Although my Phillies have been what most people describe as “hot garbage” to begin the season, it's just nice to have baseball back. It was a long offseason and with offseasons comes fantasy baseball preparation. Although you can do all of the prep work in the world, you’re still finding yourself pursuing the waiver wire early on in the season.
There’s injuries that stretch into the start of the season opening roster positions or there are expected roles that have already been debunked. Whatever it may be, playing the waiver wire at this point, even for the most prepared, is crucial.
I’d argue this may be the most important waiver wire week of them all. Roles are beginning to be defined and breakout candidates are emerging. I’ll do my best to cater to both points and category leagues in my suggestions here. As a rule of thumb, I will do my best to include enough players each week for every position. This doesn’t mean that I will include eight-plus suggestions each week, it just means that each position will be touched on through player eligibility.
As another rule of thumb, I will look to keep suggestions under the 50-percent owned mark in Yahoo leagues (as that is where I play all of my fantasy baseball) to cater to as many people as possible. If there is a must-add player that is pushing the 50-percent owned mark, I will suggest them and discard the rule, don’t worry. At least one of the suggestions too will be owned in just 10-percent or less of leagues. Again, to cater to as many people as possible.
Enough of the chatter, let’s get into Waiver Wire suggestions!
Batters
James Outman, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (Owned in 49% of Yahoo Leagues)
Week 2 Games: vs. COL, vs. COL, @ARI, @ARI, @ARI & @ARI
This is your one and only chance to add Outman to your fantasy baseball teams as he’ll likely be owned in the majority of leagues by this time next week. He should be at the top of your waiver wire priority lists this week. Outman was a monster in hitting the ball in the minors a year ago as he hit 31 home runs and posted a .978 OPS in 125 games between Double-A and Triple-A. He too put together a fantastic spring training that resulted in him making the Dodgers’ opening day roster. He posted a .957 OPS with three home runs and four doubles across 53 at-bats. On top of all of this, he’s tagged to the Dodgers’ lineup. Go get him.
Yandy Diaz, 1B/3B, Tampa Bay Rays (Owned in 39% of Yahoo Leagues)
Week 2 Games: @WSH, @WSH, @WSH, vs. OAK, vs. OAK & vs. OAK
Diaz finds himself in these types of articles to start nearly every season. He’s off to a great start to this season, hitting in this very talented Rays’ lineup. He went three-for-four on Saturday with a homerun, three RBIs, a double and three runs. You know what you’re getting with Diaz. A consistent hitting player who offers a bit of a pop without sacrificing your batting average.
Darick Hall, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies (Owned in 25% of Yahoo Leagues)
Week 2 Games: @NYY, @NYY, @NYY, vs. CIN, vs. CIN & vs. Cin
Darick Hall is assured everyday playing time in this Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup with Rhys Hoskins out for the season with a torn ACL. Although the Phillies are off to a slow start, this is still a powerful star-studded lineup that is set to score a lot of runs and Hall will be in the middle of that for most of the season. In points leagues, Hall is a must add. He’s going to hit for power, there’s no way around that. Hall hit 37 home runs in 143 games between the minors and majors last season. Hall had a good spring training as well hitting five home runs, 13 RBIs with a .632 slugging percentage. In category leagues he is going to add the normal power stats you can expect out of a hard-hitting first baseman.
Jorge Mateo, SS, Baltimore Orioles (Owned in 36% of Yahoo Leagues)
Week 2 Games: @TEX, @TEX, @TEX, vs. NYY, vs. NYY & vs. NY
If you’re looking for stolen bases, look no further. The Orioles had ten stolen bases through two games heading into Sunday, six more than the second place team. Mateo is a big part of that, as he’s had four stolen bases through the first two games. Mateo didn’t play Sunday but that was due to a cut on his hand from catching a cleat from Rafael Devers. This is a very fun and young Orioles’ team that isn’t afraid to stretch it out on the base paths.
Michael Massey, 2B, Kansas City Royals (Owned in 18% of Yahoo Leagues)
Week 2 Schedule: vs. TOR, vs. TOR, vs. TOR, vs. TOR, @SF, @SF & @SF
Massey had a fantastic spring training which saw him getting the nod to making the opening day roster for Kansas City. He had four home runs, two stolen bases and a .914 OPS this spring. In 87 games in the minors a year ago, Massey posted a .312 average, 16 home runs, 13 stolen bases and a .903 OPS. He hasn’t done much to open the season but give him some time, he’s going to come around.
Pitchers
Clarke Schmidt, SP, New York Yankees (Owned in 51% of Yahoo Leagues)
Next Start: April 6th at Baltimore
Here’s an example of a must add player owned in over the 50-percent threshold. Schmidt has joined the Yankees’ rotation with injuries to Frankie Montas, Carlos Rodon and Luis Severino but let’s be honest, he was going to join this rotation either way. Schmidt had minor successes a year ago between the minors and majors. He went to the drawing board this off-season and added a cutter to his arsenal. With the cutter in hand, Schmidt had a dominant spring. In his one start already this season he got lifted after allowing two home runs after doing three-and-a-third. He went through three innings without incident however against the Giants.
Reynaldo Lopez, RP, Chicago White Sox (Owned in 47% of ESPN Leagues)
Week 2 Games: vs. SF, vs. SF, vs. SF, @PIT, @PIT & @PIT
With Liam Hendricks out, Kendall Graveman was assumed to be the fill in closer for the White Sox. However, it was Lopez who got the first chance of the season as he posted a save against the defending World Series Champions Houston Astros on Opening Day. He allowed two runs in a five run game since that save. It’ll be important to follow this situation closely but finding saves on the waiver wire is a viable strategy.
Kyle Gibson, SP, Baltimore Orioles (Owned in 8% of Yahoo Leagues)
Next Start: April 5th at Rangers
Kyle Gibson is the leader of this Orioles’ rotation. He had an okay outing on Open Day, allowing four runs over five innings where he struck out three. His next outing isn’t the best on the road against the Texans but the veteran knows how to pitch in Texas. He was a member of the Rangers before being traded to the Phillies in 2021 where he was also an all-star. We’ll see if this helps the 35 year-old in his next start.
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