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New York Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Drake Baldwin, Blaze Alexander and more top fantasy baseball waiver wire options
With a quarter of the season left, MLB teams are shifting their focus to the stretch run or next year, depending on their place in the standings, with side effects for fantasy. We'll start as usual with the most-added hitters on Yahoo: Jakob Marsee is off to an incredible start and is as good a bet as anyone for steals in the final months. Sal Frelick and Matt Shaw are also good targets for steals. Shaw has found his power over the past eight weeks and really ought to be rostered everywhere at this point. Blaze Alexander has tools befitting his name (namely, his 87th-percentile sprint speed), but until recently, he has not hit enough or played enough to be a fantasy consideration. The Diamondbacks' trading of their starting corner infielders, Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez, has opened playing time for Alexander, who has made the most of it. He swings and misses too much, and in the long term, he'll need to tame that issue to be more than a utility guy. Advertisement Miguel Andújar has shown that good things can happen when you make a lot of contact in a hitter's park. I don't expect the recent spate of homers to continue, but he should produce enough to be, at least, deep-league useful. Jurickson Profar, Kyle Manzardo and Jordan Beck are regularly mentioned here. Beck has shaken off a cold stretch and is back to five-category production. Profar hasn't quite reached the level he attained last year, but he's been close. The expected stats (x-stats) are not impressive, but I think he continues at this level. Manzardo often sits against lefties, but he's been raking when he's in. Drake Baldwin has hit his way into regular playing time and is one of the better fantasy catchers at this point. Joey Ortiz is the only one on the list for whom I'm unsure what we're buying. He offers a little bit of speed and pop, with a BA above .300 since the All-Star break, and the playing time is steady (at the back of the lineup). That's useful enough in very deep leagues, but you can generally find someone more exciting. Let's take a look at some deeper cuts. Jakob Marsee (OF, MIA) — See above. Trent Grisham (OF, NYY) — At this point, I'm getting confused as to why he isn't on more fantasy teams. He's racking up counting stats with a good OBP and solid power leading off in New York. Daulton Varsho (OF, TOR) — Varsho enjoyed the trip to Colorado, but even at more normal elevations, he has shown a level of power we don't usually see from him. Jordan Beck (OF, COL) — See above. Matt Wallner (OF, MIN) — If he ever played a full season, he'd hit 30+ homers. The batting average will be low, but he brings enough power to cover for that. Jesús Sánchez (OF, HOU) — The results are still middling, but one of these days we'll see a real power binge. I just don't know if it's happening this year. Advertisement Trevor Larnach (OF, MIN) — Larnach is like his teammate Wallner, but with a touch less power and bigger platoon splits. Jo Adell (OF, LAA) — He has so much power, but the average will always be a liability, and he's stopped stealing for now. Adell's a great add if you're punting batting average. Mike Tauchman (OF, CHW) — You're forgiven if you forget about Tauchman, but he's been a pretty good hitter for three years now and is having his best season as the White Sox's leadoff man. He's good for a .260-ish average with some power (and no speed). He's been dealing with some shoulder soreness, so keep an eye on that. Blake Perkins (OF, MIL) — Perkins is a decent hitter riding the Brewers' magic. He'll chip in some steals and won't hurt you too much in other categories. Brandon Marsh (OF, PHI) — He offers steady production against righties at the back of a very good lineup. Austin Hays (OF, CIN) — The skills are good, but he's been slumping, and the playing time is slipping. Nathan Lukes (OF, TOR) — He's similar to Andújar. He makes lots of contact and has knocked a bunch of homers recently despite not having exceptional power. The playing time is inconsistent, and I'm not too enthused long-term, but it's OK to run him out there for now and see how long the power streak lasts. Matt Shaw (3B, CHC) — See above, and if he's somehow available in your league, snap him up now. Josh Bell (1B, WSH) — After a slow start to the year, Bell has been crushing the ball for the past two months. Noelvi Marte (3B/OF, CIN) — The recent results have been so-so, but I'm still a big fan of the tools. Kyle Manzardo (1B, CLE) — See above. If you can manage his lack of time against lefties, he's a great add. Ryan Mountcastle (1B, BAL) — He's back and offers a better track record than most names at this depth. The pair of homers in his first week since returning is also encouraging. Advertisement Spencer Horwitz (1B, PIT) — He's another platoon bat with sneaky-good production when he's in. Miguel Andújar (3B/OF, CIN) — See above. Colt Keith (1B/2B/3B, DET) — He went through a quiet couple of weeks (along with most of his teammates) but seems to be perking up again. Warming Bernabel (1B, COL) — I think some of us got a little too excited here because of the scorching start combined with the unavoidable puns on his name. He's still an interesting player who makes a lot of contact and has some power, but I don't expect him to set the world on fire. Jac Caglianone (1B, KC) — He is on a rehab assignment and should return shortly. His first stint was a dud, but the raw power is still among the best you'll find. Colson Montgomery (SS/3B, CHW) — If he's still available in your league, go get him. It's still too early to say who he is, but he's been one of the league's best power hitters over the past month. Lenyn Sosa (2B/1B, CHW) — Another White Sox infielder! Sosa doesn't quite have Montgomery's power, but the average is better. He rarely walks, which hurts his run totals and decreases his value in OBP leagues. Luis Rengifo (2B/3B, LAA) — He was so bad for the first part of the year that it's a little surprising he still has a starting job. Since the start of July, he has been a league-average hitter. He helps with batting average, but doesn't give you much else. Blaze Alexander (2B/3B, ARI) — See above. Jorge Polanco (2B, SEA) — Polanco is still getting regular playing time after the Mariners loaded up at the deadline. His swing is made for launching balls into the air, which means steady homers and a low BABIP. The average isn't terrible, despite that. Josh Smith (SS/1B/3B/OF, TEX) — Smith's a little sluggish as of late, but still a helpful bat that can plug in anywhere. Advertisement Otto Lopez (2B, MIA) — I still believe in Lopez, but it's been a rough month. There is still time for him to be a value for the balance of the season. Daniel Schneemann (2B/3B/SS/OF) — He's basically another version of Josh Smith — modest power and speed, with eligibility everywhere. Joey Ortiz (SS, MIL) — See above. Andrés Gimenez (2B, TOR) — He's back from the IL and is worth a shot if you're hunting for steals. Nolan McLean (NYM, SP) McLean is scheduled to make his big league debut on Saturday against the Mariners, replacing Frankie Montas in the rotation. The Mets could swap in Paul Blackburn after that, so there are no guarantees that McLean sticks around this season. McLean has a wide arsenal and has run high strikeout (27.2%) and groundball (54.7%) rates in Triple-A ball. But it has come with a 10.7% walk rate, which could be an issue, especially if the rest of the package doesn't play as well at the MLB level. The upside for now is something like a fantasy SP3, and the downside is he gives up a grand slam to Eugenio Suárez and doesn't play again this year. Owen Caissie (OF, CHC) Caissie is an exciting prospect with two issues. He has great power and good patience, which has led to a .289/.389/.566 slash in Triple A. He does have a strikeout problem, with a 28% K-rate this season and last. If it stays around there, you won't mind, but if it goes above 30% in MLB, that will sap his value. The other issue for this year is playing time. There is not much to go around with Kyle Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ian Happ in the outfield and Seiya Suzuki at DH. That said, all three outfielders have been slumping lately, so maybe Caissie finds his way into the lineup three or four times a week. Tristan Peters (OF, TBR) This is a deep-league only call-up for now, but Peters is a potential asset in speed, OBP and runs. He's been playing center field and hitting in the back of the Rays' lineup since being called up earlier this week. Jose Soriano (LAA), Jack Leiter (TEX) Over his past dozen starts, Soriano has been good for a strikeout per inning and a mid-3s ERA. He should be rostered in basically every league. Leiter still has control issues, but makes up for it with great stuff. Expect volatility, but that will include some high highs. Nick Martinez (CIN), Emmet Sheehan (LAD), Cristian Javier (HOU), Sean Burke (CHW), Cade Cavalli (WAS) I have a soft spot for Martinez. He won't get you a lot of Ks, but he keeps hitters off balance with a wide mix and great control. His rotation spot is not guaranteed, but he's been on a nice stretch lately. Advertisement Sheehan, Javier and Cavalli are all wild cards until we see more of them. Cavalli and Javier looked good in their returns from the minors and IL, respectively. Both are good choices if you're looking for upside. Sheehan had a rough start against the Angels, but I'm still a fan. Burke has recently turned into a mini-Leiter, with a big uptick in strikeouts and walks. I'm not sure what changed, but the results have been good. Ryan Bergert (KC), Jason Alexander (HOU) This is the weak stuff, good results tier. Bergert and Alexander have both been making it work of late. Of the two of them, I trust Bergert more, and Alexander's hold on his rotation spot might be tenuous. Either way, it's another impressive chapter to his post-Seinfeld career. JoJo Romero (STL), Juan Morillo (ARI), Kyle Backhus (ARI), Andrew Hoffmann (ARI), Victor Vodnik (COL), Phil Maton (TEX), Robert Garcia (TEX), Jeremiah Estrada (SD), Abner Uribe (MIL), Hunter Gaddis (CLE) Romero seems to have the job in St. Louis and is relatively safe stuff-wise. Morillo, Backhus and Hoffmann could all be in the mix for saves in Arizona. I'm leaning toward Morillo as the most likely to emerge, but this situation is fluid. Vodnik is the Rockies' closer, but he will hurt your ratios, so look at what you have to gain or lose in each category before grabbing him. Garcia is still a co-closer at the time of writing, but Maton seems ready to take that job. Estrada, Uribe and Gaddis are all excellent relievers, and the Guardian will get the occasional save. (Photo of Blaze Alexander: Stacy Revere / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Fox News
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
2025 MLB Trade Deadline: 10 Impact Moves That Affect The Stretch Run
The Padres shook the industry, the Astros reunited with a franchise icon, and in New York, New York, the relief market was ultra competitive. But which were the trades that could provide a jolt in the second half as hopeful contenders prepare for pennant races? Here are the 10 most impactful moves for the stretch run: 10. 1B Ryan O'Hearn, OF Ramon Laureano: Baltimore Orioles to San Diego Padres The headline-grabbing move in a bustling trade deadline day for the Padres was the addition of Mason Miller, but addressing some of their biggest question marks at DH and left field was a huge success for San Diego. A.J. Preller landed Laureano, who's enjoying the best season of his career, and O'Hearn, a pure rental piece, from the Orioles for six prospects, which was just one of his five deals that involved a total of 22 players ahead of the deadline. While O'Hearn can slot in at both DH and first base, Laureano figures to be the Padres' everyday left fielder now and in 2026, when he has a team-friendly $6.5 million club option. Both O'Hearn and Laureano provide necessary upgrades in San Diego's lineup. 9. 3B Ryan McMahon: Colorado Rockies to New York Yankees Any concern about McMahon's ugly road numbers is already a distant memory. It turns out plucking a player from the hopelessly uncompetitive environment of Colorado and putting him in pinstripes in a pennant race in the Bronx can bring out the best in McMahon. He already notched his first walk-off since being traded to the Yankees, and even though it's a small sample size, he's hitting .400 with a 1.020 OPS, four walks and four RBI in 25 plate appearances with New York. The Yankees primarily added McMahon for his excellent defense at the hot corner, but his presence at the plate has been a welcome addition to their lineup depth. 8. RHP Shane Bieber: Cleveland Guardians to Toronto Blue Jays This was the best under-the-radar deal of the trade deadline. It's a risky move that could pay off in a huge way for a Blue Jays rotation that needed an ace to take Game 1 in the postseason. The risk is that Bieber hasn't pitched since April 2024, before he underwent Tommy John surgery, and he suffered a setback after a June rehab outing. But Bieber's ceiling is Cy-Young level dominance, and if he can return to that light-out version of himself, then Toronto's starting pitching staff is set for October. 7. 1B Josh Naylor: Arizona Diamondbacks to Seattle Mariners This move might not get the attention it deserves after Seattle's blockbuster deal for Eugenio Suarez, but this was a significant and necessary upgrade for the Mariners that addressed their corner infield in a splashy way. Naylor's 120 OPS+ brings consistent production to a strong lineup that has surprisingly maintained its position as a top five offense in baseball. Plus, Naylor is feisty! That edgy attitude makes a difference in October (who can forget the slugger calling Gerrit Cole his daddy?!). This was an excellent deal in multiple ways for the M's. 6. Closer Ryan Helsley: St. Louis Cardinals to New York Mets While I knew the Mets aimed to bolster their bullpen before the deadline, the aggressiveness David Stearns showed surprised me. It looked like the Mets did enough with their acquisition of right-handed submariner Tyler Rogers (1.80 ERA) from the Giants. But then came the eyebrow-raising deal for Helsley. Though this bullpen isn't Padres-level scary (more on that later), the Mets now have a formidable pair of arms behind closer Edwin Diaz and a dynamic relief unit that should befuddle opposing hitters. 5. 3B Carlos Correa: Minnesota Twins to Houston Astros Though I'm skeptical that this was actually the best, most impactful roster decision for the Astros, particularly considering Correa's injury history and because he's not having a good year, reuniting with their championship winner offers a nostalgic bonus and excitement within the clubhouse. No matter how you slice it, this was a special, meaningful deal. It can mean even more if Correa taps into his performance from last year (.905 OPS in 86 games) down the stretch for the first-place Astros. 4. Closer David Bednar: Pittsburgh Pirates to New York Yankees Brian Cashman was not going to walk away from this year's trade deadline without landing a high-leverage reliever, and not only did he finally find his man in Bednar, but he was able to pull off a deal for San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval, too. But Bednar, who required a high prospect price and wasn't easy to wrangle away from Pittsburgh, is the Yankees' biggest acquisition of the summer. He bolsters a bullpen that's led by Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, and now the Bronx Bombers, with a healthy Aaron Judge, have no excuse not to win in October. 3. Closer Mason Miller: Athletics to San Diego Padres Hats off to A.J. Preller for yet another stunning trade deadline. When he traded for Miller, many industry analysts expected Padres closer Robert Suarez to be moved. Instead, San Diego will combine Miller with Suarez to create the best 1-2 punch in baseball at the backend of a bullpen. According to Statcast, Miller has thrown the second-most pitches at or above 100 mph (Jhoan Duran is first) in the major leagues. Pairing him with Suarez, who leads the majors with 30 saves, and the rest of the Padres' terrifying relief corps, will be a nightmare for hitters. Now add that bullpen to the rest of their improved roster and San Diego looks primed for a deep playoff run. 2. Closer Jhoan Durán: Minnesota Twins to Philadelphia Phillies The best available reliever went to the team that most desperately needed a closer. We love to see it. The Phillies, for years, have needed a trade-deadline acquisition like Duran, so kudos to Dave Domebrowski for finally pulling it off in a year that the Phillies are facing a ton of pressure to win. Duran has a 2.01 ERA this season, and he's converted 74 saves in 83 chances spanning across the past four seasons. And, as a bonus, he's only 27 years old and is under team control through the 2027 season. The flamethrower was undoubtedly the Phillies' missing piece. 1. 3B Eugenio Suárez: Arizona Diamondbacks to Seattle Mariners Man, am I excited to see what Suarez and Cal Raleigh can do together. Suarez joins Seattle with 36 home runs, while Raleigh already has 42 (the most in MLB). So there's no doubt that the Mariners slugging catcher will eclipse 50 homers, and Suarez looks primed to get there, too. They have the chance to become the first duo of hitters to each record 50 homers in a single season since 1961 (Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris for the Yankees). On top of that, the Mariners were such big winners at the deadline that they could win the AL West for the first time since 2001. Buckle up for an electric stretch run. Honorable mentions: Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
