Points League Hitters: Waiver Wire Pickups for Fantasy Baseball for Week 26 (2024)

by Nicklaus Gaut

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Nicklaus Gaut's fantasy baseball H2H points league waiver-wire hitters to pick up for Week 26 (2024) from September 16 - September 22. Free-agent hitters to add in points leagues.

Welcome, RotoBallers, to the Week 26 edition of our fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for hitters. These fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups are for the week of September 16 - September 22, looking at players below ~50% rostered on ESPN or Yahoo.

We'll be doing this points league roundup every week here at RotoBaller because we know points players get neglected and we're here to help. Player values can vary wildly from platform to platform, so we'll highlight where players are the best and worst fits, with waiver-wire targets being evaluated in terms of the different scoring systems on ESPN, Yahoo, CBS, Fantrax, and NFBC.

Position eligibility is taken from Fantrax and players are grouped by their most valuable fantasy position, using a hierarchy of C > 2B > OF > 3B > 1B > SS. Stats and rankings are calculated using games through Saturday, September 15.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

Waiver Wire Caveats and APR Explanation

Roster% Thresholds

We use a combination of Roster% to assess who is in our target pool, relying mostly on Yahoo and ESPN. For some players, you'll notice a wide discrepancy between the two. This is because ESPN's Roster% is heavily weighted by points players, with guys who don't do well in their system (often because of an inflated K% but also sometimes, who really knows?) lagging behind the Yahoo Roster%.

For this reason, you'll sometimes see players (especially early) who might make you question my sanity in including them in a waiver-wire article but don't worry, it's just a necessary glitch for coverage purposes.

APR stands for "Average Platform Rank" and is the average hitter rank between the four major point platforms: ESPN, Yahoo, CBS, and Fantrax. All player data is from FanGraphs and Baseball Savant, with injury information pulled from the Roster Resource section on the former.

Fantasy Baseball First Base Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Josh Bell, ARI, 1B (Yahoo: 36%, ESPN: 33%) - Bell hasn't done much for about a month but this is a good week to bet on a bounceback. Arizona will start the week in Colorado for four games (and four shaky pitchers) before heading to the hitter-friendly confines of Milwaukee for three games, and five of their seven games will be against the right-handers that Bell has more success against.

Michael Toglia, COL, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 25%, ESPN: 9%) - Our cover boy from last week has been solid, though unspectacular ( No. 117), in Week 25 but I'm happy to bet on him again given he'll get four more games at Coors Field.

Andres Chaparro, WSH, 1B/3B (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 3%) - Four weeks of mostly excellence (131, 155, 101, 19) went up in a big puff of smoke this week, with Chaparro currently ranked 268 before Sunday's action. However, while he hasn't done much this week, Chaparro has done one thing all of his short season -- smash lefties.

In his first 36 PA vs. LHP in the bigs, the right-handed hitter is slashing a ridiculous .344/.417/.688, with a 1.105 OPS and .463 wOBA (.446 xwOBA). Yes, those small-sample numbers will come down eventually but it doesn't have to happen right now.

Chaparro will get plenty of chances to keep the smoke rolling in Week 26, with the Nationals scheduled to face LHP in four of their seven games ( at NYM, at CHC).

Michael Busch, CHC, 1B/3B (Yahoo: 38%, ESPN: 20%) - Currently the No. 7 hitter, Busch is in the middle of his best week of the season and is set up to keep things rolling in Week 26. The Cubs have a seven-game homestand (vs. OAK, vs. WSH) against some really shaky pitching, and four of those are scheduled vs LHP.

The left-handed Busch has actually fared much better against his fellow lefties, slashing .287/.341/.505 over 88 PA, with a 24% K% that's six points better than vs. RHP.

Nathaniel Lowe, TEX, 1B (Yahoo: 54%, ESPN: 18%) - You'll only find him on ESPN but that dissonance is why we must mention him -- Lowe has a 118 APR for the season but is most valuable under ESPN scoring (No. 107). If you're on ESPN and he's available, please correct the error.

Next Choices

Ty France, CIN, 1B (Yahoo: 14%, ESPN: 8%) - Parlez-vous francais? We...have to pay attention to how productive France has been as of late. France is sitting at No. 126 in Week 25 after finishing 31 last week and gets a six-game homestand at the Great American Bandbox for Week 26.

Spencer Horwitz, TOR, 1B/2B (Yahoo: 43%, ESPN: 19%) - Doodly-doo, just another solid week for Horwitz, even if it hasn't been one of the top-30 weeks he posted in two of the last three periods. Sitting at 120 (with Sunday to go) isn't exactly bad and Horwitz continues to give a good floor, week after week.

He'll get six games in Week 26 (at TEX, at TB), with only one scheduled vs. one of the left-handed starters that he's struggled most against.

Carlos Santana, MIN, 1B (Yahoo: 18%, ESPN: 16%) - The masses may have started doubting our points-god after he finished outside of the top 200 in back-to-back weeks but we true believers have never wavered in our faith. Thy lord has rewarded us, finishing No. 54 last week and currently sitting at No. 77 in Week 25.

With a 90 APR for the season and a 58 APR over the last two weeks, it's never too late to come back to the church of Carlos. He has seven games in Week 26 (at CLE, at BOS), with five scheduled vs. RHP.

Nolan Schanuel, LAA, 1B (Yahoo: 7%, ESPN: 4%) - Schanuel is looking to follow up his worst performance of the season (268) with the best, currently No. 7 headed into Sunday. He has a great compiler profile that usually gins up a high floor and he'll get seven games in Week 26 (vs. CHW, at HOU), with all but two coming vs. RHP.

Desperate Choices

Luke Raley, SEA, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 16%, ESPN: 4%) - Raley may not start vs. LHP but that hasn't stopped him from hitting jacks -- he has nine HR in his 117 PA since the start of August, with 18 Runs, 25 RBI, and 2 SB. He'll take a seat for the two games the Mariners have scheduled vs. LHP this week but that still leaves four games for him to ham it up again.

LaMonte Wade Jr., SF, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 3%) - Wade Jr. continues to see steady playing time (and production) and that shouldn't stop in Week 26, with all of San Francisco's six games (at KC, at BAL) scheduled vs. RHP.

On the IL

Jeimer Candelario, CIN, 1B/3B (fractured toe - no timetable)
Kris Bryant, COL, 1B/OF (strained back - no timetable)
D.J. LeMahieu, NYY, 1B/3B (hip impingement - no timetable)
Alex Kirilloff, MIN, 1B/OF (back discomfort - no timetable)
Brooks Baldwin, CHW, 1B/2B (sprained wrist - no timetable)

Fantasy Baseball Second Base Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Geraldo Perdomo, ARI, 2B/SS (Yahoo: 41%, ESPN: 14%) - Perdomo is a man of extremes; in the last seven scoring periods, he's finished in the top-100 four times, the top-20 twice, and outside of the top-250 twice. It's easy to bet on the good version though with Arizona getting four games in Colorado to start the week.

Jared Triolo, PIT, 2B/3B (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 1%) - Hey, look! Just another top-50(ish) week for Triolo. Triolo is currently sitting at 54 after finishing 52 last week, with the two weeks prior also being top-190 performances.

A slash-line of .218/.307/.321 doesn't look very interesting but that discounts how good he's been since returning to a full-time role in the wake of Ke'Bryan Hayes heading to the IL. Since August 17, Triolo is slashing .286/.409/.494 over 93 PA, with 4 HR, 14 R, 15 RBI, and 2 SB, with a .393 wOBA and 152 wRC+.

Otto Lopez, MIA, 2B/OF (Yahoo: 9%, ESPN: 6%) - Nothing can stop Otto Lopez SZN; we can only hope to contain it. Lopez is the No. 29 hitter in Week 25 heading into Sunday's action and has averaged a pretty nice 69 APR over the last four weeks, finishing higher each period than in the one before.

The production isn't too mysterious; Lopez compiles a ton of PAs by playing virtually every day, rarely strikes out, and loves to run when he gets on base. This is the compiler way.

Next Choices

Jose Iglesias, NYM, 2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 5%) - The Mets have seven games this week (vs. WSH, vs. PHI) with a wacky five of them scheduled vs. LHP -- I dare you to guess Jose Iglesias's numbers vs. LHP in 2024. Like, double-dog:

77 PA: .386/.442/.500, .942 OPS, .412 wOBA

Counterpoint: it's only a 77-PA sample and comes with a .450 BABIP. Also, it's still Jose Iglesias.

He'll get six games in Week 26 (at TEX, at TB), with only one scheduled vs. one of the left-handed starters that he's struggled most against.

Zack Gelof, OAK, 2B (Yahoo: 39%, ESPN: 12%) - A column fave, Gelof has been back up to some tricks lately, finishing No. 44 in Week 25 after three straight weeks in the top-150(ish). Just remember, the power-speed combo (17 HR and 23 SB in 498 PA) might be sexy but you simply cannot start Gelof (34% K%) with much confidence if your league has a strikeout penalty.

Desperate Choices

Brendan Rodgers, COL, 2B (Yahoo: 17%, ESPN: 5%) - When do we start Brendan Rodgers? Say it with me now...Only at home! Only at home! Only at home! Well, he gets four games at Coors Field this week before heading to Los Angeles, so you know what to do. Start him and pray! Start him and pray!

Gavin Lux, LAD, 2B (Yahoo: 33%, ESPN: 13%) - Here lies all of the poor souls most recently tricked into believing that Gavin Lux will ever be very good for more than a month. Please say hello to all who've come before you and wait patiently for a new crop to join the party next season.

This is also probably not the week to try and climb out of the grave either, as the Dodgers will face LHP in three of their seven games (at ATL, atMIA, vs. COL) and Lux has never been anything but terrible when facing his fellow lefties.

On the IL

David Hamilton, BOS, 2B/SS (fractured finger - questionable for season)
Ramon Urias, BAL, 2B/3B (sprained ankle - no timetable)
Edmundo Sosa, PHI, 2B/3B/SS (back spasms - rehab assignment)
Vidal Brujan, MIA, 2B/3B/SS/OF sprained shoulder - no timetable)
Oliver Dunn, MIL, 2B/3B (strained back - no timetable)
Brooks Baldwin, CHW, 1B/2B (sprained wrist - no timetable)

Fantasy Baseball Third Base Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Chaparro will get plenty of chances to keep the smoke rolling in Week 26, with the Nationals scheduled to face LHP in four of their seven games ( at NYM, at CHC).

The left-handed Busch has actually fared much better against his fellow lefties, slashing .287/.341/.505 over 88 PA, with a 24% K% that's six points better than vs. RHP.

Next Choices

77 PA: .386/.442/.500, .942 OPS, .412 wOBA

Counterpoint: it's only a 77-PA sample and comes with a .450 BABIP. Also, it's still Jose Iglesias.

Ernie Clement, TOR, 3B/SS (Yahoo: 20%, ESPN: 5%) - This might be oversimplifying things but if you have a sub-10% K% and play every day, you're probably going to return a solid value in points leagues. Clement has basically been locked into full-time PAs since the start of July and rolls around with a 9% K% that probably isn't going anywhere. It might not be sexy but can still get the job done.

Desperate Choices

Jose Tena, WSH, 3B/SS (Yahoo: 0%, ESPN: 1%) - As evidenced by his bargain-basement Roster%, the fantasy world continues to ignore Tena, even as he continues to produce some of that hot points juice. Tena is No. 13 in Week 25, heading into Sunday, and has finished in the top 75 (ish) in three of the last four periods (53, 81, 160, 13).

The hammer might come crashing down in Week 26, though, with Washington and the left-handed Tena scheduled to face LHP in four of their seven games (at NYM, at CHC).

Miguel Rojas, LAD, 2B/3B/SS (Yahoo: 5%, ESPN: 2%) - Rojas has averaged a 114 APR over the last five periods but will face left-handed starters in three of his seven games (at ATL, at MIA, vs. COL).

On the IL

Jeimer Candelario, CIN, 1B/3B (fractured toe - no timetable)
Ke'Bryan Hayes, PIT, 3B (lower back - no timetable)
D.J. LeMahieu, NYY, 1B/3B (hip impingement - no timetable)
Ramon Urias, BAL, 2B/3B (sprained ankle - no timetable)
Yoan Moncada, CHW, 3B (strained groin - rehab assignment)
Edmundo Sosa, PHI, 2B/3B/SS (back spasms - rehab assignment)
Anthony Rendon, LAA, 3B (strained oblique - no timetable)
Vidal Brujan, MIA, 2B/3B/SS/OF sprained shoulder - no timetable)
Oliver Dunn, MIL, 2B/3B (strained back - no timetable)

Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Masyn Winn, STL, SS (Yahoo: 39%, ESPN: 17%) - Winn had his worst week of the season in Week 25 (340) but has bounced back in fine fashion, currently sitting at No. 100 heading into Sunday.

Outside of his recent doldrums, Winn has basically had a top-100 floor for most of the season with enough ceiling to provide plenty of top-50 weeks. With a pile of PAs and an 18% K%, I expect he'll keep doing the same thing for the rest of the season. The Cardinals have seven games at home this week (vs. PIT, vs. CLE), with two of the five scheduled vs. LHP.

Next Choices

77 PA: .386/.442/.500, .942 OPS, .412 wOBA

Counterpoint: it's only a 77-PA sample and comes with a .450 BABIP. Also, it's still Jose Iglesias.

Orlando Arcia, ATL, SS (Yahoo: 10%, ESPN: 8%) - Arcia is only on his way to his third top-100 week in the last four periods and gets seven games this week (vs. LAD, at CIN, at MIA), with only two coming vs. LHP. It's not pretty but Arcia is a decent compiler but be aware he still comes with a basement-level floor.

Desperate Choices

The hammer might come crashing down in Week 26, though, with Washington and the left-handed Tena scheduled to face LHP in four of their seven games (at NYM, at CHC).

On the IL

David Hamilton, BOS, 2B/SS (fractured finger - questionable for season)
Edmundo Sosa, PHI, 2B/3B/SS (back spasms - rehab assignment)
Vidal Brujan, MIA, 2B/3B/SS/OF sprained shoulder - no timetable)

Fantasy Baseball Outfielder Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Dylan Crews, WSH, OF (Yahoo: 43%, ESPN: 19%) - Oh come, now -- he's not really still under our Roster% threshold, is he? If he happens to still be in your league, correct it quickly; the Nationals are scheduled to face four LHP (at NYM, at CHC) and Crews has done nothing but smash them since landing in the bigs.

Joc Pederson, ARI, OF (Yahoo: 44%, ESPN: 15%) - Pederson is never going to get a start against a left-handed starter but the Diamondbacks are only scheduled to see two of them in their seven games (at COL, at MIL). With Pederson getting three games vs. RHP in Colorado, now's a fine time for a stream if he's still handing around your wire.

Michael Toglia, COL, 1B/OF (Yahoo: 25%, ESPN: 9%) - Our cover boy from last week has been solid, though unspectacular (117), in Week 25 but I'm happy to bet on him again given he'll get four more games at Coors Field.

Victor Robles, SEA, OF (Yahoo: 30%, ESPN: 7%) - If you thought Victor Robles was hot for three weeks following the ASB, can I interest you in these most recent three weeks? Robles averaged a 69 APR in that post-break return to the collective fantasy consciousness but followed that up by averaging a 251 APR for three weeks. Boo, Victor. Boo.

However, the wheel has turned again to even more excellence; Robles is the No. 5 hitter in Week 25, after finishing No. 15, and No. 35 in the previous two periods. That's hot like lava, babe. The Mariners get six games in Week 26 (vs. NYY, at TEX), with two scheduled vs. LHP.

T.J. Friedl, CIN, OF (Yahoo: 32%, ESPN: 29%) - How is Friedl still available in a third of leagues? Alas, I do not know. Since returning from the IL, Friedl has averaged a 77 APR in his seven full periods and has 9 HR, 20 R, 37 RBI, and 3 SB in 187 PA. The Reds get six games at home this week (vs. ATL, vs. PIT), with all but two scheduled vs. RHP.

Jacob Young, WSH, OF (Yahoo: 16%, ESPN: 5%) - Young has been up and down for most of the year but this a good week to bet on the top of the rollercoaster, with the Nationals scheduled to face LHP in four of their seven games (at NYM, at CHC). Facing left-handers this season, Young is slashing .279/.343/.349, with a .351 wOBA, compared to .251/.297/.363, with a .285 wOBA vs. RHP.

The production isn't too mysterious; Lopez compiles a ton of PAs by playing virtually every day, rarely strikes out, and loves to run when he gets on base. This is the compiler way.

Next Choices

Tommy Pham, STL, OF (Yahoo: 5%, ESPN: 3%) - I told y'all -- you won't like Tommy when he's angry. Pham has led off every game since the Royals acquired him and has posted a top-75 performance in back-to-back weeks. I'll bet on him making it three in a row, with the Royals scheduled to face LHP in three of their six games at home (vs. DET, vs. SF).

Parker Meadows, DET, OF (Yahoo: 20%, ESPN: 6%) - Meadows the Younger continues to come into his own over this late summer, currently ranked No. 17 in Week 25, making it six straight weeks in the top 150. It might be some tough sledding in Week 26 as the Tigers will see some difficult pitching in a six-game road trip (at KC, at BAL).

Desperate Choices

Mike Yastrzemski, SF, OF (Yahoo: 2%, ESPN: 1%) - Yaz the Lesser has actually been pretty decent in the second half, averaging a 135 APR and finishing in the top-100 four times, and the top 150 seven times. You might want to not risk a continuance though with Yastrzemski and the Giants scheduled to face all RHP in their six games (at BAL, at KC).

On the IL:

- - Chas McCormick, HOU, OF (fractured hand - no timetable)
  - Max Kepler, MIN, OF (knee tendinitis - no timetable)
  - Jo Adell, LAA, OF (strained oblique - no timetable)
  - Heston Kjerstad, BAL, OF (concussion - rehab assignment)
  - Henry Davis, PIT, C/OF (hand - no timetable)
  - Alex Call, WSH, OF (foot - no timetable)
  - Kevin Pillar, COL, OF (sprained thumb - no timetable)
  - Austin Hays, BAL, OF (kidney infection - no timetable)
  - Alex Kirilloff, MIN, 1B/OF (back discomfort - no timetable)
  - Vidal Brujan, MIA, 2B/3B/SS/OF (sprained shoulder - no timetable)

Fantasy Baseball Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups

Best Choices

Austin Wells, NYY, C (Yahoo: 42%, ESPN: 17%) - It's another strong outing for Wells in Week 25, currently ranked 107 headed into Sunday, and Week 26 should be more of the same. The Yankees have six games (at SEA, at OAK) and only have one LHP on the schedule, which is only good news for the left-handed Wells.

Next Choices

Hunter Goodman, COL, C (Yahoo: 3%, ESPN: 1%) - Goodman is coming off of his most productive week since pre-ASB and has now started five of the last six games. He's a worthwhile dart in a period that sees Colorado at home to start the week.

Patrick Bailey, SF, C (Yahoo: 7%, ESPN: 4%) - Bailey has a 140 APR over the last two weeks and won't have to face any of the left-handed starters that have given him fits all season, with all six games (at BAL, at KC) scheduled vs. RHP.

Desperate Choices

Shea Langeliers, OAK, C (Yahoo: 48%, ESPN: 21%) - Just like all season, there's always Shea Langeliers, who is always capable of giving you a high floor. Be cautious this week as three of his six games will come vs. LHP, against whom he's slashing .198/.260/.371 over 127 PA, with just a .274 wOBA.

Joey Bart, PIT, C (Yahoo: 22%, ESPN: 6%) - Bart has done a whole lot of nothing since returning from the IL but does have seven games (and few quality starters) on his Week 26 schedule. Unfortunately, only one of the seven (at STL, at CIN) will feature one of the left-handed starters against whom Bart has had much more success.

On the IL

- - Henry Davis, PIT, C/OF (hand - no timetable)
  - Tom Murphy, SF, C (sprained knee - no timetable)

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