As we inch towards the MLB All-star break, there are constantly changes to major league teams rosters as players get injured, prospects are called up, and every day players are breaking out. We’re taking a look at all of it and capitalizing on the fantasy baseball waiver wire. Some of the players we’re focusing on this week are Eury Perez, Edward Cabrera, Trevor Story, and Noelvi Marte, amongst others.

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

Eury Perez, SP, Miami Marlins

  • ESPN: 12% / Yahoo: 35%
  • FAAB: 10-12%

Start number five for Eury Perez was a glimpse at what the fireballing right-handed can truly do and why he’s been hyped up as the prospect he has been. He fired six scoreless innings, struck out seven Twins, and generated 20 (!!) swings and misses.

He hadn’t looked like he did during his 2023 rookie campaign until this outing, and this outing was as impressive as it comes. Some of the numbers under the hood look quite good for Perez, despite surface level stuff not looking great. He has elite percentile xERA, xBA, fastball velocity, chanse percentage, and doesn’t allow hard contact.

He will not be available for much longer after throwing a season-high 93 pitches his last time out. He’s an elite talent, is pitching deeper into games, and is coming into form. Go add him now and don’t look back.

 

Ronny Henriquez, RP, Miami Marlins

  • ESPN: 6% / Yahoo: 24%
  • FAAB: 5-7%

How many Marlins pitchers are too many Marlins pitchers, because Ronny Henriquez is one of three I’m writing up today. Henriquez has assumed the closers job in the past week and he’s slammed the door on his opponents. He’s converted a save in three straight appearances and four since June 22nd overall.

Henriquez has a LOT of elite peripherals per Baseball Savant:

All of what you see has played into his 12.4% K/9 and his ability to strike people out has propelled him into the ninth inning. He has a pretty high walk rate, but that is trending in the right direction as he hasn’t walked anyone in nine consecutive outings. In fact, he’s only walked four batters since May 19th and that’s a span of 20 outings. With how much better the Marlins have played and will likely continue to play, Henriquez should be set up for many more save opportunities moving forward. 

 

Kumar Rocker, SP, Texas Rangers

  • ESPN: 5% / Yahoo: 20%
  • FAAB: 5-7%

I fully understand why we haven’t talked much about Kumar Rocker this year but maybe that’s a mistake and maybe we should give him a look moving forward. His 5.8 ERA does not tell the full story. He has a .358 BABIP, 3.97 SIERA, 3.91 xFIP, and a robust 47.9% FB rate. He’s been very unlucky this season.

Rocker has elite control and that’s been on full display at every level he’s pitched at and he’s also been able to miss a lot of bats. He’s yet to really do that at the major league level posting a 20.3% K-rate, but that’ll come. He’s thrown at least five innings with two runs or less and four-plus strikeouts in four consecutive outings now.

The top-100 prospect with the 80-grade slider is figuring it out at the major league level and is worth a flier moving forward.

 

Edward Cabrera, SP, Miami Marlins

  • ESPN: 12% / Yahoo: 35%
  • FAAB: 6-8%

I am not a fan of the team. I do not root for the Miami Marlins. I don’t dislike them, but someone who’s reading this article probably assumes all I’m doing is spewing Marlins propaganda, but their pitching staff is pretty damn good, that includes Edward Cabrera. Cabrera is down to a 3.41 ERA on the year and is over one strikeout per nine innings as well.

Since May 4th, here are Cabrera’s numbers:

  • 10 starts
  • 2.05 ERA
  • .209 AVG, .271 wOBA
  • 26.2% K, 9.4 K/9
  • 47.4% GB

The 27-year old Cabrera is putting it all together and is a must-add moving forward, especially if he’s going to pitch THIS well.

 

Yu Darvish, SP, San Diego Padres

  • ESPN: 12% / Yahoo: 36%
  • FAAB: 1-2%

After initial reports thought there was a chance that Yu Darvish would make his debut this weekend, it was shot down by manager Mike Shildt. Darvish most recently threw 64 pitches in a simulated game, but hasn’t thrown a single inning this year due to an elbow injury. What should we expect from the 38-year old Darvish? He’s coming off a year in which he maintained nearly a strikeout per inning and sat at a 3.31 ERA across 16 starts.

Darvish is an interesting add once he’s built up. We’re getting closer and closer to his return and if your pitching staff needs help, he could be worth a roster.

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Infielders

Trevor Story, SS, Boston Red Sox

  • ESPN: 14% / Yahoo: 39%
  • FAAB: 8-10%

If you blinked, you might have missed that Trevor Story is top-five in home runs (12) and RBI (47) amongst all shortstops and has chipped in with 38 runs and 13 stolen bases as well. Story’s doing a little of everything for fantasy baseball managers that have stuck by his side and he’s paying off in gold.

Over Story’s last 30 games, Story has hit .292 with an .850 OPS, .230 ISO, and .366 wOBA. He’s been extremely solid. I’m extremely interested in Story and even if his batting average looks bad, along with his on-base percentage, he’s been good enough lately and has had elite production at the position that you can look past that stuff.

 

Noelvi Marte, 3B, Cincinnati Reds

  • ESPN: 13% / Yahoo: 25%
  • FAAB: 4-5%

Will the 23-year old Noelvi Marte finally live up the hype? He’s back from injury and he’s an interesting rest of season candidate because of his tools. He had a very solid hit tool coming into the majors but had 60-grade power, per Fangraphs. He hasn’t exactly shown that off at the major league level, but he’s been good through 20 games this season.

In 20 games this year, Marte has a .214 ISO and a .500 SLG% and did much of the same during his 19 game stint at the minor league level as well. He plays in a plus park for power and is hitting in a much improved lineup that is playing for a postseason spot.

The talent is there and if you’re dealing with subpar production or an injury at the third base position, Marte is definitely an option to be picked up.

 

Ha-Seong Kim, SS, Tampa Bay Rays

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

Never a model of consistency, the Tampa Bay Rays highest-paid player, Ha-Seong Kim, returned on Friday and then left due to a cramp. It’s been said that it’s likely a minor injury and nothing that will require an IL stint, but monitor this situation closely.

Kim stole a base and went 1-for-3 in his debut and speed has always been a big part of Kim’s game. He stole 38 bases in 2023 and 22 in 121 games last year. He’s also had double-digit home runs in three straight seasons, so he’s not a one-trick pony. He is also someone who’s played a lot of 3B, 2B, and SS, so over time, he’s live to pick up multiple positions of eligibility as Tampa Bay has a lot of guys that they need to get in their lineup.

 

Colson Montgomery, SS, Chicago White Sox

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

Adding Colson Montgomery is more for deeper rostered, larger leagues, 12-teams or more, but he’s an exciting young prospect that came into the 2025 campaign a consensus top-50 guy in Baseball America, Major League Baseball, and Baseball Prospectus’ rankings.

He has a lot of power and a little speed, so he should be able to contribute on both of those fronts. Where Montgomery is going to struggle is in the strikeout department. He had a 33% K-rate at Triple-A this year, but we’ve seen plenty of guys get to the major league level and slash that down when they begin working in a major league environment. 

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Outfielders

Jake Meyers, OF, Houston Astros

  • ESPN: 7% / Yahoo: 13%
  • FAAB: 6-8%

After hitting .250 in March/April, Jake Meyers has done nothing but rake. He hit .327 in May, .333 in June, and has started off at a .353 clip in July, helping raise his average to .304 on the year. Meyers isn’t a big power hitter as he’s belted just three home runs this year, but because he’s been on base so frequently, he’s getting to show off his speed as his 14 stolen bases has already eclipsed his previous career-high of 11. Meyers should comfortably steal 25 bases this season and has a chance at 30. He’s a good ratio helper if you’re looking for a boost to average and on-base percentage.

 

Tyler Freeman, OF, Colorado Rockies

  • ESPN: 4% / Yahoo: 15%
  • FAAB: 6-8%

We’re coming back to the Tyler Freeman train because he’s simply been a machine this season. I mentioned it last week and I’ll mention it again, but sometimes players just need a change of scenery to flourish and no better scenic change than the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Freeman’s average is up to .326 on the year and he’s already up to 12 stolen bases, which is a career high. What’s possibly the most impressive thing about Freeman’s season to this point is that he’s hitting as well on the road as he is at home.

  • Home: .329 AVG, .825 OPS, .359 wOBA, 104 wRC+
  • Away: .321 AVG, .863 OPS, .391 wOBA, 152 wRC+

He’ll continue to hit a premium lineup position in the best hitting environment in the league. He’s a great addition to all fantasy baseball rosters.

 

Chandler Simpson, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

  • ESPN: 15% / Yahoo: 33%
  • FAAB: 5-7%

Since being recalled, Chandler Simpson has done nothing but hit. He is riding an eight-game hitting streak and over that span, he’s scored four runs and has swiped five bases, which is why we’re all in the Chandler Simpson business.

There’s a chance Chandler Simpson doesn’t hit a single home run this year that goes over the wall. Simpson had 104 stolen bases in 110 minor league games last year and is already up to 24 steals in 45 games this year. He rarely strikes out as he has an 8.9% K-rate and his .333 OBP is very impressive because any of the former elite-first speed guys were barely scraping .300, if that! He’s not only on base 33-percent of the time, but he’s hitting .300! Well, right around it at .297.

Simpson is an immediate add off of the waiver wire and is someone that is going to approach and possibly surpass 50 steals on the year if he continues to hit at the level he’s at currently.

 

 

 

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