I put more work into this article than almost any other I write because I genuinely love it. There’s something amazing about trying to find the pieces to fit this puzzle because there are perfect fits to fill all of these categories. That’s one of the beauties of fantasy baseball because there’s no other fantasy sport where you can win your league on the waiver wire. With that in mind, let’s dive into this week’s pickups.
This list comprises the main categories in roto leagues. Under each category, you’ll find a player who can specifically help you with that individual stat. Most players will offer help in more ways than one but their primary contributions should come under the category in which they are listed. Here are my picks for all categories. Below we dive into a few notable waiver wire pickups this week.
- Weekly Trade Value Chart
- Weekly Waiver Wire Advice
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- Weekly Fantasy Baseball Content
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 5)
I don’t know much about Wilyer Abreau but he’s done nothing but produce since being called up last year. He had a .316 AVG and .388 OBP in the final month of last season. He has become an everyday player. That newfound role has allowed Abreu to showcase his speed, recording a steal in four of his last seven outings. He’s also been in the top half of this order recently with all the injuries and should have numerous stolen base opportunities this week.
Clarke Schmidt (SP – NYY): 25%
Clarke Schmidt’s WHIP is far from pretty, but this guy is amazing at limiting runs. He’s allowed three runs or fewer in all four starts this year, totaling a 3.15 ERA. We also saw him post a 3.12 ERA in 2022. He should continue that success against a team like Oakland. The A’s are either 29th or 30th in runs scored, OBP, OPS and xwOBA since the start of last season.
It was shocking to see Lance Lynn pick up just one strikeout across seven innings in his most recent start, but that’s a fluke. The veteran has a 24% career K rate, with that number being above 26% since 2019. That’s what we expect to see from here on out. It makes him an outstanding option for 10-15 Ks in a two-start week. Arizona and the New York Mets have been good at avoiding strikeouts this year, but neither of those offenses scares us.
Reynaldo Lopez (SP – ATL): 57%
I’ve never been more confident about a pitcher picking up two wins than I am this week. Reynaldo Lopez gets two home matchups against the Marlins and Guardians. Miami is bottom-three in almost every offensive category, while Cleveland was 28th in wOBA last season. We’re searching for wins, though, and we expect Lopez to be a -200 favorite in both home matchups. We might not have another waiver wire guy with that sort of opportunity for the remainder of the season.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
