Waiver Wire Spotlight: Late‑Season Breakouts
The weekly waiver wire guide zeroes in on players rostered in fewer than 40 % of Yahoo! leagues who have recently turned the tide with either elevated batting averages, surprising power numbers, or expanded roles on the mound.
Paul Goldschmidt continues to deliver a .324/.378/.577 line with ten homers and 32 RBI over the last 38 games, while Kody Clemens has surged to a .271/.301/.551 slash with seven homers in his past 30 contests. Dominic Canzone’s .325/.404/.663 burst includes seven long balls in the same span, and Garrett Mitchell has hot‑streaked at .325 over ten games, adding two homers.
Andrew Vaughn’s recent 12‑for‑29 stretch (.414) and Dalton Rushing’s .286/.388/.429 output illustrate the depth of hitting talent beyond the usual suspects. Blaze Alexander’s .384/.426/.545 performance with 18 RBI and five steals in just 110 plate appearances for the Orioles underscores his immediate impact, while Samad Taylor’s .364 average and eight runs scored in nine games highlight a versatile contributor.
Additional bats worth monitoring include Tyler Callihan’s .313/.436/.625 line with two homers and six RBI in 14 games, Henry Bolte’s .333 average paired with two homers and two steals over the last two weeks, and Lars Nootbaar’s .268 average with two homers and six RBI since returning from injury. Christian Moore, recently called up in place of an injured star, has posted a .333/.468/.585 triple‑slash with nine homers, 45 RBI and ten steals in Triple‑A, while Kyle Karros has compiled a .303 average, three homers and 15 runs scored over the past month.
On the pitching side, Stephen Kolek’s deep six‑pitch mix, Gage Jump’s 2.37 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 30.1 innings since his call‑up, and Griffin Jax’s ability to maintain velocity across a varied repertoire signal a promising pipeline of arms ready to contribute in fantasy lineups.
Beyond the diamond, the sports media landscape is set for a shake‑up: Major League Baseball will return to NBC and Peacock in 2026, bringing a slate of games and events to the network and its streaming partner. This partnership promises broader exposure and could influence how fantasy players consume baseball coverage.
For fantasy managers, the convergence of emerging talent and expanded broadcast access creates a fertile environment for strategic roster moves. Staying ahead of roster percentages and monitoring pitch mixes can translate into decisive weekly lineup decisions.