RADIO
Week 14 of fantasy baseball 1B and 3B waiver wire pickups is upon us.
It's been an eventful week in the baseball world with just a little under a few weeks until the All-Star break. The Reds extended their historic winning streak to 12 games, their rookie third baseman hit for the cycle just 15 games into his MLB career, the London Series between the Cubs and Cardinals is ongoing, the Mets made a trade in the middle of a game, and the Angels put up 23 runs in four innings against the Rockies (Coors Field, am I right?).
The 2023 MLB season has been nothing short of exciting thus far and some surprising teams are sure to make the second half of the season interesting. There could be some new faces once the postseason arrives, and that's where this group of players comes in. These guys have quietly been helping their teams win and are available in most fantasy leagues. Consider adding them to the corner spots of your roster. Here are some first and third-base fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 14 -- June 26 through July 2.
Featured Promo: Get any MLB Premium Pass FREE ($119 value) AND up to a $200 deposit match when you sign up with Rival Fantasy. Rival offers 6 and 12-team Best Ball, weekly and daily contests, for as little as $3 per entry. No roster management, just draft and Rival sets your best lineup automatically. Playing fantasy baseball has never been easier! Sign Up Today!
Waiver Wire Pickups For Shallow Leagues (30-50% rostered)
Royce Lewis, 3B/SS, Minnesota Twins (38% rostered)
The former first-overall pick has had a productive month at the plate for Minnesota, slashing .309/.329/.456 with three home runs and nine RBI during June. The Twins, however, are 10-12 this month and have a thin lead in the AL Central with a 39-39 record.
With a team batting average of .231 -- good for 25th-best in the MLB -- Minnesota's offense is mediocre and Lewis has been a lone bright spot through 21 games in 2023. Although he hasn't quite provided the spark the rest of the Twins' offense needed due in part to being plagued with injuries early in his major league career. Should he remain healthy, though, he could be a dangerous hitter for years to come.
LaMonte Wade Jr., 1B/OF, San Francisco Giants (40% rostered)
Yes, he's back. The Giants are 9-1 in their last 10 games and Wade Jr. has been a big part of that. He's batted .321/.443/.482 across his last 15 games, with a home run, 10 RBI, and 13 walks. Overall, he's had a solid year offensively for San Francisco, hitting a respectable .283 alongside a .881 OPS.
Per Statcast, he also ranks in the 94th percentile in xwOBA and 99th in BB%. He has a knack for getting on base and his .416 OBP exemplifies that.
Waiver Wire For Deeper Leagues (10-30% rostered)
Ha-Seong Kim, 2B/3B/SS, San Diego Padres (30% rostered)
It's no secret that the Padres have struggled and immensely underperformed this season. They're currently below the .500 mark and sit in fourth place in the NL West. Slowly but surely, however, the members of their lineup have begun to find their way --including Kim. He's slashed .348/.400/.609 with two home runs and six RBI in his last seven games.
Kim had a huge night on Friday in a 13-3 win against the Washington Nationals, in which he drove in three runs on a solo shot and a two-run single. The third-year veteran is on pace to surpass his previous career high in home runs (11) this season.
Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds (25% rostered)
The Reds' 12-game win streak may have been snapped by the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, but Cincinnati is still atop their division and just added 39-year-old veteran Joey Votto back to their lineup. Votto returned on June 19 in the midst of the Reds' streak and immediately joined in on the fun -- launching a 381-foot home run in his first game back.
He added two more home runs on June 23, and that wasn't even the biggest story of the day on Friday, as rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz hit for the cycle in the same game. Albeit a small sample size, Cincinnati is red-hot, the former NL MVP is only 25% rostered...and he still bangs.
Deeper Waiver Wire Options to Consider (Under 10%)
Evan Longoria, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks (1% rostered)
From one veteran to another, Longoria is having a resurgence with the D-backs this year. Although he's only appeared in 38 games, he's been effective when he is in the lineup. The 37-year-old has hit 10 home runs along with 20 RBI on the year for Arizona. He's hit three of those homers in his last seven games (including this one against his former team) and is slugging .833 during that span.
Although the former Rookie of the Year has logged five home runs each against both right-handed and left-handed pitching, he's slashing much better against lefties, batting .290 with a .961 OPS compared to a .711 OPS vs. RHP. Therefore, the three-time All-Star -- who's only 1.0 percent rostered -- could be worth a stream against LHP.
More Players to Consider
- Aledmys Diaz, 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF, Oakland Athletics (2% rostered)
- Garrett Cooper, 1B, Miami Marlins (4% rostered)
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!
