Welcome to the Waiver Wire Picks, our daily fantasy baseball article that looks at the best players you should be adding to your rosters. We’ll look at the players that are likely to be available in most leagues, as well as some deep league waiver wire 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
Jackson Holliday (BAL) – 2B, SS (Yahoo – 27%)
The Stillwater Stinger’s son felt like an ideal post-hype breakout candidate after posting a .689 OPS across his first full season, which wasn’t all that bad, considering it also came with 17 home runs and 17 stolen bases. Regardless, his roster rate on Yahoo has dipped to below 30% after slashing .204/ .290/ .409 across 107 PAs. But let’s be patient and remember he’s 22 and his season was torpedoed by right hamate surgery; the latter has often proved a tricky thing to recover from. In addition to a pesky groin injury, Holliday has also lost some at-bats to left-handers, which undoubtedly led to some fantasy managers pulling the plug and looking for something more tempting on the wire.
But I have my doubts that the Orioles have committed to plunging him into a strict platoon, not even four years after making him the first overall pick. And, hey, not for nothing, yesterday’s home run came against left-hander Mitchell Parker. Holliday’s breakout potential isn’t gone; rather, it feels like he has barely had enough time to get his sealegs under him. The upcoming series against a beatable White Sox staff at home in Camden Yards, which remains a terrific spot for lefty power, will give him a decent opportunity to get rolling. Let’s see what he can do.
Jake McCarthy (COL) – OF (Yahoo – 26%)
Unlike Holliday, McCarthy probably doesn’t offer breakout potential as a 28-year-old with a 99 wRC+ across nearly 1,700 PAs. However, as we know, speed kills, and McCarthy has that in spades, with 96 SBs across 499 games. He also has a clear role as the Rockies’ leadoff hitter against RHP (he has hit sixth lately against LHP). Meanwhile, the visiting Marlins’ pitching staff will afford McCarthy a chance to open the week with four games at Coors Field against right-handers. Treat what would be McCarthy’s career high .305 average and 116 wRC+ as a Vargas rule of sorts and pluck him off the wire as a pretty decent short-term third outfielder, with the Rockies also hosting the Giants later this week.
Kyle Teel (CWS) – C (Yahoo – 19%)
Teel has gone 4-for-13 since returning from the IL last Wednesday. His first taste of the big leagues last year yielded a .273/ .375/ .411 slash in just under 300 PAs. His sky-high prospect pedigree suggests a legitimate shot at becoming a top-ten, if not even top-five catcher in the not-too-distant future, and I’d be pretty surprised if we don’t see his roster rate soar after this upcoming series in Camden Yards against a really shaky Orioles staff.
Yahoo and ESPN Most Added Players
Kyle Leahy earned his sixth win yesterday by holding the Marlins to one run over five innings. He hasn’t really given us much reason to be excited with a 4.09 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, and 10% K-BB over 16 starts. Although, his 96th percentile extension is kinda neat.
Luinder Avila had earned two wins in a row before getting pummeled by the White Sox yeterday at Guaranteed Rate Field. The 24-year-old right-hander will tote a 5.40 ERA and 1.67 WHIP into his next start in Kauffman Stadium next weekend against the Phillies. Yeah, that doesn’t seem like a recommended play, right?
Mitch Keller got the job done yesterday, holding the Reds to four runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk while bagging his ninth QS. He can be a useful innings-eater in points leagues, but that’s about it. His next start in Washington doesn’t sound like too much fun, if you ask me.
Jack Flaherty demonstrated he can still miss bats yesterday, piling up nine strikeouts againt the Astros. He also didn’t allow a run, lowering his ERA to under 5.00. He’ll face the Rangers next weekend in Globe Life Field and feels little more than a desperation play for a few strikeouts.
Anthony Kay received plenty of clicks for his start against the Royals, but it didn’t go well; he allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk, while failing to escape the fourth. He owns a 4.50 ERA and 1.43 WHIP across 80 IP. His next start on the road in Cleveland might be decent, considering he just handled them last Monday. Still, there’s no reason to hold onto him.
Robbie Ray got 24 outs for the second consecutive start, this time against the Braves at home in Oracle Park. His 21.9% K rate remains disappointing, but the recent results have him back in good graces. He’s 44th on The List.
Luis García Jr. Jr. earned top billing in yesterday’s column, and, sure enough, he hit two more dingers against the Orioles. The 26-year-old lefty owns a career high .850 OPS and his 16 home runs are just two shy of his career high. A steady contributor in what has become a potent Nats lineup, García’s only clear drawback is the lack of walks.
Brady Singer was terrific last Monday against the Brewers at home in the Great American Small Park, and then, he got wrecked by the Pirates in Pittsburgh yesterday. Yep, that just about sums up the Singer experience.
Category Specific Players to Add
Jorge Soler (LAA) – OF (Yahoo – 15%)
The 34-year-old slugger is hitting just .222 with a 31.8% K rate, but he has knocked a pair of home runs since returning from a strained oblique on Monday.
Streaming Pitchers
Be sure to check Nick’s daily SP streamers article.
Today:
Robert Gasser (MIL) – SP (Yahoo – 5%) vs CIN
The Brewers are sticking to a six-man rotation, giving Gasser a chance to build upon a great start against the Braves in Atlanta last Sunday, which yielded a season-high seven strikeouts. He doesn’t have an exciting arsenal, but the matchup against the Reds at home is ripe for the picking.
Tomorrow:
Brandon Sproat (MIL) – SP (Yahoo – 8%) vs CIN
The former Met prospect has largely struggled, posting a 5.43 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 69.2 IP with the Brewers. However, don’t let the awful results fool you: he has a pretty intriguing arsenal with three different fastballs, a changeup, and two breakers that have each yielded a whiff rate of over 30%. Simply put, he’s got some pretty good tools. His latest start against the Reds ended with a career-high 10 strikeouts. His next start will be at home against the Reds tomorrow, and I’m not sure I’d want him on someone else’s roster for that one.
Deep League Players to Watch
Dylan Beavers (BAL) – OF (Yahoo – 1%)
Beavers, 24, finally returned from a stint on the IL with a strained oblique on Sunday. His minor league handiwork suggests some power/speed potential, and he should be in the lineup against most right-handers. It stands to reason that the Orioles will give him a long leash in the second half of what looks like another lost season.
