Welcome to the Waiver Wire Picks, our daily fantasy baseball article that reviews the best players to add to your rosters. We’ll look at players who are likely available in most leagues, as well as some deep-league options. We’ll also look at the most-added players in fantasy baseball across the major sites and tell you which players to add and which to leave on the wire.
Top Priority Players to Add
Alejandro Kirk (TOR) – C (Yahoo – 50%)
Guess who has the ninth-best OPS among qualified hitters over the last month? Hey, how did ya know?! That’s .980 in case you were wondering. Captain Kirk kept his 12-game hitting streak alive yesterday and, if his 112 Process is any indication, he has a realistic chance at being a top-eight catcher the rest of the way. He’s hitting third and walking more than he’s striking out. He just can’t run much. Oh well, we can deal with that.
Andrew Painter (PHI) – SP (Yahoo – 13%)
Painter has, for the most part, taken it on the chin all year, but he showed something big Saturday night, with a career-high 100 pitches and 20 whiffs. The performance earned Nick’s lede yesterday, and yeah, if you’re thinking this is a flash-in-the-pan, think again. To summarize: the heater is the best we’ve seen from him, with pLV Stuff+ grading it at 120 for the second consecutive performance. The switch has been flipped, and we are beginning to see why scouts considered him one of the brightest pitching prospects in baseball not that long ago. Get him while you can.
Jacob Lopez (A’s) – SP (Yahoo – 27%)
Forgive me. But I’m obliged to steal someone else from yesterday’s SP Roundup. Simply put, J-Lo has been too good to ignore. How good? How about a 2.91 ERA over his last nine starts? Is that good enough for you!? Why are you yelling? Because I wish he were on a better team so more people would notice. Phew, ok, that’s out of my system.
Yahoo and ESPN Most Added Players
Pat yourself on the back if you plugged in Cal Quantrill; he got the job done with a QS against the Halos, but there is no reason to hold for another turn against the Brewers this weekend. Walker Buehler nailed his third consecutive QS. But one look at his pitch quality metrics would have me counting my lucky stars and cutting bait. I wish I could believe his renaissance is real, but I can’t. Mitch Bratt had a second short outing against the Reds at home. And he recorded just four whiffs in 69 pitches. Yep, I think we can move on. Javier Sanoja earned yesterday’s spotlight. His eligibility and 8.5% K rate make him a great fit for points leagues. Tomokuki Sugano has had some moments this season, but yesterday against the Guardians, sans Ramírez at Coors, was not one of them.
Kyle Leahy had turned some heads recently, but the Cards yanked him yesterday after just 63 pitches. Unfortunately, it looks like he won’t be a worthwhile option the rest of the way. Jake Bennett had his best start in a while, silencing the Giants across seven innings. He’s not a must-roster option, but his next start could be decent, considering that he will have the platoon advantage against a left-handed-heavy Yankee lineup. Carlos Rodón needed 76 pitches to get 12 outs yesterday against the Jays during his second start since returning from the IL (elbow). He should be rostered in all leagues despite the slow ramp-up. Tyler Mahle had his most forgettable outing as a Brave yesterday, but it was still good enough to pocket his fifth win. His mid-season revival tour will continue with a home date against the Rockies. He’s 57th on The List and should be rostered in most leagues.
Streaming Pitchers
Be sure to check Nick’s daily SP streamers article.
Today:
José Urquidy (CWS) – SP (Yahoo – 1%) vs. TEX
Well, here’s someone we haven’t seen in a while. Urquidy earned a King Cole last Wednesday during his second appearance since returning from elbow surgery. Here I must confess: he threw 68 pitches following an opener, so he’s not entirely stretched out. But his efficiency last week was so good that I’m obliged to spin the wheel again.
Tomorrow:
Andrew Alvarez (WAS) – SP (Yahoo – 6%) vs. COL
No, I can’t say Alvarez’s 11.2% K-BB% excites me. But he could be a playable streamer against the Road Rockies. However, just know that the Nats have had him on a pretty tight leash at around 80 pitches. If he does alright, he could also get another good matchup this weekend against the Fish.
Deep League Players to Watch
Ildemaro Vargas (ARI) – 1B, 2B, 3B (Yahoo – 10%)
Marte’s absence has pressed the veteran switch-hitter into a more prominent role. He’s hit leadoff in four of the last six games, and as we saw earlier, he can be a useful stopgap, especially in points leagues.
Henry Bolte (A’s) – OF (Yahoo – 9%)
The 23-year-old rookie has treaded water with a .714 OPS, but injuries have launched him to the top of the order. He has also stolen 14 bases, and the A’s are at home this week.
Moisés Ballesteros (LAA) – C (Yahoo – 3%)
Don’t look now, but Mo Baller has notched multi-hit performances in three of his last four games. He should be rostered in two-catcher leagues.
