After a brief break for the All-Star festivities, we’re back on our grind, scouring the waiver wire for the best solutions to problems on our fantasy baseball rosters. After this current week, there are only five weeks left (depending on your league settings) until playoff time, so the time is nigh to improve our rosters.
(FYI – I’m limiting this to hitters)
(only includes players rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues; stats listed are after Saturday’s games)
Anthony Santander – Baltimore – OF – 45% Rostered
(.241, 42 R, 16 HR, 49 RBI, 0 SB)
Our top available player on fantasy baseball waiver wires heading out of the break is the Orioles’ Anthony Santander. He’s been playing so well this year that he may have played himself out of Baltimore before the trade deadline passes. Sooner than later he’ll have topped his career highs in all of the major counting stats, but he’s had two other seasons with a better OPS than this one, so the potential for more is there as well. He’s currently on a four-game hitting streak and has hits in eight of the last nine games.
Andrew McCutchen – Milwaukee – OF – 38% Rostered
(.252, 41 R, 10 HR, 43 RBI, 6 SB)
I’m telling you, this old dog still has some bite left in him. And legs too, apparently, since 35-year-old Andrew McCutcheon has six steals this season already. Since the All-Star break, he’s 3 for 12 with four runs, a homer, and four RBIs in three games. He has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games, so there’s no sign of him slowing down yet.
Nico Hoerner – Cubs – 2B/SS – 48% Rostered
(.303, 32 R, 6 HR, 30 RBI, 10 SB)
Cubs’ middle infielder Nico Hoerner is a rare breed this season – a player hitting over .300. His .303 average is 16th best in the major leagues, plus he’s got double-digit steals, which is always a needed commodity on a fantasy baseball squad. In his first season getting regular playing time, he’s paying the Cubs back with stellar play.
Josh Naylor – Cleveland – 1B/OF – 46% Rostered
(.275, 29 R, 13 HR, 51 RBI, 1 SB)
I picked up Josh Naylor a couple of days ago, and he’s paying me back dividends already. My fellow Canadian has career-highs across the board this season, and he’s been on fire in the three games since the season has resumed. He’s 6 for 10 with two runs and four RBIs in that span.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa – Yankees – SS – 20% Rostered
(.273, 43 R, 0 HR, 29 RBI, 13 SB)
Yankee speedster Isiah Kiner-Falefa makes a return to our fantasy baseball waiver wire list, on the strength of a 12-game hit streak (including Sunday’s game). He brings you hits, steals, and runs, but no power, unfortunately. But hey – no waiver wire player is perfect – you get what you pay for.
Santiago Espinal – Toronto – 2B/3B – 36% Rostered
(.272, 38 R, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 5 SB)
You don’t find real-life MLB All-Stars on the waiver wire very often, but Santiago Espinal is there for the taking. He’s gotten a hit in four straight games (five hits total), with seven runs and two RBIs over that spell. You can see by his stat line above that there really isn’t any stat category that he won’t help your team in.
Other fantasy baseball waiver wire players worth checking out: Christian Walker, Jorge Mateo, Alec Bohm, Steven Kwan
Related Fantasy Baseball Waiver Content:
