – McLain was one of the darlings during draft season after a ridiculous run in spring training, but he was relegated to many waiver wires after a slow start. What has us excited to go back to him is another hot run, with McLain showcasing some elite power-speed stuff. This second baseman is up to eight homers and 10 steals this season while posting a .419 OBP and 1.150 OPS across his last eight outings. McLain also has three dingers and three steals in that span, which is truly absurd in roto leagues. The schedule this week is sexy, too, because McLain has all six games in two hitters’ havens (CIN, NYY).
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Brooks Lee (1B/2B/3B, MIN, 36% Rostership), Jackson Holliday (2B/SS, BAL, 40% Rostership), Chase Meidroth (3B, CWS, 35% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Bryce Eldridge (1B, SF, 21% Rostership) – This guy looks like an NBA player at the plate, but he’s raking like Aaron Judge. Eldridge has been San Fran’s best slugger since his call-up, collecting a .385 OBP and .906 OPS this season. His recent form is even more astounding, accruing a .500 OBP and 1.266 OPS across his last 13 fixtures. That run is less surprising when seeing his minor league statistics, maintaining a .445 OBP and .963 OPS at Triple-A before his call-up. Fantasy managers are clearly scared of picking up a San Fran bat, but this is a good week to go for it since all of the Giants’ games are on the road this week.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3-5%
QUICK HITS: Sam Antonacci (CWS, 2B, 26% Rostership), Zac Gelof (ATH, 2B/3B, 22% Rostership), Spencer Horwitz (PIT, 1B, 19% Rostership)
OUTFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Jac Caglianone (KC, 49% Rostership) – We’ve been waiting for Caglianone to match his advanced statistics because the Statcast page tells us that he’s a stud. Caglianone ranks in the top 10 percent in hard-hit rate, exit velocity, swing speed, barrel percentage and xwOBACON. Those are numbers you see from an All-Star, and we’re finally starting to see that production on the baseline numbers. Caglianone has a .533 AVG and 1.511 OPS across his last nine outings while moving up to the cleanup spot earlier this week!
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Jung-Hoo Lee (SF, 42% Rostership), Carson Benge (NYM, 47% Rostership), Kerry Carpenter (DET, 46% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Carlos Cortes (ATH, 13% Rostership) – Cortes has been struggling recently, but this is a great week to go back to him. What makes him such a sexy add off the waiver wire is this unbelievable schedule. The A’s having seven games in Sacramento is a cheat code, but it looks even better since they face the Pirates and Angels. It’s also projected to be six righties, which gives Cortes the platoon advantage from the left side. It’s bizarre to see how beautiful his statistics have been since his call-up, producing a .310 AVG and .882 OPS across 96 career games. Why is he still on so many waiver wires?
% of Recommended FAAB: 1%
QUICK HITS: Kody Clemens (MIN, 13% Rostership), Addison Barger (TOR, 31% Rostership), Colton Cowser (BAL, 15% Rostership)
STARTING PITCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Reid Detmers (LAA, 56% Rostership) – This guy has been one of the most annoying players in fantasy over recent years. The reason is that he’s mixed gems and shelling throughout his career, but the latter has been limited this season. Detmers has allowed three runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts while posting a 3.96 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 11.3 K/9 rate in that span. That even includes an eight-run disaster, so it’s scary to think what his ERA would look like without that. The advanced numbers tell us it’s all real, too, with Detmers tallying a 2.87 FIP.
% of Recommended FAAB: 5-10%
Ryne Nelson (ARI, 57% Rostership) – It’s hard to believe we’re recommending Nelson off the waiver wire after his most recent run, but this is the week to go back to him. The schedule is what’s really enticing, with Nelson matching up with the Angels and Twins in two home starts this week. Los Angeles has the worst K rate in baseball, while Minnesota ranks 25th in xwOBA. That should allow Nelson to bounce back because he had a 2.89 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in seven starts before struggling in Miami. That’s in line with the 3.39 ERA and 1.07 WHIP we saw last season, while totaling a 2.71 ERA and 0.97 WHIP at home.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3-5%
QUICK HITS: Jack Flaherty (DET, 51% Rostership), Merrill Kelly (ARI, 47% Rostership), Edward Cabrera (CHC, 54% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Peter Lambert (HOU, 28% Rostership) – As someone who watched Lambert labor in his time with the Rockies, it’s shocking to see him develop into a waiver wire target. Things change in baseball, though, and Lambert has clearly found something in Houston. This right-hander has allowed four total runs over his last three starts while amassing a 3.47 ERA and 1.21 WHIP for the year. He’s also only allowed more than three runs twice, and his highest-scoring outing was a five-run game in which he only allowed five baserunners! That makes him a great target this week in Detroit, matching up with a Tigers team that ranks 21st in wOBA and 23rd in runs scored.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1%
Mick Abel (MIN, 13% Rostership) – Players on the IL always seem to be overlooked in deeper leagues. That’s just what we have with Abel because he looked like a breakout before his elbow issue. It appears the righty is fully healthy, striking out five batters across three scoreless innings in his rehab assignment debut. That’s the form we saw from Abel before the injury, throwing 13 scoreless innings while striking out 16 batters in his final two starts. That’s the stuff that made him one of the top prospects in baseball, and we shouldn’t overlook a potential second-half surge for such a talented player.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1%
QUICK HITS: Martin Perez (ATL, 20% Rostership), Gage Jump (ATH, 26% Rostership), Dustin May (STL, 31% Rostership)
RELIEVERS
10/12 Team Adds
Jacob Latz (TEX, 43% Rostership) – Why is Latz still sitting on waiver wires? This guy is the clear-cut closer in Texas, and he’s been tremendous since taking on this role. Latz has two wins and 10 saves across his last 14 appearances while posting elite peripheries. He has a 1.69 ERA and 0.63 WHIP this season and needs to be scooped off of every waiver wire.
% of Recommended FAAB: 10%
QUICK HITS: JT Ginn (ATH, 45% Rostership), Troy Melton (DET, 37% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Grant Taylor (CWS, 21% Rostership) – Taylor has always been the most talented pitcher in this pen, and it looks like he’s finally getting the opportunity to close since Seranthony Dominguez is struggling. That’s led to Taylor picking up a win and a save over his last two outings. More importantly, he has a 1.82 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 13.2 K/9 rate this season. That strikeout stuff is what you want from a closer, and this team is on the up with their youth development right now.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Alex Lange (KC, 24% Rostership), Yoendrys Gomez (MIN, 14% Rostership)
Looking for a closer in a 12 team roto QS league. On the wire: Yoendrys Gomez, Clayton Beeter, and Antonio Senzatela. Not an inspiring group but no team in my league seems to want to trade a closer at this juncture. What order do you place them?
Yeah, kind of a scary bunch. FWIW, I think it’s Beeter over Senzatela, with Yoendrys well behind. Washington’s offense should get Beeter the most opportunities, and Beeter is … well, OK. Senzatela has probably pitched better than Beeter to date, but I cannot put him over Beeter with fewer opportunities and the park always providing the potential for soul-killing blow-ups. At least those two are pretty clearly the closer — Yoendrys may be in a committee, and is just not a very good major league pitcher.
Honestly, I can’t pick a Washington closer. They’ve been switching around way too much I guess I’d say Sezatela has the most secure role. But that’s gross. So i guess him, then gomez, then Beeter but this is a tough group
As per your Detmers blurb, I took the liberty of including those past 8 starts, dating back to 4/26 and omitting the 8 run disaster. Using all of my fingers and toes minus my shoes and socks, that’s a 2.90 ERA. Not too shabby.
Yeah he’s looked impressive
I need to cut a player. Who is your drop out of these guys: Delauter, maikel garcia, sheehan, sasaki, bradish, lawler. adell. 6×6 obp and qs. I put altuve on this list because my concern level is high. Antonacci has been pretty good for me in this format so altuve is OF or bench for me now.
And, would you cut a second player from this group to add eldridge? Thanks
Probably Lawler and then Sasaki. You can’t drop Garcia or Bradish with their upside
Thanks. I know. They were on the list out of pure frustration