Now it’s really time to roll. The calendar has turned to August. This is the time to make your move. After a lot rumors and speculation, the MLB Trade Deadline was maybe a little quieter than we had expected. It truly was a seller’s market and that led to a lot of moves on the fringes of rosters. However, there were some situations in which role changes transpired, and that represents an opportunity for you as a fantasy manager. As you continue working to improve your team, let’s take a look at some Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds for Week 18.
In doing our weekly diligence, the criteria for inclusion will generally be any player rostered in less than 50% of Fantrax leagues (as of 7/31). The popularity of Dynasty leagues on Fantrax does sway some of these percentages compared to other platforms, but these are players who should be on your radar.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Recommendations
Jackson Holliday, 2B, Baltimore Orioles
To say that we are well aware of Jackson Holliday would be an understatement. The pedigree, talent, and upside is all there. All that was missing in his stint with Baltimore earlier in the season were the results. In Triple-A though, Holliday continued to prove that he is one of the best prospects in the game.
Over 73 games, Holliday hit .271 with 10 home runs, 38 RBI, and 75 runs scored. Following the trade of Connor Norby, Holliday was pressed back into action with the Orioles. On Wednesday, he promptly announced his presence with a grand slam. The expectation now is that Holliday will be the everyday second baseman for a strong Baltimore team. Even though it was just 36 plate appearances, the adjustment period is out of Holliday’s system. A fractured hand for Jordan Westburg only further guarantees regular playing time for Holliday.
Kyle Stowers, OF, Miami Marlins
Well, that was fast. We know that the Marlins moved just about everything that wasn’t nailed down, but they still need to field a lineup. That means newly acquired Kyle Stowers is slotting into the third spot in Miami’s batting order.
On a crowded Baltimore team, Stowers has gotten a taste of big-league action over the last few years but has just a combined 168 plate appearances. With a strikeout rate of around 25% and issues hitting for average, Stowers’ upside is limited. It’s hard to expect more than the .240 batting average Stowers hit for in Triple-A this year, but there is upside elsewhere. The outfielder had 18 home runs and 55 RBI in 264 plate appearances while posting a .314 ISO.
With Miami, Stowers will be in a prime spot in the order and could be the source of some cheap power down the stretch.
Pedro Leon, OF, Houston Astros
While the Astros didn’t upgrade their offense this week via trade, they did promote Pedro Leon. Leon’s next big league at-bat will be his first, but he is in the midst of the best season of his professional career.
With a .297 batting average in 93 games, Leon, at least temporarily, has put together that part of his game. What we don’t have to worry about though is the power and speed, as the outfielder is just one home run short of his second straight 20/20 season. Leon has 19 home runs and 23 stolen bases to go along with 72 RBI. It remains to be seen whether Leon will be in the lineup on a daily basis, but he can easily take away any choice the Astros have.
Houston didn’t promote one of their best prospects for him not to play, so follow the talent.
Dillon Dingler, C, Detroit Tigers
As we look towards improving down the stretch, the Tigers are looking towards 2025. Catching help is always difficult to find, and Detroit is looking to see what they have in Dingler.
In his debut, Dingler doubled and picked up an RBI. While the Tigers will be careful with his playing time, Dingler should be in the lineup the majority of days. With a .308 batting average, 17 home runs, and 52 RBI, Dingler seemingly put it together in Triple-A. With a career-best .251 ISO, Dingler flashed power that will be interesting to see if he can continue.
Edward Cabrera, SP, Miami Marlins
Is it finally happening? Edward Cabrera has consistently been a popular sleeper option due to his talent, but the results haven’t always followed. Between health and struggles with control, Cabrera has frustrated fantasy managers.
While we hesitate to overreact or put too much emphasis on a small sample size, Cabrera has a 3.60 ERA in his last three starts. The right-hander has 14 strikeouts in 15 innings which doesn’t come as a surprise. The problem though, is that it does come with a 1.47 WHIP.
On the season, Cabrera is striking out 11.63 batters per nine innings, so our attention is piqued. If only it didn’t come with over five walks per nine innings, then we would be in business. The other issue is that with just over two home runs per nine innings, Cabrera needs to keep the ball in the park.
Through 11 starts, Cabrera does have a 6.65 ERA, but 4.94 xERA and 3.86 xFIP add extra intrigue. The upside is worth a look here.
JP Sears, SP, Oakland A’s
Other than Luis Robert and Andrew Vaughn, does anyone really know who is left on the Chicago White Sox? JP Sears gets to begin his week at home against the White Sox prior to facing Toronto later in the week.
In his last three starts, Sears has a 4.34 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 18.2 innings while walking just one batter. For a surprisingly hot Oakland team, Sears also has two victories in that stretch. On the surface, not much stands out about Sears, other than that he has been a generally solid option. Through 22 starts, Sears has a 4.53 ERA overall and he is a solid streaming option this week.
Paul Blackburn, SP, New York Mets
While Paul Blackburn leaves the comfort of Oakland, he gets an upgrade moving to New York. With the Mets, he does have a solid pitcher’s park along with a strong offense and improved bullpen.
Despite striking out a batter per inning last year, Blackburn isn’t necessarily going to overpower anyone. Now healthy after a foot injury, Blackburn has just 6.47 strikeouts per nine innings. With a 4.41 ERA, Blackburn is the epitome of a streaming option. However, at this point in the season, there is something to be said about receiving quality innings.
Hunter Strickland, RP, Los Angeles Angels
Talk about a blast from the past. This is an unexpected inclusion as Hunter Strickland is not someone I expected to be fantasy-relevant this season. However, after the trade of Carlos Estevez and Luis Garcia, here we are.
While the Angels might not have many save opportunities over the remainder of the season, they are currently going to Strickland. The veteran’s previous career high is 14, so he does have some experience in the role. Strickland picked up the save on Tuesday as he continues having a strong season. In 50 innings of work, Strickland has a 3.06 ERA with a strong 2.91 xERA.
At this point, Strickland doesn’t truly overpower hitters, 7.38 strikeouts per nine innings, but he is finding success. Opposing hitters have a barrel rate of just 5.7% which has been quite valuable.
However, we do have to keep an eye on the future as Ben Joyce is lurking behind Strickland. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Joyce and his 2.01 ERA (3.68 xERA) claim the role by the end of the season. Joyce does need to improve his control and take advantage of his velocity, so for now, Strickland is the closer.
Calvin Faucher, RP, Miami Marlins
With Tanner Scott and AJ Puk elsewhere, someone has to close games for the Miami Marlins. At this point, it appears that Calvin Faucher has the role. And that puts him squarely on our radars.
While he doesn’t have a save yet this season, Faucher has been used in a high-leverage role. It has appeared to agree with Faucher who might be the last man standing from Miami’s bullpen. The right-hander does have 11 holds while striking out 42 batters in 38.2 innings of work. Walks are a concern, 4.42 per nine innings, but Faucher hasn’t let it affect him with a 3.03 ERA (2.62 FIP). We should see some positive regression from Faucher’s .349 BABIP which is a plus.
Opposing hitters have struggled to square up Faucher with just a 6.6% barrel rate and nine percent average launch angle.