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Welcome RotoBallers to our AL-only and NL-only deeper fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 3 - April 8 through April 14. The waiver wire can be difficult to navigate. Knowing who to add and when is a game within the game of fantasy baseball. Doing this in a mono league where the player pool is half the size of a full league makes it even more challenging. Every drop and add is significant.
One of the keys to success with roster management is opportunity. A player given the chance to get on the field and produce is one of the first signs of potential. After all, they can't accumulate statistics if they're sitting on their team's bench. These opportunities can arise because of either a promotion from the minor leagues, an injury to another player, or simply because the team has moved on from another player. Whatever the case may be, these players are now given a chance to shine.
It's important to note that these players are on a short leash to see if they can produce. If they don't, then they can be dropped for the next man up. All that being said, here are some of the best players with opportunities.
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Blaze Alexander - 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Headlining this week's list is Blaze Alexander, who made his mark this past week against the Yankees. He had a strong two-game stretch where he hit a home run and stole a base, making an absolute statement.
Blaze Alexander rips his first MLB home run 110.6 mph off the bat against Carlos Rodon.
He got the silent treatment in dugout before his teammates jumped on him.pic.twitter.com/QAi60KalxF
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) April 3, 2024
Alexander has shown a propensity for patience in the minor leagues. He walked 13.8% of the time last season, and he's been able to balance that restraint at the plate with a healthy batting average throughout his minor league career.
Now, with this promotion, he has a chance for everyday playing time while Jordan Lawlar and Geraldo Perdomo battle their injuries. The Diamondbacks have a three-game series in Colorado this week, so the on-field opportunity is there for the taking.
Jared Walsh - 1B/OF, Texas Rangers
One of the more unheralded feel-good stories of the 2024 season has to be the resurgence of Jared Walsh. He won a spot on the Texas Rangers roster near the end of spring training and has thus far shown what he can do when he's fully healthy both inside and out.
In his first game as a Ranger, Jared Walsh has hit balls at 112, 106 and 109 mph. The Rangers had a total of four games last year in which a player hit at least 3 balls that hard.
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) March 31, 2024
Walsh has continued to succeed while a part of the team's everyday lineup, as he has recorded at least one hit for the better part of this past week. As he stated here, he was dealing with symptoms of a neurological nature, meaning that they're not always in black and white. For context, thoracic outlet surgery is a condition with a very long timetable for recovery, and even when players return, they're not always the same as they were prior.
It would seem that for the time being, Walsh is feeling better and has a spot carved out for himself in the Rangers lineup. His numbers in 2021 show the potential of what he can do when he is healthy. Texas plays three games at home to Oakland this week in an optimal matchup.
Shelby Miller - RP, Detroit Tigers
In the deepest of leagues, recording saves can be a difficult task. Sometimes it's best to stash a player who is producing while on the mound and whose opportunity might be a ways away. Enter Shelby Miller into the conversation, whose start to the 2024 season has largely gone unnoticed.
Shelby Miller's 4Ks. pic.twitter.com/XiyTysaC44
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 4, 2024
Early in the season, Miller has retired 18 of the 20 hitters he has faced. He has surrendered just two walks over six innings pitched while striking out four batters. While the sample size has been small, it's important to note that he has been thrust into high-leverage situations against his opponents' best batters at the end of games.
While both Alex Lange and Jason Foley might be splitting duties as the Tigers closer, Miller for now might be a multi-inning reliever with strikeout upside with the potential for more. Sometimes getting three to four innings from a very good pitcher per week can be better than streaming a team's mediocre fifth starter, especially in head-to-head leagues. Don't sleep on Shelby Miller.
Carson Kelly - C, Detroit Tigers
In the deepest of leagues, rostering one or two catchers can be a difficult task. The worst feeling is having a hole in the roster where a player produces next to nothing, as it can be a detriment to future success. Playing time is essential, and Carson Kelly is looking like a recipient of having just that.
After a transformation this offseason, Kelly seemingly came in as a brand-new person. He has even earned the chance to gain additional time as the team's designated hitter in the future. Whether or not he's able to stay healthy enough and produce remains to be seen.
That being said, he does have all the tools and opportunities needed to make it happen. He found success as the primary catcher in Arizona and has a chance to do it again in Detroit. Kelly should be rostered in all two-catcher leagues and all AL-only leagues.
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