Category: MLB

Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, our weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire guide. We'll be doing things a little differently this season, with Eric Samulski publishing the initial waiver-wire article on Friday afternoon. Then James Schiano updates it every Sunday to make sure you get the most up-to-date information.

The premise of the article is pretty straightforward. We'll give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When we list a player, we'll list the category where we think he’ll be helpful or the quick reason he’s listed. We hope this helps you determine whether the player fits your team's needs. Not every "trending" player will be a good addition to your specific roster.

To qualify for this list, a player needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. We understand you may say, “These players aren’t available in my league,” and we can’t help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they’re available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters

George Lombard Jr. - SS, NYY (40% rostered)

(PROSPECT CALL-UP, POTENTIAL COUNTING STATS UPSIDE)

It's been a pretty electric debut for Lombard Jr., as James covered in a video this week, but we want to caution that the 21-year-old remains a work in progress from an offensive standpoint at this stage of his development. He’s shown some real over-the-fence pop at the Triple-A level this season with a 47.7% hard-hit rate and 92.7 mph average exit velocity. He hasn't shown elite bat speed so far in the majors, and he had a nearly 11% swinging strike rate in Triple-A and a below-average zone contact rate, which is likely to get worse in his first MLB plate appearances. That said, he doesn't chase outside of the zone much, and plays strong enough defense that he figures to play every day. He doesn't have the 2026 fantasy upside as some of the other middle infielders we'll talk about today, but he likely has the most secure position.

Jung Hoo Lee- OF, SF (38% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, HOT STRETCH)

So Lee was not traded and will remain an everyday player for the Giants, hitting second in the lineup. In 17 games since the All-Star break, he's hitting .309/.360/.544 with three home runs, nine runs, 10 RBI, and two steals. That's kind of who Lee is: it's not sexy, but it's solid production across most categories. In 5 OF leagues, he has lots of value. We also saw that Mickey Moniak - OF, COL (39% rostered) dipped below the roster limit for this article. The outfielder has a new contract and was, obviously, not moved at the deadline, so his playing time remains locked in. He's hitting .278/.318/.571 on the season with 19 home runs and 52 RBIs. He's also in the lineup against lefties and should be rostered in far more leagues.

Lawrence Butler - OF, ATH (33% rostered)

(POWER UPSIDE, REGULAR PLAYING TIME)

A few weeks ago, Eric had Butler in an article on players likely to have a second-half surge. In that article, Eric mentioned that the early part of the season was clearly a struggle for Butler after undergoing offseason surgery on both knees. He wasn't hitting well in May and June, but the hard-hit rate was going up, the groundball rates were coming down, and his bat speed was back up around 74.3 mph, so it seemed like better times were coming. So far, in 19 games in the second half, Butler is hitting .263/.338/.474 with two home runs, 11 runs scored, and eight RBI. He's playing against lefties and also sporting an 11.6% barrel rate and 48.8% hard-hit rate. We've seen what happens when he gets hot. Maybe it's happening now.

Cole Carrigg - OF, COL (27% rostered)

(COORS FIELD, POWER UPSIDE)

Eric featured Cole Carrigg as a player who could gain fantasy value after the deadline since both Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy were allegedly on the trade block. We thought the Rockies may move more than one outfielder, but they did trade away Brenton Doyle, which paves the way for Carrigg to be the regular starting center fielder going forward. He has hit well in his rookie season, slashing .301/.387/.510 in 47 games with five home runs, 33 runs scored, 28 RBI, and five steals. He has well below-average barrel rates and hard-hit rates, so he’s not tearing the cover off of the ball, but he has good bat speed and is making better-than-league-average zone contact, which is a nice profile in Coors Field.

Nolan Arenado - 3B, ARI (25% rostered)

(BORING PRODUCTION, REGULAR PLAYING TIME)

We get it, you don't want to roster Arenado because he's old and boring. However, since July 1st, Arenado has seven home runs, 16 runs scored, and 19 RBI. He has a 9.2% barrel rate over that time, and his .257 ISO ranks 26th among 176 qualified hitters. There is still some power in this bat, and that makes him a solid deeper league target.

Luis Rengifo- 2B/3B/OF, SD (21% rostered)

(HOT STREAK, STOLEN BASE UPSIDE)

It's unclear how long this will last, but since the All-Star break, Rengifo is hitting .355/.452/.484 with two home runs, 13 runs scored, eight RBI, and three steals. He's been playing every day and even hitting second against lefties. This isn't something we're buying into full-time, but it's worth taking note of now.

Cole Young - 2B, SEA (21% rostered)

(HOT STREAK, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

Over his last 25 games, Cole Young is hitting .284/.346/.505 with five home runs, 13 runs scored, and 10 RBI. I know the counting stats leave a little to be desired, but his 144 wRC+ is the second-best on the Mariners, and he has always been a young hitter with a strong sense of the strike zone and good plate discipline metrics. He might be more of a fit in deeper formats because his main value is batting average, but he really is contributing a little bit across the board. Jackson Holliday - 2B/SS, BAL (26% rostered) would be another option just for batting average needs. Since July 1st, he's hitting .296/.433/.338 in 28 games with nine runs, six RBI, and two steals. I know he's a big name prospect, but there's really not much here other than batting average.

Cooper Pratt - SS, MIL (19% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, STOLEN BASE UPSIDE)

Pratt has been an on-base machine for the Brewers this season. In 29 games since July 1st, he's hitting .322/.402/.456 with two home runs, 16 runs scored, 15 RBI, and five steals. We know the Brewers like to run, and because Pratt is getting on base so much, they're letting him loose. He's tied for 17th in steals since July 1st, but is also one of only nine of those hitters to be batting over .300, and only CJ Abrams, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Pratt have that batting average plus 15+ RBIs over that timeframe. If you're just looking for speed, then Nasim Nunez - 2B/SS, WAS (23% rostered) continues to steal bases, even if the batting average has started to dry up. He has eight steals since July 1st, which is fourth in all of baseball.

Joshua Báez - OF, STL (15% rostered)

(PROSPECT STASH, POWER UPSIDE)

We're starting to see plenty of prospects getting called up, so Báez's time is coming. We should note that the Cardinals would likely forgo his rookie eligibility in 2027 if they called him up now, so we're not likely to see Baez until around August 14th, but this could be the time to stash him without there being a waiver wire frenzy. With Lars Nootbaar out of the way, the door is open for Báez to make his MLB debut soon. The 23-year-old outfielder is one of the team’s top hitting prospects and possesses tantalizing power and speed upside to make an impact for fantasy managers down the stretch, even if he struggles with some swing-and-miss. Báez has hit 32 homers with 18 steals with a .896 OPS across 98 games with Triple-A Memphis. This comes after a 20/54 season across High-A and Double-A in 2025. Those tools make him one of the better lottery tickets to stash for a final push in fantasy leagues. Yes, he strikes out a lot, and there will be swing and miss, but the other tools should make up for it.

Hector Rodriguez - OF, CIN (14% rostered)

(RECENT PROSPECT CALL-UP, POWER UPSIDE)

When he blurbed the announcement that Rodriguez was called up on Tuesday, George Bissell wrote: “Rodríguez is one of the more electrifying talents in the Reds’ system and will get his first opportunity at the highest level after hitting .274/.347/.533 with 27 round-trippers and six steals in 455 plate appearances for Triple-A Louisville. The 22-year-old outfielder is worthy of a speculative pickup in deeper mixed leagues based on his over-the-fence power upside. He figures to play every day for Cincinnati over the final two months.” We know the results haven't been there in his first few games, but we wouldn't abandon hope for him yet.

Tyler Stephenson - C, CIN (14% rostered)

(ONE-CATCHER LEAGUE OPTION, UPSIDE BET)

Stephenson is another hitter that was featured in Eric's second-half surgers article. Since June 1st, Stephenson has been one of the best offensive catchers in baseball, slashing .308/.378/.519 in 41 games with six home runs, 16 runs scored, and 16 RBI. His 141 wRC+ over that span is 4th-best among the 20 catchers with at least 140 plate appearances. The only three catchers better than him have over 210 plate appearances, while Stephenson has 148. His batting average ranked 3rd amongst those 20 catchers over that span, as does his on-base percentage, and his hard-hit rate (47.4%). Endy Rodriguez - C/1B, PIT (6% rostered) is another option, but likely one more suited for deeper formats. Rodriguez is hitting .269/.376/.470 in 44 games this season with seven home runs, 20 RBI, and six steals. The fact that he can provide value in all five categories is a nice separator for him from other catchers.

Angel Genao - 2B/3B/SS, CLE (14% rostered)

(PROSPECT CALL-UP, SNEAKY POWER/SPEED)

Genao may not be a household name, but he's the 39th-ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. He hit .309/.395/.494 in 72 games at Triple-A with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, and 11 steals. If you're comparing him to Lombard Jr., Genao had slightly worse batted ball data in Triple-A, with a 45% hard-hit rate and 89.7 mph average exit velocity. He also has a 69 mph bat speed in his brief MLB sample, but he also pulled the ball a ton in Triple-A, with a 49% pull rate. Most of that was on the ground, so we're not expecting to see tons of home run power right away, but Genao also had a 92% zone contact rate and 7% swinging strike rate in Triple-A, so he makes plenty of contact. He has started at second base and third base since being recalled, and we think there's a good chance he plays most days with the Guardians using the DH spot to rotate other hitters through to keep them in the lineup.

Andruw Monasterio - 1B/2B/3B/SS, BOS (10% rostered)

(PLAYING TIME, HOT STREAK)

We had Monasterio in here last week and both he and the Red Sox have had a tremendous start to this week. Since July 1st, Monasterio has hit .345/.406/.607 with three home runs, 13 runs, 16 RBI, and two steals. His .262 ISO is the third-best on the team and the 13th best in baseball among qualified hitters over that strech. The Red Sox did not deal for a shortstop to take away his playing time, so the only threat to Monasterio is Trevor Story, who is still recovering from a sports hernia and hasn't begun a rehab assignment. After having an inconsistent start to the season, Vaughn Grissom- 1B/2B/3B, LAA (6% rostered) has been great since July 1st, hitting .312/.350/.473 in 24 games with three home runs and 17 RBI. Some of that success has come with a shift to be less fly ball focused. Before July, Grissom had a 43.2% fly ball rate. That has fallen to 25.4% since the start of July. His groundball rate is up from 38.8% to 46.5%, and his line drive rate has also increased. He has also tried to go to the opposite field more, not only raising his opposite field rate by 5% but changing the angle of the sweet spot of his bat as it travels through the zone from zero degrees (right back up the middle) to three degrees towards the opposite field side. He’s still able to turn on the ball when he needs to, but the new approach has led to more base hits despite a small dip in hard contact.

Spencer Horwitz - 1B, PIT (10% rostered)

(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

Spencer Horwitz is back from his hamstring injury and concussion, and with Ryan O'Hearn now on the injured list with a quad injury, there are plenty of reps at first base for Horwitz. He's gone only 2-for-16 with four RBI in his five games back, but Horwitz is hitting .271/.375/.439 in 79 games with 10 home runs and a 45/41 K/BB ratio. He has tremendous plate discipline and good contact skills and hits in the middle of the order against all right-handers. He will sit against lefties, so that's something to keep in mind, but Horwitz is a good corner infield target in deeper formats. Nathaniel Lowe - 1B, CLE (3% rostered) is also an interesting target. Yes, he's leaving the friendly confines of Great American Ballpark, but he's going to start for the Guardians against all right-handed pitchers. On the season, he's slashing .288/.364/.530 against righties with a .242 ISO, 25.8% strikeout rate, and 13 home runs. If you're in a league where you can sit him when the Guardians face a lot of lefties, he's going to give you solid value.

Kaelen Culpepper - SS, MIN (6% rostered)

(PROSPECT PROMOTION, POWER/SPEED COMBO)

Culpepper was called up on Friday, so he has not yet appeared in an MLB game. Still, I'd probably add him over Genao because I think he's guaranteed more playing time and has more stolen base upside. Culpepper is the Twins' second-ranked prospect and the 29th-ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. He has a .271 average with 14 home runs, 46 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 74 games for Triple-A St. Paul this season, but has gone 11-for-40 (.275) in 10 games since returning from a glute injury in mid-July. Culpepper is one of the highest-ranked prospect hitters we're likely to see called up this summer and has a power/speed combination that's worth a gamble in most fantasy leagues.

Griffin Conine - OF, MIA (5% rostered)

(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, POWER UPSIDE)

Conineis another good option if you're in a daily moves league or a mid-week lineup change league since he won't play against lefties. Conine is hitting .241 in 30 games since July 1st, but that comes with seven home runs, a 16.4% barrel rate, and a 54.5% hard-hit rate. There is some power in his bat as well, but the team context will keep the counting stats down.

Moises Ballesteros - C, LAA (4% rostered)

(STARTING JOB, POWER UPSIDE)

Ballesteros should be the regular DH with the Angels, especially with Jorge Soler designated for assignment. It hasn’t been a great rookie season, with a .228/.296/.371 slash line and six home runs in 186 plate appearances. However, he has a 9% barrel rate and 47% hard-hit rate and is not striking out, so there are some things to really like about what Ballesteros was doing in a part-time role. Now freed from worrying about his job, perhaps that gives him the confidence to get going at the plate a bit. His value is also huge in two-catcher formats, and if you're in a league where he's not yet catcher eligible, well, the Angels have actually been giving him some time there, so he might gain it soon. Agustin Ramirez - C, MIA (31% rostered) has also been called back up. However, he sat both games against a righty and played on Thursday against a lefty. With so many solid left-handed bats in the Marlins lineup that need to be in that DH spot, there is a chance that Ramirez is just on a short side of a platoon. Keep an eye on it.

Tim Tawa - 1B/2B/OF, ARI (3% rostered)

(STARTING JOB, POWER UPSIDE)

Even after the Diamondbacks acquired Lars Nootbar, Tawa continues to play all the time. He's played primarily first base and third base so far this week, but those spots are open. In 26 games since July 1st, Tawa is hitting .275/.292/.495 with five home runs, 14 runs scored, 18 RBI, and two steals. That's with an 11.8% barrel rate and 50% hard-hit rate. Tawa has good bat speed at 73.9 mph and has an above-average zone contact rate, so even though he chases a bit more than we'd like, this might work out.

Coby Mayo - 1B/3B, BAL (2% rostered)

(POWER UPSIDE, REGULAR PLAYING TIME)

The former top prospect has some contact concerns that likely won't be fixed unless he makes a swing change, but he has been producing with a .259/.310/.630 slash line in his last 22 games with five home runs, 11 runs scored, and 10 RBI. The Orioles should play him for the majority of the rest of the season to see if he has a role on their team in 2027.

Abimelec Ortiz - 1B, WAS (1% rostered)

(STARTING JOB, POWER UPSIDE)

It seems that Abimelec Ortiz is getting the first crack at the starting first base job after Luis Garcia Jr. was traded to the Yankees. Ortiz, who came over in the MacKenzie Gore trade, had a slow month of April, but then began to warm up, hitting .249/.336/.557 in 58 games at Triple-A. His 17 home runs over that 58-game span ranked 4th in the International League behind Joshua Baez, Hector Rodriguez, and Matt Wallner. His .308 ISO ranked 2nd, trailing only Baez, and his .893 OPS ranked 22nd. On the season at Triple-A, Ortiz had a 14.8% barrel rate and 45.3% hard-hit rate, with just a 19.5% strikeout rate and 9.7% swinging strike rate, so this is not an empty power profile. Ortiz’s 75.5 mph bat speed would also rank 23rd among qualified hitters this season, tied with Elly De La Cruz, and he homered off Cam Schlittler on Monday in New York. His power is legit, and he figures to play against all right-handers in a good lineup. Of course, if James Wood is out for an extended period of time, then the lineup around him takes a big hit.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers

Dustin May - SP, MIL (36% rostered)

May got traded to the Brewers at the deadline, which is a big team context upgrade. In his first start with his new team, he threw five shutout innings while allowing just one hit. The Brewers took him out after 70 pitches, and they may continue to do that since their bullpen is deep and they have plenty of bulk relievers, but this is clearly an organization we know can get the most out of their pitchers.

Keider Montero - SP/RP, DET (36% rostered)

The injury to Jack Flaherty meant that Montero got another shot in the Tigers' rotation, and then both Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize were traded, so Montero is locked into the rotation. Montero was also a pitcher in Eric’s article last week on starting pitchers without elite stuff who produce value with command and a deep pitch mix. This season, Montero tightened up both his curve and his slider, throwing them both a bit harder and with less movement. That took away a decent amount of swing-and-miss on his slider, but it also gave him far better control of the slider. The new movement profile on the slider has been far better against lefties and, surprisingly, even though the overall SwStr% is down against righties, his slider is performing even better in two-strike counts. With a five-pitch mix and improved command, Montero has landed himself firmly on a list of pitchers who can outperform their stuff. He also gets the Giants, Guardians, and Pirates next, which is not a bad run.

Clay Holmes - SP, CHC (33% rostered)

Clay Holmes will make his return from the injured list and his Cubs debut on Saturday. Before fracturing his fibula, the veteran had a 2.39 ERA and 1,10 WHIP in 52.2 innings for the Mets this season, and while he's unlikely to produce at that level going forward, and he won't give you strikeouts, he's still likely going to be a great source of ratios, especially on a team with that kind of infield defense which will vacuum up his grounders.

Luke Weaver - RP, NYM (29% rostered)

When Eric published an article a few weeks ago about players who could gain value after the trade deadline, he mentioned Weaver as his favorite relief pitcher stash. The 32-year-old had been great for the Mets with a 2.03 ERA and 28% strikeout rate in 40 innings, and the belief was that Weaver's $11 million salary next year was not a total burden for a team to take on. Well, he winds up with the Pirates, and while they may give Mason Montgomery a few save chances against left-handed-heavy pockets, Weaver has pitched too well not to get a crack at their closer role. He's a priority add if you need saves.

Grant Taylor - RP/SP, CWS (28% rostered)

In his last 15 innings, Taylor has three saves, a 1.20 ERA, and a 28% strikeout rate. We're not sure what more he needs to do to be added. Sure, he's not the locked-in every-day closer, but he will get saves, and he will help your ratios. That's good.

Kade Anderson - SP, SEA (20% rostered)

Will Kade Anderson be called up? Probably, but likely not until the middle of August. However, now could be the time to stash him. The left-hander certainly seems ready. He has a 1.20 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and 40.5% strikeout rate in Double-A. The Mariners have said that they will use him as a starter when he's up, and Bryce Miller's struggles may make that happen sooner rather than later.

Brandyn Garcia - RP, ARI (19% rostered)

The Diamondbacks didn’t add a closer at the deadline. In fact, the Diamondbacks didn’t really add anything at the deadline. That means Garcia will continue to operate as the lead in their committee until Justin Martinez returns in September. Even then, Martinez will be coming off major arm surgery, and the Diamondbacks could be in a playoff race. How much would they put on his plate right away? On the season, Garcia has a 2.03 ERA and 31% strikeout rate in 31 innings, so if he added some saves to that profile, that would be helpful in all fantasy leagues. It seems like that's happening.

Jacob Webb - RP, CHC (14% rostered)

In one save appearance since Ryan Zeferjahn joined the team, it was Webb who got the chance and converted. On the year, Webb has a 2.49 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 26.5% strikeout rate with six saves in 50.2 innings. Maybe he remains the closer until Daniel Palencia (shoulder) comes back, and Palencia's health it no sure thing.

Jackson Jobe - SP, DET (14% rostered)

The Tigers freed up two spots in their starting rotation after trading away Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. Jobe, who’s been out all season after last year’s Tommy John surgery, has already made four rehab starts and has allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in seven innings since getting to Double-A. He’s a big name prospect, but remember that he’s coming off a major arm surgery and had just an 18% strikeout rate in 49 innings for the Tigers in 2025.

Cristian Javier - SP, HOU (10% rostered)

It's unclear what the Astros are doing in their rotation. Javier was set to start on Sunday, but now he may piggyback with Tatsuya Imai. That said, we're fans of what Javier has done the last two games, adding in a cutter and using it 15% of the time. It has lessened his need to rely on the four-seamer and also increased the whiff on his sweeper. Those are good things.

Andrew Painter - SP, PHI (9% rostered)

Andrew Painter is back in the rotation and remains as inconsistent as ever. He had one pretty solid start where he led with his secondaries in order to hide his average fastball. He had another start where he threw too many fastballs and left the start with hamstring cramps or tightness. All of which makes it hard to recommend Painter in a shallower format, but the fact that we saw that one start with 50% sliders makes us know that he has it in there. He also has a great schedule coming up with matchups against the Cardinals, Twins, and Cardinals.

AJ Smith-Shawver - SP, ATL (9% rostered)

Smith-Shawver pitched against the Mets last Wednesday and looked pretty good for four innings before tiring. His velocity was up across the board, and he seemed to change his slider into a cutter, which isn't a bad move. The four-seam vertical movement was great, and I have to think more whiffs will come on that pitch. We're still talking about a pitcher with a limited MLB sample size who is coming off of Tommy John surgery, so don't expect anything amazing, but he could be a deeper league option when he rejoins the rotation in another week (from what we're hearing).

Ben Joyce - RP, LAA (5% rostered)

Joyce was activated off the injured list this week and could get right back into the mix for saves after recovering from shoulder surgery. He has thrown a few scoreless innings in his early rehab appearances and has been hitting 103 mph on the radar gun. The Angels don't create many save opportunities, but Joyce could wind up as their primary closer down the stretch. They could also turn to Sammy Natera Jr. - RP, LAA (2% rostered). In our fantasy winners and losers article after the trade, D.J. Short wrote up Natera Jr. and said, "Well, somebody has to close games for the Angels, right? Ryan Zeferjahn, Kirby Yates, and Brent Suter were all shipped out of town on Monday, so Natera could earn a role by default. The 26-year-old southpaw has been awesome since his call-up in June, posting a 2.28 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings. He began his professional career as a starter, but has found a home as a reliever over the past two seasons while getting a ton of whiffs on his fastball and slider. If Natera can continue to limit the walks, he has a real future."

Jacob Lopez - SP, ATH (4% rostered)

Remember when Lopez went on that insane 11-13 start stretch of tremendous production last year? Well, it's happening again. In four starts since rejoining the rotation, he has a 2.29 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 32.5% strikeout rate in 19.2 innings. He also did that against Washington (before all the trades), Boston, Minnesota, and Cincinnati in Cincinnati. We know Sacramento is scary, but we also know that finding good pitchers in deeper formats is incredibly challenging.

Steven Cruz - RP, KC (3% rostered)

Much like with Joyce, Cruz is likely to get saves on a team that doesn't get a lot of save opportunities. Still, since July 1st, he has a 1.84 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and three saves in 14.2 innings. That comes with just a 20% strikeout rate, which is not ideal, but we don't think he's going to kill your ratios if you're hunting for saves.

Hunter Dobbins - SP, STL (2% rostered)

Eric talked about Dobbins a lot with Nick Pollack on the recent "On the Corner" episode. The long and short of it is that Dobbins has taken Dustin May's spot in the rotation, and he came out last start throwing a brand new fastball that was far more like a cutter. He was attacking lefties up and in with it and then using breaking balls underneath the zone. It all looked really good. It was just one start, but he was solid for Boston last year too, so it might be worth a shot in deeper formats.

George Klassen - SP, LAA (1% rostered)

Eric had Klassen in that same article on players who could see a boost after the trade deadline, and he is now being called up to fill one of the rotation spots vacated by Jose Soriano being traded and Ryan Johnson being optioned. As we've before, not many of us trust the Angels’ pitching development; however, I did like Klassen as a pitcher when he was back in the Phillies’ system. There remains a chance that he could become an impactful starter if he can harness his command. In six starts in July, he had a 2.48 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 38/11 K/BB ratio in 36.1 innings. Maybe he’s putting it together?

Hello and welcome to the 19th installment of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2026 MLB season.

I will continue to be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week providing my insights and recommendations on which options should be started or benched.

With each passing week, I’m getting more emotional thinking about the fact that there may not be a full season in 2026 due to the uncertainty surrounding the labor dispute between Major League Baseball and the Player’s Association. I’m really trying to take time to appreciate each day that we have baseball and the joy that it’s able to bring me.

As fantasy managers have turned their full attention to football, there are opportunities to creep up in the standings where others aren’t giving their teams the full attention that they still deserve. Keep putting in the work and plugging away, striving to improve each week, and you’ll reap rewards at the end of this season.

This is a living document, so we'll update the options below as the weekend moves along.

Before we get into it, we'll start with a couple of notes on situations that may be unresolved or teams that may not have a two-start pitcher lined up for the upcoming week. With teams still trying to get their rotations lined up for the second half, there’s more uncertainty than usual for a Friday afternoon:

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As things currently stand, with the additions of Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman to their starting rotation, the Cubs appear to be rolling with a six-man alignment for the time being. It’s possible that David Peterson or Javier Assad get bumped to the bullpen, but that has yet to be confirmed. That means with six games on tap for next week, none of their hurlers are currently lined up to make two starts. Assad is set to pitch on Tuesday and he would go twice (at Nationals, vs. Cardinals) if Peterson were to be shifted to the bullpen, and would make for a solid streaming option. If Assad gets pushed to the bullpen, it would be Shota Imanaga getting the two-start assignment. We’ll update here if we gain any additional clarity throughout the weekend.

The Giants have yet to announce a starter for Monday, so we don’t know who (if anyone) will make two starts for them next week (vs. Astros, vs. Rockies). Blake Tidwell got the call last time and went five strong innings against the Rangers. If he gets another opportunity, he could be worth a look as a deep league streaming option, especially for the home tilt against the Rockies over the weekend. If we get clarification or if anything changes over the weekend, we’ll update here.

Someone on the Blue Jays is likely to make two starts next week in place of the injured Trey Yesavage, we just aren’t sure exactly who that will be just yet. Whoever gets the assignment will face a very tough draw with matchups against the red hot Red Sox and the Yankees. Once we get clarity on the situation we’ll provide an update here, but it’s unlikely that any of them will relevant for fantasy purposes.

Going Twice…

Note: Probable pitchers as of August 7 and are subject to change.

American League

▶ Strong Plays

Sonny Gray, Red Sox, RHP (at Blue Jays, at Pirates)

Gray has been absolutely incredible in his first season with the Red Sox, posting a 14-2 record, 2.78 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a 106/32 K/BB ratio across 119 2/3 innings through his first 21 starts. He has been the ace atop the pitching staff that has helped to fuel the club’s ridiculous 31-5 run over their last 36 games. Gray hasn’t allowed more than five runs in a start this season and has allowed more than three runs just three times. He should be locked into fantasy lineups each and every week, so there’s no inflection point or decision to make here. Just sit back and enjoy double the production from one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Trevor Rogers, Orioles, LHP (at Twins, at Rays)

Rogers has had a very polarizing season for the Orioles and for fantasy managers. He started strong, with a 1.89 ERA across his first three starts. Then he went through a terrible stretch where he held a cringe-inducing 10.01 ERA (6.30 xFIP) across 29 2/3 innings over his next seven starts. Most fantasy managers completely wrote him off at that point. Since then? He’s back to dominating with a 2.28 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and a 60/14 K/BB ratio over 67 innings since the start of June. Continue to ride the hot hand here. Rogers makes for an excellent play in all league formats for this two-start week.

Sean Burke, White Sox, RHP (vs. Reds, at Tigers)

Burke has been fantastic through his first 23 appearances (19 starts) for the White Sox this season, registering a 3.08 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and a 144/39 K/BB ratio across 128 2/3 innings of work. He has also pitched extremely well recently, as he hasn’t given up more than two earned runs in a start since June 13. The Reds and Tigers offenses have both been swinging the bat well lately, but that’s not enough to sway us from using Burke in a two-start week. He should be started in all leagues without question.

Tanner Bibee, Guardians, RHP (at Tigers, vs. Padres)

Despite tallying just four victories on the season, Bibee has actually pitched pretty well for the Guardians, compiling a 3.85 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 110/38 K/BB ratio over 138 innings. They’re in the thick of the Wild Card race in the American league and he’ll have to battle a pair of other contending teams this week, which should lead to increased focus and positive results for the 27-year-old right-hander. He looks like an easy start in all league sizes this week.

Reid Detmers, Angels, LHP (vs. Rangers, vs. Royals)

Detmers continues to find success and pile up strikeouts as a full-time member of the Angels’ rotation this season. He holds a 4.12 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and a 150/39 K/BB ratio over 129 innings in his first 23 starts. He now draws a terrific pair of matchups against the Rangers and Royals and gets the added benefit of making both of those starts at home. That makes Detmers a terrific option in all leagues this week.

Ryan Weathers, Yankees, LHP (vs. Mariners, at Blue Jays)

Weathers has been a key cog in the Yankees’ rotation this season, posting a strong 3.79 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and a 132/34 K/BB ratio over 121 innings through his first 22 starts. He enters his two-start week in terrific form – allowing just one run over 18 2/3 innings in his last three starts while compiling a 17/5 K/BB ratio. He now gets to take on a struggling Mariners’ offense before finishing the week with a neutral matchup against the Jays in Toronto. He’s an easy start in all leagues this week.

▶ Decent Plays

Bryan Woo, Mariners, RHP (at Yankees, at Astros)

While he has still been good this season, we haven’t quite seen the elite results that we have come to expect from Woo through his first 22 starts in 2026 – posting a 4.31 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and a 127/27 K/BB ratio over his 127 1/3 innings of work. He now gets a particularly rough draw in matchups, having to battle the Yankees in New York before taking on the surging Astros in Houston. Even in the shallowest of leagues, it’s impossible to bench Woo for a two-start week. Just understand that he’s much more likely to deliver middling ratios than he is to dominate the way that we have seen over the previous two seasons.

Ranger Suarez, Red Sox, LHP (at Blue Jays, at Pirates)

Normally I’d be starting Suarez in a two-start week without any hesitation at all, but he hasn’t quite been the same since returning from the injured list. He has yet to make it through five innings in any of his three starts since returning while allowing six runs over 11 2/3 innings. Hopefully he’s just shaking off the rust and there’s nothing more to it. You probably still have to roll with him in a two-start week against mediocre competition, just understand that he carries more risk than you’d typically expect from the 30-year-old southpaw.

Noah Cameron, Royals, LHP (at Dodgers, at Angels)

While Cameron’s overall numbers on the season are a bit underwhelming, he has been weighed down by a couple of absolutely disastrous outings. He seems to have turned the corner after his last dud though, allowing just one run in total over 25 innings in his last three starts, going at least seven innings and striking out at least seven batters in each of them. That’s pretty impressive. It’s hard to stream anyone in a two-start week that includes a matchup against the Dodgers, but with the way that Cameron is throwing the ball right now, I’m be comfortable using him against any lineup. He then gets to balance that out a bit with a softer matchup against the Angels to finish the week. There’s enough to like here that Cameron should be utilized in both 15 and 12-team formats this week.

Dean Kremer, Twins, RHP (vs. Orioles, vs. Phillies)

Historically, Kremer has usually made for a strong option in two-start weeks as long as he isn’t facing elite competition. He gets the added fun this time around of starting the week with a revenge game against the Orioles after they shipped him off to the Twins at the trade deadline. Kremer looked great in his first start with the Twins, allowing just one run over five innings against the Royals. I anticipate him pitching well in that first start this week before a tough matchup against the Phillies over the weekend that could really go either way. In 15-teamers I’d definitely be willing to use him, in 12’s it would depend on what my other options were or how desperate I was to add volume in wins and strikeouts.

Freddy Peralta, Rays, RHP (at Athletics, vs. Orioles)

You can cut him some slack because it was at Coors Field, but Peralta’s first start with the Rays was a complete disaster – giving up seven runs on nine hits while failing to make it through four innings. The venue isn’t going to get any easier his next time out, as he’ll tangle with the Athletics in West Sacramento. An impending free agent at the end of the year, Peralta needs to finish the season strong if he’s going to cash in on the open market. Fantasy managers who have absorbed his ratio damage to this point probably need to keep rolling with him and simply hope for the best.

Jacob Lopez, Athletics, LHP (vs. Rays, vs. Rangers)

Lopez had been written up as a two-start option this past week, but as the A’s shuffled their rotation he got pushed back a day, moving his two-start assignment to this week instead. While his overall numbers on the season look terrible at a glance, Lopez appears to have figured something out recently, registering a 1.76 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 21/7 K/BB ratio over 15 1/3 innings over his last three starts. Having to make both of his starts this week at Sutter Health Park is a bit terrifying, but I’m willing to trust his recent form enough to use him as a streaming option in deeper mixed leagues.

MacKenzie Gore, Rangers, LHP (at Angels, at Athletics)

Gore’s overall line on the season has been underwhelming at best, but we have at least seen stretches from him over the course of his career where he has been a viable mixed league option. He’s coming off of perhaps his best start of the year after firing six shutout innings against the Giants and now gets a solid matchup against the Angels in Los Angeles to start the week. I’d actually like it better if that was it and he didn’t have to travel to West Sacramento to give up a few homers over the weekend. It’s fine in deeper leagues if you need an extra arm, but don’t get carried away here.

Cristian Javier, Astros, RHP (at Giants, vs. Mariners)

Javier has struggled since his return from the injured list, posting a 6.59 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and a 23/15 K/BB ratio across 27 1/3 innings in his first nine appearances (five starts). The matchups fall in his favor this week, giving at least some credence to attempting to use him as a streaming option – especially since he has looked better in each of his last two starts. I’ve gone back and forth on this one, but I’m leaning toward rolling the dice and hoping that he lands on the good side of variance. In 15-teamers I’d be willing to take the shot.

▶ At Your Own Risk

Cal Quantrill, Rangers, RHP (at Angels, at Athletics)

Is Cal Quantrill a good pitcher? Despite his performance so far with the Rangers, history tells us that he is not. The matchups also don’t fall in his favor this week, especially that scary tilt over the weekend against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. If you want to think that he can avoid the ratio correction that’s surely coming, then go ahead and roll him out there. I’ve been burned by Quantrill too many times in the past to put myself in that position again.

Drew Anderson, Tigers, RHP (vs. Guardians, vs. White Sox)

If Anderson were fully stretched out or the team was committed to him staying in the rotation for the remainder of the season, then I would admittedly have more interest in him than I currently do. As it stands though, he’s merely keeping the seat warm until Jack Flaherty returns from the injured list. He threw just 42 pitches over 3 2/3 innings in his first start against the Mariners and I have a hard time seeing him getting through five against the Guardians to start the week. If you’re trying to pile up strikeouts and want to use him instead of a fringe starter or an extra reliever this week, that could make some sense. Just don’t expect a victory unless the Tigers use an opener in front of him.

Ryan Johnson, Angels, RHP (vs. Rangers, vs. Royals)

While he has shown glimpses of the elite upside that he possesses, Johnson has really struggled through his first 13 outings (10 starts) on the season, posting a miserable 7.11 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and a 38/25 K/BB ratio over his first 50 2/3 innings on the season. Even with a pair of decent matchups on the docket, there’s far too much ratio risk here to trust Johnson as anything more than a desperation volume play. I’d avoid this one if possible.

National League

▶ Strong Plays

Logan Henderson, Brewers, RHP (at Padres, at Dodgers)

The Brewers are leaning on their tremendous rotation depth to utilize a six-man rotation through a very tough part of their schedule. That means that even during a seven-game week, only one of their hurlers will toe the slab twice. Henderson has been incredible when he has been healthy enough to take the mound this season, going 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and a 62/10 K/BB ratio across 50 innings in 10 starts. That’s absolutely elite-level production. The matchups are admittedly difficult this week, having to battle the Padres and Dodgers – both on the road. Henderson has shown the ability to dominate any opponent in front of him though and we shouldn’t let the schedule scare us away from what should still be a very strong two-start week.

Christian Scott, Mets, RHP (at Braves, vs. Nationals)

While many things have gone wrong for the Mets yet again this season, Christian Scott has been a shining beacon of hope. Over his first 16 starts, he holds a 3.15 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and a 92/32 K/BB ratio across his 74 1/3 innings of work. He has also been remarkably consistent, as he has allowed more than three runs just once on the year – and that was only four runs against the Cardinals on June 11. He should be started in all leagues every week and makes for a particularly strong option in a two-start week that includes a home tilt against the Nationals.

Eury Pérez, Marlins, RHP (vs. Pirates, at Reds)

The prized 23-year-old right-hander has shown plenty of inconsistency this season, but the overall results have been very solid with a 3.61 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 121/42 K/BB ratio across 109 2/3 innings. He’s a player that should be in all fantasy lineups on a weekly basis unless it’s a brutal one-start matchup. Fortunately, he gets two starts this week and one of them is at home against the Pirates, which makes him one of the better all-around options on the entire board this week. He should be deployed with complete confidence.

Paul Skenes, Pirates, RHP (at Marlins, vs. Red Sox)

One thing that hasn’t quite received the attention that it deserves this season, is the unexpected falloff in the performance of Paul Skenes. He entered the season as the consensus number two overall starting pitcher behind only Tarik Skubal, but his overall performance has fallen well short of that. Through his first 24 starts he sits at 9-10 with a pedestrian 3.98 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and a 162/36 K/BB ratio. Fantasy managers that called his name in the first round have undoubtedly been frustrated and disappointed with the way that his season has played out. He should still be started each and every week for fantasy purposes, but he’s no longer going to find himself in the top two rounds of drafts next season unless things turn around over the final two months.

Bryce Elder, Braves, RHP (vs. Mets, vs. Diamondbacks)

Elder’s 2026 campaign has been an absolute rollercoaster. He came out of the gate strong before floundering miserably over a seven-start stretch from late May to early July. Since then though, he has somehow righted the ship. Over his last four starts, the 27-year-old hurler holds a sparkling 1.88 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and an 18/10 K/BB ratio over 24 innings. With the way the Braves are playing right now, he’s in a terrific position to earn a victory every time he takes the hill and now gets to make a pair of starts at home against middling competition. I know it can be hard to trust Elder if you have been burned by him this season, but he makes for a strong play in all league sizes this week.

▶ Decent Plays

Justin Wrobleski, Dodgers, LHP (vs. Royals, vs. Brewers)

Since they have been rolling with a full six-man rotation for the duration of the season, it’s a rare occurrence when a Dodgers’ starter actually gets a two-start week. Things could change depending on when they want to slot Blake Snell back into the rotation, but as things currently stand it looks like Wrobleski will go on Monday and get the two-start assignment. He has been fantastic overall on the season, but has run into some very hard times his last two times out – giving up a combined 12 runs over 10 1/3 innings against the Mariners and Cubs. A matchup against the Royals should be just what the doctor ordered to get him back on track before a tough matchup against the Brewers over the weekend. He has earned enough trust this season that fantasy managers should continue to roll with him even after the struggles in his recent starts.

Casey Mize, Padres, RHP (vs. Brewers, at Guardians)

Change isn’t always easy. After being dealt away from the only organization that he has ever known, Mize struggled in his first start with the Padres, giving up eight runs on nine hits over 3 2/3 innings against the Diamondbacks. Yikes. Mize is still a quality pitcher though and should continue to be a mixed league asset over the final two months of the season. A matchup against a familiar foe in the Guardians to finish the week should help him to settle in. I understand the apprehension, but unless there’s an injury concern that the Padres announce, I’d roll with him in all leagues if he’s still taking the ball on Monday.

Hunter Dobbins, Cardinals, RHP (vs. Phillies, at Cubs)

Dobbins has done a nice job so far in his limited chances with the Cardinals, compiling a 3.60 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and a 36/14 K/BB ratio over 40 innings in his first eight appearances (five starts). We also saw him post similarly strong results over 61 innings for the Red Sox in 2025. The matchups are both on the tougher side this week, but I feel like there’s something to be had here. I’d be willing to roll the dice with Dobbins as a streaming option for this week and I also feel like he may end up having mixed league value over the remainder of the season.

Gabriel Hughes, Rockies, RHP (at Diamondbacks, at Giants)

I knew that this day could come eventually. The first time all season that we have had any Rockies’ pitcher ranked as anything more than at your own risk. The best pitcher in the team’s rotation is making two starts away from Coors Field and one of them is against the Giants in San Francisco. That’s about as good of a draw as you can get. I love what we have seen from Hughes through his first six starts, putting together a 4.25 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and a 28/9 K/BB ratio over 29 2/3 innings. I’m going out on a limb and saying that he makes for a solid streaming option this week and should pick up his first MLB victory. If he gets bombed here, I only have myself to blame.

Rhett Lowder, Reds, RHP (at White Sox, vs. Marlins)

This one is interesting to me. Lowder hasn’t pitched well this season. He holds a 5.26 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and a 73/39 K/BB ratio over 89 frames through his first 20 appearances (17 starts). So where’s the reason to even consider him here? I like what we have seen from him recently. Small sample size caveat, but over his last three starts he has registered a 3.18 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and a 12/4 K/BB ratio over 17 innings. Can that trend continue this week? That’s up to you to decide. I think there’s enough here though that I’d risk using him in 15-teamers as a streaming option and may even consider it in some 12’s if I needed to volume or was struggling to find another strong option.

Mitch Bratt, Diamondbacks, LHP (vs. Rockies, at Braves)

Bratt has done a decent job overall through his first six starts with the Diamondbacks, registering a 3.90 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and a 21/18 K/BB ratio over 27 2/3 innings. It’s going to be hard to sustain success at this level though if he can’t cut back on the walks. The matchups are a mixed bag, starting the week with a strong matchup at home against the Rockies before having to battle the red-hot Braves in Atlanta to close out the week. If you’re not worried about your ratios and are looking to gain ground in wins and strikeouts for the stretch run, you could give Bratt a try this week, just understand the ratio risks that you’re taking on by doing so.

▶ At Your Own Risk

Jake Irvin, Nationals, RHP (vs. Cubs, at Mets)

At this stage of his career, we have a pretty good idea of who Jake Irvin is. He holds a troublesome 5.37 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over 62 innings in his 13 starts this season, winning two games and striking out 62 batters in 62 innings. If you’re only chasing strikeouts and can handle the inevitable ratio hit, he can be worth a look here. Otherwise, it’s probably best to steer clear.

Andrew Painter, Phillies, RHP (at Cardinals, at Twins)

While his long-term outlook still remains strong, Painter has been a major disappointment in his first season in the Phillies’ rotation. Through 16 appearances (14 starts), Painter holds a grotesque 6.48 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and a 63/28 K/BB ratio over 75 innings. Until he shows significant signs of putting everything together at the game’s highest level, there’s no reason at all that fantasy managers should trust him at all. Don’t be swayed by the prospect pedigree, there are smarter risks to take.