Welcome to another fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups by category column. Last week, a few recommended players really made me look good. We’ll look to keep the good times rolling this week as we break down a few more potential adds.
This weekly piece covers players who can help in at least one specific category. For example, if your team is scoring plenty of runs and hitting for a strong average but struggling to steal bases, you can scroll directly to the stolen bases section for a targeted pickup.
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer
- Best Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Tools
- Fantasy Baseball Lineup Assistant
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
While most of these players will contribute across multiple categories, their primary value comes from the one they’re listed under. I also rarely repeat players week to week, so it’s not a bad idea to read previous articles to see if any of those players are still available.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups by Category
Without further delay, here are this week’s top fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups by category. Nearly all players listed are rostered in fewer than 45% of Yahoo leagues.
Batting Average
Steven Kwan (OF – CLE): 52%
Steven Kwan had an awful first half of the season, but he’s starting to look like the hitter we’ve all come to expect. One of the best pure contact bats in baseball over the past few years, Kwan has finally begun to heat up.
Over the last three weeks, the Guardians outfielder is hitting north of .330 with more walks than strikeouts. His elite bat-to-ball skills have returned, and with it comes a stable floor that you can rely on. While he’s never going to provide huge power numbers, Kwan offers a strong batting average to go along with a sizable amount of runs and a handful of stolen bases.
Kwan is quickly getting added, so if you’re trying to stabilize your batting average heading into the stretch run, make the move sooner rather than later.
RBI
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (1B, 3B – BAL): 18%
Christian Encarnacion-Strand has had a tough road early in his career, bouncing around and struggling to find consistency, but things are finally starting to look up. Now settled into a regular role in Baltimore, Encarnacion-Strand is beginning to tap into the power that made him such an intriguing prospect.
In six games since joining the Orioles, Encarnacion-Strand has driven in nine runs while hitting in the heart of the order. He’s launched three homers and is hitting .370. He was producing in the minors and could be here to stay this time. The slugging infielder is not without risk, but for those in need of RBI production, Encarnacion-Strand offers legitimate upside.
Runs
Ty France (1B – SDP): 31%
Unfortunately, things haven’t gone smoothly in the Majors, but suddenly at 32 years old, Ty France is mashing like he’s back in the minors.
Earning an everyday job in San Diego and recently working as their cleanup hitter, France has gone 36-for-105 (.353) over the last six weeks. He’s launched 10 homers during that span and has knocked in 27 runs. France is also scoring a ton lately, racking up 10 runs over his last 11 games.
France has easily been the Padres’ best hitter of late and can help boost four of the five main categories for you. He needs to be added ASAP.
Home Runs
Joc Pederson (DH – TEX): 4%
No one seems to want Joc Pederson. Despite putting up top-75 offensive numbers over the past two months, fantasy managers still haven’t fully bought in.
For those who actually did, the production has been outstanding. Over the last 60 days, Pederson has slugged .639 with 16 home runs, placing him among the elite power hitters in baseball during that stretch. He’s continued the surge recently, hitting .320 over the last 15 days while adding five more long balls.
Pederson even chipped in a few steals lately and continues to score runs at a strong clip while leading off for Texas. The combination of power and opportunity makes Pederson too valuable to continue to ignore, even if he is limited to a utility spot in most formats.
Stolen Bases
Angel Martinez (OF, 2B – CLE): 12%
Angel Martinez was just activated from the injured list (IL) and should slide back into near everyday playing time. It may take him a week or two to regain his timing, but the speedy outfielder can help you across the board when healthy.
With plus-speed and an aggressive base running style, Martinez can quickly rack up stolen bases. The upcoming schedule also works in his favor, with several matchups against teams that struggle to control the running game.
If you’re behind in steals, Martinez is the type of player who can make up ground quickly. He’s a speculative add in shallower formats but should be rostered in deeper leagues where stolen bases are harder to find.
Wins
Roki Sasaki (SP – LAD): 43%
Roki Sasaki is starting to look like the breakout arm many were hoping for earlier in the season. His velocity has ticked back up, now averaging close to 100 miles per hour (MPH) on his fastball, and the results are encouraging.
Over his last four starts, Sasaki has picked up three wins while striking out 28 batters across 24 innings. The command has improved, and he’s pitching with far more confidence on the mound.
Earlier in the season, inconsistency and some rough outings scared fantasy managers away. That’s still reflected in his availability, but the underlying skills suggest this is a different version of the pitcher. The increased velocity and sharper secondary pitches give him legitimate swing-and-miss upside.
If you’re looking for wins with strikeout potential, Sasaki is a strong second-half target who could end up being a difference-maker.
WHIP
Gabriel Hughes (SP – COL): 2%
Gabriel Hughes isn’t a household name yet, but he may soon be. The former 10th overall pick in the 2022 MB Draft has been excellent to start his MLB career.
Across his last four starts, Hughes has been fantastic at limiting traffic, allowing just 16 hits and six walks over 19.1 innings, good for a 1.14 WHIP. He’s allowed just one barrel and zero home runs during that span, and is striking out nearly a batter per inning.
Hughes offers five different pitches, highlighted by a slider with sharp movement and a fastball he places well. His aggressive windup stride helps the velocity play up more.
At 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds, Hughes has a strong, durable frame and looks every bit the part on the mound. He’s also shown the ability to generate a decent amount of ground balls. In his most recent outing, he held the Nationals’ leading offense to just one run, with the only blemish coming on a sacrifice fly.
Hughes is still widely available, but if he continues to limit walks and keep the ball in the yard, he won’t be for long. Adding a Rockies pitcher is always scary, but for those looking to improve their WHIP, he’s a sneaky good add.
ERA
Kyle Leahy (SP – STL): 35%
I’ve mentioned Kyle Leahy before, and not much has changed — he’s still widely available and producing.
Over his last five outings, Leahy has been excellent, going 2-0 with a 1.44 ERA and 26 strikeouts across 25 innings. He’s allowed just four earned runs during that span while limiting baserunners and missing plenty of bats.
The recent stretch includes multiple strong starts, including six innings of one-run ball against the Angels and another five scoreless frames against the Cubs. He even capped it off with a nine-strikeout performance in his most recent outing, continuing to show an ability to generate swings and misses when he needs it most.
Leahy isn’t overpowering, but he mixes his pitches well and has done a great job of keeping hitters off balance. While some underlying metrics suggest there could be mild regression, the current form is hard to ignore.
Strikeouts
Ronel Blanco (SP – HOU): 11%
Ronel Blanco has been a reliable source of strikeouts over the past couple of seasons, and he picked up right where he left off in his return from injury. In his first outing back, he punched out eight batters over 4.2 innings, showing he can still be elite.
The swing-and-miss stuff is still there, highlighted by a fastball that plays well up in the zone and a breaking ball that generates plenty of whiffs. As long as he’s healthy, Blanco should continue to rack up strikeouts at a strong rate.
Blanco did take a step back in his most recent outing against the White Sox, but my money is on him bouncing back nicely in his next trip to Texas. If you need help in the strikeout category, Blanco is a solid addition with the potential for consistent production.
Saves
Jordan Romano (RP – COL): 7%
With saves at a premium, there’s little available on waivers. Thankfully, Jordan Romano has come to save us all, and is a solid target when it comes to fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.
Romano has quietly picked up four saves this month for Colorado and appears to be the preferred option in the ninth inning. While the Rockies don’t provide a ton of save opportunities, the games they do win are often close, which keeps Romano in the mix.
He’s far from a sure thing, and pitching in Colorado always comes with risk, but an opportunity is all we can ask for when looking for saves. If you’re desperate or looking for a third closer, Romano is a viable low-end option who can help you chip away at the category.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.
