Who are the top fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for this week? How much do you spend on them? Fantasy Alarm has the answers for you right here.

There were still two days in between the last waiver period and the actual MLB trade deadline, so while there were no big marquee names like Tarik Skubal or Garrett Crochet moving on to new teams, there were still plenty of smaller deals made which will affect the fantasy baseball landscape. With such an abundance of player movement, even just the role players, there is a lot of playing time opening up for some and, if you dig deep enough, you can find some hidden gems to help boost your roster.

 

 

As always, you are encouraged to check out last week’s waiver wire column to make sure no one slipped through the cracks. You’ll probably see a ton of people going after recent Baltimore Orioles call-up Coby Mayo, so with everyone paying attention there, you can find a number of other players for a much lower price. And don’t forget to check out this week’s Two-Start Pitchers & Streaming Starters piece as well.

**Please keep in mind, these FAAB bids are a guideline, not the gospel. You should be keeping track of how everyone in your league is bidding, so you understand that if you really need the player, you should raise your bid accordingly.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Catchers

Freddie Fermin, Kansas City Royals

Fermin appears to be back to full-time at-bats and has now hit safely in six of his last seven with multi-hit performances in each of his last three games. He’s kicked in two home runs and six RBI during that span and while he may get a day off here or there, he is easily the Royals best option at the DH spot right now. He can also go back and forth behind the plate with Salvador Perez, so the opportunity is here. FAAB: 4-6%  

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: First Basemen

Josh Bell, Arizona Diamondbacks

With Christian Walker on the injured list until roughly the end of August, Bell becomes an instant pick-up, despite the overall blandness of his game. Right before he was traded, Bell went on a tear in which he popped five home runs in a six-game span and then had a two-home game in his Arizona debut. He’ll have his ups and downs, but for now, he’s riding an eight-game hit streak and will see a boatload of playing time in a productive offense. FAAB: 10-12%

Joey Loperfido, Toronto Blue Jays

While it hasn’t been all rainbows, lollipops and sunshine for Loperfido’s rookie campaign, no one is giving up on a kid after just 116 at-bats. He still needs to work on his plate discipline, but we know there’s solid power lurking there and with less pressure plus the hitter-friendly dimension in Toronto, he should be able to provide you with some help in the offensive counting stats. FAAB: 8-10%

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Second Basemen

Christopher Morel, Tampa Bay Rays

If your league’s position eligibility rules are going by last year’s games-played, then Morel should technically qualify at second base so long as it was 15 games or fewer needed. He’s played two at the keystone this year and the Rays could give him even more time there which puts him in a great spot for fantasy. We know his power comes in waves and he’s got two home runs in his last three games, so this is another reminder to strike while the iron is hot. FAAB: 8-10%

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Third Basemen

Coby Mayo, Baltimore Orioles

I mean, duh. I mentioned stashing him away about a month ago and then two weeks ago, I told you to add him as the trade deadline was imminent and he could be brought up at any point. If you listened, great. You probably got him for a whole lot cheaper than what it’s going to cost you to add him now. With Jordan Westburg suffering a fractured hand, things got expedited and Mato is finally up. For good? We’ll see. He was slashing .301/375/.586 with 22 doubles and 20 home runs at Triple-A Norfolk before his promotion, so we’re hoping he fares better than the rest of the Orioles rookies not named Colton Cowser have this season. FAAB: 20-25%

Eugenio Suarez, Arizona Diamondbacks

Nothing grabs everyone’s attention like a three-homer game, right? Well, this also comes with a five-game hit streak and hitting safely in 10 of the last 12 games, so there’s just a little more than one big game here. Someone finally woke up Suarez and he’s raised his batting average from .213 to .230 in that span, so obviously, this is about striking while the iron is hot. His reputation should help keep the price down, but if you’re in need of power, he’s definitely someone to consider. FAAB: 10-12%

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Shortstops

Orlando Arcia, Atlanta Braves

I understand the batting average and OBP aren’t great and this position has been surprisingly flush with talent, but to see him owned in fewer than 10-percent of leagues across ESPN and Yahoo seems criminal. If you haven’t been watching, Arcia is currently riding a 13-game hit streak with one double, four home runs, eight RBI and five runs scored in that span. If you’re looking to accrue at-bat in the middle infield and can afford a bit of a batting average slump, you should add him and build up your offense. FAAB: 6-8%

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Outfielders

Harrison Bader, New York Mets

He missed a few games due to an ankle injury, but Bader is back in the lineup and now appears to be a great time to add the outfielder. He’s got a mix of power and speed, though neither is overwhelming, and he’s got a seven-game week this week which includes a three-game set in Coors Field. He’s hit safely in two of the three games he’s played since coming back from injury, so hopefully he’s nice and warmed up. FAAB: 8-10%

Austin Hays, Philadelphia Phillies

After being pushed aside for the hot, young rookie crop in Baltimore, Hays lands in Philadelphia and should see the majority of at-bats in left field the rest of the way. This is a 15-20-homer bat that can also do some table-setting even from the bottom end of the order. We know the Phillies are making a strong push and are currently the top team in the National League so that energy is certainly going to help here as well. FAAB: 8-10%

Victor Robles, Seattle Mariners

It’s amazing what a change of scenery can do for a player, right? After years of struggling to live up to his potential in Washington, Robles has found a home in Seattle and is thriving. Since joining the Mariners, Robles is slashing .367/.425/.557 with three home runs and 10 stolen bases, yet he is still owned in fewer than 10-percent of leagues across ESPN and Yahoo. If you need runs scored and steals, this is the way. FAAB: 6-8%

Matt Wallner, Minnesota Twins

Here’s your cheap power staring you right in the face. Wallner is a strong home run threat, though you have to endure a heavy dose of strikeouts and a low batting average. He doesn’t play every day, but he’s got three doubles and three home runs over his last six games. If you need a little boost, here you go. FAAB: 4-6%

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Starting Pitchers

Hayden Birdsong, San Francisco Giants

I don’t like to use the same guy in back-to-back columns as I always encourage you to look at last week’s piece anyway, but Birdsong gets the extra mention, especially for those looking for strikeouts. He’s made six starts since his call-up in late June and has a 2.97 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 30.1 innings, including 20 in his last two starts. Granted those were both against Colorado, but with match-ups coming up against Washington and Detroit, the trend should continue. FAAB: 10-12%

Simeon Woods Richardson, Minnesota Twins

If for some reason you can add a pitcher off daily waivers, SWR is owned in fewer than 25-percent of leagues across ESPN and Yahoo and he gets the White Sox on Sunday. After that he gets a tough Cleveland lineup, but he’s actually fared well against them this season and he should be able to eat some innings in that outing. He’s got two quality starts in his last four and save for that last blow-up against the Mets, hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any of his last seven starts. FAAB: 8-10%

Tyler Mahle, Texas Rangers

Mahle is an interesting add at this time as he works his way back to the mound from Tommy John surgery. He’s made a number of rehab starts and was up to 74 pitches in his last outing. The Rangers have activated him from the 60-day IL which puts him back on the 40-man roster and with Max Scherzer landing on the injured list, we could see Mahle brought up soon. He was averaging more than a strikeout per inning before his surgery and while the big concern now is command and control, he may be a usable fantasy starter after one or two big-league outings. FAAB: 5-7%

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Closers/Relief Pitchers

Lucas Erceg, Kansas City Royals

The Royals are still going to keep incumbent closer James McArthur in the mix for saves, but after acquiring Erceg and Hunter Harvey at the deadline, we’re going to see more of a shared workload with Erceg being the guy I’m eyeballing off waivers this week even though Harvey has more experience in the role. He went nine-straight outings without giving up a run, had a hiccup against the Angels and has now made another five-straight scoreless appearances. With more than a strikeout per inning, even if he doesn’t get saves, he’s going to be a nice value. FAAB: 6-8%

Michael Kopech, Los Angeles Dodgers

Now with the Dodgers, Kopech’s value should certainly jump. Evan Phillps lost his job as the team’s closer and Daniel Hudson seems to thrive more in set-up situations. They have Blake Treinen who has some experience in the role, but Kopech has a live arm and could start earning more high-leverage situations during the second half. If he were to start earning saves for one of the top teams in baseball, you could be landing yourself a potential league-winner. Laugh at the term, but show me the going rate for a legitimate closer in your league and I’ll just take my chances with Kopech. FAAB: 6-8%

Don’t forget to check out the Closer Grid for all the current bullpen alignments! It’s updated daily!