Welcome back to another edition of the top MLB waiver wire pickups. It’s All-Star week and even though games are on hold, fantasy waiver wire pickups and strategy never take a break. There’s plenty to choose from this week and much to cover so let’s get right to it.
All players listed are rostered in 50% or less of Yahoo Leagues and can help you right now. They’ve also never appeared in this column before. Most options grant long-term value as well so analyze your team’s needs and make the necessary addition. There should be something for everyone so enjoy the festivities and happy bidding!
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets
Luis Gil (SP – NYY): 34%
Luis Gil is still a few weeks away from returning but there is good news on the horizon. Gil starts his rehab assignment this weekend and for those of you in leagues where guys get snatched up quickly, you may want to put in an advanced bid now. Gil could be the type of pitcher that pushes you over the top before season’s end.
Few were better in the first half last year, as Gil won 10 games for the Yankees over 19 starts. He held opponents to a league-best .171 batting average during that span, while also striking out 10.4 batters per 9. He took a step back in the second half as it was his first full season (fatigue played a part), but Gil still finished with a palatable 4.20 ERA over his final 10 starts.
Gil arguably possesses the most upside of any arm left unclaimed so if you’ve got the room to stash him, now would be the time.
Trevor Rogers (SP – BAL): 46%
After a rough seven starts during his initial call-up in 2020, Rogers took the league by storm the following year in his rookie campaign. The tall left-hander concluded with a 2.64 ERA and a 10.62 K/9. He was an early-round fantasy pick in 2022, but the wheels fell off as he finished with a tepid 5.47 ERA and only four wins.
After a few injury-plagued seasons and plenty of Minor League retooling starts, Rogers seems to be in peak form once again. Over six games this season, the former first-rounder has held opponents to just six earned runs (1.53 ERA) and a 0.82 WHIP. He’s averaging over five strikeouts a game and has only surrendered one home run.
I was a bit surprised to see Rogers’ reemergence so I glanced through his analytics. For starters, Rogers has cut down on his line drive rate significantly. No longer is he leaving balls down the middle of the plate that were getting stung. His barrel rates are also down to what they were back in 2021. Another glaring strength has been his ability to routinely produce lazy popups in the infield. Rogers hasn’t changed his repertoire much, but he is locating much better and throwing his fastball more up in the zone creating weak contact.
With that considered and the results he has already posted, Rogers is a great candidate for continued success. He’s closing in on must-start status for the second half of the season.
Adrian Houser (SP, RP – CWS): 35%
Like Rogers, Adrian Houser has also been a nice surprise. The former Brewer has pitched brilliantly for the ChiSox, registering an impressive 1.56 ERA over nine starts. Eight of the nine have qualified as quality starts and in his latest two outings he lasted over 15 innings.
The late bloomer has been holding down some of the league’s best as well. Houser shut down the Mets at home, beat the Blue Jays twice, and held the Rockies to zero earned runs through eight innings at Coors Field.
Houser’s gone more with the offspeed stuff this year and it seems to be working. The 32-year-old has been excellent at keeping the ball in the yard (just two homers allowed) and at producing ground balls. He’s a likely trade target for plenty of top-tier teams so his situation could also be improving in the near future. He’s worth taking a shot at with Chicago set to face Pittsburgh after the break.
Masataka Yoshida (OF – BOS): 7%
Masataka Yoshida came off the IL earlier this week and started three out of the last four games. With Jarren Duran trade rumors swirling, it may be just a matter of time until Yoshida is penciled into a regular role. With enough playing time, he offers a solid average with a decent amount of RBIs and runs scored. Yoshida is already four for 10 with an RBI, run, and stolen base. If he continues to warm up, a few homers and another handful of steals could come your way. He also qualifies for the outfield in Yahoo leagues but check your league’s eligibility because he may only be allowed at DH/UTL.
Sean Manaea (SP – NYM): 7%
Sean Manaea is back and is set to piggyback Clay Holmes‘ start Sunday afternoon. Manaea was an ace of sorts last year for the Mets and is finally ready to make his 2025 debut. His rehab starts haven’t exactly gone as planned and his role is also still a bit undefined. However, with so many other starters ailing, it’s almost a sure bet he’ll be back to starting every five days.
You might have to be patient with the six-foot-five southpaw, but the rewards could be fruitful. Manaea is worth a look in deeper leagues.
Ha-Seong Kim (SS – TB): 7%
Ha-Seong Kim came off the injured list last week and has started four out of the last five days. He can do a bit of everything on the baseball diamond but his greatest asset is his speed. If there was any trepidation that his previous injury may prevent him from stealing, Kim put those worries to rest as he stole six bases during his rehab assignment, and has already attempted two in the Majors. He also scored twice, clubbed a homer, knocked in two, and collected five hits in five games.
Brandon Lowe just went on the IL with an oblique injury so Kim will likely have a long leash. Even when Lowe returns, Kim should continue to start at shortstop. The former Padre is worth a look for those struggling to fill their middle infielder (MI) position.
Cam Schlittler (SP – NYY): 20%
The Yankees will add at the deadline but Cam Schlittler has a great chance at sticking around. Filling in for the recently Tommy John’ed Clark Schmidt, Schlittler looked solid striking out seven over 5.1 innings in his debut against Seattle. He picked up the win in that game but also surrendered a pair of home runs.
Schlittler is the Yankees’ fifth-ranked prospect according to Fangraphs and has performed well in the Minor Leagues. He’s a six-foot-six righty who averages 98 miles per hour on his fastball and strikes out well over a batter per inning. He deserves your attention in most leagues.
Brice Matthews (3B, SS – HOU): 8%
Matthews possesses some decent upside but for now, he’s best left for those in deeper formats. The former first-round pick and current top 100 prospect has speed to burn, walks a ton, but also whiffs a bunch. With so much swing and miss to his game, there will likely be a heavy adjustment period for the young infielder, but there’s still plenty to like.
Matthews utilizes a keen eye at the dish which allows him to reach base via the walk. He then uses his legs often to swipe second. The 23-year-old has racked up 55 stolen bases over the last year and a half while also mashing 25 home runs. He can also hit a little with a cumulative .273 average over the last two seasons.
Matthews was the Astros’ first-round pick just two years ago and now he joins Cam Smith (also a first-rounder) to form a dynamic rookie duo. Look Matthews’ way in 14+ leagues.
Colt Keith (1B, 2B, 3B – DET): 29%
Colt Keith has been on the fantasy radar for some time now. He excelled in the Minors, but in the Show, whenever he seems to find his groove, the young infielder falls into another prolonged slump. However, this time feels different.
Keith is mashing the ball with authority, averaging over 92 miles per hour exit velo this month. He’s already collected eight runs, two homers, and five RBI in July and has been hot since raking in the double header versus Pittsburgh back on June 19. Keith’s gone 22-for-70 (.314 BA) during that span with four home runs and 11 RBI. He is currently leading off for the AL Central-leading Tigers and qualifies at multiple positions. If you require an infielder, look Keith’s way.
Romy Gonzalez (1B, 2B, 3B, SS – BOS): 35%
Romy Gonzalez has zero track record but there’s no denying what he’s done this season. The Red Sox front office was blasted by fans after stating they could get by with the tandem of Gonzalez and Abraham Toro at first base. However, as baseball sometimes goes, the unlikely pair have been two of their best hitters.
Gonzalez still isn’t starting regularly but few in the game have been as hot. The 28-year-old is now up to a .333 batting average on the season after garnering 16 hits over his last nine games. Gonzalez has also registered 28 RBI and 26 runs scored despite just 151 plate appearances. That works out to over 100 RBIs and 100 runs with 600 plate appearances for those of you keeping score. His BABIP (balls in play) average is extremely high (.407) and will eventually come down but he’s made good use of the Green Monster in left collecting 23 extra base hits already.
Like Keith, Gonzalez also qualifies all over the diamond. He is a nice fill-in for those with a need in deeper leagues.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.
