I’m thrilled with how this fantasy baseball waiver wire article has panned out. One of my biggest goals is to help you stumble into waiver wire gems because many are must-add players after some massive weeks. The best thing we can do is recommend a player and not use him again later on because he’s rostered in too many leagues. We always recommend players below 60% rostered because anyone over that threshold is useless for most fantasy managers.
This list comprises the 10 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.
I’ll be putting out a similar piece every week, so check back every Sunday, as I’ll have a new list of players not previously mentioned. Without further ado, here are this week’s category-based fantasy baseball waiver wire additions.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 9)
Home Runs
Kerry Carpenter (OF – DET): 54%
Kerry Carpenter has been sitting against lefties recently, but that shouldn’t matter this week. Detroit has seven games this week, with five of them against right-handers. That means Carpenter should get plenty of at-bats, facing a Toronto team ranked 30th in xwOBA and a Kansas City club ranked 20th in the same statistic. That’s scary with the power potential Carpenter has showcased, providing a .483 SLG, .348 wOBA, .207 ISO and .816 OPS throughout his career. He’s also got a .826 SLG and 1.174 OPS across his last six outings, carrying some fantastic form into this favorable week.
RBI
Ryan O’Hearn (1B, OF – BAL): 26%
Ryan O’Hearn always sits when Baltimore faces a lefty, but that won’t be a factor this week. The O’s face six righties in this seven-game week, with O’Hearn batting third every time they face one. That means he’s in the prime RBI spot for one of the best offenses in baseball. He hits third in these circumstances because of his spectacular splits, sporting a .398 OBP, .533 SLG and .931 OPS against right-handers this season. It’s no scary group of righties either, facing a Cardinals team ranked 25th in xwOBA and a White Sox team ranked 24th.
Runs
Richie Palacios (2B, OF – TB): 4%
Richie Palacios has been in this section multiple times this season. It’s hard to understand why he’s still rostered in under 10% of leagues. He’s developed into an everyday player for the Rays, generating a .376 OBP and .786 OPS against righties this year. The reason we bring up his splits is matchup-based, as he’s projected to face six righties this week. He has all four of his homers and all seven of his steals against righties while scoring 17 runs in 125 plate appearances against them. If he gets on base at a 35-40% clip, Palacios should round the bases all week in the 30 at-bats we’re projecting.
Batting Average
Edmundo Sosa (SS, OF – PHI): 7%
Edmundo Sosa has been filling in at shortstop since Trea Turner went down, playing nearly every day since Turner’s injury. He’s doing damage in this newfound role, providing a .333 AVG, .486 OBP and 1.041 OPS across his last 10 games. It’s hard to overlook that on-base ability, especially since he’s getting so many good pitches behind all of these studs in Philly. The matchups couldn’t be much better either because the Phils get three games in Coors Field against the worst pitching staff in baseball and three games against a Texas team missing most of their rotation due to injury.
Steals
We saw Jacob Young hit leadoff this week. If he gets that opportunity, he should be rostered universally. He’s essentially stepped into the Lane Thomas role, hitting leadoff in seven of Washington’s last 10 games. Young is running wild just like Thomas in this expanded role, picking up eight steals over his last 16 games. He’s also got his season total up to 14 swipes and should get plenty of opportunities to run this week with Washington getting six games at home. He does have to face formidable pitching staffs, but the Nats will need him to steal bags to develop some runs.
ERA
Reese Olson (SP – DET): 39% (at KC, vs. TOR)
How is this guy still below 40% on Yahoo? Maybe people are looking at his 0-4 record, but Reese Olson has quietly been one of the best pitchers in the American League. Olson has allowed one run or fewer in six of his eight starts, generating a 2.09 ERA and 0.99 WHIP this season. Anybody who’s allowed just three runs across a six-start span needs to be considered for ERA, especially in a two-start week. Olson faces a Toronto team that ranks 29th in runs scored, while Kansas City sits 24th in OBP.
Strikeouts
Taj Bradley (SP – TB): 43% (vs. KC, vs. BOS)
Taj Bradley is steadily getting picked up across every league, but he’s still on too many waiver wires. This talented Tampa pitcher has a 2.45 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 rate through two starts. The peripherals haven’t always been consistent, but the strikeouts have always been there. Bradley has 142 strikeouts across 115.2 innings at this level and 397 strikeouts across 359 innings in the minors. That strikeout stuff makes him a seasonal option in a two-start week, getting two home starts in the friendly confines of Tropicana Field. We have already discussed how poor Kansas City’s OBP has been, but we love that Boston has the second-worst strikeout rate in baseball.
WHIP
Casey Mize (SP – DET): 20% (at KC, vs. TOR)
The Tigers have developed one of the best pitching staffs in the league, and they should have some success in this two-start week. We already talked about how much we love these matchups, but they look even better since they’re two of the most spacious ballparks in the sport. Olson is the premier option for these two, but Casey Mize is no joke either. The former top pick from the 2018 draft is having a breakout campaign, compiling a 3.50 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. He’s only allowed more than seven baserunners in one start all year and should keep your WHIP in check in this two-start week.
Wins
Gavin Stone (SP – LAD): 48% (vs. ARI, at CIN)
If you can find a two-start streamer for the Dodgers, go for it. We all know Los Angeles has one of the best teams in baseball, and they enter almost every game as a sizable favorite. That’s why they rarely have pitchers on the waiver wire, but Gavin Stone still sits out there in too many leagues. He’s got a 3.27 ERA and 1.27 WHIP this year, allowing just one run in four straight starts. Stone also has a 1.38 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in that four-start span, posting a 3-0 record. All you need is a quality start for a Dodgers pitcher to pick up a win, which looks likely since Stone faces Cincinnati and Arizona. The Reds have the fewest runs in baseball over the last three weeks, while Stone will likely be a -175 favorite in a home matchup with the Diamondbacks.
Saves
It feels disgusting to recommend a Rockies pitcher, but saves are saves. Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley have blown their chances to be the closer, allowing Jalen Beeks to pick up four saves in his last five appearances. He recorded three saves in four days this last week, providing a 2.21 ERA and 1.18 WHIP for the year. Those are phenomenal peripherals from a player who’s not rostered anywhere, especially since Beeks will get the bulk of the saves moving forward. This is playing with fire, but this is the best option for saves if you’re desperate.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
