Every week, without fail, there is going to be roster churn. Between injuries and poor performances, the next man up philosophy often applies. One way to make sure that you move in the right direction, is to utilize the waiver wire to your advantage. To help in that endeavor, let’s take a look at some Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds for Week 5.
As we go through this process on a weekly basis, the criteria for inclusion will be any player rostered in less than 50% of Fantrax leagues (as of 4/24). Our options will be listed at increasing levels of availability.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Recommendations
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs, OF
Following Cody Bellinger’s trip to the Injured List, the Cubs promoted Pete Crow-Armstrong to the big leagues after his cameo last season. There is no doubting the young outfielder’s skill set, and his defense will get him onto the field. At the same time, Crow-Armstrong’s next major league hit will be his first and he will have to manage the strikeouts.
Crow-Armstrong has been slow to get started this season batting just .203 in Triple-A, but he does have five stolen bases so he can be an instant source of speed; as long he can at least walk and get on base. The outfielder previously has had success, and we know all about the potential, but he will have to hit to remain at the big-league level once Bellinger returns.
Blaze Alexander, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks
With Gerardo Perdomo sidelined, Blaze Alexander has grabbed ahold of the shortstop job, and I’m not sure he’s going to let it go. Alexander moved towards the top of Arizona’s batting order this week and he continues to produce. He is now hitting .316 on the season with three home runs and 13 RBI to go along with a .544 slugging percentage.
Based on some of Alexander’s expected stats there are some cracks in the armor, but with a .245 ISO, he is showing off some power. Despite the elevation to the top of the order, Alexander will likely continue to be moved throughout the order as he continues to receive everyday at-bats.
Max Kepler, OF, Minnesota Twins
I don’t think I need to belabor the fact of how bad injuries have been this season. That has had led to players hitting the wavier wire that might have otherwise been stashed. In a lot of leagues, Max Kepler likely falls into that category.
The Twins’ outfielder is now back in action after a knee contusion and we should see him in the middle of the lineup most days. Judging by Kepler’s day off on Wednesday against a southpaw, it’s possible Kepler turns into a platoon option, but he will still be in the lineup most days. In seven games, Kepler has hit .143 with four RBI after a slow start. Last year, Kepler hit 24 home runs in 130 games with 66 RBI and be a welcome addition for those looking to supplement their power.
Hector Neris, RP, Chicago Cubs
Each week, chasing after saves we go. With Adbert Alzolay now removed from the closer’s role, even if it is on a temporary basis, Hector Neris appears to be next in line for saves. Manager Craig Counsell has already brought up Neris’ name as an option to record some saves, and he was successful in his last appearance. While he did allow a solo home run on Wednesday, Neris picked up his second save of the season and he appears to have the role locked up.
Neris does have some experience in the role and he is off to a solid start this season. The veteran is generally good for a strikeout per inning and he has pitched well over the past few seasons with Houston. Ultimately, this is more about the opportunity for saves than anything else, but Neris is a solid option.
Patrick Bailey, C, San Francisco Giants
Another area of our roster that tends to be transient at times is the catcher position. While he bats toward the bottom of the lineup, Patrick Bailey has carved out an everyday role with the Giants. Bailey is hitting a solid .300 on the season with two home runs and seven RBI. With a hard-hit rate of close to 50%, Bailey is making strong contact at the plate. Finding a catcher who won’t be a liability in the batting average department and who is also playing regularly can’t be overlooked.
Johan Rojas, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
It certainly is a balancing act to manage your roster, but if it’s speed you are after, Johan Rojas should be on your radar. While we aren’t going to get any power from Rojas (no home runs, three RBI and a .063 ISO), it’s hard to argue with the seven stolen bases. Rojas is hitting a solid .266 with nine runs scored, but perhaps most notably, he is only striking out 15.5% of the time. Batting towards the bottom of the batting order isn’t ideal, but it is a deep lineup.
Reed Garrett, RP, New York Mets
As we manage ineffective starting pitching and more injuries than we care to acknowledge, it is important not to forget about middle relievers. They sometimes find themselves in position to pick up a victory and grab the occasional save, but that is just an added bonus. Instead of streaming a struggling starter in a bad matchup that can wreak havoc on your ratios, a strong middle reliever can often be the better play. When you do so though, it’s important to also target the strikeout upside.
That brings us to Reed Garrett who has emerged out of nowhere to be a vital part of the Mets bullpen. The fact that Garrett often gets multi-inning stings also helps. On Wednesday, Garrett struck out four more batters in two innings of work which gives him 25 strikeouts in 12.2 innings. After allowing his first run of the season, Garrett’s ERA now sits at 0.71 with a FIP of just 1.42.
Jo Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels
Could Jo Adell finally be figuring things out? Perhaps Ron Washington, along with regular playing time, was the answer, or maybe the outfielder is delivering on his talent and potential? While this is certainly possible, we do need to keep in mind that this a very small sample size and there is still a long way to go before we truly have faith in Adell.
Adell has gotten starts in four straight games and has six hits in 12 at-bats with three RBI in that stretch. That brings the outfielder up to .316 on the season. Of greater importance though, Adell is up to five stolen bases on the season with two home runs, six RBI, and eight runs scored. With a 50% hard-hit rate, Adell is making strong contact and this is upside certainly worth targeting. There is still a long way to go, but Adell does have a .571 SLG with a .632 xSLG.
Addison Barger, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
With Kevin Kiermaier headed to the Injured List, Addison Barger got the promotion to the big leagues. After going hitless in four at-bats, Barger might not have an everyday role in the outfield, but his versatility should help get him in the lineup most days.
Barger has strong plate skills and 20 home run power after getting off to a strong start this season. In 19 games at Triple-A, Barger was hitting .314 with three home runs and 21 RBI and now he brings that skillset and versatility to the big-league level. This is investment to be managed, but Barger is worth taking a chance on to see what he can truly do.
Bailey Falter, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
After a strong start against the Brewers on Tuesday, Bailey Falter is worth a look as a streaming option. Falter picked up the victory with seven innings of one run ball. The left-hander scattered just three hits and two walks while striking out eight.
Through five starts, Falter’s ERA sits at 3.33 (3.99 xERA), but we need to be careful not to go overboard either. However, with matchups against the Giants and Rockies next for Falter, the left-hander should continue to have some fantasy