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Andy's fantasy baseball cut list rankings, drop candidates for Week 15 waiver wire (2026). Is it time to drop these struggling players for better waiver wire options?
Howdy, RotoBallers, and welcome to our updated Cut List Rankings for fantasy baseball in Week 15 of the 2026 MLB season. With the All-Star break just days away, this is a perfect opportunity for managers to examine their team's weaknesses.
In this week's edition, we will look at two Yankees pitchers enduring some struggles and some recently placed players who were shifted to the injured list, including the former No. 1-ranked prospect.
Let's dig into this list of injured or disappointing players and work through how deserving they are of remaining in your fantasy baseball lineups. Read about our top players to cut for Week 15 of the MLB season. It's time to make some tough calls, RotoBallers!
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Cut List Rankings: Fantasy Baseball Players to Drop?
The top players to consider cutting for fantasy baseball in priority order. Players at the top of the list should be dropped first and replaced on the waiver wire.
| Rank | Player Name | Position | Team | % Ros. | Baller Move |
| 1 | Noah Schultz | SP | CHW | 15 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 2 | Will Warren | SP | NYY | 65 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 3 | Ryan Weathers | SP | NYY | 50 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 4 | Shane Bieber | SP | TOR | 40 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 5 | J.T. Ginn | SP | ATH | 45 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 6 | Paul Goldschmidt | 1B | NYY | 20 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 7 | Braden Montgomery | OF | CHW | 10 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 8 | Tatsuya Imai | SP | HOU | 40 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 9 | Seth Lugo | SP | KC | 25 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 10 | Bubba Chandler | SP | PIT | 50 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 11 | Shane Baz | SP | BAL | 55 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 12 | Cade Cavalli | SP | WSH | 30 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 13 | Chandler Simpson | OF | TB | 50 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 14 | Daylen Lile | OF | WSH | 65 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 15 | Dylan Crews | OF | WSH | 35 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 16 | Noelvi Marte | 3B/OF | CIN | 30 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 17 | JJ Bleday | OF | CIN | 25 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 18 | Josh Jung | 3B | TEX | 40 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 19 | Caleb Durbin | 2B/3B | BOS | 35 | Hold in Deeper Leagues |
| 20 | Corey Seager | SS | TEX | 85 | Hold in Deeper Leagues (IL Stash) |
| 21 | Ryan Helsley | RP | BAL | 65 | Hold in Deeper Leagues (IL Stash) |
| 22 | Konnor Griffin | SS | PIT | 80 | Hold in Deeper Leagues (IL Stash) |
| 23 | Gage Jump | SP | ATH | 35 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 24 | Freddy Peralta | SP | NYM | 90 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 25 | Zack Gelof | 2B/OF | ATH | 50 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 26 | Austin Riley | 3B | ATL | 95 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 27 | Ian Happ | OF | CHC | 90 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 28 | Travis Bazzana | 2B | CLE | 40 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 29 | Casey Schmitt | 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF | SF | 80 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 30 | George Springer | OF | TOR | 70 | Hold in All Leagues |
Fantasy Baseball Drops: Week 15 Player Outlooks
Ryan Helsley, RP, Baltimore Orioles
Cut List Ranking No. 21
Baltimore Orioles right-handed closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) will go for a second opinion, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Helsley is on the 15-day injured list for the second time this year after already missing seven weeks due to inflammation in his right elbow earlier this season.
After going back on the IL last Friday with more elbow injuries, fantasy managers might want to plan for the worst, which could be season-ending surgery.
The 31-year-old veteran reliever was on his way to a bounce-back campaign in 2026 in his new digs in Baltimore early on before going on the IL for the first time. He's thrown just 15 1/3 innings so far for the O's and has gone 0-4 with a 4.11 ERA (4.68 FIP), 1.43 WHIP, eight saves, 21 strikeouts, and nine walks in 17 relief appearances.
The two-time All-Star is worth stashing in most fantasy leagues until we know more about his timetable for a return. Tyler Wells has two straight saves for Baltimore since Helsley landed on the IL, but Rico Garcia should also factor into the saves picture for manager Craig Albernaz for however long Helsley stays sidelined.
Konnor Griffin, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates
Cut List Ranking No. 22
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin (finger) officially went on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a torn tendon in his left ring finger, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk told Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Griffin will be in a splint for six weeks and is expected to be out for eight to 10 weeks. It's a tough break for the Pirates and for Griffin's fantasy managers, as he's not expected to be back until early in September.
Jared Triolo will likely handle most of the playing time at the six with Griffin out, with Nick Gonzales being another option in Pittsburgh's middle infield. Griffin, the top prospect in all of baseball going into the start of the 2026 campaign, has been a strong contributor for the Bucs in his first big league season, slashing .276/.332/.404 with a .736 OPS, five home runs, 25 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 35 runs scored in his 225 at-bats.
He won't have a ton of time left to make an impact in fantasy once he returns from his finger injury, but Griffin's power/speed upside makes him worth stashing in most leagues in the meantime.
Zack Gelof, 2B/OF, Athletics
Cut List Ranking No. 25
Athletics infielder Zack Gelof (hand) was activated off the 10-day injured list on Saturday. Gelof is back in the mix after missing the minimum 10 days while recovering from a right-hand contusion. The A's felt that Gelof didn't need a rehab assignment, so he'll be back in the lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Miami Marlins.
Through 62 games, Gelof is slashing .282/.336/.498 with 11 home runs, 29 RBI, and eight steals this season. He offers enough overall upside to warrant a look in all fantasy formats. He could be worth scooping up in leagues where he was dropped while on the shelf.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Articles
Looking to add a player off the waiver wire? After diving into the cut list rankings, read about some waiver wire pickups to consider instead:
Each week, our MLB team puts out a complete array of fantasy baseball waiver wire articles to complement our slick Who Should I Pick Up? waiver wire player comparison tool. Bookmark it!
In addition, be on the lookout for our other waiver wire articles all season long. We will be releasing weekly waiver wire articles for each position, FAAB bidding recommendations, streamers, and more throughout the week.
Who Should I Pick Up Fantasy Baseball Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire instead? Check the "Who Should I Pick Up" tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
2026 Player Decisions. Looking to pick up someone else instead? Today's focus is on specific players like Luis Lara, TJ Rumfield, A.J. Ewing, Samuel Basallo, Payton Tolle, Emilio Pagan, Travis Bazzana, Jake Bennett, Ian Seymour, Heliot Ramos. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four MLB players at once, and then click the Who to Pick Up? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy baseball rankings, projections, and more.
Improvements For Who Should I Pick Up? You may have noticed that our Who Should I Pick Up? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see MLB player tiles with stats, projections, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who to Pick Up
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pick Up tool for 2026 for players like Luis Lara, TJ Rumfield, A.J. Ewing, Samuel Basallo, Payton Tolle, Emilio Pagan, Travis Bazzana, Jake Bennett, Ian Seymour, Heliot Ramos:
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