Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Javier Returns

Fear not, the waiver wire still provides opportunities for you to improve your team. With the fantasy trade deadline either just past or about to pass in your league, that’s the only avenue remaining. The options might seem bleak, but this week does offer some legitimate players that could make a real impact over the rest of the season. Let’s take a look at some waiver wire options to consider. We have pitchers returning from injury and prospects being promoted to the big leagues for the first time.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire

Luke Keaschall, 2B, Minnesota Twins

After trading what seemed like their whole team, someone had to step up for the Minnesota Twins. One of those players has been Luke Keaschall. The rookie second baseman has wasted no time jumping right into the cleanup spot for the Twins.

The former second round pick is hitting .328 in 65 plate appearances with two home runs. We can always need more stolen bases on the waiver wire, and Keaschall is up to six in his brief major league career. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, as it’s historically been a part of his game since being drafted.

Keaschall isn’t going to overwhelm with power, but with 14 RBI, he’s taking full advantage of his spot in the lineup.

Blake Alexander, 2B/3B/SS, Arizona Diamondbacks

Another team that went younger at the Trade Deadline was the Arizona Diamondbacks. That has led to extended playing time for Blaze Alexander. The versatile infielder is capitalizing on the regular playing time. From a fantasy perspective, not only was Alexander hitting .391 in the last seven days entering action to the Thursday, but you can use him across your lineup. From a roster construction, and also while reviewing waiver wire options, Alexander’s triple eligibility is very valuable.

Overall, Alexander’s production isn’t truly jumping off the page, but he’s not a liability either. In 111 plate appearances, Alexander’s hitting .263 with four home runs and 13 RBI. With a 14.5% barrel rate, Alexander is making strong contact.

Owen Caissie, OF, Chicago Cubs

As the Chicago Cubs look to secure their playoff birth, they’ve decided the time is now for Owen Cassie. Caissie is their top outfield prospect who received a large amount of buzz at the MLB Trade Deadline.

While he did go hitless in his debut, there’s nothing to read into here. The Cubs will make sure that Caissie plays everyday and he could be a nice addition to your outfield. In 93 games at Triple-A, Caissie hit .289 with 22 home runs and 52 RBI. Strikeouts will continue to be a problem, about 25% to 30% of the time, but Caissie also comes with a double-digit walk rate. If he gets hot, he can make a real impact. All you really need is one strong stretch of games.

Paul DeJong, 3B/SS, Washington Nationals

At this point, it’s very evident that 2025 hasn’t gone according to plan for Paul DeJong. If you needed any more proof of that, we are talking about Paul DeJong. Nothing against DeJong, but the plan wasn’t for him to be a regular part of Washington’s lineup. That’s especially true when talking about August. And to take a step further, DeJong wasn’t expected to be hitting in the middle of Washington’s lineup.

In fairness to DeJong, though, he’s taking advantage of the situation and capitalizing. Over his last five games, DeJong has three home runs and seven RBI. DeJong is hitting .254 with five home runs, four stolen bases, and 16 RBI in 128 plate appearances.

Strikeouts continue to a problem, 28.9% of the time, but DeJong is taking advantage of his situation. Batting in the middle of any batting order, even Washington’s, shouldn’t be taken lightly. With a 24.3-degree average launch angle, it’s also clear what the infielder is going for. If you need infield help and a little power, DeJong should be on your waiver wire radar.

Cristian Javier, SP, Houston Astros

After making just seven starts in 2024, Cristian Javier’s year came to a close as he needed Tommy John surgery. The good news is that Javier’s recovery and rehab went well, and he made his return this week.

Considering the plethora of pitching injuries the Astros are dealing with, Javier’s return was a breath of fresh air. We also know that art imitates life, and your fantasy squads are likely in the same situation. If anything, it might be worse given the available pitchers from a fantasy perspective. Javier is far better than just about anything that will become available at this time in the season.

In his return, Javier made it through five innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. Javier also struck out five batters in what was a strong return.

Shane Bieber, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

Given the state of pitching, it shouldn’t be surprising that the Toronto Blue Jays traded for Shane Bieber before he even made his return from Tommy John surgery. Bieber’s return has taken a little longer than Javier’s, as he made just two starts last year prior to his injury.

There’s some fear that you might be too late on Bieber, but from that perspective, this is the time to act. The right-hander has one more rehab start to make before returning to the rotation next week. After making 78 pitches in his last start, Bieber should be up to 85, at a minimum, by the time he finds himself in Toronto.

What’s promising is that Bieber’s dominating his way through the minor leagues. After his most recent start, Bieber has a 3.06 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 17.2 innings. He’s been dominating opposing hitters with 23 strikeouts compared to just two walks.

Nolan McLean, SP, New York Mets

At this point, the New York Mets need all the help they can get. While they’re hanging onto a playoff spot, nothing is going right for the Mets. One of their biggest needs is to find pitchers who can get some length to their starts.

With that being said, and also while looking for a spark, Nolan McLean is set to make his debut this weekend. For as long as McLean is successful, there’s no reason not to expect him to remain in the rotation for the rest of the season. This isn’t a decision that New York took likely, and McLean will be given a chance to show what he can do.

McLean started the season in Double-A for five starts and then pitched 16 games in Triple-A. It’s been nothing but success for McLean since he gave up hitting as he continues to progress. The right-hander worked through the development of his pitches as he continues to grow and evolve. Ultimately, it’s the refinement of McLean’s secondary stuff that was most critical.

While expectations are modest, McLean had a 2.45 ERA this season, striking out 10 batters per nine innings. He’s too talented to leave on the waiver wire.

Victor Vodnik, RP, Colorado Rockies

And here’s a name we haven’t heard in a little while. It seems like we can make a case once a month to pick up a different Colorado reliever in the chase for saves. With Seth Halvorsen on the Injured List, the Rockies are back to Victor Vodnik as their closer.

Over the last seven days, Vodnik has had two saves. That gives him four on the season, but this is a situation where there’s some real recency bias. At the same time, it’s nice to know that Vodnik does have some experience in the role.

He’s striking out a little more than a batter per inning (9.41), but Vodnik’s also walking a fine line. Once again, walks are an issue with 5.20 per nine innings. That could be a real contributing factor to Vodnik’s time in the role being short-lived. However, his 3.72 ERA is pretty solid (4.19 FIP). This isn’t a situation to heavily invest in, but there should be some saves to be secured. And that’s what matters.