| 7:31 |
: Welcome, here are the winning bids for the two 15-team Tout Wars leagues.
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| 7:31 |
:
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| 7:31 |
: harrison or roupp in a qs league?
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| 7:31 |
: Roupp and it’s not close right now.
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| 7:32 |
: Deep 12 team mixed…please pick two of Carlos Correa, J Pena, Okamoto and J Polanco. Thank you!
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| 7:32 |
: Deep?
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Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
In the article, I cover the players using CBS’s and Yahoo’s ADD/DROP rates. Both sites have the option for daily and weekly waiver wire adds. CBS uses a weekly change while Yahoo looks at the last 24 hours. Yahoo is a great snapshot of right now, while CBS ensures hot targets from early in the week aren’t missed. I start players being added at CBS who started the week on less than 40% of rosters.
The players are ordered for redraft leagues by my rest-of-season preference, grouped by hitters, starters, and relievers.
Jordan Walker: Remains a must roster in all formats with the improved Contact% (66% to 70%) and fewer groundballs (48% to 36%).
Cole Young: Playing every game while hitting .265/.333/.469 with 2 HR.
Troy Johnston: Solid bat (.310/.356/.524, 2 HR) who is about to be first base qualified.
TJ Rumfield: The .371 BABIP won’t last, but he’s showing some solid production (.319/.377/.511, 2 HR).
Josh Bell: A solid contributor this season, hitting .289/.400/.578 with 3 HR.
Angel Martínez: Starting regularly while posting a .333 AVG (.385 BABIP), 1 HR, and 3 SB.
Brady House: Solid production (.277/.346/.468, 2 HR), and besides a .367 BABIP, nothing in his profile has changed from last year.
Mauricio Dubón: Added 1 mph to his bat speed and has as many Barrels (4) this season as last season.
Nick Gonzales: A .273 AVG with 1 SB and almost no power (.068 ISO).
Brandon Marsh: Solid start to the season (2 HR, 1 SB, .273 AVG), but on the strong side of an outfield platoon.
Jorge Soler (suspension coming, fighting): Normal high power (4 HR), low batting average (.240 AVG, 37% K%) self.
Max Muncy (ATH): Leaning on a .452 BABIP to keep up his stats while struggling to make contact (66% K%, 35% K%).
Mark Vientos: While he showed early signs of improvement, his Contact% is down from last year (70% to 67%).
Garrett Mitchell: Healthy, for now, and starting against righties. His .533 BABIP is masking a 39% K% (62% Contact%).
Kyle Isbel: Hitting an amazing .353/.405/.559 (.417 BABIP) with 2 HR and 4 SB. Continues to sit against lefties.
Nasim Nuñez: Stolen bases (7 SB) and nothing else (.184 AVG, .000 ISO).
Miguel Andujar: Part-time bat who has a solid .727 OPS on the season.
Javier Sanoja: Part-time everything who is taking advantage of a .433 BABIP (.371/.389/.457)
Juan Brito: Starting, but no steals or home runs in AAA or the majors.
Jonathan India: Two Barrels, two home runs. That’s it for positives. His power metrics (-3.5 mph avgEV, -6% HardHit%) and contact skills (-5.5% Contact%, +6.3% K%) are declining.
Amed Rosario: Short side platoon bat who is hitting for home runs (2 HR), but his underlying power metrics are on the decline.
Joey Loperfido: Strong-side platoon bat posting a .718 OPS with 1 SB (1 CS).
Luisangel Acuña: While stealing bases (4 SB), he’s struggling otherwise (.214/.244/.214).
Hyeseong Kim 김혜성: Part-time shortstop who should provide some steals (combined 27 SB last year).
Dominic Smith: The 31-year-old has a couple of early home runs, but I don’t believe he’s breaking out.
Dillon Dingler: Solid option (.270/.386/.459) with 2 HR so far.
Liam Hicks: Worked on pulling flyballs and has 3 HR so far. Only starting against righties.
Gary Sánchez: Getting some starts at first base and DH helps with the volume. He’s hit 3 HR so far.
Nick Fortes: He’s not embarrassing himself by hitting .324/.359/.486 with 1 HR.
Danny Jansen: Strikeouts are up (32% K%), but still productive (.659 OPS)
Dalton Rushing: The 2.367 OPS (3 HR) is impressive, but he’s only had 10 PA so far.
Tyler Heineman: Playing a bit more with Kirk on the IL. I wonder if his demand is from his .353 AVG (.429 BABIP).
Max Clark: In AAA, the 21-year-old outfielder is batting .413/.491/.630 with 0 HR and 6 SB in 57 PA.
Sam Antonacci: In AAA, the 23-year-old outfielder is batting .317/.491/.488 with 2 HR and 4 SB in 56 PA.
James Tibbs III: In AAA, the 23-year-old outfielder is batting .377/.450/.887 with 7 HR and 0 SB in 60 PA.
Charlie Condon: In AAA, the 22-year-old first baseman is batting .286/.405/.571 with 3 HR and 1 SB in 42 PA.
| Name | Previous Roster% | Current Roster% | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Young SS SEA | 38% | 45% | 7% |
| Dillon Dingler C DET | 36% | 46% | 10% |
| Liam Hicks C MIA | 35% | 67% | 32% |
| Mark Vientos DH NYM | 34% | 50% | 16% |
| Jordan Walker RF STL | 32% | 86% | 54% |
| Max Clark OF DET | 30% | 33% | 3% |
| TJ Rumfield 3B COL | 28% | 45% | 17% |
| Brady House 3B WAS | 28% | 34% | 6% |
| Max Muncy SS ATH | 27% | 57% | 30% |
| Charlie Condon RF COL | 27% | 29% | 2% |
| Luisangel Acuna 2B CHW | 17% | 20% | 3% |
| Jonathan India 2B KC | 16% | 22% | 6% |
| Brandon Marsh CF PHI | 16% | 21% | 5% |
| Garrett Mitchell CF MIL | 15% | 42% | 27% |
| Nick Gonzales 2B PIT | 13% | 15% | 2% |
| Josh Bell DH MIN | 12% | 24% | 12% |
| Nasim Nunez 2B WAS | 12% | 16% | 4% |
| Dalton Rushing C LAD | 12% | 16% | 4% |
| Jorge Soler DH LAA | 11% | 13% | 2% |
| Miguel Andujar RF SD | 11% | 13% | 2% |
| Mauricio Dubon 2B ATL | 10% | 41% | 31% |
| Hye Seong Kim 2B LAD | 9% | 13% | 4% |
| Kyle Isbel CF KC | 7% | 25% | 18% |
| James Tibbs RF LAD | 6% | 20% | 14% |
| Sam Antonacci SS CHW | 6% | 10% | 4% |
| Joey Loperfido OF HOU | 5% | 7% | 2% |
| Danny Jansen C TEX | 4% | 6% | 2% |
| Nick Fortes C TB | 3% | 11% | 8% |
| Gary Sanchez C MIL | 3% | 7% | 4% |
| Javier Sanoja SS MIA | 3% | 6% | 3% |
| Angel Martinez SS CLE | 3% | 5% | 2% |
| Troy Johnston RF COL | 2% | 16% | 14% |
| Dominic Smith 1B ATL | 2% | 4% | 2% |
| Juan Brito SS CLE | 1% | 4% | 3% |
| Amed Rosario SS NYY | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Tyler Heineman C TOR | 0% | 2% | 2% |
Landen Roupp: A pitcher with a 9.7 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and 54% GB% is basically Logan Webb or Framber Valdez. Add Roupp in all leagues.
Sean Burke: He’s been elite in three starts so far (9.0 K/9, 1.07 WHIP, 3.60 ERA, 3.21 xFIP).
Lance McCullers Jr.: His results so far (2.57 xFIP) are a ways away from his STUPH models (4.70 botERA). The middle ground of a 3.60 ERA would be solid. Start him while he’s still healthy.
Bryce Elder: Small improvements across the board (strikeouts up, walks down, fastball usage down) have him as at least a bench streamer, and possibly someone who doesn’t leave the rotation.
Adrian Houser: The STUPH models love him (2.40 botERA, 114 Pitching+) and the results have been solid (3.61 xFIP, 56% GB% 2.4 BB/9). The strikeouts could be better (5.6 K/9), but a solid arm.
Eduardo Rodriguez: While he’s not missing any bats (5.5 K/9), he’s been able to generate weak contact (.222 BABIP, 0.5 HR/9) while keeping the ball on the ground (51% GB%).
Carmen Mlodzinski: The walks (3.8 BB/9) and WHIP (1.60 WHIP) are an issue, but otherwise, he looks like a solid breakout.
Janson Junk: Don’t let Junk’s Saturday start (4 ER in 5 IP) deter a person away from rostering him. During the start, he lowered his xFIP from 4.04 to 3.88. Buy the dip.
Steven Matz: His strikeouts jumped by not throwing his fastball as much (59% to 45%) while leaning into his changeup (16% SwStr%) and slider (17% SwStr%).
Keider Montero: He’s been solid so far with an 8.7 K/9, 1.74 ERA (3.52 xFIP), and 0.68 WHIP. A 3.50 ERA talent if he can keep the results up.
Jeffrey Springs: A 0.0 HR/9 and .170 BABIP will lead to great results (1.47 ERA, 0.76 WHIP). I’d value him as a high-3.00 ERA talent. Solid, not great.
Michael McGreevy: He’s been able to generate weak contact (.204 BABIP, 0.5 HR/9) with a fastball that’s lost over 2 mph. I don’t buy a breakout, but he’s still useful. A 4.00 ERA talent.
Colin Rea: Increased his groundball rate from 40% GB% to 53% GB% to push him near a 4.00 ERA talent. Streamer with little upside.
Foster Griffin: His results have been solid (2.70 ERA, 3.17 xFIP, 9.0 K/9, 1.30 WHIP) in 10 IP. He’s throwing seven pitches with the results >>>> than the STUPH models. I’ll value him around a 4.00 ERA talent, but I’m ready to move him up or down based on his next start.
Davis Martin: His strikeouts are up (6.6 K/9 to 7.5 K/9), and his walks are down (3.0 BB/9 to 2.0 BB/9), bringing his ERA estimators in the high 3.00’s. His slider has taken a step forward with a 21% SwStr%. I’m not confident the improvements will stick.
Rhett Lowder: His 3.31 ERA is his only positive trait. All his underlying metrics point to a 4.50 ERA arm. Gamble elsewhere.
Slade Cecconi: Home runs (1.7 HR/9) inflated his 5.74 ERA. Other metrics point to a low-to-mid-4.00 ERA talent.
Jack Kochanowicz: He’s generating groundballs (55% GB%) and walks (5.9 BB/9). With no home runs allowed and a .204 BABIP, his 3.24 ERA and 1.26 WHIP are respectable. One of the toughest guys to rank.
Zack Littell: A 3.60 ERA is covering up some horrible results, including a 1.50 WHIP, which does as much ratio damage as a 5.52 ERA. He’s going to need to start throwing strikes (4.5 BB/9), or he’s unrosterable.
Kyle Freeland: I don’t trust Rockies starters, but Freeland might be streamable on the road. He’s only throwing his fastball 26% of the time and leaning into a knuckle curve (16% SwStr%).
Reid Detmers: Walks remain an issue (3.5 BB/9, 1.28 WHIP) with his velocity down 2 mph. Career 4.89 ERA as a starter and a 4.60 ERA this year. I’m not falling for the trap.
Aaron Civale: A .154 BABIP is the only thing keeping him in the rotation, especially with little control (4.5 BB/9) and a slower fastball (92.2 mph to 91.2 mph).
Luis Gil: He struggled in his debut with more walks than strikeouts while allowing 3 ER over 4 IP. I’ll need to see more before buying in.
Andre Pallante: He has more walks (7) than strikeouts (5), but a 1.80 ERA (0.0 HR) has him on the up. Ignore and roster a talented arm.
Simeon Woods Richardson: There is nothing here to get excited about with his velocity and strikeouts down.
Tomoyuki Sugano: Another Rockies starter who had a 4.64 ERA (4.70 xFIP) last season for the Nationals. I’m not buying in yet.
Cade Povich: More walks than strikeouts in this season’s debut for a career 5.15 ERA pitcher. Pass.
Javier Assad: In over 300 career innings, Assad has an ERA a point or more lower than his ERA estimators (4.44 FIP, 4.56 xFIP).
Patrick Corbin: Over the last seven seasons (> 900 IP), Corbin has a 5.43 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. There is no reason to roster him.
Patrick Corbin will give you 150 IP each season if you like it or not
Eric Lauer 라우어: Over his last two starts, he has 8 BB in 7 IP. He looks lost and can’t be rostered at this point.
Justin Wrobleski: In over 9 IP, he has more walks (5) than strikeouts (4). I’d buy in, but his playing time is inconsistent, so I’ll observe from afar.
Brandon Williamson: I can’t consider rostering a starting pitcher who walked six batters over 4 IP. A 5.50 ERA talent.
Joe Boyle [On the IL, will rerank when healthy]: A 39% LOB% puts him with a 5.17 ERA while all other metrics point to high-3.00 ERA talent since he’s dropped his walk rate from 4.9 BB/9 to 3.5 BB/9.
Noah Schultz: In AAA, the 22-year-old lefty has a 1.29 ERA (2.25 xFIP), 0.43 WHIP, and 12.2 K/9 in 14 IP.
Didier Fuentes: In AAA, the 20-year-old righty has a 2.25 ERA (3.49 xFIP), 0.75 WHIP, and 9.0 K/9 in 9 IP.
Spencer Arrighetti: In AAA, the 26-year-old righty has a 1.26 ERA (3.49 xFIP), 0.77 WHIP, and 12.6 K/9 in 14 IP.
Payton Tolle: In AAA, the 23-year-old lefty has a 4.50 ERA (4.45 xFIP), 1.20 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9 in 10 IP.
| Name | Previous Roster% | Current Roster% | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lance McCullers SP HOU | 40% | 55% | 15% |
| Reid Detmers SP LAA | 37% | 45% | 8% |
| Rhett Lowder SP CIN | 35% | 49% | 14% |
| Luis Gil SP NYY | 35% | 46% | 11% |
| Didier Fuentes P ATL | 34% | 38% | 4% |
| Eric Lauer SP TOR | 34% | 35% | 1% |
| Payton Tolle SP BOS | 31% | 33% | 2% |
| Slade Cecconi SP CLE | 25% | 28% | 3% |
| Eduardo Rodriguez SP ARI | 24% | 36% | 12% |
| Michael McGreevy P STL | 24% | 26% | 2% |
| Jeffrey Springs SP ATH | 21% | 52% | 31% |
| Landen Roupp P SF | 21% | 26% | 5% |
| Bryce Elder SP ATL | 19% | 67% | 48% |
| Joe Boyle SP TB | 19% | 26% | 7% |
| Noah Schultz SP CHW | 19% | 22% | 3% |
| Spencer Arrighetti P HOU | 18% | 22% | 4% |
| Zack Littell SP WAS | 16% | 20% | 4% |
| Steven Matz SP TB | 16% | 25% | 9% |
| Adrian Houser SP SF | 11% | 17% | 6% |
| Foster Griffin SP WAS | 11% | 15% | 4% |
| Simeon Woods Richardson RP MIN | 10% | 12% | 2% |
| Carmen Mlodzinski RP PIT | 10% | 11% | 1% |
| Aaron Civale SP ATH | 7% | 11% | 4% |
| Davis Martin SP CHW | 6% | 20% | 14% |
| Sean Burke P CHW | 6% | 11% | 5% |
| Janson Junk RP MIA | 5% | 13% | 8% |
| Andre Pallante RP STL | 5% | 10% | 5% |
| Brandon Williamson SP CIN | 5% | 9% | 4% |
| Kyle Freeland SP COL | 5% | 7% | 2% |
| Colin Rea SP CHC | 2% | 6% | 4% |
| Tomoyuki Sugano SP COL | 2% | 6% | 4% |
| Cade Povich SP BAL | 2% | 4% | 2% |
| Jack Kochanowicz SP LAA | 2% | 3% | 1% |
| Javier Assad RP CHC | 1% | 10% | 9% |
| Patrick Corbin SP TOR | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Keider Montero SP DET | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Name | IP | BotERA | Pitching+ERA | SwStr% ERA | FBv ERA | SIERA | xFIP | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian Houser | 11.1 | 2.46 | 3.15 | 4.15 | 3.91 | 3.81 | 3.59 | 3.51 |
| Sean Burke | 11.0 | 3.27 | 3.70 | 3.91 | 3.96 | 3.09 | 3.41 | 3.56 |
| Landen Roupp | 16.2 | 3.73 | 3.55 | 4.50 | 4.11 | 2.91 | 2.63 | 3.57 |
| Jeffrey Springs | 13.0 | 3.48 | 3.47 | 3.96 | 4.42 | 3.00 | 3.30 | 3.60 |
| Didier Fuentes | 4.0 | 3.14 | 4.04 | 4.85 | 3.76 | 2.95 | 3.48 | 3.70 |
| Kyle Freeland | 11.1 | 4.05 | 4.49 | 3.22 | 4.24 | 2.91 | 3.41 | 3.72 |
| Keider Montero | 10.1 | 3.57 | 3.97 | 4.66 | 4.02 | 3.17 | 3.51 | 3.82 |
| Janson Junk | 16.2 | 3.16 | 3.51 | 4.23 | 4.02 | 4.09 | 3.95 | 3.82 |
| Colin Rea | 11.1 | 3.96 | 4.75 | 4.02 | 4.06 | 3.23 | 3.44 | 3.91 |
| Steven Matz | 16.0 | 4.13 | 3.98 | 4.20 | 4.16 | 3.41 | 3.65 | 3.92 |
| Lance McCullers Jr. | 15.1 | 4.25 | 4.23 | 4.69 | 4.30 | 3.25 | 3.00 | 3.95 |
| Bryce Elder | 17.2 | 4.40 | 4.43 | 4.49 | 4.35 | 3.52 | 3.40 | 4.10 |
| Davis Martin | 18.0 | 4.13 | 4.68 | 4.38 | 4.08 | 3.79 | 3.79 | 4.14 |
| Carmen Mlodzinski | 14.1 | 4.49 | 4.38 | 5.26 | 3.95 | 3.61 | 3.27 | 4.16 |
| Tomoyuki Sugano | 16.2 | 4.32 | 4.49 | 4.28 | 4.19 | 3.81 | 3.92 | 4.17 |
| Javier Assad | 5.2 | 3.20 | 3.77 | 5.57 | 4.14 | 4.64 | 4.26 | 4.26 |
| Joe Boyle | 9.2 | 4.64 | 4.92 | 4.59 | 3.64 | 4.02 | 4.10 | 4.32 |
| Eduardo Rodriguez | 13.0 | 4.02 | 4.21 | 4.48 | 4.45 | 4.65 | 4.38 | 4.37 |
| Rhett Lowder | 16.1 | 3.77 | 4.20 | 4.46 | 4.23 | 4.77 | 4.77 | 4.37 |
| Michael McGreevy | 10.2 | 4.33 | 4.21 | 5.35 | 4.55 | 4.05 | 3.75 | 4.37 |
| Slade Cecconi | 15.2 | 4.71 | 5.11 | 4.80 | 4.17 | 3.75 | 4.10 | 4.44 |
| Reid Detmers | 11.0 | 3.86 | 3.95 | 4.10 | 4.01 | 5.22 | 5.68 | 4.47 |
| Foster Griffin | 15.1 | 4.74 | 4.17 | 5.00 | 4.36 | 4.39 | 4.35 | 4.50 |
| Jack Kochanowicz | 16.2 | 4.37 | 4.18 | 4.57 | 3.74 | 5.27 | 4.90 | 4.51 |
| Zack Littell | 10.0 | 4.57 | 5.01 | 3.97 | 4.44 | 4.68 | 4.64 | 4.55 |
| Patrick Corbin | 4.0 | 3.49 | 3.63 | 4.72 | 4.43 | 5.03 | 6.45 | 4.62 |
| Aaron Civale | 10.0 | 4.98 | 4.31 | 5.22 | 4.42 | 4.42 | 4.49 | 4.64 |
| Justin Wrobleski | 9.0 | 3.86 | 4.22 | 5.39 | 3.96 | 5.97 | 5.76 | 4.86 |
| Brandon Williamson | 15.1 | 4.91 | 3.99 | 4.83 | 4.20 | 5.66 | 5.70 | 4.88 |
| Cade Povich | 5.2 | 4.38 | 5.07 | 4.79 | 4.37 | 5.72 | 5.59 | 4.98 |
| Simeon Woods Richardson | 15.2 | 5.20 | 5.13 | 5.46 | 4.28 | 5.13 | 5.00 | 5.03 |
| Eric Lauer | 12.2 | 5.53 | 5.25 | 5.14 | 4.56 | 5.22 | 5.39 | 5.18 |
| Andre Pallante | 10.0 | 5.38 | 5.61 | 4.99 | 3.92 | 5.92 | 5.51 | 5.22 |
| Luis Gil | 4.0 | 5.08 | 5.16 | 6.32 | 3.85 | 6.35 | 6.73 | 5.58 |
Bryan Baker: Great reliever who is the closer.
Jakob Junis: Below-average reliever who is the closer.
Gregory Soto: Good reliever who is sharing the closing duties.
Bryan King: Good reliever who may be the closer.
Erik Sabrowski: Great reliever who is the backup closer.
Rico Garcia: Average reliever who is next in line for Saves.
Chase Silseth: Good reliever who might be next in line for Saves.
Tony Santillan: Good reliever who is next in line for Saves.
Aaron Ashby: Good reliever who is a couple of steps away from closing.
Graham Ashcraft: Good reliever who is a couple of steps away from closing.
Cole Winn: Average reliever who is a few steps away from closing.
Tyler Alexander: Average reliever who is a few steps away from closing.
Tim Hill: Below-average reliever who is a few steps away from closing.
Brock Burke: Good reliever who is a few steps away from closing.
AJ Blubaugh: Below-average reliever who is a few steps away from closing.
| Name | Previous Roster% | Current Roster% | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Ashby SP MIL | 15% | 20% | 5% |
| Gregory Soto RP PIT | 13% | 42% | 29% |
| Bryan King P HOU | 12% | 16% | 4% |
| Tony Santillan RP CIN | 11% | 16% | 5% |
| Tyler Alexander RP TEX | 9% | 12% | 3% |
| Erik Sabrowski P CLE | 8% | 15% | 7% |
| Justin Wrobleski P LAD | 8% | 10% | 2% |
| Bryan Baker RP TB | 4% | 17% | 13% |
| A.J. Blubaugh P HOU | 4% | 6% | 2% |
| Graham Ashcraft SP CIN | 3% | 6% | 3% |
| Cole Winn SP TEX | 2% | 6% | 4% |
| Tim Hill RP NYY | 2% | 4% | 2% |
| Jake Junis RP TEX | 1% | 16% | 15% |
| Rico Garcia RP BAL | 0% | 3% | 3% |
| Brock Burke RP CIN | 0% | 2% | 2% |
| Chase Silseth RP LAA | 0% | 2% | 2% |
| Name | G | SV | HLD | BS | gmLI | K/9 | BB/9 | FBv | ERA | xFIP | botERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erik Sabrowski | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1.26 | 15.4 | 2.6 | 94.4 | 0.00 | 2.02 | 2.55 |
| Bryan Baker | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1.56 | 10.5 | 1.5 | 96.8 | 4.50 | 2.14 | 2.95 |
| Graham Ashcraft | 8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1.38 | 12.4 | 3.4 | 2.25 | 2.30 | 2.74 | |
| Aaron Ashby | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.83 | 13.5 | 3.8 | 96.8 | 3.75 | 2.55 | 4.04 |
| Bryan King | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.21 | 12.2 | 4.1 | 91.9 | 1.35 | 2.61 | 2.62 |
| Brock Burke | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.16 | 10.5 | 3.0 | 95.3 | 0.00 | 2.64 | 4.03 |
| Rico Garcia | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1.80 | 10.8 | 4.1 | 95.9 | 0.00 | 2.65 | 4.05 |
| Tim Hill | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1.48 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 88.7 | 0.00 | 2.78 | 1.35 |
| Gregory Soto | 9 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1.32 | 13.5 | 5.2 | 96.4 | 1.04 | 3.24 | 3.28 |
| Jakob Junis | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.80 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 92.1 | 0.00 | 3.33 | 1.85 |
| Tony Santillan | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1.72 | 11.6 | 6.4 | 94.0 | 0.00 | 3.80 | 4.86 |
| Cole Winn | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1.40 | 8.5 | 2.8 | 94.2 | 0.00 | 4.21 | 3.94 |
| Tyler Alexander | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1.02 | 7.9 | 3.4 | 90.8 | 1.13 | 4.48 | 4.81 |
| Chase Silseth | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1.87 | 11.8 | 10.1 | 96.2 | 3.38 | 5.08 | 4.64 |
| AJ Blubaugh | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.50 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 95.7 | 9.64 | 5.71 | 3.08 |
John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even larger entry fees ($2.5K to $15K). They are named Elite leagues (previously called High Stakes Leagues), and there are seven of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain any advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in five or more leagues. Read the rest of this entry »
Every Monday, this column will break down the most popular waiver wire and free agent acquisitions of the weekend.
Fantasy baseball managers know that our game is the ultimate test of grit, grind, tenacity, and patience. Unlike fantasy football, where league titles can be won with minimal in-season activity, fantasy baseball leagues require incessant attention and activity. Particularly when it comes to free agent adds and drops. Real-life baseball managers are constantly adjusting batting orders, players are frequently optioned to and promoted from the Minor Leagues, and injuries occur almost daily. There’s no resting on our laurels. We must always stay vigilant with league news and notes and remain active on the waiver wire if we want to win our leagues.
Every week, I’ll dig into the top adds on the ever-popular Fantrax and in the NFBC Online Championship (OC), a national mid-stakes contest with 240 total leagues of 12 and a six-figure grand prize. Reviewing player adds between the two should provide us with a well-rounded perspective and barometer of the fantasy baseball marketplace.
Week 2 Overview
The hottest hitters of the week were Andy Pages (.583 – 2 HR – 7 RBI), Yordan Alvarez (.471-3-8), Oneil Cruz (.360-4-10), Ben Rice (.421-3-9), CJ Abrams (.333-3-10) and Drake Baldwin (.310-2-10). Luisangel Acuña was the only player with four stolen bases. Four consensus first round hitters have yet to hit a home run (Bobby Witt Jr., Ronald Acuña Jr., Julio Rodríguez and Fernando Tatis Jr.). Second-rounders Cal Raleigh and Nick Kurtz have yet to homer as well. It’s a long season, they will be alright. Of the 30 starting pitchers who made two starts in Week 2, 10% (three) earned two wins – Clay Holmes, Michael Soroka and Davis Martin. I’ve tracked two-start pitcher data the last few seasons, and that 10% rate is on par with average week over the last three seasons, usually hovering between 6% and 18% most weeks. Be wary about chasing wins with below-average starting pitchers this early in the season. As the data shows, locking in two wins without crushing the ratios is hard enough for above-average starters. Be particularly careful with mediocre or below-average 2x SPs whose first start is on a Tuesday. Sometimes weather will push their start back until the following week. Occasionally, those pitchers are pulled out of the rotation or demoted if they had a rough first start. Oftentimes, that is for the better to avoid further fantasy ERA/WHIP damage.
As we did last week, let’s review the top trending acquisitions for Fantrax (waivers) and the NFBC 12-team OC (blind bid FAAB).
| Player | Team | Position | Ros | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liam Hicks | MIA | C/1B | 74% | 54% |
| Lance McCullers Jr. | HOU | SP | 73% | 34% |
| Jose Fernandez | ARI | SS | 40% | 33% |
| Kyle Isbel | KC | OF | 41% | 33% |
| Michael Soroka | ARI | SP | 68% | 29% |
| Bryce Elder | ATL | SP | 59% | 28% |
| Gregory Soto | PIT | RP | 41% | 21% |
| Paul Sewald | ARZ | RP | 61% | 21% |
| Mauricio Dubón | ATL | 5 pos. | 43% | 20% |
| Joey Wiemer | WSH | OF | 62% | 20% |
| Landen Roupp | SF | SP | 64% | 19% |
| Erik Sabrowski | CLE | RP | 46% | 19% |
| Emerson Hancock | SEA | SP | 83% | 18% |
| Taj Bradley | MIN | SP | 79% | 16% |
| Tyler Alexander | TEX | RP | 28% | 15% |
| Garrett Mitchell | MIL | OF | 47% | 14% |
| Randy Vásquez | SD | SP | 77% | 14% |
Roster % is the current percentage of leagues rostering the player; +/- is the percentage of leagues the player was added in the previous week
| Player | Team | Position | % Added | AWB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Walker | STL | OF | 33% | $115 |
| Riley O’Brien | STL | RP | 18% | $90 |
| Gregory Soto | PIT | RP | 84% | $90 |
| Emerson Hancock | SEA | SP | 18% | $87 |
| Garrett Mitchell | MIL | OF | 57% | $44 |
| Michael Soroka | ARI | SP | 67% | $43 |
| Bryan Baker | TB | RP | 65% | $40 |
| Liam Hicks | MIA | C/1B | 88% | $39 |
| Max Muncy | ATH | 2B/3B | 60% | $35 |
| Randy Vásquez | SD | SP | 40% | $34 |
| Lance McCullers Jr. | HOU | SP | 78% | $30 |
| Rhett Lowder | CIN | SP | 35% | $30 |
| Mark Vientos | NYM | 3B | 50% | $30 |
| TJ Rumfield | COL | 1B | 50% | $29 |
| Joe Boyle | TB | SP | 42% | $29 |
| Seth Lugo | KC | SP | 25% | $29 |
| Bryce Elder | ATL | SP | 57% | $28 |
| Mitch Keller | PIT | SP | 23% | $27 |
| Dylan Beavers | BAL | OF | 35% | $26 |
| Mark Leiter Jr. | ATH | RP | 42% | $25 |
% Added is the percentage of leagues that added the player; AWB stands for average winning bid
Jordan Walker has been a disappointment since his rookie season. Despite positive offseason reports about adjustments made at Driveline, Walker struggled in spring training, and was mostly overlooked by NFBC 12-team drafters. I won’t take a victory lap after 10 days, but I would like to mention that Walker is one of my highest rostered hitters this season. Walker was the only player with a triple-digit AWB. Relievers Riley O’Brien and Gregory Soto, and Seattle’s SP5 Emerson Hancock came close. Hancock is now rostered in each of the 240 OCs. O’Brien and Soto are still available in two percent of leagues.
Relievers
It’s the second week in a row where we’re discussing the Cardinals bullpen. Hopefully, it will be the last time. Riley O’Brien had the highest ADP this winter and spring among Cardinals relievers, though a calf injury kept from joining South Korea for the WBC and his ADP began to drop while the ADPs of JoJo Romero and Matt Svanson rose. Veteran Ryne Stanek snagged the first opportunity and closed the game out, though he walked three batters. He then stumbled in his second chance two days later, and O’Brien saved the day. Last week, O’Brien further distanced himself from the pack with three clean innings in three appearances, with two saves. Meanwhile, Matt Svanson has struggled mightily in middle relief. JoJo Romero would like step up for the occasional save opportunity when a southpaw is needed.
Gregory Soto is well known for throwing heat. He saved 30 games for the Tigers in 2022 and has spent the last few seasons as a lefty setup man who walks opposing batters at an above-average clip (over 10%). Last Tuesday, assumed Pirates closer Dennis Santana pitched the eighth inning and Soto handled the ninth, though the Pirates scored two runs in the top of the ninth, so it wasn’t a save opportunity. The Pirates beat the Reds 8-3 again on Wednesday. Santana didn’t make an appearance, but Soto did so again in the ninth; again it wasn’t a save opportunity since the Pirates scored four in the ninth. A similar setup occurred on Friday as Santana pitched a clean eighth and Soto came in to close out the Orioles in the ninth, though he gave up a solo shot to Gunnar Henderson. The Pirates continued their late-game heroics on Saturday. With the game tied 3-3 going into the ninth, Santana stepped in to pitch a clean ninth, then Nick Yorke walked it off with a double to give Santana the win. Soto is the more dynamic of the two, but is less stable because of history with free passes. It’s possible Soto earns more opportunities going forward, though it will likely remain a committee for now. The only thing that can hold Soto running away with the gig is Soto himself.
Paul Sewald was picked up in 21% of Fantrax leagues. Oddly, the Diamondbacks clear-as-day closer is only rostered in 61% of leagues, likely because of the inclusion of 10-teamers, points leagues, and roto leagues where holds are used in addition to saves. Tyler Alexander was scooped up in many leagues, though he is more of a spec-add. He has earned the Rangers only two saves, but is not the clear ninth-inning man. This was originally expected to be a two-man committee with lefty Robert Garcia and righty Chris Martin. Garcia hasn’t been great and Martin has been awful. Martin may move into a setup role, though the Rangers do still need a righty to step up. Perhaps that will be fireballer Cole Winn, who I picked up for $5 in a 15-team league on Sunday. Mark Leiter Jr. might be the first guy dropped from NFBC leagues next week if his struggles continue. He blew the save on Saturday and isn’t even locked into the A’s job. Bryan Baker hasn’t earned a save for the Rays yet, but has been pitching in the highest-leverage spots with Garrett Cleavinger on IL and Griffin Jax struggling.
Starting Pitchers
Hancock, Randy Vásquez and Lance McCullers Jr. were three of the most popular SP acquisitions of the weekend. Hancock followed up his masterful Opening Weekend performance (nine punchouts in six hitless innings) with a solid outing (6.2 IP – 6 H – 1 ER – 0 BB – 5 K) on Saturday, though the Mariners were robbed of three home runs by Angels Jo Adell and lost 1-0. Hancock lines up for a home start (Astros) this week, then a road start against the Padres. He should be quickly snagged in any leagues where he is available, 10-teamers included.
Randy Vásquez had some offseason buzz in deeper formats despite a ridiculously low 15% career walk rate. Folks paying attention may have noticed a slight velocity bump from Vásquez this spring, which he parlayed into two six-inning gems — an 11:4 K:BB with just eight hits and one earned run allowed against the Tigers at home and the Red Sox in Fenway. He has been throwing his four-seam fastball, sinker and slider 1-2 mph faster than last season and boasts an impressive 15.5% swinging-strike rate, albeit in a two-start sample. He now gets the pleasure of facing the Rockies at home, who will be heading over to San Diego from the high elevation of Denver.
The Bryce Elder Experience returns for another tour, likely to yet again tease us before destroying our ratios. Elder had a few good starts last season, but the overall body of work was horrific. His 5.30 ERA ranked sixth-worst among starting pitchers with at least 150 innings pitched. Could this turn into his breakout tour? His pitch mix and velocity remains the same and there’s nothing in his profile that portends massive improvement. He threw six scoreless against the A’s in his first start and seven scoreless with eight punchouts in Arizona on Saturday. It’s enough to lure us into starting him at home against the Guardians this week. Color me dubious, nevertheless.
Hitters
Among the top hitter adds on Fantrax, Mauricio Dubón, Joey Wiemer and Kyle Isbel feel like the ones most likely to find their way back to the free agent pool next week. Dubón has some appeal in deeper formats since he’s on a great offense and offers several positions of eligibility (on Fantrax he’s 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF). Wiemer had a hot start but he’s a short-side platoon bat and is a massive batting average drag. Isbel and his bottom-of-the-order crew have been producing the bulk of the runs over the last week, but it’s only a matter of days before the production shifts to the top and the middle of the Royals lineup.
Rookie infielder Jose Fernandez has cooled off since his 2-HR Major League debut last week, though with Carlos Santana banged up, Fernandez should earn more playing time going forward. In his first four career starts, he has already played first base, third base and DH. Fernandez is shortstop eligible in NFBC and would need to play 10 games at first or third to earn that eligibility. The Diamondbacks have some tough matchups this week facing the Mets and the Phillies.
Mark Vientos and TJ Rumfield are the two most intriguing and potentially valuable hitter acquisitions of the week. Vientos is off to a hot start, hitting .476 in 23 plate appearances. He is playing every day since Jorge Polanco is playing through an Achilles issue and is not ready to play the field yet. The Mets will have to get creative when Polanco can play first base again, but Polanco never had before this season and we don’t know if they’ll revert to their preseason plan. Rumfield isn’t hitting the ball hard (84.3 EV, 32% HH), but he is slashing .345/.406/.586 with two dingers and has the hold on the strong-side platoon at first base. He is a stronger stream option with the Rockies expected to face seven righties this week.
Drop of the Week
It’s hard to imagine Roki Sasaki sticking in the Dodgers rotation much longer after his shaky outing against the lowly Nationals on Sunday (6 ER, 3 BB in 5 IP). Sasaki’s four-seam fastball has averaged 97 mph, but it’s generated a 20% whiff rate and a measly 5.6% strikeout rate. Between his quotes and body language, it is clear that he lacks confidence on the mound. Manager Dave Roberts has been extremely patient throughout Sasaki’s rough spring, but a little reset in the minors or a trip to the minors may be in the cards. There are too many terrific alternatives available in 12-team leagues to continue to ride the Sasaki train, at least for now.
| 7:30 |
: Welcome
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| 7:31 |
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| 7:31 |
: Here are the winning bids in the two 15-team Tout Wars redraft leagues.
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| 7:31 |
: What are we doing with jose fernandez? He gonna stay up? What bid in an NL only?
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| 7:32 |
: 2% to 3%, I wish he were playing more. With Del Castillo off the IL, his playing time could be limited. Now, Del Castillo is a solid add in leagues where he’s catcher-qualified
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| 7:33 |
: What’s your balance of “won’t be fooled again” and “this time it’s real” on Jordan Walker?
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Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
In the article, I cover the players using CBS’s and Yahoo’s ADD/DROP rates. Both sites have the option for daily and weekly waiver wire adds. CBS uses a weekly change while Yahoo looks at the last 24 hours. Yahoo is a great snapshot of right now, while CBS ensures hot targets from early in the week aren’t missed. I start players being added at CBS who started the week on less than 40% of rosters.
The players are ordered for redraft leagues by my rest-of-season preference, grouped by hitters, starters, and relievers. Read the rest of this entry »
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even larger entry fees ($2.5K to $15K). They are named Elite leagues (previously called High Stakes Leagues), and there are seven of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain any advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in five or more leagues. Read the rest of this entry »
Every Monday, this column will break down the most popular waiver wire and free agent acquisitions of the weekend.
Fantasy baseball managers know that our game is the ultimate test of grit, grind, tenacity, and patience. Unlike fantasy football, where league titles can be won with minimal in-season activity, fantasy baseball leagues require incessant attention and activity. Particularly when it comes to free agent adds and drops. Real-life baseball managers are constantly adjusting batting orders, players are frequently optioned to and promoted from the Minor Leagues, and injuries occur almost daily. There’s no resting on our laurels. We must always stay vigilant with league news and notes and remain active on the waiver wire if we want to win our leagues.
Every week, I’ll dig into the top adds on the ever-popular Fantrax and in the NFBC Online Championship (OC), a national mid-stakes contest with 240 total leagues of 12 and a six-figure grand prize. Reviewing player adds between the two should provide us with a well-rounded perspective and barometer of the fantasy baseball marketplace.
Week 2 Overview
The 2026 season is only five days old, but we’d be lying if we said we weren’t already on tilt with certain players we love and have drafted. Wyatt Langford and Bo Bichette have started the season off slumping (1-14 each). Paul Skenes, Jesús Luzardo, Nathan Eovaldi, and Logan Webb have already set our ratios back, and I’m sure some would like to forget about what happened to Carlos Estévez on Saturday night (I’ll remind you: six earned runs). For every stud who has scorned us, there is a guy in the free agent pool who earned a save, twirled a gem, or hit two bombs over the weekend. Sometimes, a few of those players end up on our squads for the long haul and provide phenomenal value. Most of the time, though, these are players we’ll be throwing back into the FA pool with no roto life vest after they’ve fooled us and decimated our WHIPs and batting averages. Speaking of, where’s Kyren Paris playing these days?
Fantasy managers in the OC and on Fantrax were mostly in sync with the top targets and acquisitions of this past weekend. Let’s review the groups.
| Player | Team | Position | % Added | AWB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Romano | LAA | RP | 80% | $173 |
| Lucas Erceg | KC | RP | 30% | $170 |
| Cole Sands | MIN | RP | 90% | $67 |
| Carmen Mlodzinski | PIT | SP | 17% | $56 |
| Emerson Hancock | SEA | SP | 77% | $42 |
| Dominic Canzone | SEA | OF | 25% | $40 |
| Owen Caissie | MIA | OF | 33% | $39 |
| Nolan Schanuel | LAA | 1B | 45% | $37 |
| Kyle Harrison | MIL | SP | 18% | $37 |
| Nasim Nuñez | WAS | 2B | 26% | $30 |
| Jordan Walker | STL | OF | 26% | $29 |
| Ryne Stanek | STL | RP | 58% | $28 |
| Max Scherzer | TOR | SP | 19% | $26 |
| Michael Wacha | KC | SP | 32% | $26 |
% Added is the percentage of leagues that added the player; AWB stands for average winning bid
| Player | Team | Position | Roster % | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Romano | LAA | RP | 47% | 28% |
| Jake Bauers | MIL | 1B,OF | 30% | 22% |
| Dominic Canzone | SEA | OF | 63% | 21% |
| Randy Vasquez | SD | SP | 42% | 19% |
| Luke Raley | SEA | 1B,OF | 31% | 18% |
| Ryne Stanek | STL | RP | 20% | 16% |
| Joey Wiemer | WSH | OF | 16% | 13% |
| Chase DeLauter | CLE | OF | 94% | 10% |
| Emerson Hancock | SEA | SP | 26% | 10% |
| Eric Lauer 라우어 | TOR | SP | 43% | 10% |
| Lucas Erceg | KC | RP | 48% | 10% |
Roster % is the current percentage of leagues rostering the player; +/- is the percentage of leagues the player was added in the previous week
Closers
There are very few better feelings in fantasy baseball than scooping up a closer off waivers or free agency early in the season. Around this time last year, there were three big pickups – Emilio Pagán, Will Vest, and Luke Jackson. Pagán worked out splendidly, Vest earned 20+ saves. Jackson didn’t pan out, though he was racking up saves in the first month. Jordan Romano, Lucas Erceg and Cole Sands were the big three pickups of Week 2.
The closers job for the Angels was up in the air through most of the offseason. They signed veterans Romano, Kirby Yates, and Drew Pomeranz (a lefty). Robert Stephenson got hurt again, and Ben Joyce wasn’t quite ready, so it seemed like Yates was in the lead. Yates landed on the IL (knee inflammation) two days before the season. Romano took the bull by the horns coming off a strong spring (6 IP – 1 ER – 1 BB – 6 K), earned a clean on save on Thursday and pitched a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation on Friday. Market sentiment has been polarizing on Romano. He was added in 28% of Fantrax leagues and 80% of OCs with an average winning bid of $173, but there are many managers out there who are dubious on his ability to stay healthy. They also can’t forget about last year’s ratio reckoning (8.23 ERA, 1.45 WHIP in 42.2 IP). Will he hold the job all season? Nobody knows. That’s why we play the game. Yates is expected back soon, but isn’t likely to outright steal the job from him, unless it’s the perfect storm of Yates dominating while Romano is faltering. I’d bet on Romano holding the job down for at least the next two months.
The heavy Lucas Erceg waiver/free agent activity is a case of utilizing our fantasy instincts and common sense. Estévez overperformed his underlying metrics last season and was struggling with extreme velocity dips in the spring. Had Erceg not earned a save this weekend, I’m sure he would still be a popular acquisition, considering Estévez’s struggles. Erceg was a dominant high-leverage reliever for the Athletics in 2024 (22.1% K-BB, 13.8% SwStr). He was serviceable last season with the Royals, though his strikeout rate took a massive tumble from the previous season (28.5% to 19.3%), though he wasn’t at full health. Erceg is the top righty in this bullpen and has a good chance to run away with this job. Estévez has been a solid ninth-inning guy over the last few seasons, but is clearly not at full strength and he is now being evaluated for a possible IL stint. Erceg is the priority add in daily leagues with saves.
I can almost assure you that the Case of Who is the Twins Closer is far from being solved. Cole Sands earned the save opportunity on Saturday and closed it out. He walked one, struck out two and didn’t allow a run in their 3-1 win over the Orioles. On Thursday, lefty Taylor Rogers pitched the final inning (eighth) in a non-save opportunity. Rogers has much more closing experience, but his skills have been slowly dissipating over the last couple of seasons. Sands doesn’t have dynamic stuff nor is he a prototypical closer (sub-10% swinging strike rate in 2025), but he has plus control and a low career walk rate (6.9%). Sands could run away with the job, but I believe that new manager Derek Shelton will deploy Sands or Rogers situationally, depending on whether opposing lefties or righties are coming up in the ninth. Justin Topa could earn opportunities as well, but is behind Sands and Rogers in the pecking order for now.
Starting Pitchers
Emerson Hancock snuck up on the fantasy world with an impeccable outing on Sunday night – nine punchouts and no hits allowed over six innings. Social media was raving over his new sweeper and pitch mix changes as fantasy managers ran to their waivers to acquire and to increase their free agent bid amounts. Hancock had been inconsistent across 28 starts over the last two seasons, including several ERA-damaging outings of 5+ earned runs or more. Hancock certainly looked like a different guy on Sunday night. Will he be a top 20 SP? Probably not. Could this be his breakout season? Very possible. Bryce Miller is no lock to take Hancock’s rotation spot, let alone remain healthy for the season. If Hancock is pitching well when Miller returns, it’s likely that Miller is moved to the bullpen in a multi-inning capacity. One start is far too small of a sample to base strong stands around, but I’m happy to give a talented arm in Seattle the benefit of the doubt.
Kyle Harrison is rostered in most 15-team leagues. His roster rate in OCs was raised from 77% to 99% with a two-start week on tap against the Rays (home) and Royals (road). Harrison had a 20:4 K:BB with nine earned runs allowed in 14 spring innings. He developed a blister before the season started, but is ready to go for his Brewers’ debut. If this week goes poorly, expect to see him back in the free agent pool next weekend. I will be paying close attention to the details instead of just combing the box scores. Harrison and new teammate Brandon Sproat (disaster start on Sunday) are talented pitchers in a good organization and we shouldn’t judge them too harshly on small samples. On the flip side, they’ll have to earn their keep because Logan Henderson (in Triple-A) and Quinn Priester (expected to return in late-April) will be lurking.
Padres righty Randy Vásquez was a popular pickup on Fantrax after his strong outing against the Tigers on Saturday: 6 IP – 2 H – 0 ER – 3 BB – 8 K. Vásquez posted a 3.84 ERA (5.51 xFIP, 5.43 SIERA) in 133.2 innings last season, most of them as a starter. He hasn’t been helpful in strikeouts (14% K rate since 2024), but his velocity uptick on Saturday’s start was significant (FB up from 93.4 to 95 mph). Fantasy managers with deep rotations should consider alternatives for this week since he faces the Red Sox in Fenway. We can start him with confidence for his Week 3 start, at home against the Rockies.
Pirates RHP Carmen Mlodzinski is a guy to monitor in public and home leagues across the world of Fantrax, RT Sports, ESPN, CBS, and Yahoo. He opened last season in the rotation, but it was a rough run — a 5.67 ERA and 1.61 WHIP over nine starts. He was converted to a relief role, and excelled in it — 2.12 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 25.5% K, 6.3% BB in 59.1 IP. He punched out eight Mets in 4.1 innings on Sunday and lines up to face the Orioles at home this weekend.
Hitters
Guardians rookie Chase DeLauter is the hottest hitter in the Majors in the first half-week with four home runs in 17 plate appearances. His roster percentage is up to 94 on Fantrax and 78% on Yahoo. He is locked into the two-hole between Steven Kwan and José Ramírez for the foreseeable future.
Joey Wiemer has appeared in only 48 games since his 2023 rookie season with the Brewers when he hit 13 homers with 11 steals and a .204 average in 410 plate appearances. He earned a job in the Nationals outfield as a short side platoon bat. Wiemer has yet to record an out – six hits and two walks in eight plate appearances. Wiemer likely won’t start against righties often, though he earned one on Monday. Nevertheless, he feels like a flavor of the week we shouldn’t be prioritizing unless it’s a deep 18-teamer or NL-Only league.
Some hot pickups with potential staying power in 12-team leagues and higher are Nasim Nuñez (2B/WAS), Jordan Walker (OF/STL), Dominic Canzone (OF/SEA), and Owen Caissie (OF/MIA). Nuñez popped as a 25+ stolen base guy in projection models this season. Walker worked hard this offseason at Driveline to retool his approach at the plate, had a mediocre spring training, but is off to a strong start through his first three games – .400/.500/.900 with six runs scored and a 100.4 mph average exit velocity (albeit, a tiny sample). Canzone and Caissie are strong side platoon bats for their respective teams. Canzone smashed two dingers in Seattle’s first game. Caissie is 5-10 with a homer and a 25% barrel rate through his first three games. Daily leaguers can optimize matchups this week, but folks in weekly or half-weekly leagues should consider benching them. The Marlins are slated to face 2-of-6 southpaws and the Mariners 3-of-6, which projects their max games played this week at four (Caissie) and three (Canzone). Our shallower leagues should have a better outfielder to start this week.
Drop of the Week
Sadly, it’s Andrew Vaughn of the Brewers. He suffered a hamate fracture in his left hand is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Vaughn is worth stashing on your IL, or on the bench of 15-team leagues with a bench of eight or more. Otherwise, feel free to cut him and keep abreast of his return to pick him up in about a month or so.
| 7:29 |
: I’ll go ahead and get started. |
| 7:30 |
: |
| 7:30 |
: There are the winning bids from the two 15-team Tout Wars leagues. |
| 7:31 |
: 14 team / one catcher mixed league…Rutschman , F Alvarez or Badilo ? |
| 7:31 |
: Alvarez for me |
| 7:31 |
: Is it too early to give up on Beavers in a 12 team roto (5 OF/OBP)? Because I did already. |
Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
In the article, I cover the players using CBS’s and Yahoo’s ADD/DROP rates. Both sites have the option for daily and weekly waiver wire adds. CBS uses a weekly change while Yahoo looks at the last 24 hours. Yahoo is a great snapshot of right now, while CBS ensures hot targets from early in the week aren’t missed. I start players being added at CBS who started the week on less than 40% of rosters.
The players are ordered for redraft leagues by my rest-of-season preference, grouped by hitters, starters, and relievers.
