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4 days ago
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Drake Baldwin, Ryan McMahon and Kyle Bradish
FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS Drake Baldwin (C Braves): Rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues Even for those who weren't fortunate enough to land Cal Raleigh, it's been pretty easy to get solid production from the catcher spot in one-backstop leagues this year, easy enough that most seem too content to make a change at this point. For that reason, Baldwin remains available in 80 percent of Yahoo leagues, even after the Braves turned him into a full-time player by putting Marcell Ozuna on the bench last weekend. He's since started seven straight games, four at catcher and three at DH. With Ozuna seemingly likely to be moved at the deadline, Baldwin should get all of the playing time he can handle the rest of the way, making him the NL Rookie of the Year favorite. He's certainly looked the part thus far in batting .284/.353/.479 with 11 homers. The league as a whole this year has 27% more hard-hit balls than strikeouts. Baldwin has 123% more (89 hard-hit balls, 40 strikeouts). His 50.9% hard-hit rate places him 31st of the 268 batters with 200 plate appearances. Will Smith and Hunter Goodwin are the only catchers hitting at least .280 with at least 10 homers. Maybe Baldwin will wear down some, but all of the DH time will help. If the Braves pivot and trade Sean Murphy instead of Ozuna, I would drop Baldwin in my rankings some. Right now, though, I have him eighth among catchers, and I'd be willing to move on from guys like J.T. Realmuto, Alejandro Kirk, Shea Langeliers, Logan O'Hoppe and Agustin Ramírez in order to add him. Ryan McMahon (3B Yankees): Rostered in 35% of Yahoo leagues It's hard to spin being traded out of Coors Field as a good thing, but getting away from the disaster of an organization that is the Colorado Rockies might pay off for McMahon, an eternally disappointing offensive player who nevertheless possesses excellent exit velocity numbers. Those numbers are actually better than usual this season. McMahon, who was dealt to the Yankees for two pitching prospects on Friday, is currently averaging 94.0 mph off the bat, seventh best in the majors. His top-end numbers aren't as great -- for instance, he's just 46th when it comes to 90th percentile exit velocity -- but that's still a lot of hard contact. He's also hitting more flyballs and pulling the ball more than usual this year. It seems like a recipe for success, but there have been a lot of shots to the warning track thus far. He's also probably been unlucky; Statcast has him with a .466 xSLG, compared to .403 in reality. He's never experienced any sort of gap like that previously. Obviously, the strikeouts really hold McMahon back. He was leading the NL with 127 this season, which is remarkable for a guy playing in the league's preeminent strikeout-suppressing ballpark. The Yankees probably have some ideas on how to help him there, but one can't really expect him to improve much in the near future. If McMahon's value does come up in the short term, it will be a product of hitting in a far better lineup and sneaking balls over the right field wall in Yankee Stadium. It's a far worse offensive ballpark, but it's one that yields more homers to left-handers than Coors does. Unless the Yankees platoon him against southpaws -- they probably ought to, but I'm guessing he'll be a full-timer initially -- he's probably a better rest-of-season bet today than he was yesterday. Kyle Bradish (SP Orioles): Rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues Bradish pitched in a game Thursday for the first time since Tommy John surgery, throwing two innings and allowing one run for High-A Aberdeen. The stadium gun had him at 94-96 mph, said Jake Rill, putting right back where he was before getting hurt. That bodes well for a right-hander who had emerged as one of the AL's best pitchers at the time of his injury. A subpar pitcher as a rookie in 2022, Bradish busted out about a month into the 2023 season and wound up posting a 2.42 ERA and a 150/35 K/BB in his final 25 starts that year. Last season, he was just as effective, and his strikeout rate jumped from 25 percent to 33 percent in the eight starts before he got hurt. The league had a hard-hit rate of just 29 percent against his arsenal of two fastballs, a slider and a curve. That's not to say Bradish is going to experience the same sort of success right away after returning next month. He might even have a setback before then, and given that the Orioles are out of contention, any sort of setback would probably get him shut down until 2026. However, if his rehab continues to progress smoothly, he could be quite an asset over the final six weeks of the season. Those who look to wait until his rehab is complete to pick him up will probably find they missed out. Waiver Wire Quick Hits - I'm not going to write about rotation-bound Joe Boyle again so soon after featuring him recently, but he ought to be picked up everywhere after the Rays' demotion of Taj Bradley. Instead, he's only 15 percent rostered now. - The Astros' Cristian Javier doesn't need to be picked up just yet as he works his way back from Tommy John, but it was really encouraging that he averaged 93.6 mph with his fastball in his first Triple-A start. That's back where he was in 2021 and '22 before falling off in 2023 (92.8 mph) and 2024 (91.7). I doubt we'll ever again see the Javier of 2022 (2.54 ERA, 33% K rate in 149 IP), but on a fine Houston team, he doesn't need to be that good to offer some value.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: If you need help at catcher, Victor Caratini is a must-add amid hot streak
As we roll out of the MLB All‑Star break into Week 16, here are five under‑50% rostered hitters in Yahoo fantasy baseball leagues who are peaking at the right time — and deserve a spot in your lineup. Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups Romy González (1B/2B/3B/SS, BOS) – 28% rostered Gonzalez, a 28-year-old utility man, is primed for a breakout week. Though he went hitless last week, he's scorching hot in July, slashing .375/.389/.781 with a 1.170 OPS. His favorable matchups make him a priority add this week. With the Red Sox facing the Phillies and Dodgers, he's scheduled to face three left-handed pitchers in Week 16. That's been his forte, as Gonzalez is mashing .389/.444/.708 with four HRs and 16 RBI in 72 ABs versus left-handed pitching this season. Between González's multi-positional eligibility and his dominance against LHP, getting him into your lineups is a must this week. Chandler Simpson, OF, Tampa Bay Rays – 37% rostered Simpson's elite speed and recent production make him a top waiver add. He's fifth in MLB in steals (27) and hitting .308, with eight SBs and a .347 average since his call-up on June 24. Per Statcast, Simpson is 96th percentile or higher in base-running run value, xBA, whiff%, K% and sprint speed — all strong indicators that he's a weapon for any fantasy manager needing steals with a high batting average. He snapped an 18-game hitting streak on Sunday, but with games against the White Sox and Reds this week, he should continue to cook at the top of the order for the Rays. Simpson should be rostered in all formats. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Austin Hays, OF, Cincinnati Reds – 22% rostered Hays, now "healthy" and batting cleanup for the Reds, is delivering steady run production. He's a reliable short-term addition in the outfield with a .289 average and 40 RBI in 50 games. Advanced metrics put Hays above the league average in several key batting categories. If health wasn't a concern, he'd be more widely rostered. Consider streaming him through Wednesday; he's facing the Nationals and has slashed .349/.406/.556 against them over 18 career games. Mickey Moniak, OF, Colorado Rockies – 12% rostered I considered Ryan McMahon here, but I'm rolling with Moniak because he's been more consistent recently. The schedule is favorable, with the Cardinals traveling to Colorado for a three-game road trip and the Rockies flying out to Baltimore to face an underwhelming Orioles pitching staff over the weekend. Moniak is displaying a ton of power, ranking near the 80th percentile in xSLG, barrel percentage, hard-hit percentage, bat speed, and LA sweet-spot percentage. In an abridged Week 15, Moniak finished 39th, delivering one HR, four runs with two RBI with a .462 batting average. Over the past month, he's batting .339. There's also untapped potential on the base paths, as he's 84th percentile in sprint speed, per Statcast. Having registered a hit in 13 of his last 14 games, he's a guy to target if needing help in the outfield or utility spots. Victor Caratini, C/1B, Houston Astros – 15% rostered Caratini's coming off consecutive three-hit efforts and enters Week 16 as one of the hottest hitters in MLB. He ranks in the top 50 over the past two weeks, hitting .389 with two HRs, four runs and eight RBI over that span. Caratini is a must-roster asset in two-catcher leagues and is gaining momentum in one-catcher formats, too. He's been a top-5 option behind the dish over the past 30 days, so if you're looking for an adjustment at backstop, Caratini's stock is rising. With matchups against suspect pitching staffs in the Diamondbacks and Athletics, Caratini should deliver some pop in the middle of the Astros' lineup for fantasy managers.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Luke Keaschall, Dylan Lee and Jordan Lawlar
FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS Luke Keaschall (2B Twins): Rostered in 11% of Yahoo leagues After nearly three months off due to a fractured forearm suffered on a HBP, Keaschall is back playing baseball again and will resume partaking in official games as he kicks off a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Friday. Most likely, he'll stay there at least a week. If it doesn't look like he's missed a beat, he could rejoin the Twins afterwards. If he's slow out of the gate, then maybe he'll be optioned to the minors for a spell. Still, we're going to hope here for the former scenario. It wasn't perfectly clear that Keachall was ready for the majors when he got the call just three weeks into the season, but he certainly looked the part, opening up on a six-game hitting streak before getting hurt in his seventh game. Most impressive was that he walked five times and struck out just twice in 26 plate appearances. He was 5-for-5 stealing bases. He went without a homer, but he had two barrels and five other hard-hit balls among his 17 balls in play. Just those seven games still place him seventh in WAR among the Twins' 18 position players with at least 20 plate appearances this season. And that's why he really ought to get another chance quickly. Give him the spot of Brooks Lee or Ty France or Trevor Larnach and let him go. He's not going to be a big power hitter just yet, but he can certainly help a team currently ranked 21st in the majors in OBP and 26th in steals. It'll be some time before it pays off, but he should be stashed now. Dylan Lee (RP Braves): Rostered in 8% of Yahoo leagues Which reliever not currently closing has the best chance of sliding into the closer's role because of a trade deadline move? Let's throw out some names: Angels: Reid DetmersAthletics: Elvis Alvarado?Guardians: Cade SmithOrioles: Yennier Cano (assuming Seranthony Domínguez is gone)Rays: Edwin Uceta, Kevin Kelly, eventually Drew Ramsussen?Red Sox: Jordan HicksRoyals: Lucas ErcegTwins: Griffin Jax Braves: Dylan LeeCardinals: JoJo Romero, Riley O'Brien (Phil Maton goes, too, if Ryan Helsley goes)D-backs: Shelby Miller or Ryan Thompson if they eventually come back healthyMarlins: Calvin Faucher (if Ronny Henríquez and Anthony Bender are both traded)Nationals: Brad LordPirates: Carmen Mlodzinksi, Braxton Ashcraft (Dennis Santana is a goner)Reds: Tony Santillan, Scott Barlow (also both trade candidates) Of everyone here, I'd say Lee is the best bet. Raisel Iglesias seems much more likely to be traded than Aroldis Chapman, Emmanuel Clase or Ryan Helsley, and unlike some other guys here, Lee is a clear No. 2 on the depth chart. Lord is also rather interesting, since Kyle Finnegan is very likely to be dealt, but I think he's a breakdown candidate after a heavy first-half workload in his first stint as a reliever. Jax, along with Smith, probably has the most upside of the group, but I don't think the Twins will wind up selling. Erceg is also intriguing, but the Royals will probably keep Carlos Estévez and try to hang in the race unless these next 10 days go badly. Jordan Lawlar (SS Diamondbacks): Rostered in 7% of Yahoo leagues That Lawlar hasn't already been picked up in more leagues is an obvious reaction to his latest injury, a Grade 1 hamstring strain that has had him on the shelf for Triple-A Reno since June 26. There haven't really been any updates on his status since, but players typically return from Grade 1 strains within a month, meaning Lawlar should be about ready to join the Diamondbacks infield right around the trade deadline, when the team is nearly certain to ship out free agent-to-be Eugenio Suárez. Lawlar's first major league stint this season saw him go hitless in 19 at-bats, but that was in a bit role. He'll play regularly next time around, and he'll show off the power-speed combination that has allowed him to amass 17 homers and 22 steals to go along with a .334/.420/.590 line in 81 career Triple-A games. The durability concerns are real and might need to be factored into his long-term dynasty value, but if he's up on Aug. 1 as hoped, he could be good for around eight homers and a dozen steals over the final third of the season. Waiver Wire Quick Hits - The Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar is only 46% rostered in Yahoo leagues as he returns from his second IL stint of the year. That's above my threshold for being featured in this column, but he needs to be picked up in leagues in which he's available. He's been somewhat disappointing in his 32 games while healthy, but he was plenty useful last year and he really should be better now; his strikeout rate is just 22%, compared to 29% last year, and his hard-hit rate has jumped from 40% to 44%. Statcast gives him an xBA of .303 and an xSLG of .500. - I featured Shane Bieber seven weeks ago before his setback in his return from Tommy John, so I won't do it again now. However, he's back on a rehab assignment, having thrown two scoreless innings Tuesday, and he's currently available in 64% of Yahoo leagues. He could turn out to be pretty helpful during the final two months.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Offenses to target, long-term players to add as MLB starts second half
Major League action returns Friday, which is not a moment too soon in this fantasy baseball writer's opinion. And the league is returning with a vengeance, as all 30 teams will play on each of the initial six days back. There are plenty of things we don't know, as many teams have yet to announce their post-break rotation order. But for some of baseball's weakest franchises, the rotation order doesn't matter, as they lack high-end starters. Here are teams and players who can benefit from favorable schedules this weekend. Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice Twins @ Rockies Minnesota is in the best position of any team this weekend, playing three games at hitter-friendly Coors Field while facing the worst pitching staff in baseball. And the best news for fantasy managers is that there are plenty of Twins who can be added. Willi Castro (47%), Royce Lewis (45%) and Carlos Correa (25%) are the top options, while Trevor Larnach (9%) and Matt Wallner (7%) can be streamed against righties on Saturday and Sunday. Harrison Bader (3%) is another player to target, as he was swinging a hot bat prior to the break. The Rockies are less likely to enjoy an offensive outburst, but they could benefit from their home park nonetheless. Mickey Moniak (11%) has been a top-100 player over the past 30 days, which makes him a fine option. A similar case can be made for Tyler Freeman (17%), who has been a top-150 player in the past 30 days and should enjoy hitting leadoff during the upcoming homestand. Cardinals @ D-backs Those who want to add hitters for longer than the weekend should target St. Louis players, as they will spend the weekend against a D-backs' staff that ranks 26th in ERA before enjoying a series at Coors Field at the outset of next week. Masyn Winn (49%), Iván Herrera (55%) and Alec Burleson (48%) are the top players to add. Guardians vs. Athletics Cleveland has struggled offensively in recent weeks, but they have a great chance to start the second half on a high note when they meet a pitching staff that ranks 28th in baseball in ERA. I wouldn't add any Guardians in shallow leagues, but Ángel Martínez (5%) is worth a shot in deeper formats. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Rays vs. Orioles Tampa has predictably hit well at their hitter-friendly venue this season, which bodes well for their upcoming series against an Orioles staff that ranks 27th in ERA. Josh Lowe (49%) and Ha-Seong Kim (6%) are the top Rays hitters to add for all-around production, while Chandler Simpson (36%) fits the bill for those who need steals. Some managers will prefer to add possible long-term solutions rather than streamers. For those who fit that description, here are some players to consider. Long-Term Waiver Wire Options Jansen Junk, SP/RP, Marlins, 21% Junk is coming off a spectacular two-start week where he won both of his starts while allowing nary an earned run across 13 innings. He doesn't have strong swing-and-miss skills, but his 38:4 K:BB ratio is an elite mark, and he has surrendered just one homer. Junk needs to be rostered in 12-team leagues while we determine the sustainability of his surprising success. Brandon Walter, SP, Astros, 15% Take almost everything I said about Junk and apply it to Walter. If K-BB ratio is an important statistic (and, it is), then both players need to be rostered in 12-team leagues. Walter has an eye-popping 40:2 mark, although his success has come with being more homer prone (8 HR in 7 starts) than Junk. Walter has superior strikeout skills to Junk, making it an even race in terms of which hurler is more appealing to add. Danny Palencia, RP, Cubs, 49% This is the last time I will write about Palencia, who will either see his roster rate surge or dramatically decline by July 31. The right-hander is a top-15 saves source, as someone who has pitched well this year (1.57 ERA, 0.87 WHIP) and is the closer on one of baseball's best teams. If the Cubs stick with Palencia as their ninth-inning man past the trade deadline, his roster rate should skyrocket to at least 75%. And if they trade for a closer, it should drop below 20%. Palencia is a risk worth taking for the next two weeks. Victor Caratini, C/1B, Astros, 11% Caratini has surprisingly become an everyday player for the Astros, hitting his way into a split role between catcher, first base and designated hitter. In July, he has hit .325 with four homers, 13 RBI and a 1.001 OPS. Caratini is an obvious addition in two-catcher leagues and a great short-term option for those who are dealing with a slumping or injured catcher in shallow formats. Chandler Simpson, OF, Rays, 36% I've written about Simpson far too often, so I'll keep this short. If you need steals or batting average help, he should be your top target. He will score his share of runs too. Ramon Laureano, OF, Orioles, 12% Laureano is playing so well that the Orioles will likely be able to trade him at the deadline. Being dealt may sap the 31-year-old's fantasy value, but that's a problem for another day. He will play regularly for the next two weeks, which includes a series at the Rays hitter-friendly park this weekend and a series against the Rockies the following weekend. Also, Baltimore plays each day between now and July 30, including a double-header on July 29.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Yu Darvish is back, Colt Keith is figuring it out
Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season. The premise is pretty straightforward. I'll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I'll list the category where I think he'll be helpful or the quick reason he's listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs. Advertisement For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, 'These players aren't available in my league,' and I can't help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they're available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types. MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at Detroit Tigers 2025 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 update: Aaron Judge leads the way, Tarik Skubal overtakes Bobby Witt Jr. Corbin Carroll's return and José Ramírez's slump further shake up the top 10 this week. Waiver Wire Hitters Josh Smith - 1B/3B/SS/OF, TEX: 38% rostered (PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, RUNS UPSIDE) Advertisement With Josh Jung in the minors, Josh Smith is now the everyday third baseman in Texas. Over his last 25 games, Smith is slashing .303/.400/.475 with three home runs, 22 runs scored, and seven RBIs. He hit leadoff for the Rangers, so his primary value to you will be in Runs, but that's a category that often gets overlooked, so Smith could be a useful target on waiver wires if you need help there or with batting average. Another multi-position eligible hitter who has stayed on the fantasy radar is Abraham Toro - 1B/2B/3B, BOS (8% rostered). The veteran has endured a bit of a cold spell since the end of June, so this is really only a deep league target because he is still playing about 75-80% of games for the Red Sox and has eligibility in so many positions. He also hits in the middle of the order when he starts, so that has some value on an offense that's as hot as Boston is right now. Chandler Simpson - OF, TB: 35% rostered (RETURN FROM MINORS, SPEED WINNER) Simpson is back up because, I guess, he became a much better defender in three weeks in the minors. Since being recalled, Simpson is hitting .362 with six runs scored and seven steals in 17 games. People will tell you that fantasy managers misunderstand Simpson's actual value, and it's not really that high, but his speed is a legit issue. He's going to hit for a strong batting average and post elite stolen base totals. If Tampa Bay keeps running hot like this, he'll chip in some runs even from the bottom of the order. Tyler O'Neill - OF, BAL: 33% rostered (RETURN FROM IL, POWER UPSIDE) Advertisement Tyler O'neill is back. The 30-year-old has played just 30 games this season and is hitting .176/.271/.314, but we know the power upside that he has when he's healthy and in the lineup. The Orioles have hit him seventh most of the time since he's come back, which will hurt his counting stats a bit, but he could easily move up in the order if he starts hitting. His return has also not impacted the playing time of Ramon Laureano - OF, BAL (11% rostered). It seems that the Orioles will have both players in the lineup regularly at RF/DH, and Laureano has actually played far more than O'Neill. The veteran hit .312 in June with four home runs, 19 runs scored, and 16 RBI in 21 games. He has cooled a bit in June, but he's still hitting fourth or fifth in the order, and that gives him that counting stat upside that O'Neill won't have right now. Jac Caglianone - 1B/OF, KC: 29% rostered (PROSPECT GROWTH, POWER UPSIDE) We've seen a bunch of prospects this year start slow and then begin to figure it out. Cam Smith and Nick Kurtz are just two of the most recent examples. Caglianone's two mammoth home runs this week could signal that he's the next one. I recorded a video on him this week explaining my thoughts, but I would add him if he's been cut in your leagues. Colt Keith - 1B/2B, DET: 25% rostered (FULL-TIME JOB PROSPECT GROWTH) Advertisement A couple of weeks ago, I covered Colt Keith as a potential breakout thanks to his impressive Process+ score, which ranks 6th in all of baseball since June 1st. Process+ is a Pitcher List stat that shows "The combined value of a hitter's Decision Value, Contact Ability, and Power." At that point, he was rostered in 7% of leagues, and the stats hadn't shown up yet, but his process has been rewarded. Over his last 15 games, Keith is hitting .358/.417/.585 with two home runs, 11 runs scored, and six RBI, and his roster rate has shot up. We know prospect growth isn't linear, so it's time to jump back on board with Keith. Carlos Narvaez - C, BOS: 22% rostered (BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE, PLAYING TIME UPSIDE) Narvaez remains a fringe option in one-catcher formats because he plays regularly on a good offense, but he is a must-roster in two-catcher leagues. He cooled a bit in the middle of June, but over his last 15 games, he's hitting .281/.317/.439 with two home runs, eight runs scored, and eight RBI. He's been solid for Boston all year long and could be a solid option while they're running hot. If you're looking for an option in a two-catcher format, you can go with Victor Caratini - C/1B, HOU (8% rostered), who has continued to play regularly in Houston with Yordan Alvarez suffering a setback in his rehab from a hand fracture. In his last 15 games, Caratini has five home runs and 15 RBI to go along with a .246/.246/.544 slash line. I'm not sure how long the power will remain this helpful, but he's making a lot of contact, and the home park can help. Evan Carter - OF, TEX: 18% rostered (POST HYPE PROSPECT, HOT STRETCH) Advertisement Kennedi Landry had a good piece on Evan Carter a few weeks ago, highlighting some of the changes that have led to his strong performance since coming off the He admitted to putting a lot of pressure on himself after his injury, and cited playing looser and feeling like he had a better mental approach at the plate. In June, Carter hit .333/.421/.530 in 21 games with three homers, eight RBI, 12 runs scored, and five steals. The batting average hasn't carried over into July, but he does have four steals and six RBI in nine games. Those stolen bases are great to see with the injuries he's had in the past, and Carter has a real five-category skillset. He's unlikely to play against many lefties, but he can be a really solid option in all fantasy leagues. If you're looking primarily for speed in the outfield, you could turn to Jake Mangum - OF, TB (8% rostered), who is playing most days and hitting third for Tampa Bay. I'll admit that I've never been a huge Mangum believer, and I'm still not, but he is hitting .312/.347/.409 over his last 25 games with 11 RBI, 11 runs scored, and three steals. That's not doing a ton to help you outside of batting average, so I think he's more of a deep-league play, but he's making a lot of contact and has 13 steals on the year, so there is a case to be made for adding him. Tyler Freeman - SS/OF, COL: 18% rostered (REGULAR STARTING ROLE, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) The stretch of games in Coors is done (for now), but that doesn't mean you need to get rid of Freeman. He's hitting .360/.452/.427 over his last 25 games with 11 runs scored and seven steals. The stolen base value is a bit surprising given his previous results, but he has 12 steals this season while hitting leadoff for the Rockies. Freeman had a solid enough season last year for Cleveland, and moving to Colorado should help him. Freeman makes a lot of contact, but the hard contact is limited, and his BABIP has been low in years past. Coors Field tends to boost BABIP, so Freeman could emerge as a .270 hitter with some decent speed and multi-position eligibility. Freeman is also 15th in Process+ since June 1st, so the stats are backed up by a strong approach. Caleb Durbin - 2B/3B/SS, MIL: 15% rostered (BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE, HOT STRETCH) Advertisement Durbin has turned it on of late, hitting .366/.436/.463 over his last 15 games with two home runs, 10 RBI, 18 runs scored, and three steals. As I mentioned with Caglianone, it takes rookies some time to adjust to the big leagues, and we're now seeing Durbin start to get a bit more comfortable in the box. I would like to see more steals than the eight he has on the season right now, since that's been Durbin's calling card in the minors, but it's nice to see the rookie adjusting to MLB pitching and starting to get on base more often. I think the steals will come. If you wanted a more boring option for deeper leagues, Lenyn Sosa - 1B/2B/3B, CWS (2% rostered) has jumped on the Process+ leaderboard with a score of 107 since June 15th, which is above the league average of 100. Over that same stretch, he's hitting .268/.302/.524 with five home runs, 12 runs scored, 14 RBI, and one steal in 23 games. That's not bad production across the board in deeper formats. Zack Gelof - 2B, ATH: 8% rostered (RETURN FROM IL, POWER/SPEED UPSIDE) This is all about upside. Gelof fractured his hamate bone in the spring and then had a rib injury during his rehab assignment, which delayed his return even more. He struggled a bit last year and is just 2-for-25 to start the season this year, but we should expect rust given how long he's been out this year. He was really good as a rookie in 2023 and came into the year with 31 home runs and 29 steals in 209 career MLB games, so there is enough power and speed here to excite us a bit. The batting average will likely not be good, but remember that he plays in a minor league ballpark now that is heating up in the summer, and the ball is flying. In deeper formats, I'd still stash on my bench for another week or two. Ha-Seong Kim - SS, TB: 8% rostered (RETURN FROM IL, SPEED UPSIDE) Advertisement Kim returned from the IL last Friday and has emerged as the starting shortstop of Tampa Bay. I think his value will be primarily in stolen bases, but I recorded a video on Kim this week, so you can check it out for my detailed thoughts. Brice Matthews - 3B/SS, HOU: 6% rostered (PROSPECT CALL UP, POWER/SPEED UPSIDE) The Astros called up Matthews, who is their number one prospect. He has been heating up since a cold start to the season and is slashing .283/.400/.476 in Triple-A with 10 home runs, 39 RBIs, and 25 steals. All of that points to major fantasy upside for a player who will primarily play second base and could gain even more position eligibility. The issue here is that he has very real swing-and-miss issues. He had a 30% strikeout rate and 14% swinging strike rate in Triple-A, and those very rarely improve right away at the MLB level. He has also gotten beat by fastballs at Triple-A, which is not good because the fastballs he is going to see in the big leagues are clearly superior. He has the power and speed to make you not care about a .220 batting average, but I'm not sure if that power is going to carry over right away, so I would be very cautious on my bids and not expect to use him for a few weeks as he adjusts. Masataka Yoshida - OF, BOS (7% rostered) (RECENT IL RETURN, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Advertisement Yoshida came back from the IL this week and went 4-for-11 with two doubles, an RBI, a run scored, and one steal in his first three games of the season. He's a career .285/.343/.433 hitter in Major League Baseball with just a 13.3% strikeout rate in 248 games. He's going to provide a great batting average and the potential for solid counting stats while hitting near the middle of Boston's lineup. Well, we think. When the Red Sox bring back Yoshida, they will have only four lineup spots for Yoshida, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, and Wilyer Abreu. They have managed it so far by rotating days off, but I think a trade has to be coming. Maybe it's Yoshida being moved into a full-time role elsewhere? Andrew Vaughn - 1B, MIL: 5% rostered (POTENTIAL STARTING JOB, APPROACH CHANGE?) With Rhys Hoskins landing on the IL for the next six to eight weeks, it's possible that Andrew Vaughn is emerging as a starting option in Milwaukee, and I'm intrigued by an approach change he made in the minors since being traded. I recorded a video this week explaining why I think Vaughn might be a decent gamble in deeper formats. You could also take a chance on Josh Bell - 1B, WAS (5% rostered), who has a Process+ score of 116 since June 15th, which is far better than the league average score of 100. Over that stretch, Bell is hitting .329/.402/.487 with two home runs, eight runs scored, and 11 RBI in 23 games. The power numbers aren't great there, but we have seen Bell be a consistent 20 home run hitter before, so maybe the ball starts to fly a bit in the summer, or he gets traded into a better lineup. Brady House - 3B, WAS: 4% rostered (HOT STREAK, PROSPECT GROWTH) Advertisement Another prospect starting to figure it out a little bit is Brady House. The rookie has a modest six-game hitting streak and hits in eight of nine games in July. Since being promoted, he's hitting .270/.303/.374 in 22 games with two home runs, seven runs, 12 RBI, and two steals. While his first two MLB home runs just came on Saturday, he had 13 in Triple-A this season with a 46% hard hit rate, so there is some power in that bat. I have liked his approach of late, and the results are solid for deeper formats. If we're just using Process+, we should note that Hose's teammate, Daylen Lile - OF, WAS (0% rostered), has a Process+ score of 112 since June 15th, which is pretty solid work from a young rookie. Over that span, he's hitting .247/.293/.351 with two home runs, 10 runs scored, and two steals, but he also has just 10 strikeouts to five walks in 21 games. The process is there, and the contact has been there, so maybe the results will also start to tick up in the coming months. Tommy Pham - OF, PIT: 2% rostered (STARTING JOB, HOT STREAK) We all talked a lot about Max Muncy's glasses, but perhaps we need to pay attention to Tommy Pham's contacts. There is a great video from Logan Arblaster that shows Pham discussing a difficult situation with his contact lenses based on a rare eye condition that he has. The video was taken on June 23rd, and Pham mentions in the video that he has made contact lens changes throughout the year, but has "felt better the last week." If we take Pham's stats from June 16th, we see that he's hitting .412/.448/.667 in 17 games with three home runs, eight runs scored, and 16 RBIs. That will play in any league type. A name to keep an eye on in deeper leagues is Nathan Lukes - OF, TOR (1% rostered). Lukes has recently moved into the leadoff spot against right-handed pitching and is hitting .379/.471/.621 in nine games in July with one home run, seven runs scored, and six RBI. I'm not saying this is a breakout for the 31-year-old, but his approach is great for a leadoff hitter, and the Blue Jays have been playing really good baseball lately, so perhaps this is a solid multi-week add. Dominic Canzone - OF, SEA: 1% rostered (PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, POWER UPSIDE) Advertisement Canzone has been putting up tremendous production since being called up and ranks 14th in Process+ among all hitters with at least 200 pitches faced since June 15th. Over that stretch, he's hitting .352/.361/.620 with five home runs, nine runs scored, and six RBI. Canzone is not going to play against lefties, and he doesn't have quite the track record of success, but Canzone has always made impressive quality of contact throughout his MLB career, so there is some upside here in deeper formats. Another option would be Isaac Collins - OF, MIL (3% rostered), who has been on a bit of a heater since June 1st, hitting .297/.404/.484 in 31 games with four home runs, 19 runs scored, 15 RBI, and three steals. He's been striking out a bit more this past week, but he has good plate discipline overall. He's pulling the ball near 50% of the time, mostly on the ground and on a line, which is good for his batting average but might cap the overall power upside. His average exit velocity is also only 88.5 mph over that span, so this is not a hitter you're adding for power, but he has a solid approach that should lead to plenty of doubles and decent counting stats, hitting fifth or sixth in Milwaukee. Heriberto Hernandez - OF, MIA: 0% rostered (POWER UPSIDE, FORMER PROSPECT) It may have taken a while, but Heriberto Hernandez didn't come out of nowhere. He put up good numbers as an 18-year-old in the Rangers' organization and was traded in 2020 to the Rays as part of the Nathaniel Lowe deal. He was ranked as Tampa Bay's 15th and 16th best prospect in 2021 and 2022, respectively, and while his numbers were fine, they were never quite good enough, so he was allowed to become a minor league free agent before this season. In 29 games with the Marlins, he's hitting .325/.376/.506 with three home runs, 11 runs scored, and 12 RBI. He has always struck out too much, so I believe his 18% swinging strike rate is going to catch up to him, but he has also always had power, so if the Marlins are going to keep playing him, he could have value there. Waiver Wire Pitchers THIS IS AN INTERESTING WEEK FOR PITCHING ADDS BECAUSE OF THE ALL-STAR BREAK. MOST TEAMS WILL RESET THEIR ROTATION DURING THE BREAK TO HAVE THEIR BEST PITCHERS START OVER THE WEEKEND, WHICH MEANS THAT MANY OF THE STREAMING ARMS WE TEND TO LIKE OR TARGET WON'T PITCH AT ALL THIS WEEK. THAT GIVES YOU THE CHOICE TO EITHER LOOK AHEAD AND TRY TO GET STARTING PITCHERS FOR CHEAPER BY FOCUSING ON THEIR JULY 21ST WEEK SCHEDULE OR YOU CAN ADD RELIEVERS FOR $1 IN MOST LEAGUES THIS WEEK TO GET AN EXTRA INNING OR TWO OVER THE WEEKEND. Advertisement Yu Darvish - SP, SD: 52% rostered Darvish doesn't meet the criteria to be on this list, but I wanted to cover him since he just returned from the IL and his performance was better than many expected. I recorded a video after his first start in Arizona discussing my thoughts. Jason Adam - RP, SD: 38% rostered Adam is one of the best targets if you want a reliever for this week. He has been great this season and could easily slide into a closer role and be stellar for the Padres and fantasy managers if Suarez has another rough stretch. Emmett Sheehan - SP, LAD: 27% rostered Sheehan piggybacked Shohei Ohtani on Saturday, and that could be his role again in the coming weeks, but we kind of have no idea how the Dodgers are going to handle this now that Tyler Glasnow is back and Blake Snell is closing in on a return. So far this season, Sheehan has been 95 mph on the four-seamer with two inches more iVB, which got him to 17", and he also threw them upstairs. The slider and changeup are solid, and even if he's not a huge upside arm, he has a solid arsenal with command that should continue to improve as the year progresses Bubba Chandler - SP, PIT: 26% rostered Chandler threw six shutout innings (again) in Triple-A on Thursday, allowing five hits while walking two and striking out seven. It's time. Just call him up. This is getting silly. Advertisement Joe Boyle - SP, TB: 22% rostered Boyle is in the Rays rotation now. Kind of. He has settled into a role pitching behind Drew Rasmussen that I actually think is good for Boyle's fantasy value. I did a detailed breakdown of Boyle's arsenal and fantasy value here, so check it out. Cam Schlittler - SP, NYY: 20% rostered Cam Schlittler made his MLB debut this week against the Mariners. Schlittler is the 89th-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America, and has a 2.82 ERA this season thanks to an improving fastball that sits around 97 mph. It does have below-average extension, and we saw with Chase Burns that great velocity fastballs with mediocre extension don't miss as many bats in the big leagues. Schlittler also has three secondary braking balls that grade out well from a raw stuff perspective and showed good command in the minors this season, so I'm interested in adding him most places, as I discussed in a video I recorded last week. Grant Taylor - SP/RP, CWS: 12% rostered Taylor has legit electric stuff, and except for a poor performance against the Dodgers last week, he has been really impressive in his rookie season. He now has a 4.40 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 17/3 K/BB in his first 14.1 innings in the big leagues. His fastball is regularly sitting about 101 mph, and he has all the makings of a Mason Miller-type of former starter who could be lights out in one-inning stints out of the bullpen. Blake Treinen - RP, LAD: 10% rostered Trienen made his first rehab performance on Wednesday, throwing eight of his 12 pitches for strikes while sitting 95.5 mph on his sinker in a scoreless inning. He seems healthy and could be called up after the break. With Tanner Scott struggling to close out games, Treinen could emerge as an option in a closer committee in Los Angeles. Advertisement Richard Fitts - SP, BOS: 4% rostered Fitts got sent down this week, but I think that had more to do with the Red Sox needing extra bullpen help before the All-Star break than it was with Fitts not being a part of their long-term plan. However, with Hunter Dobbins tearing his ACL, Fitts is back in Boston's rotation, and while I don't think he's a future stud, I'm still in the bag for him a bit. His fastball has ticked up to 97.4 mph in his last two starts, and the secondaries have started to show some swing and miss upside. I'd love to see the secondaries be a bit more consistent, but this is a good upside arm who is available in many leagues. STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order) Week of 7/14 Strong Preference Pitcher Roster% Opponent Michael Wacha 39% at MIA Eury Perez 36% vs KC Fairly Confident Colin Rea 13% vs BOS Andrew Heaney 16% vs CWS Dustin May 39% vs MIL Eduardo Rodriguez 16% vs STL Some Hesitation Jack Leiter 23% vs DET Dean Kremer 22% at TB Jeffrey Springs 35% at CLE Aaron Civale 3% at PIT JP Sears 17% at CLE Sean Burke 6% at PIT Tomoyuki Sugano 12% at TB Luis Severino 15% at CLE STARTING PITCHERS TO STASH SOME STARTS I LIKE FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 21ST
