2023 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Brandon Marsh Contributing Everywhere
The 2023 MLB season continues to be a wild one. More injuries are piling up, making the need to hit the fantasy baseball waiver wire more imperative. In shallow leagues, there are plenty of free agents to add. In deeper formats, it's getting thin and the waiver wire pickups aren't as appealing. Still, there are always a few players out there to add to plug holes and add as short-term pickups. More players landed on the injured list like Logan O'Hoppe, Jeffrey Springs, Garrett Mitchell, Trevor Rogers, Jameson Taillon, and Alex Wood. The percentages below are a guideline and should be adjusted based on your roster and needs.
Top Waiver Wire Hitters
Brandon Marsh, OF Philadelphia Phillies, 15-20%
Marsh is off to a hot start and has been hitting fifth in the Phillies' lineup lately. He is slashing .355/.429/.694 with 12 runs, six doubles, three triples, three home runs, 11 RBI, and one stolen base. Marsh has shown the ability to contribute across the board.
Jorge Soler, OF Miami Marlins, 10-15%
Soler is likely rostered in most competitive leagues, but being only rostered by 24% in Yahoo is surprising. Soler is batting .267 with eight runs, five home runs and 10 RBI with a .976 OPS. He is in the 94th percentile of hard-hit rate and 98th percentile of barrel rate.
Rodolfo Castro, 2B/SS/3B Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-8%
Castro was mentioned in the last article, but he's still low owned on a few platforms. With all the injuries at middle infield, Castro is worth adding. He's playing every day and has eligibility at multiple positions. In the last 12 games, Castro is hitting .368 with two home runs.
Taylor Walls, 2B/SS/3B Tampa Bay Rays, 3-5%
Walls isn't playing every day, but he's finding his way into the Rays' lineup and producing. He is slashing .350/.435/.700 with 16 runs, three home runs, eight RBI, and one stolen base.
Mauricio Dubon, 2B/SS/OF Houston Astros, 3-5%
Dubon is getting the playing time and now hitting lead off for the Astros. After going hitless in his first game of the season, he got a hit in the next 15 games. While he hasn't homered or stolen a base yet, he's batting .343 and will score runs when hitting at the top. He has struck out three times in 67 at-bats and can fill a void for those with a lot of injuries.
Jarren Duran, OF Boston Red Sox, 3-5%
Duran has struggled in the Majors but he is getting the chance to play with Adam Duvall out. Duran has hit in his first four games, going 7-for-17 with two runs, four doubles, six RBI, and a stolen base. Duran has shown power and speed in the minors and he should see a lot of at-bats against right-handed pitchers.
Jake Burger, 3B Chicago White Sox, 3-5%
Burger is getting playing time with Yoan Moncada out and has power. Burger has homered four times in the last seven games and is batting .273. Continue to use him while he's starting with Moncada out.
Top Waiver Wire Pitchers
Jose Alvarado, Philadelphia Phillies, 25-30%
Alvarado has been mentioned here in the last few articles, so hopefully you added him at a cheaper cost. He has received the last three save opportunities for the Phillies and converted them all. He hasn't allowed an earned run in the regular season since August 23rd of last year and he’s pitched 9.1 scoreless innings and allowed four hits, one run, no walks, and struck out 18.
Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics, 10-14%
Miller will be the popular add this weekend, due to his great stuff and he hit 102 miles per hour with his fastball in his Major League debut against the Cubs. He went 4.1 innings and allowed four hits, two runs, one walk, and struck out five. He made one appearance at Double-A and one at Triple-A before getting the call. He is 24, but has only pitched 28.2 innings career innings due to injuries and his workload will be monitored. Oakland is an awful team and wins will be difficult to attain, so keep this in mind when bidding. He has a two-start week, with one on the road against the Angels and home against the Reds.
Johan Oviedo, Pittsburgh Pirates, 10-12%
I added Oviedo last week and didn't pitch him at Coors Field and he pitched well. He pitched six innings and allowed three hits, one run, three walks, and struck out six in a win. In four starts, Oviedo has a 2.22 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a 25:8 K:BB ratio over 24.1 innings. He's limiting barrels and in the 82nd percentile in whiff percentage, while using his curveball more. Oviedo has a two-start week with a home matchup against the Dodgers and on the road in Washington.
Eduardo Rodriguez, Detroit Tigers, 8-10%
It was surprising to see Rodriguez rostered in only 20% of Yahoo leagues. After a decent start to open the season against the Rays and a bad start against the Astros, Rodriguez has looked better his last two starts. He pitched eight scoreless innings in his last start, allowing four hits, no walks, and struck out ten. He is allowing hardly any hard contact and is in the 77th percentile of barrel rate.
Brad Boxberger, Chicago Cubs, 8-10%
Michael Fulmer and Brad Boxberger were mentioned as the two relievers to be in the mix for saves. Fulmer got most of the save chances early, but he has struggled lately. Fulmer allowed three hits, four runs, and a homer in one-third of an inning on Thursday. He has allowed six runs over his last three innings. Boxberger has pitched 7.1 innings and allowed four hits, one run, walked four, and struck out eight. There's a chance Boxberger takes over as the closer.
Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox, 5-7%
There were some questions as to whether Houck would remain in the starting rotation with some pitchers getting healthy. Houck has done everything to remain a starter. He is 3-0 with a 4.29 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 22:8 K:BB ratio over 21 innings. He has a 13% swinging strike rate and a xERA of 3.57. He has added a cutter and he’s throwing his splitter more and went seven innings with seven strikeouts in his last start against the Twins.
Matt Strahm, Philadelphia Phillies, 5-7%
Strahm continues to look good and is building up his arm and pitch count. In his first four starts, he has thrown 61, 59, 67, and 82 pitches. He pitched 5.1 innings on Thursday and allowed three hits, three runs, two walks, and struck out 11. Over 18 innings, he has allowed ten hits, walked seven, and struck out 27. He has a 38% strikeout rate and is in the 89th percentile of whiff rate.
Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles, 3-5%
Bradish came off the injured list and took advantage of a favorable matchup against the Nationals on Wednesday. He went six scoreless innings, allowing five hits, no walks, and struck out six. He pitched well in the second half last season. Bradish gets a two-start week with a home start against Boston and a road start in Detroit.
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Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.
José Soriano allowed three runs over five innings while not factoring in the decision Thursday against the Blue Jays.
Soriano left with a 4-3 lead, but it was erased quickly after his departure. The 26-year-old was not exactly dominant in his outing with eight hits allowed and four free passes, but he did strike out six to help balance things out a smidgen. Soriano takes an even ERA of 4.00 into a scheduled start against the Padres in San Diego on Tuesday. There should be better options for that one.