This is the most unique week throughout the fantasy season. Most leagues split this period into two weeks due to the All-Star break. That doesn’t mean anything from a waiver wire perspective, though, because the waiver wire never sleeps. It’s actually an important time to keep an eye on it when many fantasy managers are asleep at the wheel. It’s also a good opportunity to stash some IL guys that will return shortly after the break. I want to remind you guys that most leagues with weekly pickup limits will span the two-week period, so be patient with your waiver-wire additions as well!
The stats and roster rates below are updated on 7/9. All rostership percentages are on Yahoo.
Feel free to comment here or reach me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel if you have any questions!
Also, no Streamers article tomorrow due to the weird week.
CATCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Samuel Basallo (BAL, 50% Rostership) – It’s still bizarre to see Basallo sitting in half the leagues out there, but he’s just on that 12-team fringe in shallower leagues. Some fantasy managers are skeptical about his playing time next to Adley Rutschman, but Basallo has started in 21 of the last 26 games. Not even everyday catchers are playing that much, with Basallo hitting fifth and sixth in most of those. That prominent lineup spot is no surprise since Basallo has a .278 AVG and .826 OPS since April 20.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Gabriel Moreno (ARI, 45% Rostership), Yainer Diaz (HOU, 41% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Ryan Jeffers (MIN, 29% Rostership) – We’ve had Jeffers in here a few times since his IL placement, but this might be your last opportunity to pick him up. This slugger started his rehab assignment a couple of days ago and will surely be ready to return to the lineup by the end of the All-Star break. He was arguably Minnesota’s best bat before his injury, posting a .408 OBP and .949 OPS in a career year. That sort of production is absurd from a catcher, and we love that he’s homered in two of his four games throughout his rehab assignment.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3-5%
QUICK HITS: Dalton Rushing (LAD, 21% Rostership), Kyle Teel (CWS, 17% Rostership)
INFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Nick Gonzalez (2B/3B/SS, PIT, 36% Rostership) – It’s wild that Gonzalez has been sitting on waiver wires all season. The position eligibility is already a massive boost, but this guy has been a beast at the plate as well. Gonzalez has a career-high .311 AVG and .762 OPS. He’s been even better recently, registering a .500 OBP and 1.033 OPS across his last 17 outings. Seeing a guy with a .500 OPS on the waiver wire is absurd, especially since Gonzalez has moved up to the top half of this order over recent weeks.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Zack Gelof (2B/3B, ATH, 50% Rostership), Kody Clemens (1B/2B, MIN, 44% Rostership), TJ Rumfield (1B, COL, 51% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Tommy Edman (2B/3B, LAD, 22% Rostership) – Edman used to be a must-roster player, but he’s sitting on most waiver wires after a lengthy IL stint. He actually didn’t debut until about three weeks ago, but he has a .431 OBP and .922 OPS in 19 games since his return. We don’t expect him to play at that All-Star level all season, but he averaged about 15 homers and 30 steals per year between 2021 and 2023. That sort of potential makes him even sexier since he’s got multi-positional eligibility while batting between first and fifth in this daunting Dodgers lineup over the last week.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1-3%
QUICK HITS: Curtis Mead (WAS, 1B/2B/3B, 23% Rostership), Jake Cronenworth (SD, 2B, 6% Rostership), Nasim Nunez (WAS, SS, 27% Rostership)
OUTFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Jake McCarthy (COL, 58% Rostership) – McCarthy has always been a sneaky source for steals throughout his career, but Coors Field has made him a must-add off the waiver wire. He’s been hitting leadoff for one of the hottest lineups, and he’s one of the major reasons for their success. McCarthy is on pace for nearly 20 homers and 30 steals while maintaining a .326 AVG and .963 OPS across his last 35 fixtures. Most importantly, he has at least 23 steals in three of the last four seasons and will surely pass that again if he continues to hit leadoff.
% of Recommended FAAB: 5%
QUICK HITS: Cole Carrigg (COL, 32% Rostership), Helito Ramos (SF, 46% Rostership), Carson Benge (NYM, 48% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
A.J. Ewing (NYM, 29% Rostership) – We have a theme in this article. It’s that there are too many leadoff hitters sitting on the waiver wire. This is one of the most bizarre roster percentages out there because Ewing has been excellent since taking over the Mets’ leadoff spot. Ewing has a .417 OBP and 1.077 OPS across his last 15 fixtures. The speed hasn’t even come around yet, and we’re talking about a guy who had 90 steals across 154 games at the minors over the last two years. If he becomes that sort of guy, Ewing could be a league-winner.
% of Recommended FAAB: 5%
QUICK HITS: Domonic Canzone (SEA, 17% Rostership), Luis Lara (MIL, 10% Rostership), Heriberto Hernandez (MIA, 3% Rostership)
STARTING PITCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Jack Flaherty (DET, 54% Rostership) – If you’ve been reading my articles over the past few weeks, you know I’m bullish on Flaherty. This guy deserved to be sent to every waiver wire after his slow start, but some positive regression was inevitable. That’s what we’ve seen recently, with Flaherty allowing three runs or fewer in seven straight starts. He’s also got a 2.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 11.4 K/9 rate across his last six starts. That’s the form we’ve become accustomed to in the past, with Flaherty providing a 3.85 career ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 10.3 K/9 rate.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3-5%
Landen Roupp (SF, 42% Rostership) – Roupp had a rough stretch throughout June but has been remarkable aside from that. He had a 7.14 ERA throughout that ugly month, but had a 3.30 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 10.2 K/9 rate through the opening two months before that. The encouraging sign is that the calendar turned to July, and Roupp provided one of the best starts of his career. He allowed just one run across eight innings in his most recent start against Toronto. Roupp also has a 3.80 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 10.2 K/9 rate at home, which should be a safe haven with how spacious San Fran can be.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3-5%
QUICK HITS: Reynaldo Lopez (ATL, 32% Rostership), Jake Bennett (BOS, 47% Rostership), Logan Henderson (MIL, 47% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Jared Jones (PIT, 24% Rostership) – Jones got off to a rough start in his return from the IL, but that was always inevitable after missing a full season. The good news is that he appears to be fully healthy now, throwing six perfect innings in his most recent start. He did that against a talented Atlanta team and now has a 3.48 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 10.2 K/9 rate, excluding his one subpar start in Sacramento. We’re willing to do that since it’s one of the most hitter-friendly parks, especially given that Jones looked like a stud before his arm injury.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
Christian Scott (NYM, 17% Rostership) – Picking up Mets pitchers off the waiver wire has worked as long as I’ve been playing fantasy baseball. Citi Field being the most pitcher-friendly park is a major reason why, but Scott is not a product of that ballpark. This guy has allowed four runs or fewer in all 12 starts this season while providing a 3.17 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 10.8 K/9 rate. He’s also got a 2.62 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 10.5 K/9 rate across his last six starts. This is a top prospect who had a 2.59 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 12.8 K/9 rate between Double-A and Triple-A before this season. The stuff is there for Scott to be a stud, and we might be seeing that breakout right now.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1-3%
QUICK HITS: Jackson Jobe (DET, 4% Rostership), Bailey Ober (MIN, 17% Rostership), Dustin May (STL, 28% Rostership)
RELIEVERS
10/12 Team Adds
Ian Seymour (TB, 49% Rostership) – This is an impossible time to find saves on the waiver wire, so let’s get an RP starter in here. The Rays have developed more of these former relievers into starters than any team in baseball, and they’ve stumbled into another one with Seymour. This lefty recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts in his most recent start and now has a 3.38 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 rate since struggling in the opener. More importantly, he has a 2.00 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and 13.5 K/9 rate across his last three starts.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Joey Cantillo (CLE, 53% Rostership), JT Ginn (ATH, 45% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Caleb Kilian (SF, 15% Rostership) – This San Fran pen has been a nightmare all season, but it appears Kilian is the guy right now. He has three saves over his last four appearances, and the other came when he entered in the ninth with a four-run lead. That’s the exact role you’re looking for from your closer, with Kilian compiling a 13.5 K/9 rate since May 13. That strikeout stuff should lead to some better peripherals as the season progresses, with Kilian looking like a sneaky source for saves off the waiver wire.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1%
QUICK HITS: Grant Taylor (CWS, 20% Rostership), Yoendrys Gomez (MIN, 25% Rostership)
