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Andy's fantasy baseball cut list rankings, drop candidates for Week 12 waiver wire (2026). Is it time to drop these struggling players for better waiver wire options?
Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our updated Cut List Rankings for fantasy baseball in Week 12 of the 2026 MLB season. As always, we will spotlight some underperforming and injured players who have put themselves on the "drop" radar.
This week, we will look at many underperforming hitters who have seen their slumps extended into Week 12 of the fantasy season.
So, which injured or disappointing players is it time to get rid of for fantasy baseball lineups? Read about our top players to cut for Week 12 of the MLB season. Good luck, 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 | Kodai Senga | SP | NYM | 15 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 2 | Kumar Rocker | SP | TEX | 10 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 3 | Angel Martinez | 2B/OF | CLE | 20 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 4 | Merrill Kelly | SP | ARI | 45 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 5 | Grant Holmes | SP | ATL | 30 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 6 | Chandler Simpson | OF | TB | 55 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 7 | Ildemaro Vargas | 2B/3B | ARI | 25 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 8 | Dansby Swanson | SS | CHC | 60 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 9 | Alejandro Kirk | C | TOR | 30 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 10 | Nolan Arenado | 3B | ARI | 25 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 11 | Edward Cabrera | SP | CHC | 55 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 12 | Ezequiel Duran | 2B/3B/OF | TEX | 45 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 13 | Carter Jensen | C | KC | 35 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 14 | Luke Raley | 1B/OF | SEA | 20 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 15 | Troy Melton | SP | DET | 25 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 16 | Brandon Young | SP | BAL | 30 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 17 | Jakob Marsee | OF | MIA | 65 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 18 | Ryan O'Hearn | 1B/OF | PIT | 55 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 19 | Gleyber Torres | 2B | DET | 55 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 20 | Braden Montgomery | OF | CHW | 30 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 21 | Jared Jones | SP | PIT | 35 | Drop in Shallower Leagues |
| 22 | Daniel Palencia | RP | CHC | 70 | Hold in All Leagues (IL Stash) |
| 23 | Chase DeLauter | OF | CLE | 45 | Hold in All Leagues (IL Stash) |
| 24 | Austin Riley | 3B | ATL | 90 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 25 | Davis Martin | SP | CHW | 90 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 26 | Salvador Perez | C | KC | 80 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 27 | Maikel Garcia | 3B | KC | 95 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 28 | Nico Hoerner | 2B/SS | CHC | 95 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 29 | Willy Adames | SS | SF | 80 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 30 | Travis Bazzana | 2B | CLE | 40 | Hold in All Leagues |
Fantasy Baseball Drops: Week 12 Player Outlooks
Daniel Palencia, RP, Chicago Cubs
Cut List Ranking No. 22
Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) is heading to the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with right-elbow inflammation, according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network.
It's the second time that Palencia will head to the IL this year, with his previous time coming from a lat strain. The 26-year-old Venezuelan hurler apparently injured his elbow during his scoreless outing against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night in the series opener.
Palencia has gone 2-1 this year with a 2.70 ERA (3.46 FIP), 1.38 WHIP, three saves, 19 strikeouts, and six walks in 16 2/3 innings over 19 appearances out of the bullpen. It's unclear what direction manager Craig Counsell will go for save opportunities going forward with Palencia on the IL again.
If they use a closer-by-committee situation, all of Caleb Thielbar, Phil Maton, and Jacob Webb could be in line for ninth-inning work. Thielbar, Maton, and Webb are all currently rostered in under 3% of Yahoo leagues.
Daniel Palencia ⛽️⛽️ pic.twitter.com/aK2nZEtxez
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 15, 2026
Angel Martinez, 2B/OF, Cleveland Guardians
Cut List Ranking No. 3
The Cleveland Guardians placed outfielder Angel Martinez (foot) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a non-displaced fracture in his left foot, according to Cade Cracas of Sports Illustrated. In a corresponding move, the team recalled outfielder Petey Halpin from Triple-A Columbus.
Martinez suffered the injury on Saturday when he fouled a ball off his foot, and now he'll likely miss more than the required 10 days on the IL. The 24-year-old Dominican switch-hitter has hit just .239 (54-for-226) on the year, but he has already matched his career high with 11 home runs in 66 games (243 plate appearances), adding 33 RBI, nine stolen bases, and 28 runs scored for the Guards.
With rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (ribs) currently dealing with a rib-cage contusion, David Fry has been needed to play the outfield in the last two ballgames. Martinez cleared the fences twice in 11 games in July, but he was hitting .220 (9-for-41) with a walk and 12 strikeouts before getting hurt on Saturday.
It's unclear how long he'll be sidelined, but it could be up to around a month, meaning Martinez probably won't be back before the mid-July All-Star break.
Gleyber Torres, 2B, Detroit Tigers
Cut List Ranking No. 19
Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (side) left Monday night's game early against the Houston Astros with a left-side injury after swinging at a first-pitch fastball in the second inning, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press.
Before leaving, Torres went 0-for-1 at the plate with a strikeout. He was replaced at second base by Hao-Yu Lee. The 29-year-old Torres had just returned from the injured list in early June with a left oblique strain, so he could very well be going right back on the IL with a similar injury.
The Venezuelan infielder makes a lot of contact and gets on base thanks to a strong eye at the plate, but otherwise, he doesn't move the needle all that much for fantasy managers. Coming into Monday's series opener against Houston at Daikin Park, Torres was slashing .282/.397/.397 with a .794 OPS, only four home runs, 18 RBI, and 26 runs scored in 156 at-bats in 2026.
Since returning from the IL on June 2, he had gone 14-for-40 (.350) with two homers, four doubles, seven RBI, and eight runs scored in 10 games played, so this would be extremely bad timing for a setback with his previously injured oblique.
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:
- Updated Waiver Wire Rankings
- 6 Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups
- Sneaky Starting Pitchers to Pick Up
- Top 25 Prospects to Stash
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 Jacob Latz, Carson Benge, Paul Sewald, Colt Emerson, Jordan Lawlar, Bryce Eldridge, Dustin May, Samuel Basallo, Noelvi Marte, and Matt McLain. 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 Jacob Latz, Carson Benge, Paul Sewald, Colt Emerson, Jordan Lawlar, Bryce Eldridge, Dustin May, Samuel Basallo, Noelvi Marte, and Matt McLain:
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