If you find yourself still competing for your league’s fantasy baseball championship, you know it’s time to check in with the top pickups from your fantasy baseball waiver wire.

For those who are playing in head-to-head fantasy baseball leagues, it’s time to bulk up for the playoffs. If you are in a rotisserie league, you should have your roster assessments made and should be looking for category-specific help still. It’s important to have this done now because next week, you’re going to see rosters expand for September and a whole slew of rookie call-ups are going to arrive. In fact, we’ve even seen some trickle in, so it’s important that you are prepared. You want to be specific with your targets as most people just try to throw their remaining FAAB dollars at the top names they recognize. The savvy fantasy owner has a much more well-organized plan of attack.

 

 

During last week’s fantasy baseball waiver wire article, we gave you some veteran names coming off the MLB injured list alongside a few stashes, so be sure to check back and see if any of those names slipped through the cracks and are available. You also want to explore the latest Two-Start Pitchers/Streaming Starters article for some additional pitching help. Let’s get started and leave no stone unturned.

**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

Adrian Del Castillo, Arizona Diamondbacks

With Gabriel Moreno on the shelf, Arizona called up Del Castillo who was hitting .319 with 24 home runs and a .404 OBP at Triple-A Reno. Granted, the PCL is notoriously hitter-friendly, but the 24-year-old lefty-swinging backstop is slashing .341/.400/.610 with three home runs and 14 RBI through 41 big-league at-bats and definitely deserves a look if you aren’t rostering a top-10 catcher. Arizona is one of the hottest-hitting lineups right now so take advantage if you can. FAAB: 6-8%

Carson Kelly, Texas Rangers

Kelly has looked like a solid option behind the plate recently and has worked himself into what appears to be a 50/50 split between him and Jonah Heim. He’s batting .323 with one home run and six RBI over the last two weeks (31 at-bats) and should continue to see the work while he is hitting well. He’s not going to post such a high average consistently, but there’s some power to be had, for sure. FAAB: 2-3%

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: First Basemen

Spencer Horwitz, Toronto Blue Jays

Remember him? It’s been a minute since we’ve mentioned Horwitz, but his playing time continues to be consistent and he’s hit safely in five of his last six games, including two home runs, three RBI and five runs scored. He also qualifies at second base, so the added position flexibility is certainly a bonus, especially if you are playing in a league with daily roster adjustments. FAAB: 3-5%

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Second Basemen

Brendan Rodgers, Colorado Rockies

The Rockies are not a good team, but even the ugly ones get a second look when they play at Coors Field, amirite? And Rodgers actually hasn’t been too ugly lately, has he? The Rockies infielder is actually batting .338 with three home runs and 12 RBI here in the month of August and with a homestand coming up this week at Coors, Rodgers could be a strong, veteran add before the September call-ups arrive. FAAB: 7-9%

Will Wagner, Toronto Blue Jays

Sort of a darker horse for deeper leagues, but the lefty-swinging second baseman is seeing some regular playing time in Toronto. He doesn’t have much in the way of power, but if you’re looking for some batting average/OBP help, he definitely fits the bill. Through 32 big-league at-bats, Wagner is batting .344 with a .364 OBP and has a strong minor league track record for doing the same. FAAB: 3-5%

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Third Basemen

Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays

What are they putting in the water in Toronto these days? Seems like we say that every year around this time, but maybe that’s what happens to this team when they fall out of contention and there’s no pressure to compete with the Yankees or Orioles. Clement has powered up here in late August, hitting three home runs over his last four games and while we can’t expect this type of consistency with the power, we also can’t ignore the production. Seven RBI and three runs scored to go with those home runs is a nice boost for any fantasy team and Clement also carries shortstop eligibility with him, so the flexibility is a nice bonus. FAAB: 4-6%

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Shortstops

Paul DeJong, Kansas City Royals

If you’re just looking for a cheap power-boost then DeJong typically fits the bill. He’s not a permanent fixture in the lineup, but his playing time is starting to pick up as his bat ignites. DeJong has hit safely in five of his last six games with three multi-hit performances, two home runs, five RBI and four runs scored. Just another way to pad your counting stats if you can withstand a little hit in the batting average department. FAAB: 2-4%

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Outfielders

Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals

This is probably going to be the biggest buy of the week, so if you have the FAAB to spend or the waiver priority to give, then do it. But ONLY if you’re looking for stolen bases and runs scored. Power is not Crews’ game, though he has been known to go yard every now and then. I actually just wrote him up in my latest submission to the New York Post, calling him the perfect stash for the September call-ups and then the Nationals brought him up on Friday. And here’s a little fun fact I got from Jim Bowden who spoke with Nationals GM Mike Rizzo – Crews would have been brought up earlier in the season but the team was all-in on James Wood being called up and potentially earning Rookie of the Year honors. Remember, MLB awards an extra first-round pick to the team of each ROY winner, so Rizzo was hoping to earn that extra pick with Wood this year and then with Crews next year, so that should tell you how much of a special player they expect him to be. Again, speed and runs here, not power. FAAB: 25-30%

Derek Hill, Miami Marlins

The 28-year-old journeyman just made his sixth-straight start for the Marlins and it looks like they plan on shuttling him out there on a regular basis as the Fish look to close out yet another disappointing season. We’re not expecting any sort of dazzling numbers here. He’s more of a filler for your roster, but he does have a little speed which helps. He’s now hit safely in five of his last eight games with a few multi-hit performances and a smattering of some runs scored and RBI. If you’re looking for a cheap body before the September call-ups arrive, he can be usable. FAAB: 3-5%

Owen Caissie, Chicago Cubs

He also made my write-up for the New York Post as a potential stash and he’s the power you want if Crews isn’t your guy. There’s no guarantee that Caissie is immediately called up, but given the way Seiya Suzuki has played lately and how we already know who Ian Happ is, the Cubs would be doing themselves a disservice to not audition him for next year as they rapidly fall out of contention. Caissie has been crushing it in the minors with 35 home runs, 16 stolen bases and, thank to a delicious 14-percent walk-rate, a .380 OBP for the year. He definitely tops the list of high-end rookie stashes. FAAB: 12-15%

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Starting Pitchers

Matthew Boyd, Cleveland Guardians

Command and control is always the last thing to come back for a pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery, so some of the struggles we’ve seen from his first two starts are understandable. In all honesty, I actually thought he looked good against the Yankees in his last outing. Home runs to Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are commonplace for any starter, so to see him allow solo shots to each and still only allow three runs over 5.1 innings is pretty darn good. Watch his start on Sunday as a string start may raise the price a bit, but he’s got Pittsburgh coming up next which profiles as a potentially strong start. FAAB: 4-6%

Osvaldo Bido, Oakland Athletics

Don’t look now, but Bido has been dominant over his last four starts. He tossed three straight quality starts and while he only went five in his last outing, he only gave up one run. That means we’re looking at a 1.17 ERA with three wins and 23 strikeouts over the four starts (23 innings). He’s got a mildly tense start in Cincinnati for his next outing, but then it’s strikeout-prone Seattle after that, so grab him if you can. FAAB: 6-8%

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Closers/Relief Pitchers

Edwin Uceta, Tampa Bay Rays

What a surprise – Pete Fairbanks is hurt! That never happens (insert sarcastic eye-roll here). The Fantasy Baseball Closer Grid was just updated again on Saturday morning and we’ve got Uceta listed as the Rays top option, so if you’re chasing saves, this is the way. The 26-year-old hasn’t allowed a run here in August and he’s got 15 strikeouts over 11.2 innings in that span and should see any and all save chances for the Rays. Yes, Kevin Cash likes to play the match-ups, but he also LOVES riding the hot hand. FAAB: market value for closers