How are we about to be in August? It feels like the weeks and months are just flying by, and it also means the baseball season is nearing an end. We have about two months remaining, and one of the most important dates of the season is in 48 hours. That’s the trade deadline, and it’ll surely make the waiver wire one to monitor over the next week. That’s why next week’s article might be the most important one since the opening weeks because it’s the final time to make a push in your fantasy leagues!
The stats and roster rates below are updated on 7/30. 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
Samuel Basallo (BAL, 39% Rostership) – Basallo was one of the best waiver wire catchers early in the season, and now’s the time to go pick him back up. Many fantasy managers sent him to the waiver wire after an IL placement, but it sounds like it’ll be a short stint for Basallo. He’s expected to resume all baseball activities next week and was a breakout prior to that shoulder issue. We’re talking about a guy who had a .257 AVG and .792 OPS through July 4. We can overlook the weeks before the IL placement because Basallo was clearly playing injured.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Ryan Jeffers (MIN, 45% Rostership), Yainer Diaz (HOU, 41% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Eduardo Valencia (DET, 2% Rostership) – I couldn’t help but think of Enner Valencia when I saw this name, but Eduardo is quite the player himself. He’s actually been hitting every day in Detroit’s lineup, posting a .391 AVG and 1.320 OPS through eight games this year. We don’t expect him to play like that all season, but any catcher performing like that is a worthy waiver wire addition with how low his roster percentage is. It’s not as flukey as it may seem either because Valencia had a .826 OPS at Triple-A before his call-up.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1%
QUICK HITS: Alejandro Kirk (TOR, 23% Rostership), Tyler Stephenson (CIN, 7% Rostership)
INFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Ty France (1B, SD, 35% Rostership) – France was in my streamers article last week, and it’s hard to believe he’s still available in so many leagues. The main reason is that this is a fringe fantasy name that’s been floating around for years, but something has changed in San Diego. He’s established himself as their everyday five-hole hitter, tallying a .285 AVG and .877 OPS this season. The numbers over the last month are even more ridiculous, registering a .391 OBP and 1.063 OPS since June 19.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Gleyber Torres (2B, DET, 41% Rostership), Kody Clemens (2B/3B, MIN, 41% Rostership), Tommy Edman (2B/3B, LAD, 36% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Jake Burger (1B, TEX, 21% Rostership) – We have a White Castle theme in this article, so we had to get Burger in here. This guy has been a power asset in fantasy leagues at different times throughout his career, and we want to pick him off the waiver wire amid one of his power binges. Burger has homered in three of his last eight outings while posting a .790 OPS over the last two months. That’s an extended streak of solid hitting, but it’s no surprise since Burger has a .461 career SLG and .759 OPS.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1%
QUICK HITS: Royce Lewis (MIN, 1B/2B/3B, 29% Rostership), Vaughn Grissom (LAA, 2B/SS, 3% Rostership), Cole Young (SEA, 2B, 13% Rostership)
OUTFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
AJ Ewing (NYM, 31% Rostership) – Some of these rostership percentages are bizarre later in the season, but this Ewing one is hard to believe. He’s established himself as the Mets’ everyday leadoff hitter and could be that for the next decade. We say that because Ewing has a .297 AVG and .846 OPS over the last month. What’s scary is that we haven’t even seen the elite speed we’ve been anticipating because Ewing had 105 steals across 258 minor league games. Ewing truly has 40-steal potential and could be a Grady Sizemore-type player if things continue in this direction.
% of Recommended FAAB: 5%
QUICK HITS: Steven Kwan (CLE, 53% Rostership), Brandon Marsh (PHI, 59% Rostership), Trent Grisham (NYY, 41% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Heriberto Hernandez (MIA, 15% Rostership) – This is one of my favorite first names in baseball. There’s something so unique about Heriberto, but he has the game to back it up. Hernandez just hit his 16th dinger of the season and now has a .291 AVG, .684 SLG and 1.025 OPS across his last 25 fixtures. A month like that makes Heriberto an easy waiver wire option, especially since he’s finally an everyday player.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1-3%
QUICK HITS: Dominic Canzone (SEA, 18% Rostership), Jasson Dominguez (NYY, 11% Rostership), Spencer Jones (NYY, 4% Rostership)
STARTING PITCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Roki Sasaki (LAD, 46% Rostership) – There are times when young pitchers just look like they’ve changed, and that’s what we’re seeing with Sasaki. This talented righty always had the stuff to be a stud, and seeing him regularly reach 100 MPH has changed his results. That uptick in velocity has led to Sasaki posting a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 9.8 K/9 rate across his last four starts. The only real concern is that Sasaki could lose a rotation spot when Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell return (and Tarik Skubal, maybe), but pitching for LA is a massive fantasy bump for any pitcher.
% of Recommended FAAB: 5%
Bryce Young (BAL, 37% Rostership) – Young has been in my articles numerous times this season, and it feels like we’re approaching must-roster territory. This guy flirted with a no-hitter in one of his final starts against the Stros last year and has carried that momentum over by providing a 3.13 ERA and 1.29 WHIP this year. A poor WHIP has kept him on some waiver wires, but we love that Young has a 1.35 ERA and 0.90 WHIP across his last two starts while surrendering four runs or fewer in all 17 appearances this season. A home matchup with the Angels only adds to his intrigue this week because they have the worst K rate in baseball.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Christian Scott (NYM, 32% Rostership), Clay Holmes (NYM, 31% Rostership), Bryce Elder (ATL, 35% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI, 22% Rostership) – Pfaadt was one of the most exciting prospects when he was called up, but inconsistencies have soured fantasy managers over recent years. The good news is that Pfaadt has recaptured some of that form he showed throughout his minor league career, accruing a 1.85 ERA and 1.06 WHIP since re-entering the rotation a month ago. Pfaadt also recorded five wins in those six starts, and we love that he has a home matchup with San Diego this week. The Padres rank 24th in runs scored and 25th in OPS, with Pfaadt throwing five scoreless innings against them a month ago.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1%
Kumar Rocker (TEX, 14% Rostership) – Rocker was also one of the top prospects in baseball when he was the top pick in the 2022 draft. Numerous things have happened since then, but Rocker is finally showing glimpses of why he was selected so highly. This righty has allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his last 13 starts. Kumar also has a 3.58 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in that span, despite a seven-run shelling at the hands of a harrowing Houston lineup. That’s far from concerning here because he has a home matchup against a Baltimore team that ranks 20th in wOBA and 27th in K rate.
% of Recommended FAAB: 1%
QUICK HITS: Bailey Ober (MIN, 18% Rostership), Eric Lauer (LAD, 17% Rostership), Hayden Wesneski (HOU, 9% Rostership)
RELIEVERS
10/12 Team Adds
Kyle Leahy (STL, 34% Rostership) – Leahy has been a sneaky find by St. Louis. He’s allowed just four runs across his last six starts while generating a 1.15 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in that span. That’s a remarkable run, and we love that he has a home matchup against Colorado this week. The Rockies have been the worst road offense in baseball for a decade, with Leahy likely entering this game as a -200 favorite.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Yoendrys Gomez (MIN, 32% Rostership), Grant Taylor (CWS, 31% Rostership)
Deep League Adds
Clayton Beeter (WAS, 14% Rostership) – The Nationals haven’t had a designated closer all season, but Beeter is starting to look like the guy. He’s up to 11 saves now, while recording four saves over his last five outings. With how sneaky Washington has been this season, Beeter is also a sneaky source of saves.
% of Recommended FAAB: 3%
QUICK HITS: Hogan Harris (ATH, 11% Rostership), Tyler Wells (BAL, 17% Rostership)
Awesome stuff Bart. How much do you trust Roki? Would you roster in a 10 team shallow QS k/9 league? How would you rank Roki, Payton Tolle, Detmers, Logan Henderson?