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This article will discuss fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the outfield in Week 19 -- July 31 through August 6. Whether your team is derailed by injuries or you’re simply ready to give up on your draft day darlings, navigating the waiver wire will be crucial to finding long-term success in fantasy baseball.
As we move through the season, trends fluctuate, and we must learn to react on the fly. When it comes to hot streaks, you have to act fast, or you may miss out. This set of outfield-eligible players may not all have the longest track records, or their success could be considered unsustainable. However, you have to take risks early in the season in order to uncover your breakout stars. It will already be too late if you wait until these names are established.
Names listed are in order of roster percentage, not confidence ranking. Position eligibility and roster percentage are based on Yahoo!, so check your leagues for availability!
Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and weekly lineup resources:- Nick Mariano's fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups (Premium)
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- Cut List- Players To Consider Dropping
Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Standard Leagues
Leody Taveras, Texas Rangers - 46% Rostered
Leody Taveras is an underrated piece in the Rangers' league-best offense. He carries a strong .279/.323/.446 slash line with 11 home runs and 10 stolen bases through 89 games this season. The primary downside to Taveras is that he hits at the bottom of the Texas lineup. Nonetheless, the switch-hitter has a firm everyday playing role and usually draws four or five plate appearances in a lineup that leads the majors in scoring.
Excluding an impatient 6.1% walk rate, Taveras' underlying numbers suggest a sustainable approach. His outstanding .293 xBA headlines his success, alongside similarly impressive figures like a .440 xSLG, .341 xwOBA, 41.7% hard-hit rate, and a 20.3% strikeout rate. Taveras will remain a fixture in this potent Rangers lineup for the foreseeable future.
Sal Frelick, Milwaukee Brewers - 39% Rostered
Sal Frelick was one of the most popular fantasy targets this past week, seeing his ownership grow exponentially. His first six games as an MLB player were a resounding success, posting a .438/.565/.688 slash line, including his first career home run. It also didn't take long for Frelick to elevate into the Brewers' clean-up spot in the batting order. While regression is given, Frelick has all the tools to continue his breakout and establish himself as a fantasy asset for years to come.
Per MLB Pipeline, Frelick is the second-ranked prospect in the Brewers' farm system and the No. 17 prospect in all of baseball, so expectations are high. He possesses a phenomenal 70-grade hit tool, resulting in a minuscule 11.7% strikeout rate across 197 career games, which will enable him to hit for average. Frelick also showcased 70-grade running ability and above-average base-stealing ability, further cementing his fantasy value ceiling.
Tommy Pham, New York Mets - 15% Rostered
Through 77 games this season, Tommy Pham owns a .265/.347/.460 slash line with nine home runs and 11 stolen bases. His production has been solid, but the Mets will need to rely on him even more. Starling Marte is on the injured list and Mark Canha trade rumors continue to circulate.
Pham's advanced numbers suggest he's overdue for a significant second-half breakout. He sports an outstanding .296 xBA, .515 xSLG, .388 xwOBA, 47.4% hard-hit rate, 93.1 mph average exit velocity, and 12.6% barrel rate. The surface stats may not be that eye-popping, but Pham is seeing the ball really well. He's on the cusp of a hot streak and should absolutely be rostered in more than 15% of leagues.
Randal Grichuk, Colorado Rockies - 11% Rostered
It's a little surprising to see Randal Grichuk's ownership remain suppressed week after week. He's finally broken out of the single-digit range, but his consistent production is going aggressively overlooked. The 31-year-old is slashing .305/.361/.485 with seven home runs through 62 games this season.
There's nothing super flashy about Grichuk's underlying numbers, though his metrics are strong across the board. That includes a .276 xBA, .437 xSLG, .336 xwOBA, 44.6% hard-hit rate, 90 mph average exit velocity, and a 19.6% strikeout rate. It probably goes without saying at this point, but Grichuk also gets a boost from playing half of his games at Coors Field.
Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Deeper Leagues
Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins - 6% Rostered
Max Kepler is a strong fantasy producer who remains available in most leagues. Through 78 games, he's slashing .229/.291/.430 with 14 home runs. Kepler's bat has caught fire recently, posting a .848 OPS, 132 wRC+, and seven extra-base hits through 14 games in the second half.
While Kepler isn't likely to evolve at this stage of his career, his advanced numbers support sustained success. He sports a .449 xSLG, 10.1% barrel rate, 44.2% hard-hit rate, 91.2 mph average exit velocity, and 25.5% chase rate. Look to Kepler as a trustworthy fantasy streamer.
Travis Jankowski, Texas Rangers - 6% Rostered
Travis Jankowski doesn't have the same shine as some other hitters on this list, but he's been a reliable producer on offense this season. He carries a .314/.399/.401 slash line with 15 stolen bases and a 129 wRC+. Don't expect his power numbers to rebound, as Jankowski has hit only 10 long balls in his MLB career dating back to 2015. Though we can get excited about his ability to get on base consistently and do damage on the basepaths.
Jankowski has been hitting out of the two-hole in the Rangers lineup with Corey Seager on the injured list. That won't last forever, but the opportunity does raise his profile right now. Sandwiched between Marcus Semien, Nate Lowe, Adolis Garcia, and Josh Jung in the batting order presents Jankowski with a unique run-scoring boost. Jankowski's fantasy value is largely the product of his environment, so he's unlikely to retain much long-term appeal.
Jesus Sanchez, Miami Marlins - 3% Rostered
Jesus Sanchez continues to feature as a buy-low candidate on this list. Through 73 games in 2023, he's posted a .258/.321/.470 slash line with 10 home runs and a 115 wRC+. Sanchez's production does not outpace his career averages by all that much, but his underlying numbers point to a breakout potential.
Sanchez boasts a .277 xBA, alongside similarly impressive numbers like a .497 xSLG, .358 xwOBA, 48.7% hard-hit rate, 91.4 mph average exit velocity, and a 13% barrel rate. The hole in Sanchez's approach is illustrated by a 26.6% strikeout rate and 28.9% whiff rate. Still, when Sanchez does put the ball in play, we should start seeing better results. He's better a player than his ownership suggests.
More Players To Consider
- Jack Suwinski, Pirates - 41% rostered
- Alex Kirilloff, Twins - 38% rostered
- Will Benson, Reds - 24% rostered
- Nolan Jones, Rockies - 22% rostered
- Luis Rengifo, Angels - 16% rostered
- Kerry Carpenter, Tigers - 11% rostered
More Deep-League Players To Consider
- Mike Yastrzemski, Giants - 8% rostered
- Kevin Kiermaier, Blue Jays - 4% rostered
- Mike Tauchman, Cubs - 3% rostered
- David Peralta, Dodgers - 2% rostered
- Will Brennan, Guardians - 2% rostered
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