FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
Dylan Beavers (OF Orioles): Rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues
This has to be the time. With just 45 days left in the season as of Friday, the Orioles can now safely promote Beavers and keep him Rookie of the Year eligible in 2026. The move should have happened the day after Ramón Laureano was traded, and Beavers being trapped in Triple-A has only become more ridiculous with Tyler O’Neill and Colton Cowser landing on the IL. The Orioles have used Dylan Carlson, Daniel Johnson, Greg Allen, Ryan Noda and Jeremiah Jackson to cover the outfield in recent days, even as Beavers has hit .305/.420/.518 with 18 homers and 23 steals for Triple-A Norfolk.
The 33rd overall pick in the 2022 draft, Beavers has taken a major step forward this year in simultaneously adding power and cutting back on his strikeouts. He fanned 23.5% of the time in a 2024 campaign spent mostly in Double-A. This year, he’s at just 17.9% and has barely more strikeouts (74) than walks (67) in 413 plate appearances. His power potential is still in question. He’s big-time flyball hitter with pretty average exit velocity numbers and only an average pull rate. Yanking more of his 360-foot flies down the right field line is going to be a must for him in the majors. Fortunately, Camden Yards is kind to left-handed power.
Beavers might not be someone who succeeds right away. His patience at the plate has been greatly rewarded with the tight, ABS-controlled strike zone in Triple-A, and he’ll be seeing pitchers with better stuff get strike calls off the corners in the majors. Hitting for average probably won’t happen immediately. Still, he’s been ready for his first look for weeks now, and even if he doesn’t thrive immediately, his basestealing ability could help him amass some mixed-league value.
Landen Roupp (SP Giants): Rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues
Roupp missed most of 2023 and spent much of 2024 in the bullpen, throwing just 76 2/3 innings, making one wonder how he was going to hold up as a full-time starter for the Giants this season. He was already up to 101 1/3 innings — just six off his career high from 2022 — when he went on the IL last month with elbow inflammation. That’s not great, of course, but it did give him the break he probably needed to help remain strong into September.
The 26-year-old Roupp has impressed for the most part in his return to the rotation. He had a 4.73 ERA in his first eight starts, but his peripherals were better than that suggested. Since then, he’s come in at 5-3 with a 2.05 ERA in 12 turns. His 53/28 K/BB over 61 1/3 innings during the span isn’t great, but Roupp gets plenty of grounders with his sinker and can punch guys out with his curve or change when he gets to two strikes.
The Giants have tough road series next week in San Diego and Milwaukee, but after that, they’ll finish up with a pretty easy schedule and play six of their last 10 series at home. It bodes well for the team’s pitching and makes Roupp and Justin Verlander a little more interesting the rest of the way. Maybe hold Roupp out if he is activated to start against the Padres (he might make a second rehab start instead), but after that, he should be a nice play.
Nolan McLean (SP Mets): Rostered in 16% of Yahoo leagues
Looking for a boost, the Mets pulled the plug on Frankie Montas this week, sending him to the bullpen. Coming up in his place is the 24-year-old McLean, who will make his major league debut Saturday against the Mariners. He’s earned the chance by going 8-5 with a 2.45 ERA and a 127/50 K/BB in 113 2/3 innings between Double- and Triple-A this year. Since the beginning of July, he’s fanned 29.2% of the hitters he’s faced.
McLean has mostly thrown mid-90s fastballs and sinkers, mid-80s sliders and high-80s cutters this season. His curveball has gotten good reviews, but he’s used it just nine percent of the time in Triple-A. He’s more often around the strike zone with the other offerings, though walks still can be a problem. Fortunately, he gets plenty of grounders when hitters make contact against him, and he can erase some of those walks with double-play balls.
The danger with McLean in the majors is that he’ll rack up too high of pitch counts to get through five innings and qualify for wins. He should be pretty effective, though, and the Mets, on paper at least, have an excellent bullpen behind him, so if he does get through five with a lead, there’s a good chance it’ll be held on to. He seems well worth taking a chance on.
Waiver Wire Quick Hits
– Kyle Harrison has pitched 10 scoreless innings in his last two outings for Triple-A Worcester and has a 1.59 ERA in his last six starts, so it seems like time for Boston to give him a real shot. I’m not high on Red Sox starters for the most part, but Harrison is missing enough bats to be interesting.
– Cubs prospect Owen Caissie would have gotten the thumbs up here if he was due to play regularly, but he’s not likely to get that kind of opportunity unless an outfielder ahead of him gets hurt. Caissie, promoted to the majors for the first time Thursday as a result of Miguel Amaya’s ankle injury, was batting .289/.389/.586 with 22 homers in Triple-A and is very likely ready to contribute against right-handed pitchers.
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