Welcome to the Waiver Wire Picks, our daily fantasy baseball article that looks at the best players in baseball that 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, and we’ll also look at the most added players in fantasy baseball across the major sites, and let you know which players to add, and which players you can leave on the wire.
Top Priority Players to Add
Noelvi Marte (CIN) – 3B (Yahoo! – 28%)
Marte returned from the injured list last week, and he’s looking mighty healthy already. He’s seven for his last 29 with three home runs and a steal in the previous week. His slash line on the season sits at .284/.337/.547 with six homers and five stolen bases in 28 games, on pace for nearly a 30/30 season. That doesn’t sound like a player who should be 28% rostered to me.
Marte brings incredible physical ability to the table, with a sprint speed in the 93rd percentile and a max exit velocity of 116.7 mph (15th highest this season). Marte has had a rocky major league career, but his minor league career was excellent, and he has room to grow at 23 years old. His elite prospect status understandably took a hit after his PED suspension, but right now he’s playing like he never needed them. He should be rostered in all league sizes, but there’s enough risk that I wouldn’t hold on too tight if he doesn’t pan out.
Ha-Seong Kim (TBR) – SS (Yahoo! – 7%)
Kim missed most of the season recovering from shoulder surgery. He’s not exactly lighting the world on fire, batting .227 with one home run and one steal in six games this season. Kim was excellent in 2023, belting 17 homers, stealing 38 bases, and slashing .260/.351/.398. His power and speed aren’t overwhelming, but he has enough of each to post results in all categories. I don’t imagine he’ll have an All-Star caliber season, but he’ll play every day and help in every category. He has one start at second base and could easily gain eligibility there, too. He was rostered in most leagues last year, and I don’t think this season should be any different.
Nick Kurtz (ATH) – 1B (Yahoo! – 58%)
Kurtz has been a frequent flyer in the Waiver Wire column, yet he’s still just 58% rostered. I understand the rookie risk, but he’s living up to his huge potential in a way few other rookies are. He has 12 home runs and a .295 average in the last month, making him one of the most productive batters in that time. He’s tied for the most homers since June 15 with none other than Home Run Derby Champ Cal Raleigh. The strikeout rate is still high at 33.2%, but the results speak for themselves. He’ll likely be a streaky hitter this year, carrying a K-rate that high, but he could just as easily adjust to big-league pitching and get the strikeouts in check. Kurtz should be rostered everywhere; he’s playing like a bona fide league winner.
Yahoo! and ESPN Most Added Players
Yahoo!
Luis Gil and Zebby Matthews should be healthy not long after the All-Star break. Gil is the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, but he wasn’t exactly an ace with a 3.50 ERA. He’s worth a look if you need an arm in a deeper league, but there are better options out there in shallow leagues. Matthews posted a 1.72 ERA in eight starts at Triple-A this year, though the results didn’t fully translate. He has a 5.21 ERA in the majors, but there should be better days ahead.
Kyle Stowers is having a fantastic season in Marlins obscurity. 19 homers, a .293 average, what more do you need?
Eury Perez has locked in, posting a 2.32 ERA in the last month. His first few games were somewhere between okay to disastrous, but he’s looking better by the day. He should be rostered in all league types.
Sean Manaea is easing his way back into the rotation. He pitched 3.1 frames in relief, giving up one earned run. It’s hard to know which version of Manaea we’ll get: 2024’s with a 3.47 ERA, or 2023’s with a 4.44 ERA. He’s worth a speculative add if you’re desperate, but I think there are better options out there.
ESPN
Ceddanne Rafaela is impossible to deny, on pace for a 25/25 season with a .270 average. He’s not a Statcast darling like Stowers, but he’s got enough of everything to be relevant in all leagues. It’s worth noting that most of his production (including eight of his 14 homers) has come in the last month.
Brandon Woodruff has two starts under his belt, one better than the other. His season ERA sits at 2.61, and he has 18 strikeouts in 10.1 innings pitched. He’s a clear add everywhere.
Brayan Bello has a 3.14 ERA on the season, but I have trouble buying in. He doesn’t look that different from last year when he posted a 4.49 ERA, and he has had enough rough starts this season that I would rather stay away.
Lucas Giolito is a bit more convincing than Bello. The results are similar, with Giolito putting up a 3.36 ERA in 13 games. I’m not sold on him either, but I’d rather roll the dice here than on Bello.
All-Star Zach McKinstry rounds out the most-added players on ESPN. McKinstry has been on a month-long power binge, adding five home runs in the last 30 days to bring his season total to eight. His 133 wRC+ this season is the first time in his career that he’s broken the 100 mark. It’s been a breakout year for McKinstry, but he’s more of a premium bench bat than a superstar.
Streaming Pitchers
Check out Nick Pollack’s SP Streamer Rankings for breakdowns and recommendations for every start.
José Soriano (LAA) – SP (Yahoo! – 39%)
It’s been an up-and-down month for Soriano. He was roughed up by the Nationals and Rangers, but blanked the Braves and handled the Diamondbacks. He lines up for a start in Philadelphia on Friday, and he should have enough rest for his stuff to shine.
Speculative Adds
Sawyer Gipson-Long (DET) – SP (Yahoo! – 1%)
Gipson-Long failed to impress in his first stint in the majors this season, with a 4.70 ERA in 23 innings. He hit the IL with a neck strain, but is already throwing rehab starts, pitching 4.2 frames of no-hit ball in his most recent outing. He has a 1.61 ERA in six starts in the minors this year, and that’s what I’m interested in chasing. The reason that he’s a speculative add instead of a priority is that he doesn’t have a guaranteed spot in the rotation. Keider Montero isn’t a lock to keep his spot by any means, and Gipson-Long could find himself back in the rotation before long. At just 1% rostered and IL-eligible, Gipson-Long is a strong dart throw.
