Waiver Wire Week 20: Sleeping on the Jobe

There were nearly 50 trades at last week’s deadline, so the waiver wire is stacked with goodies. What’s also fascinating is that we have dozens of players coming off the IL over the next few weeks because many of these teams are trying to make one final playoff push. I know many of you are doing that in your fantasy leagues as well, so let’s go ahead and dive into this week’s waiver wire!

The stats and roster rates below are updated on 8/7. 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

Agustin Ramirez (MIA, 31% Rostership) – Remember when Ramirez was one of the most coveted catchers during drafts? A demotion to the minors forced him to the waiver wire, but the backstop is back in action. He was called up earlier this week and still has the potential to be a top 12 catcher. Ramirez had 21 homers and 16 steals in a breakout campaign last season while posting seven homers and 17 steals across 59 gams at Triple-A this year. Finding speed like that from a catcher is a godsend off the waiver wire, and we have to assume Miami will give him chances after the call-up.

% of Recommended FAAB: 3%

QUICK HITS: Samuel Basallo (BAL, 37% Rostership), Yanier Diaz (HOU, 47% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

Endy Rodriguez (PIT, 3% Rostership) – People have been sleeping on many of these Pittsburgh bats, and Endy is another one of them. He’s been a bit of a utilityman, but being able to use him at the catcher position for fantasy is massive. He plays just as much as any regular catcher, collecting seven homers and six steals across 44 games this year. He’s paired that with a .376 OBP and .846 OPS, which are absurd numbers from someone so widely available.

% of Recommended FAAB: 1%

QUICK HITS: James McCann (ARI, 2% Rostership), Eduardo Valencia (DET, 6% Rostership), Moises Ballesteros (LAA, 4% Rostership)

INFIELDERS

10/12 Team Adds

Royce Lewis (1B/2B/3B, MIN, 44% Rostership) – Lewis has been one of the most baffling players in fantasy over recent years. He’s had stretches where he looks like an All-Star while mixing stretches where he looks like he should be playing in the KBO. Health has been the biggest correlation, and he appears to be fully healthy right now. Lewis has a .271 AVG and .853 OPS across his last 47 fixtures. He also has an OPS above 1.000 over the last two weeks and was one of the most exciting players after his call-up a few years ago.

% of Recommended FAAB: 5%

QUICK HITS: Caleb Durbin (3B, BOS, 41% Rostership), Brendan Donovan (1B/2B/3B/SS, SEA, 48% Rostership), Zack Gelof (2B/3B, ATH, 31% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

Osleivis Basabe (SS, SF, 2% Rostership) – The Giants are actually my favorite team to stream next week. They face the Rockies and Astros next week, who are two of the worst pitching staffs in baseball (25th and 30th in ERA). That makes Basabe an intriguing option because he’s become an everyday player since his call-up. This opportunity has led to Basabe homering in three of his last five fixtures while providing a .286 AVG and 1.066 OPS since promotion. You can’t overlook production like that from a player available everywhere, especially since Matt Chapman and Luis Arraez are now out of the picture.

% of Recommended FAAB: 1%

QUICK HITS: Jake Burger (TEX, 22% Rostership), Luis Rengifo (SD, 1B/2B/SS, 21% Rostership), Vaughn Grissom (LAA, 2B/SS, 6% Rostership)

OUTFIELDERS

10/12 Team Adds

Carson Benge (NYM, 46% Rostership) – Benge and AJ Ewing have been sitting around 50 percent on Yahoo all season, and it simply doesn’t make sense. These outfielders have been massive fill-ins for Juan Soto, with Benge taking over the cleanup spot recently. He’s up to 13 homers and 17 steals through 111 games while hitting .267. Those are all amazing averages, and we love that he has a .990 OPS across the last two weeks. The schedule next week isn’t too bad either, matching up with Atlanta and Washington.

% of Recommended FAAB: 3-5%

QUICK HITS: Jung-Hoo Lee (SF, 38% Rostership), Steven Kwan (CLE, 53% Rostership), Max Clark (DET, 47% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

Trevor Larnach (MIN, 7% Rostership) – Larnach has been a regular in my waiver wire articles, and we mentioned that he’ll remain in it as long as people continue to overlook this outfielder. This guy is simply the most under-rostered player, hitting leadoff for the Twins. We’re talking about a guy who has a .281 AVG, .370 OBP and .819 OPS this season. There are All-Stars with worse averages, and we didn’t even mention that Larnach has a .386 OBP and .845 OPS across his last 36 fixtures. He also has six games at home this week while facing a subpar Baltimore staff.

% of Recommended FAAB: 1%

QUICK HITS: Spencer Jones (NYY, 18% Rostership), Dominic Canzone (SEA, 24% Rostership), Griffin Conine (MIA, 4% Rostership)

STARTING PITCHERS

10/12 Team Adds

Noah Cameron (KC, 41% Rostership) – Cameron has been in this article at different times this season, but this is the last opportunity to pick him up. This lefty has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last month, maintaining a 0.39 ERA, 0.52 WHIP and 9.4 K/9 rate across his last three starts. That actually followed up a seven-run shelling, but Cameron did compile a 4.20 ERA and 1.27 WHIP through the first three months. It’s clear this southpaw has unlocked something, allowing one run or fewer in nine starts this season! The regression monster might make this a terrible pickup, but Cameron needs to be rostered until we see something different.

% of Recommended FAAB: 5-10%

Clay Holmes (CHC, 37% Rostership) – Holmes hasn’t made a start since the opening month, but he’s close to a return. What’s interesting is that he’ll make his return in a new uniform after he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. That’s an ideal move because Holmes has been one of the most solid pitchers over recent years. He had a 2.39 ERA and 1.10 WHIP before breaking his leg in May, but also has a 3.14 ERA and 1.21 WHIP since 2020. That’s a sustainable success for six seasons, and he needs to be rostered in case he recaptures that immediately off the IL.

% of Recommended FAAB: 3%

QUICK HITS: Bryce Elder (ATL, 45% Rostership), Brandon Young (BAL, 36% Rostership), Edward Cabrera (CHC, 42% Rostership), Landen Roupp (SF, 40% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

Jackson Jobe (DET, 13% Rostership) – Jobe is one of the most exciting arms in this organization, and he’s expected to make his debut this weekend! That’s what fans have been waiting to see because Jobe has generated a 1.76 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 10.5 K/9 rate throughout his minor league rehab assignment. He actually had similar averages throughout his minor league career, but it’s the stuff that makes him scary. Jobe has some of the best velocity and movement of any player in the minors and shouldn’t be overlooked as a potential breakout in the final weeks of the season.

% of Recommended FAAB: 3-5%

Grayson Rodriguez (LAA, 5% Rostership) – There was a time when Rodriguez was one of the most coveted players in fantasy. He was an absolute horse before getting called up by Baltimore a few years ago and then posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in his sophomore season. Everyone projected a breakout in 2024, but that simply didn’t pan out due to injuries. The good news is that he has new life in LA. It’s been bad so far, but Rodriguez has a 3.00 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 9.0 K/9 rate across his last two starts. We’ve been waiting for glimpses from this former stud, and the stuff looks as good as ever.

% of Recommended FAAB: 1%

QUICK HITS: Dustin May (MIL, 27% Rostership), Randy Dobnak (KC, 15% Rostership), Brady Singer (CIN, 27% Rostership), Hayden Wesneski (HOU, 8% Rostership)

RELIEVERS

10/12 Team Adds

J.T. Ginn (ATH, 37% Rostership) – It’s strange to see Ginn still sitting on so many waiver wires. Fantasy managers are scared of rostering these pitchers in Sacramento (rightfully so), but Ginn could be great. This guy has a 3.51 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in a breakout campaign, while generating a 3.31 ERA at home. That sort of ability in that ballpark showcases how special Ginn can be, particularly since he’s allowed three runs or fewer in 17 of 20 starts this year. The best part about this might be his matchup this week, facing a 26th-ranked Rangers offense. He has a 2.08 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across 8.2 innings against them.

% of Recommended FAAB: 3-5%

QUICK HITS: Yoendrys Gomez (MIN, 31% Rostership), Ian Seymour (TB, 44% Rostership)

Deep League Adds

Yennier Cano (BAL, 6% Rostership) – There are a handful of teams looking for closers right now, with Cano looking like the fill-in for Ryan Helsley. This guy actually used to close games a few years ago, compiling a 2.11 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 2023. We’ve seen a similar guy this year, with Cano collecting a 2.04 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. That’s led to Cano allowing just one run since July 1 while picking up the O’s most recent save.

% of Recommended FAAB: 1-3%

QUICK HITS: Luke Weaver (PIT, 29% Rostership), Brandyn Garcia (ARI, 19% Rostership)