Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Karros Tops Second-Half Targets

The All-Star break is behind us, and we have just 10 weeks to go in the fantasy baseball season. Hopefully, you took stock of your fantasy squads over the break. At this point in the season, it’s essential to know your teams’ strengths and weaknesses and where you can realistically make — and maintain — gains in the standings. Thankfully, the fantasy baseball waiver wire can help you out in that endeavor. Whether you’re streaming players or looking for injury replacements, the fantasy baseball waiver wire is an invaluable resource.

The players listed below are available in 70% or fewer of Fantrax leagues. All suggested targets bring skills to the table that can help boost your rosters. With that, let’s take a look at this week’s fantasy baseball waiver wire targets.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets

Kyle Karros, 3B, Rockies (60%)

Kyle Karros has been a productive bat since landing an everyday role at the end of June. He’s hitting .304/.426/.679 in that 16-game span with five homers, 12 runs scored, 13 RBI and a steal. The contact hitter has also been an extra-base machine (four doubles, one triple) while walking at a 14.7% clip. Karros’ underlying skills support his results, and he should be an across-the-board contributor while hitting in the heart of the Rockies’ order. If you need help at the hot corner, Karros is a more than solid target in shallow leagues.

A.J. Ewing, OF, Mets (69%)

A.J. Ewing got the call-up in mid-May, but really found his footing in June. Since then, the rookie has slashed .293/.358/.496 with six homers and five steals with a 138 wRC+ across his last 148 plate appearances. While the power is nice to see, we shouldn’t expect a ton of it (7.7% barrel, 70.4 mph bat speed). Rather, the bulk of Ewing’s fantasy value stems from his legs. He owns 95th-percentile sprint speed and stole 70 bags in 124 games across the minors in 2025. Ewing recently settled in as the Mets’ leadoff hitter, which should bode well for both his runs scored and steal opportunities. Ewing shouldn’t be sitting on waivers in 12-teamers.

Curtis Mead, 1B/2B/3B, Nationals (70%)

Curtis Mead headed into the All-Star break on a hot streak. He was 14-for-35 at the plate (.400 BA) to go with three homers and a stolen base across nine games. The production is nice to see, as Mead struggled in June to the tune of a .196 BA and .673 OPS across 100 plate appearances. Looking ahead, the Nationals have one of the friendliest upcoming schedules. They head to Sacramento for a series this weekend and open next week at Coors Field. Mead has solid underlying metrics, contributes across the board and hits third in a potent Nats lineup. He could be in line for some hefty production and needs to be added where available.

Heriberto Hernandez, OF, Marlins (37%)

Heriberto Hernandez may finally get everyday playing time now that Owen Caissie is sidelined. The slugger has been on a tear in July, smacking five dingers in 11 games while hitting .324 with a 1.322 OPS. He also tacked on five doubles, seven runs scored and seven RBI in those 39 plate appearances.

Hernandez has primarily been in a short-side platoon role with some at-bats against righties sprinkled in. Despite the uneven playing time, his power upside is clear. Since June, Hernandez has 11 home runs in 32 games and a .389 ISO. He also posted strong quality contact metrics in that stretch with a 16.7% barrel rate, 53.8% hard-hit rate, and 93.5 mph average EV. If he keeps hitting, it’s possible Hernandez earns an everyday role once Caissie returns in early August. In the meantime, he’s worth scooping up for his power upside.

Garrett Mitchell, OF, Brewers (61%)

Garrett Mitchell has been on a heater of late, safely reaching base in 12 of his last 14 games. In those 55 plate appearances, he piled up six doubles, one triple, and a couple of dingers to go with a beefy .392/.436/.667 slash line.

Mitchell’s hot play shouldn’t come as a surprise, as he’s hit the ball well since June. Over his last 132 plate appearances, he owns a .328/.379/.574 slash line with five long balls, 21 runs scored, 16 RBI, and a .402 xwOBA. Mitchell also made a ton of quality contact in that stretch, sporting a 16.3% barrel rate and 93.1 mph average EV. Overall, Mitchell’s swing-and-miss tendencies and spotty contact rates could catch up with him. But he brings both power and speed to the table and hits in the middle of a productive Brewers lineup. There’s enough fantasy value here to ride in 12-teamers.

Josh Bell, 1B, Twins (66%)

Josh Bell doesn’t have the same upside as some of the other bats listed above. But that doesn’t mean we should give him the cold shoulder. The veteran has been a nice power option since June, collecting eight of his 13 homers in those 146 plate appearances to go with a .291/.349/.567 slash line and 152 wRC+. Bell also racked up 21 runs scored and 28 RBI in that span and sported a .276 ISO. Part of Bell’s success this season stems from a career-high 22% pulled-air rate, up from 17.8% in 2025. The Twins have a full seven-game slate next week, where Bell should continue to pile up the counting stats. Take advantage in leagues where he’s overlooked.

Dean Kremer, SP, Orioles (53%)

Home runs have plagued Dean Kremer since his return from the IL, as he coughed up nine long balls in four starts (3.68 HR/9). However, his 4.09 ERA in those 22 innings comes with a 3.35 xFIP, and his numbers under the hood are pretty rosy. Kremer’s 27.9% K rate since returning is backed by a 13% swinging-strike rate, which pairs well with a minuscule 4.7% walk rate. He’s also generating whiffs at a healthy 31.4% clip. It’s a limited sample size, but one worth taking a shot on given the lack of quality arms available on the wire. Kremer is lined up for a favorable two-start week (@BOS, vs. ATL); both clubs have been bottom-five offenses against RHP since June.

Reynaldo Lopez, RP, Braves (60%)

Reynaldo Lopez has been a solid arm since rejoining the rotation. In four starts, he registered a 3.50 ERA (3.97 xFIP), 1.00 WHIP and 15.5% K-BB% across 18 innings. His 7.5 K/9 in that stretch is a little on the light side, but with an upcoming two-step on the docket (vs. SDP, @BAL), Lopez is worth targeting. Plus, he curbed the free passes since returning, with his 5.6% walk rate a notable improvement from his 9.6% mark on the year. Lopez is a serviceable option in 12-teamers next week.