This week's waiver wire targets include overlooked veterans, former top prospects finding their footing, and a new closer stepping into the spotlight.
Here are five players worth adding this week.
Royce Lewis
An abysmal start to the season saw Lewis get sent to the minors. He might have a 48 OPS+ in the big leagues this year, but he was recalled this weekend after posting a 1.303 OPS in 15 Triple-A games.
Yes, it’s Triple-A pitching. It doesn’t mean Lewis is going to be scorching hot at the plate when he’s back facing the world’s best. Still, it’s enough to make him an appealing acquisition if you’ve got a fantasy need at third base.
Jung Hoo Lee
An overdue hot streak has made Lee’s contract look much better than it did a couple of months ago. Lee is up to a 131 OPS+ and he’s riding a 15-game hitting streak.
There’s very little power upside and Lee hasn’t been the runner that he was advertised as when the Giants handed him a long-term deal. This is a decent sample of production, though, with a .414 batting average and a .974 OPS over the last 21 games.
Alex Lange
An unsettled Royals bullpen represents a fantasy opportunity. Lange has been promoted to the closing job, with three saves from three chances over the last week.
Lange isn't having his best season. He's allowed plenty of hard contact, and his dramatic decline in slider usage is difficult to explain. Even so, there are still saves available here for fantasy managers.
Paul Goldschmidt
The Yankees have started giving Goldschmidt more playing time. Surprisingly, the veteran has become a viable fantasy option if you need someone to fill in at first base, corner infield, or utility.
Goldy has his best xwOBA since 2022. He’s been crushing fastball and offspeed pitches. There are plenty of plate appearances available with Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge on the injured list, making Goldschmidt a worthwhile waiver wire pickup.
Colton Cowser
It might be hard to believe with how he started the year, but Cowser has a 1.151 OPS over his last 20 games. He’s hit six homers and only struck out 13 times in that period.
The bat speed is the best of Cowser’s career. There’s a lot of swing-and-miss in his approach, but that doesn’t remove his fantasy value. He is approaching league average in xwOBA and his underlying numbers are trending in the right direction.
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