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This article will discuss fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the outfield in Week 25 -- September 11 through September 17. Whether your team is derailed by injuries or slumping bats, navigating the waiver wire will be crucial to finding long-term success in fantasy baseball.
As we approach the home stretch of the season, it's time to take some hard stances on your fantasy rosters. If you're still hitting the waiver wire, you're either geared up for a championship run or reconfiguring your team for the next year. This set of outfield-eligible players may not all have the longest track records, or their success could be considered unsustainable. But with the fantasy playoffs arriving, it matters most what these guys can do for you right now.
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!
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Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Standard Leagues
Eddie Rosario, Atlanta Braves - 43% Rostered
Eddie Rosario is slashing .266/.321/.486 with 21 home runs this season. Statistically, he would be a standout hitter in most lineups around the league. However, buried in the absurdly deep Atlanta Braves batting order, Rosario often gets overlooked behind Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, and Marcell Ozuna.
Rosario's underlying numbers support his resurgence. His success is headlined by a .463 xSLG. That figure consists of a 37.4% sweet-spot rate, 10.6% barrel rate, .262 xBA, and .336 xwOBA. 2023 has been a tremendous bounce-back campaign for Rosario. He can absolutely be a relied-on part of a championship-contending fantasy baseball lineup.
Tommy Pham, Arizona Diamondbacks - 24% Rostered
Tommy Pham has been frequently featured on this list. Between stints in New York and Arizona, he's slashing .258/.326/.461 with 15 home runs and 17 stolen bases. Pham has etched out an everyday playing role near the top of the Diamondbacks lineup and figures to be a key part of their postseason push.
As has been the case all season long, Pham remains a prime candidate for positive regression. His advanced metrics are borderline elite, including a .494 xSLG, 93 mph average exit velocity, 11.6% barrel rate, 51.1% hard-hit rate, .289 xBA, and .369 xwOBA. Pham is already a solid producer, but he could finish the season on a high note if he finally gets his due payoff.
Nelson Velazquez, Kansas City Royals - 15% Rostered
The sample size is relatively small, but Nelson Velazquez's bat is too hot to ignore right now. He sports a .245/.303/.618 slash line with 12 home runs over just 38 games between Chicago and Kansas City this season. Consistent playing time has been Velazquez's biggest barrier to breaking out, but he appears to have finally cemented himself in the heart of the Royals' lineup.
Looking under the hood, Velazquez's advanced metrics look equally impressive. He owns a tremendous .588 xSLG, 20.8% barrel rate, 49.4% hard-hit rate, 91.3 mph average exit velocity, and .387 xwOBA. Velazquez's 33.9% whiff rate is far from ideal. But when he makes contact, the results are prolific.
DJ Stewart, New York Mets - 11% Rostered
Keeping with the small sample size trend, DJ Stewart has been one of baseball's trendiest hitters in recent weeks. He's homered 10 times in his last 17 games. Stewart's slash line is up to .265/.345/.637 across just 40 games played this season. In five prior seasons with intermittent major-league action, he's never found anything close to this level of success. There's nothing wrong about riding a hot hand into the fantasy playoffs.
While Stewart's rate of output is surely unsustainable, he doesn't appear to just be getting lucky. He's posted a fantastic .553 xSLG alongside similarly impressive numbers, like a 16.9% barrel rate, 50.8% hard-hit rate, 92.4 mph average exit velocity, and .377 xwOBA.
Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Deeper Leagues
Evan Carter, Texas Rangers - 9% Rostered
Evan Carter ranks among 2023's most exciting call-ups. With the Rangers' postseason hopes fading and Adolis Garcia relegated to the injured list, the 21-year-old is being asked to produce immediately. Carter's MLB experience is just one game deep so far, but he has the ability to transition to the major league level in stride.
Featuring a 60-grade hit tool, above-average power, and 60-grade running speed, Carter can create fantasy production in any number of ways. He is the top prospect in the Rangers' farm system and the eighth-ranked prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline. Carter produced a .288/.413/.863 slash line with 13 home runs and 26 stolen bases across 108 games in the minors this season.
Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles - 9% Rostered
Ryan O'Hearn remains one of the most reliable producers you can find in the single-digit ownership range. He's slashing .305/.338/.509 with 12 home runs across 91 games. 2023 has been O'Hearn's most productive season in the majors. He's forced his way into an everyday playing role on a deep Orioles roster.
O'Hearn's underlying numbers support his success. He carries an outstanding .482 xSLG, 53.5% hard-hit rate, 37.2% sweet-spot rate, 10.7% barrel rate, and 92.3 mph average exit velocity. For whatever reason, O'Hearn has failed to catch on among fantasy leagues. But everything about his hitting profile suggests a player worth rostering.
Lawrence Butler, Oakland Athletics - 2% Rostered
Digging deep into the waiver wire, Lawrence Butler is a worthwhile streamer for your championship push. He's slashing .246/.268/.449 with four home runs across the first 24 games of his MLB career. The third-ranked prospect in the Athletics' farm system, Butler figures to see plenty of playing time down the stretch.
Although the sample size is admittedly small, Butler's advanced metrics offer plenty of excitement. He's posted a phenomenal .585 xSLG, 15.1% barrel rate, .279 xBA, and .374 xwOBA. Butler flashed comparable power numbers in the minors, so the output isn't terribly surprising. He also stole 21 bases in 89 games between Double-A and Triple-A. We should see more from him in that department.
More Players To Consider
- Jake Fraley, Reds - 48% rostered
- Bryan De La Cruz, Marlins - 34% rostered
- Luke Raley, Rays - 24% rostered
- Max Kepler, Twins - 17% rostered
- Brandon Marsh, Phillies - 17% rostered
- Jose Siri, Rays - 11% rostered
More Deep-League Players To Consider
- Randal Grichuk, Angels - 9% rostered
- Michael Brantley, Astros - 8% rostered
- Ryan Noda, Athletics - 5% rostered
- Jesus Sanchez, Marlins - 5% rostered
- Matt Wallner, Twins - 4% rostered
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