Unlocking the Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: A Deep Dive into the Best Adds
In the ever-evolving landscape of fantasy baseball, the waiver wire is a treasure trove of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. It's a place where the most astute managers can find players who will become the backbone of their rosters, providing consistent value and potentially turning the tides of their season. Today, we're diving deep into the waiver wire, exploring the top adds and the strategic considerations that can elevate your fantasy baseball game.
Top Priority Players to Add
Bryce Miller (SEA) – SP
Personally, I think Bryce Miller is a must-add for any fantasy baseball manager. With a 1.7 MPH velocity increase in his first 21 innings of the year, Miller is striking out batters at a 25.3% rate, a 1 percentage point increase on his previous career high. His walk rate has also dropped to just 3.8%, and he boasts a career-high 13.4% swinging strike rate and a career-high 112 Stuff+. Miller's matchup against Detroit, a team with the worst offense in the majors by wRC+ in May, makes him an even more attractive option. While the Baltimore matchup isn't as great, you'd definitely start Miller in that one too.
Luke Raley (SEA) – 1B/OF
Raley is a strong-side platoon bat for the Mariners, and if you're rostering him, you should be happy for that. Raley is hitting .273/.339/.580 against righties this year, and just .083/.083/.083 against same-handed pitching in a very small sample. That's basically Matt Olson with the platoon advantage. While I normally wouldn't advocate for teams to be looking for platoon bats unless you're in a deeper league, this is a great opportunity to pick up the Mariners' right fielder. The Mariners are projected to face 8 righties in their next 9 games, all of which are on the road, making Raley a strong contender for your roster.
Moisés Ballesteros (CHC) – C
A second platoon bat recommendation, but this is more for two-catcher leagues. Ballesteros is the Cubs' primary DH against righties, and they've got 9 straight on the schedule. Ballesteros is coming off an abysmal May, where he hit just .102/.206/.153. Despite that, he’s still an above-average bat on the season, posting a .242/.313/.414 line against righties. The Cubs are also taking a three-game trip to Colorado next week, where Rockies pitchers have a 6.01 ERA. Ballesteros has some solid skills, ranking in the 81st percentile for hard-hit rate and the 66th percentile for barrel rate. If you’re playing someone like Gabriel Moreno or J.T. Realmuto in your second catcher slot, it might be worth considering making the switch even if only for the extra playing time.
Yahoo and ESPN Most Added Players
Streaming Starters
Streaming starters dominate the adds in Yahoo today. Matthew Liberatore gets an Elly De La Cruz-less Reds offense outside of Great American Ball Park. Liberatore has had an up-and-down season thus far, allowing 0 or 1 runs in 5 of his starts. It’s the 26 runs in his other 7 starts, most often not going six innings, that provide the concern. Still, the matchup is great, and the strikeouts were there in two of his three previous starts. Jack Leiter gets the Guardians at home. The Guardians have a 93 wRC+ vs righties. They also have the 7th highest walk rate and the 6th lowest strikeout rate against RHP, which could be difficult for Leiter’s high-K, high-BB skillset.
Position Players
The most added position player on Yahoo is Jung Hoo Lee. He’s been on a tear lately. Despite missing 10 days in May with a back strain, Lee has hit .398/.419/.530 over the past month. The Giants face 4 lefties in their next 8 games, though, meaning he’s more of a play for daily leagues. ESPN managers are also picking up Miller, as they should. Leiter is also a popular streaming target today on both platforms. Ben Brown hosts the Giants today. He’s been excellent all season, and somehow even better since moving into the rotation. Brown has a 22% K-BB as a starter, which would rank 8th in MLB alongside Chase Burns if he sustained it for a season.
Speculative Adds
Royce Lewis (MIN) – 3B
The Twins designated James Outman today and recalled Lewis from Triple-A. Lewis has had a rough 2026, hitting .163/.261/.279. An unlucky .215 BABIP isn’t responsible for all of that, either. So why might you want to add Lewis? He’s mostly put up excellent power numbers over his career when he’s on the field. He’s had a huge drop in his contact rate this year, primarily driven by a 16 percentage point decline in his oContact. During his 13-game demotion to Triple-A, however, Lewis posted a 76.2% contact rate, in line with his previous rates in both the minors and MLB. Lewis’s power was on full display, as he torched Triple-A pitching for a .340/.417/.868 line with 8 homers. If you have a spare roster spot, it’s probably worth seeing if you can get the performance we expected from Lewis for free.
