Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups: Mid-Week Fantasy Baseball Adds for Week 7

May 13, 2026

Dan analyzes 6 must-add fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, mid-week adds for Week 7 of the 2026 MLB season. Grab these players asap off the waiver wire.

Hello, RotoBallers, and welcome to the mid-week edition of Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 7 of fantasy baseball. For those of you in leagues that allow daily adds, this column will put some players on your radar in time to utilize this weekend.

Already this season, there has been a spate of prospect promotions. In this week’s group, I’m including two that have a chance to make a lasting impact in fantasy. And with so many closer situations already in flux, I am throwing in my favorites to pitch in and earn some saves. Rounding out the list is an unexpected success at the plate, and a once-heralded pitching prospect turned project that might finally be panning out.

The players we focus on here will be available in more than 50% of Yahoo leagues. If you need more inspiration for your waiver wire needs, hit up RotoBaller’s MLB advice hub when you are done reading. For now, here are my six Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 7 of the fantasy baseball season.

2026 Fantasy Baseball: Mid-Week Waiver Wire Adds

Travis Bazzana, 2B, Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland Guardians prospect Travis Bazzana got off to a strong start to 2026 at Triple-A Columbus, with 15 extra-base hits, 18 runs scored, eight stolen bases, and 21 walks in the first 24 games of the season. On April 27, the Guardians gave Bazanna the call, and the 23-year-old made his MLB debut the next day.

Bazzana has remained in the lineup for all but one of the Guardians’ games since April 28. In his first 13 games with Cleveland, he is hitting .195 but has demonstrated MLB-ready plate discipline. It’s early yet, but Bazzana is sitting pretty with a 14.5% strikeout rate and is swinging at pitches outside of the zone just 15.6% of the time, one of the best rates in the majors. His 12 walks have pushed his on-base percentage to a hearty .400.

Once on base, Bazzana has done well for himself, swiping seven bags so far, and has yet to be caught stealing. His ability to get on base and get into scoring position has made him an asset for the Guardians, despite his inability to hit safely. Bazzana is currently dealing with an absurdly low .233 BABIP, so it is reasonable to assume his batting average should be trending upward, and with it, his production in other categories as well.

A.J. Ewing, OF, New York Mets

The New York Mets made outfield prospect A.J. Ewing the latest featured player of 2026’s youth movement by adding him to their major league roster on May 12. Ewing made his MLB debut the very same day, drawing three walks, tallying two RBI, two runs, and a stolen base, and smashing a triple for his first big-league hit. His lone out on the day came on a flyout that had an exit velocity of 102.3 MPH.

It was an auspicious start to what could become a productive season for Ewing. With Luis Robert Jr. (back) on the injured list and progressing more slowly than expected, Ewing is expected to act as the Mets’ regular centerfielder for the foreseeable future. New York’s next best options, Austin Slater and Tyrone Taylor, have hit .209, with 11 RBI and 26 strikeouts to six walks in their 120 combined plate appearances so far.

While Ewing has done great work in the minors to improve his contact and walk rates and cut his strikeouts, his top asset is his speed. Ewing was up to 17 stolen bases in 30 minor league games to start 2026 and in 2025 had 70 steals in 124 games as he climbed the ladder from Single-A to High-A to Double-A.

That speed should pay off before too long. Looking ahead to next week, it will be wheels up for Ewing as the Mets take on the Nationals (30 SB allowed, 14th in MLB), followed by the Marlins (45 SB allowed, most in MLB) on back-to-back weekends. Ewing should be worth at least a handful of steals before the month is out, and in grabbing those bags will be positioned to contribute some runs, too.

Carlos Cortes, OF, Athletics

From the Mets’ up-and-comer in Ewing, we move to another of their draft picks that couldn’t break through with the club. A third-round pick by New York in 2018, Carlos Cortes didn’t make his debut until 2025 after signing with the Athletics as a free agent. Last season, Cortes hit .309 with four home runs in 42 games with the Athletics, but despite his success at the plate, the team never offered him a consistent spot in the lineup.

In 2026, Cortes might be the season’s most surprising success outside of Ildemaro Vargas. Through 32 games, he is slashing .355/.408/.570 with four home runs and 14 RBI. To top that off, Cortes has just nine strikeouts in 107 plate appearances this year, giving him a strikeout rate that ranks in the 99th percentile. Cortes rarely chases the ball, and when he does swing, he makes consistent contact.

The fatal flaw in his game from a fantasy standpoint is that the Athletics are convinced he is a platoon bat. (And maybe, maybe that is what is keeping his lofty batting average so high, BUT maybe they should trust their .355 hitter enough to see what he can do beyond his nine plate appearances against southpaws this year.)

With the recent callups of Colby Thomas and Henry Bolte, I don’t see an end to the platoon coming, unfortunately. Cortes will be of most help to fantasy teams that allow daily roster changes and need help in batting average and RBI.

Gregory Soto, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Switching gears from hitting to pitching, Gregory Soto is worth adding immediately (like now, come back and read the rest when you are done). On May 12, Soto got the save in the Pirates’ 3-1 win over the Rockies. The save was his third in the last week and his fourth of the season. Supposed co-closer Dennis Santana last earned a save on April 15. His last opportunity came on April 27, resulting in a blown save and a loss.

Saves aside, Soto certainly looks like the pitcher better suited to be Pittsburgh’s closer. The 31-year-old owns a 1.69 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts through 21 1/3 innings of work. Santana, on the other hand, has almost as many walks (nine) as strikeouts (10) in his 17.1 IP, and his 3.63 ERA is backed by an xFIP of 5.72.

Given their disparate performances and recent usage, it looks like Soto will be a favorite for saves out of the Pirates’ bullpen for the time being. He should be added everywhere.

Jacob Latz, RP, Texas Rangers

Another candidate for saves that is gaining momentum is Jacob Latz of the Texas Rangers. The 30-year-old has earned each of the Rangers’ last five saves going back to April 25 and pitched the ninth in a non-opportunity in his only other appearance in the interim.

Latz is keeping opposing hitters in check to the tune of a 0.83 ERA and 0.42 WHIP through 21 2/3 IP. In his six appearances (eight IP) since his first save, he has allowed zero runs and just two baserunners. Latz is a little light on strikeouts, but his 18.0% K-BB% is a good indicator of continued success.

The Rangers have seemingly settled on a closer three different times now, with Tyler Alexander getting the first looks before giving way to Jakob Junis, and now Latz taking over. Given the effectiveness of Latz’s predecessors, this seems like it has less to do with performance issues and more to do with manager Skip Schumaker’s own tendencies.

Latz might not be a permanent solution for saves, but we have to ride the hot hand while we can.

Reid Detmers, SP, Los Angeles Angels

Shifting now from the bullpen to the starting rotation, I bring you, Reid Detmers. Detmers won’t be slated to pitch again until next week, but I wanted to get him on your radar now because of what he is looking forward to, schedule-wise. Using RotoBaller’s nifty pitcher projection tool (available with a Premium subscription), Detmers will potentially face the Athletics, Rangers, Tigers, and Rockies (in Anaheim!) over his next four starts.

So far in 2026, Detmers has been a better version of his usual self. His strikeout rate is slightly down, but he is better at preventing batters from reaching base. Likewise, he is enjoying the lowest hard-hit and barrel rates of his career, which has helped to significantly reduce the high home run rates that plagued him in seasons past.

Last season’s move to the bullpen resulted in improvements to Detmers’ command. Those appear to be holding now that he is back in the Angels’ rotation. He faltered big time in his outing against the Blue Jays on May 8, but with a soft schedule coming up, Detmers has the potential to give a pitching staff a boost over the next few weeks.

Other Waiver Wire Targets

• Nolan Arenado, ARI
• Jack Perkins, ATH
• Pierce Johnson, CIN
• Troy Johnston, COL
• Heliot Ramos, SFG
• Michael McGreevy, STL
• Daulton Varsho, TOR
• Daylen Lile, WSH

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