The MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone and it was wild, wacky, fun, and crazy. There are probably a few other descriptors you could use, but I’ll keep it PG here. With how much player movement there was around the league, there are many players that have stumbled into elite fantasy situations. Others have had their fantasy value crushed and some situations we’re still not entirely sure about. I’ve gone around the league and done my best to write up the best possible fantasy baseball waiver wire additions moving forward.

There are a lot of great fantasy baseball waiver wire additions and we’re attacking them all in this week’s column. If you have any questions about your waiver wire, hit us up in the Fantasy Alarm Discord or hit me up on Twitter!

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers

Shane Bieber, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

  • ESPN: 20% / Yahoo: 46%
  • FAAB: 9-11%

The Blue Jays made a splash at the MLB Trade Deadline acquiring Shane Bieber and although he’s still on a rehab assignment, he’ll be back in the majors sooner rather than later. The Blue Jays announced he’ll be making two more rehab starts before being called up. There’s never a guarantee that pitcher’s return from Tommy John will go swimmingly, but the two-time All-Star and former AL Cy Young winner could buck that and pitch well for the division leading Blue Jays.


 

Cade Smith, RP, Cleveland Guardians

  • ESPN: 22% / Yahoo: 47%
  • FAAB: 9-11%

With Emmanuel Clase away from the team, Cade Smith has stepped into the closers role, which is the second time this season he’s done so. In his first stretch as closer, back in April, he converted three saves in four days.

Smith has struck out 68 batters across 48 innings and has wipe out stuff. There was a report from Zack Meisel that Emmanuel Clase had his locker cleaned out and he’s on leave until at LEAST August 31st. It’s possible, especially if he was gambling on baseball, that he doesn't come back this year or at all. 

 

Randy Rodriguez, RP, San Francisco Giants

  • ESPN: 11% / Yahoo: 32%
  • FAAB: 8-10%

After trading Camilo Doval, the Giants announced that Randy Rodriguez will get the first crack at save opportunities. That’s not surprising considering how good he’s been this season and how flat out dominant he’s been. He’s pitched to a 1.17 ERA and has a 12.3 K/9. His thing is strikeouts as his fastball averages 97.5 MPH and his slider grades out as his best pitch.

The Giants offense isn’t this bad and should pick it up in the second half, leading to many more save opportunities for Rodriguez moving forward. If you miss out on Cade Smith, Rodriguez is the guy to grab.

 

Jack Perkins, SP/RP, Athletics

  • ESPN: 2% / Yahoo: 9%
  • FAAB: 2-4%

It was a weird scene in Sacramento the night before the trade deadline because for no reason at all, Mason Miller wasn’t available and the A’s turned to Jack Perkins for a two-inning save. We obviously saw what came next and Miller is now a San Diego Padre.

Perkins, who has operated as a starter at every level he’s pitched at before reaching the majors, has looked really good out of the bullpen for the A’s. He’s missed a LOT of bats at every level and has a fastball that sits at 96 MPH. His strikeout rate at the major league level is actually pretty low when you consider he’s generating swinging strikes at a 16% clip. He should continue to be the one getting looks in the ninth inning.

 

Charlie Morton, SP/RP, Detroit Tigers

  • ESPN: 11% / Yahoo: 20%
  • FAAB: 2-4%

If you simply cut Charlie Morton’s season down and start it on May 1st, he’s been a solid pitcher, and he now is going to pitch for a division leading team for the remainder of the season.

Since May 1st, Morton has a 3.98 ERA, 3.92 xFIP, 46% GB rate, and has struck out at least one batter per inning. He’s fired off three quality starts in his last four games for those in QS formats and he’s now attached to infinitely higher win equity moving forward.

If you’re desperate for pitching help, Morton is a guy that’s floating around in 80-90% of Yahoo! and ESPN fantasy leagues, depending on which site you’re playing on.

 

Nestor Cortes, SP, San Diego Padres

  • ESPN: 6% / Yahoo: 16%
  • FAAB: 2-4%

I don’t necessarily think Nestor Cortes is a league winning add, but I do think he’s of service to fantasy rosters that need upgrades on the mound. He himself received a massive park upgrade when he was dealt to the San Diego Padres at the deadline.

Cortes has made four rehab starts and has worked himself all the way back to 93 pitches, so he’ll be ready for a major league workload the moment he steps on the mound. Not only that, but he’s been incredibly sharp during his rehab stint allowing only two earned runs across 18 innings and struck out nine batters in his final tune up outing.

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Infielders

Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

  • ESPN: 12% / Yahoo: 31%
  • FAAB: 10-12%

There’s been nobody and I mean NOBODY on planet earth hotter than Andrew Vaughn these days. A sentence I was not sure I’d ever type, especially considering he was sent down to the minors by the Chicago White Sox earlier this year. In his first 16 games with the Milwaukee Brewers, Andrew Vaughn has hit six home runs and has driven in, wait for it, 24 runs! The four doubles aren’t too bad. 10 extra base hits and 24 RBI in 16 games is insane.

He’s hitting right in the middle of the order and isn’t going anywhere from that lineup position with how locked in he is. He’s a must add for the division leading Brewers at this point.

Everything looks legit.

 

Luke Keaschall, 1B/2B/OF, Minnesota Twins

  • ESPN: 4% / Yahoo: 24%
  • FAAB: 6-8%

It’s definitely a tad frustrating that Luke Keaschall has yet to be called up, but it’s coming. It’s coming soon. The Twins are rebuilding and Keaschall is just getting a few more reps at 2B before the call up. He didn’t play the field at all during his first major league stint, so when he returns he’s not just going to be hitting, he’ll be doing it all.

The thing is, before his injury, he was hitting third. He stole five bases in his first seven games and was just simply on the basepaths all the time. He’s a menace at the dish and on the basepaths and is worth a stash at this point in the season. There’s no reason to think Keaschall wouldn’t be hitting in a premium lineup spot when he comes back with all of the injuries they have and trades the Twins made.

 

Colson Montgomery, 3B/SS, Chicago White Sox

  • ESPN: 7% / Yahoo: 22%
  • FAAB: 6-8%

He just keeps on homering. Colson Montgomery just keeps on homering. He belted his six home run over his last nine games on Friday night and that was always in the cards. He has a high home run ceiling, while also striking out a LOT. Montgomery had a 33% K-rate in the minors this year and credit to him it’s only 23.5% at the major league level to this point.

Being able to slot him in at a middle infield spot as well as corner slot is nice. The White Sox are going to continue to run him out nightly as he’s now homered twice off lefties in the last week. 

 

Tyler Locklear, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

  • ESPN: 1% / Yahoo: 7%
  • FAAB: 2-4%

One of the key pieces in the Eugenio Suarez deal was Tyler Locklear, who hasn’t yet popped at the major league level but has been a monster throughout the minor leagues. In 98 games at Triple-A, he hit 19 home runs and stole 18 bases. The power should stick at the major league level, but the steals are interesting because he has 30 grade speed.

After landing in Arizona, the Diamondbacks said they’re going to play Locklear every day at 1B moving forward. Per TJStats on Twitter, here’s some data to back up how well he’s played at Triple-A.

 

Warming Bernabel, 1B/3B, Colorado Rockies

  • ESPN: 2% / Yahoo: 5%
  • FAAB: 1-3%

There aren’t many players with better names and with a name like Warming Bernabel, there’s no chance he’s going to fail. In fact, he homered for the third time in six games on Friday night. He can be rostered at both corner infield spots, too.

Bernabel was raking at Triple-A before his call up batting .301, but has never really profiled as a big power guy, so it’ll definitely be interesting to see if he can maintain this pace. Obviously it’s unlikely, but maybe Coors Field is the bump he needs in that department.

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Outfielders

Ramon Laureano, OF, San Diego Padres

  • ESPN: 16% / Yahoo: 35%
  • FAAB: 5-7%

We’re doubling down on Ramon Laureano after being dealt to the San Diego Padres and because he’s been a legit fantasy asset for three straight months. He hit .188 in March/April and since May 1st here’s some numbers to look at for Laureano;

All of those numbers, courtesy of Fangraphs, look great. What’s not to like? Maybe he’s not running as much as he can? He’s going to play every day for a Padres offense simply looking for anyone to produce after their fifth slot in the lineup.

 

Giancarlo Stanton, OF, New York Yankees

  • ESPN: 14% / Yahoo: 47%
  • FAAB: 5-7%

We’re seeing a super elite version of Giancarlo Stanton at the dish this year and it’s been in the power department specifically. He’s available in over half of Yahoo! Fantasy baseball leagues and has hit four homers over his last seven, five over his last nine, and eight over his last 17.

The immediate problem you’re going to face if you roster Giancarlo Stanton is when Aaron Judge returns to the lineup, especially if he’s only going to DH. It’s possible Stanton plays once or twice in the outfield because it’s hard to envision taking him out of the lineup when he’s this hot.

 

Miguel Vargas, 1B/3B/OF, Chicago White Sox

  • ESPN: 32% / Yahoo: 33%
  • FAAB: 4-6%

It’s been a really good start to the second half for Miguel Vargas, who has definitely been a solid player for the White Sox this year. He has a lot of roster flexibility, plays every day, and hits in the middle of their order.

Since the break (13 games): .296 AVG, 3 HR, 13 R, 9 RBI, 3 2B, .874 OPS

He has an elite eye as he walks a lot and rarely strikes out. That’s part of the package you get with Vargas. Let’s not forget how highly ranked Vargas was as a prospect at one point.

This kid has a high pedigree and has finally found a situation where he can play every day after not ever having that opportunity in LA. He’s worth an add if you’re in need of some outfield depth or depth at the corner infield spots.

 

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