Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups: Mid-Week Fantasy Baseball Adds for Week 18

July 29, 2026

Dan analyzes six must-add fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, mid-week adds for Week 18 of the 2026 MLB season. Grab these players ASAP off the waiver wire.

Hello, RotoBallers! Hump day is here, so it is time for another mid-week edition of Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for fantasy baseball. As always, this column has a handful of players who can help give your team a boost this weekend and in the weeks to come.

As we slip into the month of August, we need to be aware of how close we are to the end of the season. Scoreboard watching should already be a regular habit. As such, I will do my best to diversify the categories where the players I highlight will help you.

Fortunately, this week’s group also features positional variety as well, so you should be able to find someone who fits your needs. If you need more help with your roster, feel free to message me on X (@danifestmestiny) or Bluesky (@danifestmestiny.bsky.social). For now, read on to discover my Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18 of fantasy baseball.

2026 Fantasy Baseball: Mid-Week Waiver Wire Adds

Alec Bohm, 1B/3B, Philadelphia Phillies
39% Rostered

Alec Bohm has been a favorite of mine for the last few years. His low power ceiling runs counter to what you typically want from a corner infielder, but that only helps him slip under the radar of other fantasy managers. In return, he has been a steady source of RBI (averaging 81.25 over the last four years, including his injury-shortened 2025) and batting average (.280 in the same timeframe).

There’s no easy way to say it, but Bohm was a bust in 2026. Even after his recent hot streak (I’ll get to that soon), his triple-slash is a paltry .225/.286/.369, and he has just 36 runs through 103 games played. If you were in on Bohm at the start of the season, I’m sorry. If you got out, though, it may be time to give the Phillie another look.

In his 12 games since the All-Star Break, Bohm is hitting a fantasy-friendly .302 (13-for-43), with 11 RBI and two home runs. Despite the low returns at the plate thus far, the metrics attached to plate discipline and contact quality have deviated from his norm, and his related chase, whiff, and strikeout rates are still well above league average.

I’m jumping on Bohm now to help with my RBI production and batting average. An examination of his under-the-hood numbers gives me optimism that he has reached a turning point and is back to the Bohm I’ve grown to trust in these last few seasons.

Bryce Eldridge, 1B, San Francisco Giants
20% Rostered

Rookie first baseman/designated hitter Bryce Eldridge has been one of the few bright spots on a disappointing Giants team in 2026. The 21-year-old struggled out of the gate, but warmed up after the team moved him into a near-everyday role towards the end of May.

With another home run in Tuesday’s game against the Brewers, Eldridge is up to 11 on the season, with 33 runs, 25 RBI, and a .256 batting average in 65 games played. The emerging star is already one of the hardest hitters in the league. Eldridge is barreling balls at a 12.9% rate, has a hard-hit rate of 53.7% (97th percentile), has a 92nd percentile average exit velocity, and his average exit velocity on his hardest 50% of balls hit is 102.8 MPH, good for 30th among all major leaguers.

With his profile, Eldridge looks like a good bet for fantasy managers who want to add to their home run tally. He is striking out at a 26.2% rate, but his batting average is salvaged by his 13.8% walk rate. The Giants have a four-game series against San Diego to close out Week 18 before moving on to face the Rangers and Tigers next week.

Luis Rengifo, 2B/3B/OF, San Diego Padres
16% Rostered

Maybe it is a symptom of having played in some deep, deep leagues over the years, but Luis Rengifo is another underappreciated asset in fantasy baseball who is having a resurgence of his own in 2026. Rengifo looked like a 20-20 candidate over the last few years but was never able to put it all together, nor was he trusted with a full-time role in his years with the Angels, which cut into his production.

Unfortunately, a change in scenery after hitting free agency did not result in better production. In 57 games as a Milwaukee Brewer, the 29-year-old utilityman put up a .205 batting average, 19 RBI, 19 runs, three stolen bases, and no home runs. Rengifo was designated for assignment and later released back in June.

Enter the San Diego Padres, who signed Rengifo to a minor league deal on June 29. By July 8, they promoted the eight-year veteran, and he has seen a huge turnaround since then. In the nine games Rengifo has played with the Padres, he has gone 13-for-30 (.433 BA), with two home runs, seven RBI, seven runs, and one steal.

Rengifo seems to have hit his way into a regular role for the Padres, starting six of their last nine games and substituting into two others. Rengifo is a switch-hitter whose career splits favor matchups against lefties. The Padres are projected to face two in their upcoming series against the Giants (which starts Thursday). He can contribute across the board while he stays hot, though I do not see him as a long-term hold.

Hogan Harris, RP, Athletics
11% Rostered

To put it mildly, the Athletics’ bullpen as a whole has performed poorly this year. Hogan Harris, while saddled with a 3.09 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, has been the closest thing to a standout reliever the team has had. Recently, Harris has pitched his way to the top of the heap and is now the Athletics’ de facto closer.

Unfortunately, save chances have been few and far between for Harris. A 4-20 record over the last month has quashed the opportunity for the 29-year-old lefty to bulk up his fantasy resume. Harris did convert both of his chances since July 20, though, and his metrics point to him being an effective reliever in the long run.

Harris is rocking a 29.5% strikeout rate and has excelled at limiting hard contact. His 30.5% hard-hit rate is in the 95th percentile, his barrel rate is only 5.2%, and he has an average exit velocity of just 86.4 MPH.

Paradoxically, Harris is struggling more than almost anyone to get batters to chase pitches outside of the zone. This has led to an excessive amount of walks (13.3% BB%), hence his unsightly WHIP. Thankfully, Harris has reined in this hole in his game, and in the month of July had a walk rate of just 8.3%.

Saves can be hard to find, and bullpen depth charts are fickle. It is worth grabbing Harris while he is at the top. Even between the saves he can pull in, he should add a few strikeouts per week that could be the difference in the standings.

Fantasy Baseball Deep League Targets: Mid-Week Waiver Wire Adds

Ben Joyce, RP, Los Angeles Angels
5% Rostered

If Hogan Harris doesn’t strike you, or if he’s already been claimed, don’t worry. There’s another reliever on a crummy AL West team with high leverage potential who is widely available. The catch is that he is on a rehab assignment, so it will be a while before you can reap the benefits of adding him.

After spending the entirety of 2026 on the injured list, Angels reliever Ben Joyce (shoulder) finally started rehabbing at Triple-A Salt Lake. Joyce has been working his way back from surgery in May of 2025 to repair a torn labrum. Inflammation this past May stalled his progress, but his performance since joining the Triple-A Bees indicates he is nearing full strength.

Joyce wowed spectators with his triple-digit speed in his recent appearances, pushing past 103 MPH in both of his outings. The Angels may give him a little more time to build up before activating him. Once he is on the roster, he should be a candidate for saves given the inconsistent performances out of the team’s bullpen. Like Harris, he might be volatile, but Joyce should chip in some saves and rack up strikeouts down the stretch.

Ben Joyce made his second rehab start with Triple-A Salt Lake tonight 🔥

▫️ 1.0 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 0 ER | 0 BB | 1 SO
▫️ Topped out at 103.1 MPH

The 25 year old flamethrower has thrown back-to-back scoreless frames. pic.twitter.com/LvnyvFTNbt

— Milb Central (@milb_central) July 27, 2026

Griffin Conine, OF, Miami Marlins
2% Rostered

Griffin Conine spent a good portion of the season on the injured list as well. A hamstring strain did him in on April 10, and it wasn’t until June 21 that Conine was activated and back with the Marlins. In 30 games since his activation, he has slashed .272/.354/.517, and over the last three weeks, Conine has reached base safely in all but two of his 16 games, hitting .319 with five home runs and eight RBI.

The left-handed-hitting Conine has some staggering splits that favor matchups against righties. Fortunately, the projected starters in six of the Marlins' next seven games are right-handed, meaning Conine should be in the lineup and has a good chance of keeping his heater going.

Conine’s profile is on par with Bryce Eldridge’s. While he is smaller in stature, Conine is hitting the ball just as hard with similar results. If you are looking for a fresh source of power but need more help in the outfield than at first base, Conine will fit the bill.

Other Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets

• Jacob Webb, CHC
• Colt Keith, DET
• Brandon Young, BAL
• Mickey Moniak, COL
• Francisco Alvarez, NYM
• Brandon Pfaadt, ARI
• Kumar Rocker, TEX
• Cooper Pratt, MIL
• Jordan Romano, COL

More Fantasy Baseball Advice