This has been one of my favorite articles to write all season, and it’s genuinely helped me look at fantasy baseball differently. I used to believe that you could only stream pitchers for wins and strikeouts, but I’ve taken a whole new approach with the nature of this article. Whenever I help myself by writing an article, I know I’m doing something right, and I feel grateful to be able to give insight on which players to stream for every individual category.
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.
- Weekly Trade Value Chart
- Weekly Waiver Wire Advice
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- Weekly Fantasy Baseball Content
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 21)
Home Runs
Kerry Carpenter (OF – DET): 58%
Kerry Carpenter was forced to the waiver wire because of a stress fracture in his back two months ago, but this dude looks healthy now. The outfielder has homered three times in his first four games back and now has 31 homers across 172 games since the start of last year. A .504 career slugging rate (SLG) is difficult to find on the waiver wire, and it looks even better since he faces five righties this week. Carpenter has compiled a .662 SLG and 1.025 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor this season. Not to mention he doesn’t face anyone who has a roster percentage above 70%.
RBI
Josh Lowe (OF – TB): 53%
I still believe in Josh Lowe despite having a nightmarish season. What I care about is that this guy is fully healthy and still batting cleanup whenever the Rays face a righty. That’s beneficial this week because Tampa is projected to face six righties in this seven-game week. He also gets four of those against a 25th-ranked Oakland staff and two of the others against a Dodgers group that’s falling apart. Batting cleanup puts Lowe in a prime spot for RBI opportunities with this favorable schedule, especially since Lowe has a .417 on-base percentage (OBP), .628 SLG and 1.045 OPS across his last 14 games. He also has a .487 SLG and .836 OPS against righties since the start of last year. He could also be a sneaky source for steals, picking one up in six straight games.
Runs
This one is scary, but Alex Verdugo has hit leadoff in five of NY’s last six games. Hitting leadoff in front of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge is probably the best opportunity to score runs in MLB, especially since Verdugo has been hitting .274 throughout his career. We also don’t mind that Verudgo has all six games in Yankee Stadium because NY should be one of the highest-projected lineups of the week. It’s not like the opposition worries us, facing Bradley Blalock, Kyle Freeland, Austin Gomber, Alex Cobb, Gavin Williams and Matthew Boyd.
Batting Average
Spencer Horwitz (2B – TOR): 12%
Spencer Horwitz isn’t the most exciting fantasy option, but this guy is solid. He’s been hitting fourth behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for a month, maintaining a .265 batting average (AVG), .356 OBP and .766 OPS. Those are all above-average numbers, but he has an even higher floor when looking at his minor-league averages. Horwitz had a .305 AVG, .420 OBP and .894 OPS throughout his minor league career. That ability makes it difficult for him to fade in a seven-game week, facing weak pitching staffs like the Angels and Reds.
Steals
Jose Caballero (2B, SS, 3B – TB): 40%
We’ve had Jose Caballero in this article numerous times this season, and it’s hard to understand why he’s still so widely available. The utility man has been playing nearly every day over the last month, recording four steals over his previous 10 outings. That has him up to 32 swipes on the year, one of MLB’s highest totals. The schedule only adds to his intrigue because he has seven games and faces the subpar pitching staffs mentioned in the Lowe write-up.
ERA
Javier Assad (SP – CHC): 26% (vs. DET, at MIA)
It isn’t easy to get excited about Javier Assad since he never clears the sixth inning, but he should provide a solid ERA across 8-12 innings this week. That’s what he’s been doing since entering the rotation last season, registering a 3.11 career ERA. What’s also incredible is that Assad has only allowed more than three runs in four starts since the start of last season. That’s what you’re looking for from an ERA helper, and he couldn’t have better matchups either. Detroit ranks 21st in runs scored and 28th in OBP, while Miami sits 29th in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA and xwOBA.
Strikeouts
Edward Cabrera (SP – MIA): 17% (vs. ARI, vs. CHC)
Edward Cabrera will likely hurt your WHIP with his wild stuff, but there aren’t many better bets for strikeouts in a two-start week. Despite posting an ugly 5.76 ERA and 1.50 WHIP, Cabrera has 291 strikeouts across 257 career innings. He’s also got a 10.6 K/9 rate this season and should benefit since he has two home starts in a spacious stadium like Marlins Park. Cabrera has a 3.56 ERA and 1.27 WHIP at home throughout his career. These two offenses can be scary, but neither will be projected to score much more than five runs in a place like Marlins Park. If we get 10-12 innings from Cabrera, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him strike out 15 batters.
WHIP
Kyle Harrison (SP – SF): 45% (vs. CWS, at SEA)
This is my favorite two-start streamer of the week. Kyle Harrison has quietly had a solid career in San Francisco, sporting a 4.14 ERA and 1.27 WHIP since his call-up last season. We love that when examining his recent form he registered a 3.86 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 9.8 K/9 rate across his last six starts. The ability to limit baserunners is what makes him attractive to lower your WHIP, allowing just 32 hits across his last 40 innings. That should be easy to duplicate since he has two of the best matchups in two of the best parks in baseball. Chicago sits last in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA and xwOBA, while Seattle ranks 27th in runs scored, 28th in wOBA and dead-last in strikeout rate.
Wins
Gavin Stone (SP -LAD): 56% (vs. SEA, vs. TB)
Finding a Dodgers pitcher on the waiver wire is usually impossible, but Gavin Stone has been dropped because of some recent struggles. We will overlook that because Stone still has a 3.63 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in a breakout campaign. More importantly, he has a 10-5 record thanks to one of the best offenses in baseball. That’s why he’s an ideal bet for at least one win this week, getting two home matchups against two of the worst offenses in baseball. We already talked about Seattle, but Tampa ranks 23rd in strikeout rate, 28th in runs scored and 25th in wOBA. All of that will have Stone entering both of these matchups as a -150 favorite or higher.
Saves
Seranthony Dominguez (RP – BAL): 25%
Finding a closer for Baltimore could be one of the biggest finds of the season. Craig Kimbrel is doing everything possible to give this job to someone else, posting a 10.24 ERA and 2.38 WHIP over the last month. That’s taken away ninth-inning duties from the former closer, and it looks like Seranthony Dominguez will be the guy after acquiring him from Philly. Dominguez has the last two saves for the O’s and has pitched the ninth inning in almost every game over the last two weeks.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.