Category: Baseball

One of the highly anticipated matchups of the weekend is between the Boston Red Sox (57-51) and Los Angeles Dodgers (69-40). These are two of the hottest teams in each league over the last eight games and in July overall.

Since the Red Sox's winning streak ended at 16 games, Boston is 5-3 and won four of the past five. Los Angeles is on a two game winning streak and is 6-2 over the past eight games. Boston joined elite company with their 16-game winning streak. Only eight teams have recorded winning streaks of 15-plus wins in the regular season since 1961 and every team made the postseason, which is good news for Boston.

In the previous week, Boston's pitching rotation is giving up a .267 opponent batting average (24th), which could be a problem against Los Angeles. The Dodgers are batting .282 (7th) with six home runs (T-8th) and 23 runs scored (T-13th) over five games. Los Angeles' pitching rotation has a 4.50 ERA (21st) in that span, but the fourth-best OBA (.212).

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Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Phillies

• Date: Friday, July 31, 2026
• Time: 10:10 PM EST
• Site: Dodger Stadium 
• City: Los Angeles, CA
• Network/Streaming: ESPN / MLB TV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Red Sox at the Dodgers

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-136), Boston Red Sox (+113)
• Spread: Red Sox +1.5 (-194), Dodgers -1.5 (+159)
• Total: 8.5

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Dodgers

• Friday's pitching matchup (July 31): Edgardo Henriquez vs. Ranger Suarez
  
• Dodgers: Edgardo Henriquez 

2026 stats: 42.0 IP, 4-5, 2.79 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 42 Ks, 19 BB

• Phillies: Ranger Suarez  

2026 Stats: 95.1 IP, 4-3, 3.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 103 K, 26 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not

• The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman is hitting .301 with 121 hits, 15 home runs and 53 RBI over 402 at-bats
• The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts is hitting .232 with 66 hits and 38 strikeouts over 184 at-bats
• The Red Sox’s Wilson Contreras is hitting .289 with 101 hits, 23 home runs, and 67 RBI over 350 at-bats
• The Red Sox's Jarren Duren is hitting .195 with 75 hits and 125 strikeouts over 389 at-bats

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers and Red Sox

• The Dodgers are 49-60 ATS ranking fourth-worst
• The Red Sox are 52-56 ATS, ranking 10th-worst
• The Dodgers are 58-50-1 to the Under, ranking 10th-best
• The Red Sox are 58-46-4 to the Under, ranking  third-best
• The Dodgers are 20-33 ATS at home, ranking second-worst
• The Red Sox are 28-26 ATS on the road, ranking 10th-worst

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Red Sox and the Dodgers

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between the Red Sox and the Dodgers:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Red Sox on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Red Sox at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.5

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Hello and welcome to the 18th 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, even when the Tigers are struggling.

As fantasy managers start to turn the page 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:

⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

With the Dodgers back into their groove of a six-man starting rotation, and with six games on their schedule, none of their hurlers are currently lined up to pitch twice next week. That’s assuming that Blake Snell returns next week. If he doesn't, and if anyone were to get a two-start assignment (at Cubs, at Diamondbacks), it would be left-hander Justin Wrobleski who would get the call and would make for an excellent option in all formats.

The Mariners are back to utilizing a full six-man rotation instead of the piggybacking madness that they tried a few times through, which means in a six-game week, no one will draw two starts. If anything changes, it would be Luis Castillo (vs. Tigers, vs. Rays) who would make for a nice streaming option.

The Padres have yet to announce their rotation plans for the upcoming week, so while there are two spots available for two-start weeks (at Diamondbacks, vs. Astros), we don’t yet have any clarification on who that will be. Barring any major changes, it’s likely to be Griffin Canning and JP Sears, though neither one makes for a particularly strong streaming option. We’ll update here once get get additional info from the team in the coming days.

Going Twice…

Note: Probable pitchers as of July 31 and are subject to change.

American League

▶ Strong Plays

Cam Schlittler, Yankees, RHP (vs. Cardinals, vs. Braves)

Schlittler continues to pitch like the front-runner for the American League Cy Young award. The 25-year-old hurler enters his two-start week sitting at 10-6 with a 2.04 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and a 165/26 K/BB ratio over 136 2/3 innings through his first 23 starts. He now gets to make a pair of starts at home, and while the opponents are on the tougher side, we aren’t going out of our way to fade Schlittler against anyone at this point. Continue to ride the hot hand and enjoy what is turning out to be a magical season for the Yankees’ right-hander.

Joe Ryan, Twins, RHP (at Royals, at Brewers)

It remains to be seen whether or not Ryan will still be donning a Twins’ jersey at this time next week, and because of that it’s possible that he won’t end up making two starts. What’s not in question is his performance. The 30-year-old hurler has posted a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and a 135/25 K/BB ratio across 120 1/3 innings through his first 22 starts. He should be locked into fantasy lineups regardless of matchups and whether it’s one start or two, so there’s no takeaways here, just continue to enjoy his elite production.

Troy Melton, Tigers, RHP (at Mariners, at Giants)

By this time next week, Troy Melton will be taking on a much larger role at the top of the Tigers’ rotation after Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize are likely moved at the trade deadline. He has certainly pitched like an ace through his first 11 starts on the season, going 6-1 with a 1.75 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and a 60/21 K/BB ratio over 67 innings of work. Look for those good times to continue this week in a pair of strong matchups in extreme pitcher’s parks. Melton is easily one of the top overall plays on the entire board this week and should be started in 100 percent of leagues without question.

Trey Yesavage, Blue Jays, RHP (at Astros, at Phillies)

Yesavage hasn’t quite dominated the baseball world the way that he did at the end of the 2025 campaign, but he has still done a very nice job overall for the Jays this season. Through his first 17 starts he holds a 3.73 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and a 91/45 K/BB ratio over 91 2/3 innings of work. Both matchups are on the tougher side this week, but Yesavage has shown the ability to excel against all types of opponents this season, so it’s no reason to shy away from him now. He’s an easy start in all leagues once again.

Peter Lambert, Astros, RHP (vs. Blue Jays, at Padres)

Lambert has been an unexpected hero for the Astros this season, stepping into the starting rotation and delivering quality results throughout 18 starts, helping to offset the injuries and poor performances that the club has dealt with otherwise. Lambert sports a 3.06 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 100/39 K/BB ratio over 103 innings on the season and appears to be getting stronger as the season goes on. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a start since the end of June and needs to be utilized in all formats right now – especially in a two-start week.

▶ Decent Plays

Ian Seymour, Rays, LHP (at Rockies, at Mariners)

Aside from a couple of rough outings, Seymour has done a nice job overall for the Rays this season, whether he has been used as a traditional starter or as an opener. Fantasy managers should prefer the latter, as he generally struggles to make it through five innings and it gives him a better chance of earning a victory. The matchups this week look good on paper, but there’s always risk when you have to travel to Coors Field. I’d trust the talent here and roll Seymour out there in all league sizes this week.

Randy Dobnak, Royals, RHP (vs. Twins, vs. Cubs)

Provided he’s not moved at the trade deadline, Dobnak should make two starts for the Royals in the upcoming week. He has done a terrific job through his first five appearances (three starts), posting a scintillating 1.04 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and a 14/10 K/BB ratio across 26 innings of work. It’s hard to think that he has suddenly put it all together and will be a viable fantasy option from here on out, but what we have seen so far has been mighty impressive. He also dominated the Twins his last time out and gets to get more revenge on his former club this week. I’d be comfortable streaming him in all leagues.

Reid Detmers, Angels, LHP (at Orioles, at Marlins)

While it hasn’t shown up in the win column (just three on the season), Detmers has actually done a decent job for the Angels and for fantasy managers this season. Through his first 22 starts, he holds a 4.03 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 125 innings while piling up an impressive 145 strikeouts. There’s a chance that he gets moved before the trade deadline, which would impact him starting twice next week, but as currently scheduled he makes for a strong option in all formats.

Patrick Sandoval, Red Sox, LHP (vs. White Sox, vs. Athletics)

So far, so good for Sandoval through his first four starts with the Red Sox, posting a 3.32 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and a 20/6 K/B ratio over 19 innings of work. That’s pretty much who he has always been, someone who is going to hurt you in WHIP, but still delivers quality overall results and contributes around a strikeout per inning. He gets the benefit of making both starts at home this week and the matchups aren’t terribly imposing, making him a decent streaming option in leagues in which he’s hanging around on the waiver wire.

Shane Bieber, Blue Jays, RHP (at Astros, at Phillies)

As expected after a long layoff due to injury, we have seen a lot of inconsistency from Bieber through his first seven starts with the Jays this season. We have seen him dominate against good teams, and we have seen him get absolutely obliterated by the Mariners in Seattle and the Nationals in Washington. He has the tools to succeed every time he takes the mound and should be able to find more consistency as the season goes on, just be aware that the overall risk is elevated right now. I’d still roll him out there for at two-start week in 15-teamers, though I may pump the breaks in 12’s.

▶ At Your Own Risk

Jacob Lopez, Athletics, LHP (at Reds, at Red Sox)

Overall on the season, Lopez sports a miserable 5.79 ERA and 1.67 WHIP across 70 innings in 17 appearances (14 starts). If you’re looking for a glimmer of hope though, it appears that he has finally turned the corner recently, allowing just three runs over 14 2/3 innings over his last three starts while registering an 18/8 K/BB ratio. Is that enough to trust him for two road starts against good offenses in extreme hitter’s parks? That’s up to you and your own risk tolerance. Personally, I’d pass unless I was getting desperate in wins and strikeouts and needed the extra volume.

Dean Kremer, Orioles, RHP (vs. Angels, at Rangers)

Throughout his career, Kremer has usually been a strong and reliable streaming option in times where he gets two starts or draws a good matchup in a single-start week. That makes this particular week very tricky. The matchups definitely fall in his favor, getting to take on the Angels and Rangers, but Kremer is entering these starts in extremely poor form. He has been lit up for six runs or more in each of his last two starts. Whether that’s just a blip in the radar, or he’s nursing some sort of underlying physical issue, remains to be seen. If you’re desperate for the additional start and need to make up ground in wins and strikeouts, you could roll the dice here, but I’m very leery of the recent performance. My gut says to stay away from this one.

Davis Martin, White Sox, RHP (at Red Sox, vs. Guardians)

Martin’s overall numbers on the season still look very strong, but his recent history is a bit more worrisome. Over his last 10 starts, he holds a cringe-inducing 5.84 ERA, 1.64 WHIP and a 35/21 K/BB ratio across 49 1/3 innings of work. He has given up four or more earned runs in half of those starts, and six or more in two of them. I understand that it’s difficult for fantasy managers who have enjoyed Martin’s stellar production for most of the season to sit him for a two-start week, but in his current form he’s much more likely to hurt you than help you this week. You have been warned.

Cal Quantrill, Rangers, RHP (vs. Giants, vs. Orioles)

Quantrill continues to defy logic and expectations as he somehow finds success in the Rangers’ rotation. Eventually, fantasy managers who are trusting him are going to be left holdin the bag when it all comes crashing down. That may not happen this week against the Giants and Orioles, as he gets to make both starts in the pitcher-friendly confines in Arlington, but it’s going to happen before season’s end so be sure to tread carefully.

Slade Cecconi, Guardians, RHP (vs. Mets, at White Sox)

Cecconi has struggled for the majority of the 2026 campaign, registering a 4.78 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and an 84/35 K/BB ratio across 107 1/3 innings of work. He has been hit especially hard over his last four starts, giving up 15 runs over 17 innings while failing to make it through five innings in three of those four outings. It may seem like a good idea to try to stream him against the Mets, but the overall upside is very limited here for the ratio risk that you would be taking on. Just stay away from this one.

National League

▶ Strong Plays

Chris Sale, Braves, LHP (vs. Marlins, at Yankees)

We had thought that Sale would make two starts this past week, but Tuesday’s rainout threw a wrench into those plans. It really didn’t impact fantasy managers though, as he’s a staple in 100 percent of lineups each and every week regardless. He’s having an outstanding season, compiling a 2.08 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and a 143/26 K/BB ratio over 117 innings and looks to be the primary competitor with Jacob Misiorowski for the National League Cy Young award. Look for that goodness to continue against the Marlins and Yankees this week. As always, he’s one of the top overall plays on the board this week.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Diamondbacks, LHP (vs. Padres, vs. Dodgers)

At this point, it’s more than just a nice run that Eduardo Rodriguez is on, he’s having a completely resurgent season. The 33-year-old southpaw sits at 10-3 with a sterling 2.48 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and an 88/45 K/BB ratio across 130 2/3 innings. The matchup against the Dodgers to finish the week isn’t ideal, but he threw a gem against them in Los Angeles just before the All-Star break, so there’s really no reason to fret. If you have been rolling with him all season, continue to do so with confidence this week.

Jared Jones, Pirates, RHP (at Brewers, vs. Mets)

Jones hasn’t really missed a beat after missing the entire 2025 season, returning to post a 3.81 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and a 58/15 K/BB ratio over 52 innings through his first 11 starts. He has really settled in since the start of July, contributing a stellar 2.00 ERA, a ridiculous 0.63 WHIP and a 33/6 K/BB ratio over 27 innings in his last five starts. That’s absolutely elite level production. The matchups are a mixed bag, with a tough draw against the Brewers and a dream spot at home against the Mets. As long as he’s healthy enough to take the mound, there’s no reason that Jones should leave fantasy lineups for the remainder of the season.

Logan Henderson, Brewers, RHP (vs. Pirates, vs. Twins)

Health has always been the one thing that has been able to hold Henderson back. Whenever he has been healthy and given a run in the Brewers’ rotation, the results have been terrific. That’s been the case through his first nine starts this season, as he has registered a 2.66 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and a 54/9 K/BB ratio over his 44 innings of work. The matchups are terrific as well, making Henderson one of the better all-around options on the board this week and someone who should be started in all leagues without hesitation.

Christian Scott, Mets, RHP (at Guardians, at Pirates)

The 27-year-old right-hander has looked incredibly sharp through his first 15 starts with the Mets this season, compiling a 2.99 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and an 85/30 K/BB ratio across 69 1/3 innings. He matches up very well against the Guardians and Pirates and should continue to have success this week. Wins will always be difficult to come by with the Mets’ offense backing him, but he has earned the right to be an every week start in all leagues until further notice.

Jesus Luzardo, Phillies, LHP (vs. Nationals, vs. Braves)

Luzardo has to be maddeningly frustrating for fantasy managers. The 28-year-old southpaw possesses some of the best raw stuff in all of baseball, but every year he seems to go through stretches where everything falls apart for him and he completely implodes. He was on a terrific run where over an eight-start stretch he registered a 1.46 ERA and a 72/17 K/BB ratio over 49 1/3 innings before getting hammered for six runs against the Marlins his last time out. Hopefully that’s out of his system now and he gets back to dominating against a pair of familiar divisional foes this week. I’d still be using him in all leagues this week despite the debacle in his last start.

Logan Webb, Giants, RHP (at Rangers, vs. Tigers)

Webb hasn’t quite pitched like an ace this season, but he has still been a solid contributor for the Giants and for fantasy managers with a 3.93 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 93 punchouts in 119 innings. The matchups look favorable for him as well, getting to pitch against the Rangers in Arlington before battling the Tigers at home. He continues to be a safe and steady option and should be active in all fantasy lineups once again this week.

Matthew Boyd, Cubs, LHP (vs. Dodgers, at Royals)

Boyd’s overall numbers on the season look as solid as ever, posting a 3.41 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and a 60/19 K/BB ratio over 66 innings through his first 12 starts. He has been especially strong since returning from the injured list, registering a 1.93 ERA and a 29/13 K/BB ratio over 42 innings in his seven starts while picking up four victories. The matchup against the Dodgers isn’t ideal, but it’s not enough to sit Boyd for a two-start week. He can be used with confidence in all league sizes.

▶ Decent Plays

Brandon Pfaadt, Diamondbacks, RHP (vs. Padres, vs. Dodgers)

Since transitioning back to the Diamondbacks’ rotation, Pfaadt has been outstanding – posting a minuscule 1.85 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and an 18/4 K/BB ratio over 34 innings of work. The lack of strikeouts is a minor concern, but that’s buoyed by the added volume from getting to make a second start. The matchups also aren’t the best, having to battle the Dodgers over the weekend, but Pfaadt has been so good as of late that I’d still be willing to roll the dice. He makes for a strong streaming option in all leagues.

Brandon Sproat, Brewers, RHP (vs. Pirates, vs. Twins)

While the overall results on the season have been mediocre at best, Sproat has finally shown some signs in the past few weeks that he could be on the verge of figuring things out. Since the calendar flipped to June, he holds a 3.71 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 44/19 K/BB ratio over 43 2/3 innings over nine starts. He now gets a pair of decent matchups against the Pirates and Twins – both of them at home – where he should be a favorite to earn a victory in each of them. There’s enough meat on the bone here that I would roll him out there in all 15-team leagues and I’d probably roll the dice in 12’s as well if I were looking to gain ground in wins and strikeouts.

Michael McGreevy, Cardinals, RHP (at Yankees, vs. Rockies)

It was a tough week for McGreevy, as he got bumped from a two-start week after Quinn Mathews was added to the Cardinals’ rotation to start on Saturday. He also got uncharacteristically lit up in his start against the Cubs, getting knocked around for seven runs on eight hits in just 1 2/3 innings. Yikes. The overall track record has been outstanding though, so we’re going to give him the benefit of the doubt here and still trust him for a two start week that includes a home tilt against the Rockies.

Javier Assad, Cubs, RHP (vs. Dodgers, at Royals)

Assad has been effective, both out of the Cubs’ bullpen and in the rotation this season, posting a 3.75 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and a 48/18 K/BB ratio over 69 2/3 innings in 18 appearances (nine starts). The only downside is that he has flopped roles so much that he isn’t fully stretched out and isn’t guaranteed to go five innings in either of his starts this week. Well, that and the fact that he has to battle the Dodgers. He should still be a decent volume option in a two-start week, just understand that his chances of earning a victory are limited.

Brady Singer, Reds, RHP (vs. Athletics, at Nationals)

For most of the season, Singer has been what we have expected him to be. A decent streaming option in good matchups and two-start weeks, and someone with limited mixed league value the rest of the time. Fortunately, he’s lined up for two starts this week and does so in a pair of quality matchups against the A’s and Nats. He also enters in good form, having posted a 2.37 ERA and 26/11 K/BB ratio over 30 1/3 innings over five starts in July. It’s never easy to click his name or lock him into lineups, but Singer makes for a quality option in both 15 and 12-team formats this week.

Bubba Chandler, Pirates, RHP (at Brewers, vs. Mets)

Chandler is another frustrating one for fantasy managers, as he seemingly has all of the necessary tools to succeed, he has just struggled to put it all together at the big league level. He fired 6 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball against the Yankees two starts ago, only to struggle at home against the Diamondbacks his last time out. It’s the walks that have really gotten him in trouble this season, which isn’t going to bode well against a patient team like the Brewers to start the week. If you’re chasing volume, at least there is upside in Chandler’s right arm to go along with the ratio risk.

▶ At Your Own Risk

Aaron Nola, Phillies, RHP (vs. Nationals, vs. Braves)

We have seen Nola have rough seasons throughout his career, but he normally bounces back with a strong season in the following campaign. That has not been the case in 2026. Through 22 starts he sports a horrifying 5.61 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and a 116/39 K/BB ratio over 114 innings. That’s not helping anyone. He gets to battle a pair of familiar divisional foes this week and gets to make both of his starts at home. That’s about all he has going for him. If your ratios are already cooked and you want to pile up as many wins and strikeouts as you can, go ahead and throw Nola to the wolves. Otherwise, there are probably better options available.

Jake Irvin, Nationals, RHP (at Phillies, vs. Reds)

Irvin has really struggled through 12 starts on the season, leading to an elevated 5.56 ERA and 1.32 WHIP over 56 2/3 innings. The one thing that he has provided has been strikeouts, with 59 punchouts on the year. If you need the strikeouts and can afford the ratio hit, Irvin should approach double digits on the week and has an outside shot at scoring a victory. Maybe that’s enough to use him in some deeper leagues.

Zack Littell, Nationals, RHP (at Phillies, vs. Reds)

Littell has been nothing more than a low-strikeout innings-eater for the Nationals this season, compiling a 4.94 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and a 68/34 K/BB ratio over 105 2/3 innings. The overall upside here is minimal and we have seen him get clobbered a couple of times already this season, leading to a much greater risk than you should be willing to take on for the minimal reward that he provides. Let’s avoid this one.

Ryan Gusto, Marlins, RHP (at Braves, vs. Angels)

Has Gusto pitched well this season? No. He holds a 5.31 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and a 34/13 K/BB ratio across 39 innings in his 13 appearances (eight starts). Is there reason to expect that he’ll be better going forward though? Also no. He was obliterated by the Phillies his last time out and has never consistently shown that he can be a trusted mixed league option. Combine that with the fact that he has to tangle with the Braves in Atlanta to open the week, and this one is an easy pass for me.

Michael Lorenzen, Rockies, RHP (vs. Rays, at Cardinals)

You should all know the drill by now. Never Rockies. Just don’t do it. It’s not worth the aggravation. Especially when it includes a start at Coors Field. Also when the pitcher has a 6.54 ERA and 1.81 WHIP across 104 2/3 innings. There’s no viable reason for lighting your ratios on fire here. Just don’t do it.

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.

⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters

Caleb Durbin - 2B/3B, BOS (39% rostered)

(HOT STRETCH, STOLEN BASE UPSIDE)

Durbin's roster rate fell 1%, so he still remains eligible for this list. The narrative around Durbin at the beginning of the season was so toxic that we're not sure people realize how good he's been. In 49 games since June 1st, Durbin is hitting .300/.365/.506 with nine home runs, 32 runs scored, 22 RBI, and eight steals. That's a 140 wRC+ and is exactly what people envisioned from the second-year hitter when moving into a park like Fenway. Perhaps it took Durbin a bit longer to adjust his approach.

Dylan Crews - OF, WAS (38% rostered)

(FORMER TOP PROSPECT, HOT STRETCH)

We've had Crews on here a few times because we liked the underlying quality of contact since he returned. The swing decisions just weren't really improved, and so the results weren't there. Since the All-Star break, he's hitting .282/.440/.590 with three home runs, nine runs scored, and six RBI. His 83% zone contact rate over that stretch is still slightly below average, and his 15% swinging strike rate isn't ideal, so this isn't a slam dunk add, but it's not a bad idea to bet on a former top prospect. If you were focused more on speed, you could add Jacob Young - OF, WAS (4% rostered), who's hitting .350/.471/.550 in his last 14 games with eight RBI and five steals. Young hits ninth and doesn't even start against all right-handed pitching, so this is just a deeper league speed play.

Tommy Edman - 2B/3B/OF, LAD (36% rostered)

(BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE, GREAT LINEUP)

This is now our fourth week with Edman on this list. As we mentioned before, you're probably not getting the same amount of speed from Edman anymore due to his myriad lower-body injuries, but he does have three steals in July. He's also hitting .300/.378/.450 in his last 25 games with 18 runs scored and 14 RBI because he hits in the Dodgers' lineup. That's going to be production that helps if you need average and counting stats.

Ty France - 1B, Padres (35% rostered)

(STARTING JOB, HOT STREAK)

Ty France just continues to hit, so we'll keep putting him in this article. Eric had an article about players who could see a second-half surge and mentioned that France was already surging. We also recorded a video last week on how France has become a key part of this lineup since Nick Castellanos was released, so that's worth checking out to see why we're into France. A deeper league corner infield target could be Coby Mayo - 1B/3B, BAL (2% rostered). 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 in May with a .275/.341/.650 slash line in 17 games with four home runs, 10 runs scored, and nine RBI. The Orioles could be major sellers at the deadline, so it's unclear what their roster will look like, but Mayo could get plenty of playing time the rest of the season.

A.J. Ewing - 2B/OF, NYM (28% rostered)

(POWER SURGE, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

We're not sure why more people aren't adding Ewing. The rookie is hitting .286/.333/.452 in his last 20 games with three home runs, 13 runs scored, eight RBI, and six steals. We know that the Mets are going to trade away players at the deadline, but Ewing won't be one of them. He will play pretty much every day and continue to bat leadoff against righties, which gives him a safe floor and value in all five categories.

Nasim Nunez - 2B/SS, WAS (26% rostered)

(STOLEN BASE UPSIDE, HOT STREAK)

We're keeping Nunez on here for his stolen base upside and because he keeps hitting. In 21 games in July, he's hitting .275/.346/.319 with 13 runs and seven steals. Yes, this is mainly a speed play, but if he can even keep a .270 average, that's going to be incredibly valuable to your fantasy teams. In 12 games with the Padres, Luis Rengifo - 2B/3B/OF, SD (20% rostered) is hitting .385/.455/.590 with two home runs, seven runs scored, and eight RBI. He's started the last five games and is beginning to be a more consistent part of the lineup. We're not sure if it will last, but he could be a bat to pick up while he's hot.

Max Clark - OF, DET (22% rostered)

(PROSPECT CALL-UP, POTENTIAL STEALS UPSIDE)

People are rushing out to add Clark after the news broke that the 13th-ranked prospect in baseball is getting called up on Friday. On one hand, we get it; he's a top prospect, he has tremendous plate discipline, and a great month of July. On the other hand, he has only one month this season with an OPS over .795, he has a 37.7% hard-hit rate, and an 88 mph average exit velocity. There is not a lot of immediate power in the profile. He's also likely going to hit near the bottom of the order for the Tigers with Kevin McGonigle as their leadoff guy. Clark has plenty of speed, but the Tigers have ranked 26th, 30th, and 30th in steals over the last three years. Will they let him run? We know people have comped Clark to AJ Ewing, and that makes sense to us, but Ewing has 14 steals in 69 games. We're not convinced the Tigers will let Clark run that much, so we'd rather just have Ewing if you wanted to add one of them.

Cole Carrigg - OF, COL (22% 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 are allegedly on the trade block. In that article, Eric mentioned that, even though Carrigg isn't crushing the ball, he has good bat speed and is making better-than-league-average zone contact, which is a nice profile in Coors Field. He just needs to play more consistently. Braden Montgomery - OF, CWS (10% rostered) is another young outfielder who could take a step forward in the second half. Over his last 15 games, he's hitting .278/.371/.444 with one home run, eight runs scored, 12 RBI, and one steal. That has come with a 40.5% hard-hit rate that is starting to creep up. He began the year in Double-A, so this is a big jump for him, but more at-bats will likely lead to a better plan and more success.

Garrett Mitchell - OF, MIL (17% rostered)

(POWER/SPEED UPSIDE, STREAKY PLAYER ON HOT STREAK)

We featured Mitchell a bunch earlier in the season, and he's back to putting up really solid numbers, but nobody wants to add him. Since June 29th, he’s hitting .315 with two home runs, 14 runs scored, 12 RBI, and a 50.8% hard-hit rate that ranks 22nd in baseball over that stretch. The tools have always been loud, but the plate approach has been the question. Well, from June 29th on, his zone contact rate is up to 86%, which is league average, and his chase rate is down to 26%. MLB.com had a great article about what has gone into Garrett Mitchell’s breakout, and this is one we're buying into. Another young outfielder add could be Ryan Waldschmit - OF, ARI (3% rostered). He's still not a full-time role in Arizona, but the production is starting to come. He's slashing .333/.333/.545 over his last 11 games with one home run, six runs scored, five RBI, and one steal. He's one of the better prospects in baseball, and if Arizona gives him consistent at-bats, he may start to put it together.

Heriberto Hernandez - OF, MIA (16% rostered)

(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, POWER UPSIDE)

An injury to Owen Caissie has allowed Hernandez to play against more right-handed pitchers, and he has responded by hitting .276/.3330/.644 in 24 games in July with eight home runs, 14 RBI, and two steals. He has some swing and miss in his game, and he is not as good against righties, so this may just be a hot streak, but Eric recorded a video this week talking about Hernandez’s hot stretch. His teammate, Griffin Conine - OF, MIA (3% rostered) is a 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 .254/.333/.522 in 24 games in July with six home runs, so there is some power in his bat as well.

Cooper Pratt - SS, MIL (10% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, STOLEN BASE UPSIDE)

The left side of Milwaukee's infield is a bit crowded at the moment, but Pratt seems to be the guy playing the most consistently. In 22 games in July, he's hitting .324/.405/.479 with two home runs, 13 runs scored, 12 RBI, and four steals. He already has nine steals in just 35 games with the Brewers, and the batting average has been much better than we expected. If you need stolen bases, there are few better targets right now.

Hao-Yu Lee- 2B/3B, DET (8% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

Even if the Tigers don't trade Gleyber Torres (they likely will), Lee has seemingly emerged as a regular starter. In 19 games in July, he's hitting .308/.333/.558 with three home runs, eight runs scored, and 13 RBI. He makes a lot of contact, and while that power may not stick around, he should be a solid source of batting average in a consistent role. Andruw Monasterio - 1B/2B/3B/SS, BOS (2% rostered) has also been producing in July as the starting shortstop in Boston. Since July 1st, Monasterio has hit .357 with three home runs, eight runs, eight RBI, and one steal. His .321 ISO is the best on the team and the 10th best in baseball among hitters with at least 60 plate appearances in July. Monasterio has been particularly good against lefties this season, slashing .282/.364/.603 in 88 plate appearances versus .243/.287/.355 in 116 plate appearances against righties. The Red Sox could deal for a shortstop and take away his playing time, so keep an eye on this weekend's news.

Tyler Stephenson - C, CIN (6% rostered)

(FRINGE ONE-CATCHER LEAGUE OPTION, UPSIDE BET)

Stephenson is another hitter that was featured in Eric's second-half surgers article. In 18 games in July, he's hitting .339/.400/.525 with two home runs and just five RBI, but an 11.6% barrel rate and 40% hard-hit rate. There are some rumors he could be on the move to a team like the Red Sox or Yankees, which would improve those counting stats as well, and Boston might also use him as a regular DH. He could be an interesting name at the trade deadline. Nick Fortes - C, TB (2% rostered) is another catcher option in deeper formats. His batted ball data has looked good for most of the season, but he has turned it on in July, hitting .354/.380/.604 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 18 games. The Rays are in the market for a catcher though, so his uptick in playing time may be coming to a close.

Victor Mesa Jr. OF, TB (3% rostered)

(POWER/SPEED UPSIDE, INTRIGUING METRICS)

Eric recently mentioned Mesa in hissecond half breakouts article because of his surprisingly solid underlying power metrics, good swing decisions, and near-elite bat speed. He keeps working his way into the Rays’ lineup because he plays elite defense. Sadly, he sits against all lefties, so that makes him tougher to roster, but in 20 games in July, he is hitting .255/.323/.545 with five home runs, nine RBI, and three steals. That will work if he gets a good string of righties. Another strong side potential outfielder is Evan Carter - OF, TEX (3% rostered). By now, almost everybody has had Carter on their roster for some stretch; however, the young outfielder has been on another good run, hitting .300/.426/.480 over his last 21 games with two home runs, nine runs scored, and four steals. That helps you in a lot of categories.

Vaughn Grissom - 1B/2B/3B, LAA (3% rostered)

(PLAYING TIME, HOT STREAK)

The Angels acquired Grissom from the Red Sox this offseason in an under-the-radar move because Boston needed to clear space on their 40-man roster. After having an inconsistent start to the season, Grissom has been great in July, hitting .338 in 18 games with three home runs, 16 RBI, and a 41.8% hard-hit rate. 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 23.6% in July. His groundball rate is up from 38.8% to 45.5%, 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.

Tyrone Taylor - OF, NYM (2% rostered)

(SAFE FLOOR FOR DEEPER FORMATS, COUNTING STATS UPSIDE)

Juan Soto is on the IL, and there's a strong chance that Luis Robert Jr. is traded away at the deadline, which could mean that Tyrone Taylor starts in the outfield for the Mets for a good chunk of the rest of the season. In 20 games in July, he's hitting .326/.420/.837 with six home runs, 12 rrun scored, and 12 RBI. We think this power surge is a bit of a fluke, but the production overall could be solid.

Brady House - 3B, WSN (2% rostered)

(POSSIBLE EVERYDAY JOB)

The Nationals traded third baseman Curtis Mead to the Red Sox last week and called House back up to start at third base for them. Still just 23 years old, House showed decent raw power with regular playing time early this season. His 73.5 mph bat speed is similar to players like Seiya Suzuki and Brandon Lowe; he hit a ball 113.4 mph, and both his barrel and hard-hit rates were above league average. Too many grounders and not enough pulled fly balls held him back, though, and he's never shown a knack for taking a walk. Those are the types of things that normally improve with age, so don't overlook House now that he has a role again.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers

Shane Drohan - SP/RP, MIL (39% rostered)

Drohan was featured in Eric’s article this week on starting pitchers who are succeeding without elite Stuff+ grades. In that article, Eric mentioned that Drohan added a sinker as his primary fastball to lefties, and the command of his cutter improved, which has helped him miss bats with the four-seamer over the top of it. Drohan has a better swinging strike rate and CSW against lefties, so bringing that changeup back could help him take another step forward against righties, but this is a five-pitch mix with plus command and multiple fastballs, which should help Drohan continue to outproduce his Stuff+ grades. He may not keep his rotation spot after the trade deadline, but he has earned fantasy spots for now.

Zac Thornton - SP, NYM (34% rostered)

Zac Thornton was also in that same article. He has a 2.43 ERA in his first 29.2 MLB innings despite throwing an 87 mph cutter and 92 mph four-seamer. Thornton is a lefty without a real changeup, using it just 5% of the time to righties. However, he does have four pitches, including three fastball variations. For Eric, what was stopping me from fully buying into Thornton’s recent success is that he’s too focused on two pitches to righties. He also throws his sinker 9% of the time to righties, but it’s getting hit hard. The hits haven’t dropped yet, but a 28.6% barrel rate and 43% hard-hit rate in a small sample is concerning. It's fine to ride with Thornton while he's pitching this well, but it doesn't feel as real as Drohan or Jake Bennett and other low Stuff+ lefties who have produced this season.

Keider Montero - SP/RP, DET (33% rostered)

The injury to Jack Flaherty may mean that Montero is getting another shot in the Tigers' rotation. Eric discussed his potential fantasy value in this video after Flaherty’s injury, and Montero was another pitcher in Eric's article this week. 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.

Clay Holmes - SP, NYM (31% rostered)

Clay Holmes has likely made his last start with the Mets, but the veteran should be back from his fractured fibula next week and in another team's rotation. Holmes 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 no matter where he lands.

Yoendrys Gómez - RP, MIN (31% rostered)

We've had Gómez here a few times. He has 10 saves since June 1st and a 2.14 ERA in 21 innings over that stretch. Yes, he doesn't strike people out, but he also doesn't walk guys, and so he seems like a safe option if you just want a few saves to help you in that category without crushing your ratios. Clayton Beeter - RP, WAS (15% rostered) is another option. He has a 4.91 ERA in 7.1 innings in July, so the ratios aren't great, but he also has five saves in his last nine appearances, so that's what you'd be adding him for.

Christian Scott - SP, NYM (28% rostered)

Scott had a nice start against the Braves this week and remains a starting pitcher who we like a decent amount. He has some issues with lefties, but his cutter has been a big reason that is improving. Eric had a detailed write-up in last week’s streaming starting pitcher column, so check that out for more data on Scott.

Grant Taylor - RP/SP, CWS (27% rostered)

In his last 12 appearances, Taylor has two wins, three saves, a 2.65 ERA, and a 33.3% 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.

Brandon Pfaadt - SP, ARI (21% rostered)

Look, this is happening. Eric covered Pfaadt’s pitch mix changes in detail in his streamer column last week, and then covered him again inthe article about pitchers who are succeeding with command. The short version is that Pfaadt has altered his arsenal to maximize command and weak contact, and it appears to be working. He won't get you many strikeouts, which does hurt his fantasy value, but if you need ratios, this is believable.

Kade Anderson - SP, SEA (16% rostered)

Will Kade Anderson be called up? The left-hander certainly seems ready. He has a 1.27 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, and 41.7% strikeout rate in Double-A. The Mariners could potentially trade both Emerson Hancock and Luis Castillo this weekend, and so stashing Anderson in case he moves into the rotation isn't a terrible idea.

Luke Weaver - RP, NYM (16% rostered)

We love Luke Weaver as a closer stash. The Mets will almost certainly trade him at the deadline, and the Pirates are said to be interested. He would immediately slot in as their closer. Weaver has a 1.88 ERA in 41 appearances for the Mets and could be a potential difference-maker if he lands in a closer's role.

AJ Smith-Shawver - SP, ATL (16% rostered)

Smith-Shawver pitched against the Mets on 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.

Quinn Mathews - SP, STL (9% rostered)

The Cardinals announced that they were calling up Mathews to start on Saturday, and that has many people excited. The former top 50 overall prospect has plenty of swing-and-miss in his arsenal but also just plenty of miss because he has real command issues. Eric recorded a video on Friday about his ultimate fantasy upside.

Carson Whisenhunt - SP, SF (6% rostered)

Whisenhunt appears to be in the Giants' rotation right now. He allowed four runs in five innings against the Angels his last time out, but the performance was more encouraging than the stat line, as Whisenhunt leaned into his changeup for 15 whiffs and 76 percent strikes. That’s an approach that should work for the left-hander as long as he can locate his fastball up in the zone. He will likely remain in the Giants’ rotation for the rest of the season and could emerge as a streaming option.

Michael Petersen - RP, MIA (6% rostered)

This is the closer stash part of the season with the trade deadline approaching. I'm not sure the Marlins can get anything for Pete Fairbanks right now, but they should probably try. It just hasn't been a free agent signing that worked. Meanwhile, Petersen has a 3.20 ERA and 1.07 WHIP on the season with 52 strikeouts in 45 innings. He has been increasingly pitching in high-leverage innings and might be a nice low-cost add right now for some end-of-season saves.

Brandyn Garcia - RP, ARI (5% rostered)

We know Paul Sewald is out as closer in Arizona. We don't know who the closer is. It's likely a committee, and so we also like adding Juan Morillo - RP, ARI (4% rostered) as the right-handed part of that, but Garcia got the first save chance on Wednesday. On the season, Garcia has a 2.17 ERA and 32% strikeout rate in 29 innings, so if he added some saves to that profile, that would be helpful in all fantasy leagues.

Ben Joyce - RP, LAA (3% rostered)

Joyce has moved up to Triple-A as he rehabs his way back from a shoulder injury and has looked good. He has thrown a few scoreless innings in his early 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.