X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 2

Fantasy baseball first base and third base waiver wire pickups for Week 2. Todd Salem's 1B and 3B options to consider adding and streaming at corner infield (CI).

The 2021 MLB season is just underway. In fact, for some teams, the season has still yet to begin. The Washington Nationals and New York Mets remain with records of 0-0 heading into week two after having their opening series delayed due to COVID. This will be the reality of this season. Much like last year, unknowns lurk around every corner. A team could abandon a series at the drop of a hat.

For the players that have taken the field and completed one series in a short week one, there is a lot to unpack. Obviously, it is too soon to make any declarations about players' performances. But information gleaned from week one leads into successful fantasy months of April and beyond.

When adding players from the waiver wire this early in the season, we are looking for one major factor: playing time. Those sparsely owned players who are seeing a lot of game action deserve a closer look.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

First Base and Third Base Waivers

For our purposes in this column, we are using Yahoo's rostered percentages, as well as its positional eligibility. We are searching for useful players rostered in fewer than 40 percent of Yahoo leagues.

40 percent is the threshold we've used for this column in year's past. It just so happens to be a rather large breakoff point for the current season. At 1B/3B, Yuli Gurriel is rostered in 41 percent of leagues, holding the final spot of ineligibility for this exercise. The next player on each list is rostered in 33 percent of leagues or fewer at both first base and third base. The public has spoken; it really doesn't find the need to utilize much of anybody below Gurriel, which is a mistake.

 

Jonathan India - 3B, Cincinnati Reds

33% Rostered

It was somewhat of a surprise that India made the Reds' Opening Day roster to begin with. Though a highly regarded prospect, he had played in just 34 games above high-A and, like most everyone in the minors, missed all of 2020. Instead, not only was India on the 26-man for Opening Day, he has started each of Cincinnati's first three games (though not at third base). The start is nice: five hits in 11 at-bats, though a high average isn't necessarily what to expect. India is a very good on-base guy with a little power and a little speed, who will soon have both 3B and 2B eligibility.

 

Willi Castro (3B/SS), Jeimer Candelario (1B/3B), Detroit Tigers

23% and 15% rostered respectively

Castro and Candelario are not household names. And yet, in each of Detroit's first three games of the season, they have been near the top of the lineup card. Castro has hit third in each contest; Candelario, second. There are an awful lot of ABs coming their way this season.

Castro's .349 average from last year is not real. He has a poor eye at the plate and had a .448 BABIP, but counting stats are hard to avoid batting third every day. And there are worse players to have in front of you than Candelario. The 27-year-old broke out in 2020 by cutting his K-rate to 23.8 percent and setting a career-high ISO at .205. The Tigers will make news with their rookie starting pitchers, while Castro and Candelario can slide under the radar in fantasy circles.

 

Nate Lowe - 1B, Texas Rangers

18% Rostered

Finally out from under the logjam in Tampa, Lowe has room to spread his wings in Texas. Through the season's first series, Lowe played every day and hit right in the middle of the lineup (fifth twice and fourth once). With that lineup positioning have come major counting stats. Lowe already has nine RBI in three games thanks to a high-scoring series with Kansas City. He also has five hits, two runs, and a home run. But as we stated at the top, what we are most thrilled with is the playing time.

Thus far, the Rangers have used the DH spot to rotate players halfway in and out of the lineup. Lowe garnered one of those half-days off Sunday in favor of Ronald Guzman at 1B. That only helps his case. With the team willing to use the DH to keep his bat in the lineup, Lowe should easily set career-highs in games played and plate appearances. With even partial playing time, ZIPS projects him to surpass 20 home runs. With a 65 raw power scouting grade and 60 game power grade, that is the draw. I mean, just look at those max exit velos! But Lowe also possesses a good batting eye. In his last full season in the minors (2019 at AAA), he finished with a 17.7 walk rate.

 

Austin Slater - 1B/OF, San Francisco Giants

7% Rostered

The San Francisco Giants are rotating players in and out of the lineup all over the place. The only mainstays seem to be Mike Yastrzemski, Evan Longoria, Donovan Solano (no surprises) and... Slater. Not only has Slater started each game, he hit leadoff in the team's first two games of the season. Though the production isn't there yet, the opportunities are, which is what's important in the beginning of April.

This is Slater's fifth big-league season, and he seems to be getting better each and every year. His walk rate rose four consecutive seasons from 2017 through 2020; he set career-best K-rates, line-drive rates, and ISO last season. He has the tools to produce in every fantasy category and has shown he belongs in the everyday lineup. As long as San Francisco continues to agree, he's worth an add.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Marvin Mims Jr.

Could be on Track for First 1,000-Yard Season
Jaylen Johnson

Chargers Place Jaylen Johnson on PUP List
Dereck Lively II

Undergoes Right-Foot Surgery Tuesday
Kendrick Bourne

Kayshon Boutte Fighting for Final Spots
Isaiah Collier

Logs a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Monday
DeMario Douglas

Kyle Williams "Locks" for Receiving Corps
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Finalizing Massive Extension
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Colts Expected to Ease Anthony Richardson Sr. Back in
Devin Carter

Posts 17 Points Versus Suns
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 17 Points in Summer League Loss
Terry McLaurin

Undecided on Whether he Will Report to Training Camp
Colston Loveland

Says his Shoulder is 100 Percent
Harrison Ingram

has Impressive Outing Against Jazz
Sam Williams

has Potential to be Elite Edge Rusher
Shemar Stewart

Considering Going Back to College?
Jahmyr Gibbs

Lions Want Jahmyr Gibbs "More Involved" in Passing Game
Jordan Addison

Could be Facing Three-Game Suspension
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Kyle Filipowski

Records 35-Point Double-Double Against Spurs
Kel'el Ware

Dominates Against Celtics
Kon Knueppel

Gets Going Monday
Matas Buzelis

Puts Up 28 Points in Win Over Pacers
Reed Sheppard

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
Paul George

Undergoes Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Najee Harris

Likely to Miss Time at Start of Training Camp
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Collin Morikawa

Misses The Cut at Genesis Scottish Open
Hideki Matsuyama

Finishes Tied For 13th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooks Koepka

Finishes Tied For 32nd at LIV Andalucia
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For 34th at Genesis Scottish Open
Jason Day

Misses The Cut at John Deere Classic
Ludvig Aberg

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Cam Taylor-Britt

has Benefited From Addition of Al Golden
Rome Odunze

Could Take Off in Year 2
RJ Harvey

to Get "Significant" Work in Broncos' Passing Game
Jackson Powers-Johnson

More Comfortable Heading into Year 2
Luke McCaffrey

In Line for Larger Role?
Braelon Allen

Jets Viewing Braelon Allen as Long-Term Starter?
Joel Embiid

Participating in Partial Basketball Activities
Victor Wembanyama

Officially Cleared to Return After Blood-Clot Recovery
Mike Williams

Heading to PUP List
Garrett Wilson

Lands Historic Deal
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF