Buy Kwan Now, Stash Carrigg, Snag House: Waiver Wire Gold
Fantasy Baseball Weekly: Buy, Sell, Hold & Free Agent Pickups (Late Season Edition)
TL;DR: We’re in the final quarter of the fantasy baseball season. Trade deadlines have passed in many leagues, so the focus shifts to free agency (the "wire"). Here’s who to grab, who to drop, and who to keep the faith with — all explained in plain English.
Where Are We in the Season?
Even though it feels like the year is winding down, we still have about 25% of the season left. That’s plenty of time to climb the standings — especially if you make smart moves on the waiver wire (the list of players not currently on any fantasy team).
Key Concept: "The Wire" / Free Agency
In fantasy baseball, players not rostered by any manager are "on the wire." You can add them to your team, usually by dropping someone else. This column focuses on widely available players (mostly under 20% rostered on Yahoo).
BUY: Players to Target Now
These guys are trending up and widely available. Grab them while you can.
Steven Kwan, OF, Cleveland Guardians
The "Contact King" is back.
- Kwan doesn’t hit home runs — he hits everything else.
- Since July 1: .377 batting average, .414 BABIP (batting average on balls in play — a measure of luck + contact quality).
- Exit velocity up to 85+ mph = harder contact = more hits.
- Fewer fly balls = good thing for him (fly balls = easy outs).
- Walks up, strikeouts down = elite on-base skills.
- Statcast expected BA (.325) still elite — even if luck regresses, he’s a batting average goldmine.
Trade-off: Zero power. Only add if you can live with 5–8 HR all year.
Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies
The "Lottery Ticket" with huge upside.
- 24 HR, 18 SB in 100 Triple-A games = rare power/speed combo.
- Plays in Coors Field (hitter’s paradise).
- Swinging-strike rate was 12.4% in minors — if he keeps that near big-league average, he’ll produce.
- Risk: High strikeout potential. Pitchers will adjust.
Best for: Teams needing a short-term spark — catch a hot streak while pitchers figure him out.
Brady House, 3B, Washington Nationals
The "Toolsy Prospect" flashing big-league juice.
- Age 23, regular role in a solid lineup.
- Since recall (late July): .270/.324/.413 with 14.3% barrel rate, 57.1% hard-hit rate.
- Expected stats even better: .298 xBA, .507 xSLG.
- Strikes out a lot — but when he connects, it’s loud.
Dynasty/keeper leagues: Dream on a second-half breakout. Redraft: speculative add.
SELL: Players to Move While They Have Value
These guys are fading. If you can trade them — do it. If not, consider dropping in shallow leagues.
Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
Post-All-Star slump is real.
- Since break: Chasing more pitches, swinging less in the zone, missing more (14% SwStr% vs 11.5% pre-break).
- Give him one more week — but if this continues, he’s not the same player.
Teoscar Hernández, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Running on fumes.
- Barrel rate crashed: 10.3% → 4.5% last 30 days.
- Hitting lower in lineup = fewer RBI/run chances.
- Bat speed/exit velocity stable — could bounce back — but interest fading outside deep leagues.
Framber Valdez, SP, Detroit Tigers
Not the ace you drafted.
- High-4.00s ERA since July.
- K% 17.1%, BB% 9.4% = 5th-starter stuff.
- Not missing bats. No clear fix in sight.
Verdict: This is who he is this year. Move on.
HOLD: Don’t Panic, Don’t Drop (Yet)
These guys are struggling but have reasons to believe they’ll turn it around.
William Contreras, C, Milwaukee Brewers
Ugly month, but catcher scarcity saves him.
- Since break: .172 AVG, .323 SLG — but 11% barrel rate says he should be hitting better.
- BABIP unlucky, no power spike — but bat speed & sprint speed normal.
- Catcher eligibility = roster gold. At any other position, you’d drop him. Here? Hang on.
Cole Carrigg, OF, Colorado Rockies
Fun, versatile, but due for regression.
- Switch-hitter, speed, low K%, sneaky bat speed.
- .350 BABIP = unsustainable (will come down).
- Even a "lite" version = 5-category contributor (AVG, HR, RBI, R, SB).
- Steals are real. Hold for now.
Jacob Lopez, SP, Athletics
Legit breakout or hot streak?
- Last 7 starts: 3.13 ERA, 28.1% K%, 8.5% BB%, 103 Stuff+ (pitch quality metric — 100 = avg).
- BABIP low, strand rate high = some luck — but process improved.
- Park is scary (Oakland Coliseum) — but he’s pitching well right now.
Hold/start with confidence — but keep expectations grounded.
HITTER FREE AGENT ADDS (By Category)
Most under 20% rostered on Yahoo. Category-specific boosts for the stretch run.
Batting Average Help
| Player | Team | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff McNeil | ATH | 1B/2B | Classic contact bat, multi-eligible |
| Nathaniel Lowe | CLE | 1B | High floor, .280+ BA floor |
| Luis Rengifo | SD | 3B/OF | Hot streak — ride it while it lasts |
| Andruw Monasterio | BOS | 2B/SS | Working for now — don’t overthink |
Home Run Power
| Player | Team | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Báez | STL | OF | Not in your league yet — but top prospect, huge tools, will K a lot. Watchlist only. |
| Abimelec Ortiz | WAS | 1B | Platoon bat (vs RHP) — power + contact. Teammate Andrés Chaparro (vs LHP) also interesting. |
| Taylor Trammell | HOU | OF | Deep leagues only — selling out for power, occasionally connects. |
Stolen Bases
| Player | Team | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor Walls | TB | SS | Pure speed, plays daily |
| Cole Carrigg | COL | OF | See above — 5-cat guy |
| Garrett Mitchell | MIL | OF | Losing time vs LHP — but steals when in lineup |
Runs & RBI (Counting Stats)
| Player | Team | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brady House | WAS | 3B | See Buy section — middle of lineup, hard contact |
| Braden Montgomery | CHW | OF | Hitting ball harder lately, moved up in order |
| Jung Hoo Lee | SF | OF | Cold streak won’t last — elite contact, will rack up runs/RBI when hits fall |
PITCHER FREE AGENT ADDS (By Category)
Check the weekly bullpen column for relievers (beyond "Bradgley Rodriguez is pretty good").
Strikeouts
| Player | Team | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Scott | NYM | SP | High K upside |
| Jacob Lopez | ATH | SP | See Hold — legit K rate now |
| Gage Jump | ATH | SP | How bad do you need Ks? High risk, high reward |
Wins (Quality Starts + Run Support)
| Player | Team | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | 8 straight starts: 5+ IP, 3 or fewer runs in 7 — just no run support (1 win). Regression coming. |
| Dustin May | MIL | SP | Shakedown blowups, back to quality innings. |
ERA (Ratio Protection)
| Player | Team | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Scherzer | TOR | SP | Future HOFer looking like himself post-injury. |
| Hunter Dobbins | STL | SP | "Kitchen-sinking" (mixing pitches well) → weak contact, good results. Great streamer. |
WHIP (Walks + Hits per Inning)
| Player | Team | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Mahle | ATL | SP | Throws 3 fastballs, none "fast" — but command + deception = it works. |
| Robert Gasser | MIL | SP | Control improved — watching for next step forward. |
| Bradgley Rodriguez | SD | RP/SP | SP/RP eligible in many leagues. Elite ratios, often 2 IP = win upside. Fits any category. |
IMPORTANT POINTS CALLOUT
5 Things to Remember This Week
- Trade deadlines are passing — waiver wire is now your main upgrade path.
- BABIP = luck metric. High (.350+) = likely regression. Low (.250-) = likely bounce-back.
- xBA/xSLG = Statcast expectations based on exit velocity/launch angle. Better than raw stats for predicting future.
- Streaming = short-term adds (1–2 starts) for ratios/wins/Ks. Dobbins, Mahle, Gasser = prime stream targets.
- Catcher & MI (2B/SS) scarcity = hold struggling players longer at these positions (Contreras, Monasterio, Walls).
SUMMARY
| Action | Players | Why |
|---|---|---|
| BUY | Kwan (AVG), Veen (upside), House (power/speed) | Trending up, widely available |
| SELL | Reynolds (slump), Hernández (fatigue), Valdez (declined) | Fading skills, move while valued |
| HOLD | Contreras (catcher gold), Carrigg (5-cat), Lopez (legit Ks) | Underlying metrics support rebound |
| ADD (Hitters) | McNeil/Lowe (AVG), Ortiz/Trammell (HR), Walls/Mitchell (SB), House/Montgomery/Lee (R/RBI) | Category specialists, low roster % |
| ADD (Pitchers) | Scott/Jump (K), Nola/May (W), Scherzer/Dobbins (ERA), Mahle/Gasser/Rodriguez (WHIP) | Target specific needs, many multi-category |
Bottom Line: You don’t need stars — you need category fits. Target Kwan for AVG, Veen for lottery, Dobbins for ERA, Rodriguez for WHIP/win upside. Win the wire, win the week.
FAQ
1. What does "rostered %" mean?
It’s the percentage of Yahoo fantasy leagues where a player is currently on a team. Under 20% = widely available on the waiver wire in most leagues.
2. What is "streaming" a pitcher?
Picking up a starter for just their next 1–2 starts (usually favorable matchups), then dropping them. Great for wins, Ks, ERA, WHIP without using a permanent roster spot.
3. Why is BABIP important?
Batting Average on Balls In Play measures how often non-HR batted balls become hits. League avg ≈ .300.
- .350+ = likely lucky (will regress)
- .250- = likely unlucky (will improve)
Use it to spot buy-low/sell-high candidates.
4. What’s the difference between xBA and actual BA?
xBA (expected BA) uses Statcast data (exit velocity, launch angle) to predict what a player’s batting average should be based on contact quality. Actual BA includes luck. xBA is more predictive.
5. Should I drop a struggling star like Teoscar Hernández?
In shallow leagues (10–12 teams): Yes — better options on wire.
In deep leagues (14+): Hold — lineup spot + Coors/Dodger Stadium upside = hard to replace.
Always check: Is there a clearly better free agent right now for your needed category?
Good luck on the wire this week!