While on the surface it might seem to be a boring week, that is never true. The waiver wire always has something to offer you. Of course, some of the offerings are clearly better than others, but there are at least players worthy of our attention. The other issue is that your roster situation, or desperation to be realistic, may drive certain decisions. However, every improvement and each incremental RBI you can add should not be overlooked. Our rosters are never static, and even to a small degree, there are always moves to be made. As you continue working to improve your team, let’s take a look at some Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds for Week 8.
In doing our weekly diligence, the criteria for inclusion will generally be any player rostered in less than 50% of Fantrax leagues (as of 5/15). 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
Davis Schneider, 2B/OF, Toronto Blue Jays
As long as Davis Schneider is receiving regular playing time, he warrants a roster spot. It does sound obvious though, as the playing time won’t be a problem as long as he produces at the plate. Through 35 games that has been the case, but now we just need Schneider’s production to truly catch up to his Statcast metrics.
Schneider is hitting a solid .258 despite a 25.9% strikeout rate. However, in OBP leagues, a 12.9% walk rate cannot be overlooked either. There are some that will overrate Schneider’s 19.1% barrel rate and 21.7-degree launch angle, but it’s also difficult to ignore. At the same time, there are flaws in the swing that keep him on the waiver wire.
Tread with a level of caution, but there is upside here.
Carlos Santana, 1B, Minnesota Twins
Batting average has never been an asset for Carlos Santana. So far this season, he is hitting .213, but with a BABIP of .216, this is a little lower than normal. The same can be said for his .287 OBP as his walk rate at 7.3% is also down from recent levels.
So far in May though, things are looking a lot better for Santana as he is hitting .268 with three home runs and eight RBI. Even when he was struggling in April, the power (four home runs) and run production (13 RBI) was there. The Twins are going to continue giving the veteran regular playing time and the average won’t be this bad. It might not be exciting, but Santana can add much-needed counting stats.
Johan Rojas, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
We are going after stolen bases, what else is new, and that brings us to Johan Rojas. Rojas seems to be getting regular playing time in center field, and that puts him in the position to steal bases. The fact that he is hitting just .233 in 36 games isn’t exactly attractive, but it’s hard to argue with nine stolen bases in 36 games.
Rojas doesn’t bring much in the way of power to the table and the quality of contact is simply not good. The fact that he doesn’t walk hurts from an OBP perspective, but it also limits his stolen base opportunities. Should you require additional stolen bases, Rojas should be on your radar.
Mark Vientos, UT, New York Mets
The Mets didn’t promote Mark Vientos so he could sit on the bench, but there are also some limitations. J.D. Martinez is locked in at DH and Brett Baty is getting the majority of the time at third base, so will Vientos simply be a platoon option? The problem is that he would get his playing time against left-handed pitching, so he is on the short side of things.
However, the Mets are in need of offense, and they are facing a high amount of left-handers in this current stretch. Quite simply, the more Vientos hits, the more he will play. While he did hit nine home runs in 65 games last year, he got his adjustments to major-league pitching out of the way. Vientos hit just .211 while striking out 30.5% of the time.
So far in Triple-A, Vientos was off to a strong start with six home runs and 30 RBI in 31 games while hitting .284. There is some pop in Vientos’ bat, and now he just needs a chance to show that off. Vientos does need more time at third base to receive some flexibility.
Jake Bauers, IF/OF, Milwaukee Brewers
With Rhys Hoskins headed to the Injured List, fantasy managers are left with an opening in their lineups. One solution might be to stay with the Brewers and look towards Jake Bauers who stands to receive the majority of the available playing time. At least against right-handed pitching, Bauers should be in the lineup on a daily basis which means we should see him most days.
Over the past week, Bauers has 16 at-bats while making an impact across all categories. Bauers had six hits, two of which were home runs, as he drove in eight runs and stole two bases. That gives him four stolen bases on the season and it could prove to be an added bonus. He has struggled to find sustainable success in his career, but he has had some hot streaks as well. Strikeouts will be a problem, around 35% of the time, but there is some upside to be found.
With a 10% barrel rate and 23-degree average launch angle, Bauers is in a position to do damage when he makes contact.
Casey Mize, SP, Detroit Tigers
If you are truly searching for strikeouts, Casey Mize might not be for you. So far this season, Mize is striking out just 6.60 batters per nine innings. In his last three starts though, Mize has 14 strikeouts in 17.1 innings, so things do appear to be adjusting.
This week, Mize gets the benefit of making two starts. He begins the week by traveling to Kansas City prior to ending the week against Toronto. At 52.1%, Mize is getting more outs than ever on the ground. More importantly though, Mize has the highest average fastball velocity of his career at 95.7 miles per hour. As he works back from injury, the velocity should lead to more strikeouts.
Starting with a 3.50 ERA, the highest one of his metrics goes is an xFIP of 3.72. Mize is using his split finger more while also generating predominantly weak contact. He won’t be perfect, but Mize was a first-overall pick in 2018.
Alex Manoah, SP, Toronto Blue Jays
What do you do here? The talent and upside is maddening, but will he ever put it together?
Last year was a complete disaster for Manoah, and even in the minor leagues this year, he has yet to consistently find success. Of course the strikeouts will be there, but at what cost? The right-hander is still walking a large amount of hitters, and far too many are also coming across the plate.
However, it’s hard to argue with the seven innings of three-run ball he just had against Toronto. After he faces Tampa Bay in his next start, things get that much easier. Manoah then takes the mound against the White Sox and Tigers. If you ever had interest in Manoah, this has to be the week. Perhaps he finds his control and command, but he will always be volatile.
Joe Ross, SP, Milwaukee Brewers
Another pitcher who has struggled with injuries as of late is Joe Ross. Now with Milwaukee, Ross is at a career-high 94.7 average fastball velocity. With a 4.61 ERA, the results have been mixed. However, a 4.10 FIP and 3.85 xERA do tell a much better story.
Ross has cut down on his fastball usage to lean on his slider more. While there have been improvements and updates to Ross, the biggest thing is the renewed health. It’s allowing Ross to get back to where he was pre-injury, and that is ultimately the objective.
Seeing Ross begin the week against the Marlins certainly helps prior to a decent matchup on the road against Boston.
Jalen Beeks, RP, Colorado Rockies
Follow the saves. Sometimes that is all you can do. If you need saves, then you simply don’t have a choice. With someone like Jalen Beeks though, its very possible that before you insert him into your starting lineup, he has lost the role.
Beeks has picked up four saves in a short period of time, but there are some warning signs as well. If you need the saves, and we know there are a finite amount, it’s difficult to ignore. The problem though, is that just 6.20 strikeouts per nine innings aren’t going to cut it. Things are even worse when you factor in that he is walking close to five batters per nine innings. For now it is working, but Justin Lawrence could easily reclaim the job.
Maintaining a .193 BABIP against will be difficult, and a 4.63 FIP speaks more to the full picture.