Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups by Category (Week 9)

I can’t tell if Yahoo’s rostership data is mistaken, but no one seems to want Miguel Andujar in fantasy leagues. Despite the former Yankee moving into the two-hole in the Padres’ lineup and producing consistently, Andujar’s rostership has gone down.

Forget what the masses are saying and just look at the numbers. Over the past two weeks, the Padres outfielder has three home runs, seven RBI, seven runs and is batting .300. He has now started 13 straight games and is regularly hitting behind leadoff hitter Fernando Tatis Jr.

Tatis’ struggles this season are well documented, but he’s still reaching base at nearly a 32% clip and has stolen 12 bases. Andujar should continue to have plenty of RBI opportunities with Tatis on base, especially with some weaker pitching matchups coming up.

Besides the RBI, Andujar’s batting average should continue to be an asset. The 31-year-old has been quietly solid at the plate over the past three seasons:

• .281 average in 2026
• .318 average in 2025
• .285 average in 2024

Andujar’s key to success has been his ability to put the ball in play early in counts. And while he rarely walks, he also doesn’t strike out much. Andujar’s a solid under-the-radar piece for your corner infield spot.

Runs

Carson Benge (OF – NYM): 17%

Carson Benge continues to lead off for the Mets, where he should have plenty of opportunities to score. For the month, Benge is hitting .321 and is reaching base 37.5% of the time. With such a high on-base percentage (OBP), hitting in front of the likes of Bo Bichette and Juan Soto should result in plenty of runs scored.

Benge also runs well and has stolen eight bases on the season. He’s the clear choice to lead off while Francisco Lindor is on the shelf. Benge may continue to bat first even after Lindor returns. Benge’s an excellent pickup for those needing a boost in runs.

Batting Average

Sam Antonacci (2B, 3B, OF – CWS): 6%

Sam Antonacci keeps hitting and continues to lead off. The former fifth-rounder out of Coastal Carolina is batting .304 for the month with a .392 OBP. He has scored 15 times in his last 20 games and stolen seven bases on nine attempts.

Antonacci also qualifies for two of the most difficult positions to fill. He’s been the perfect catalyst for the Chi-Sox big bats, and he deserves a roster spot in most leagues.

Stolen bases

Jackson Holliday (2B, 3B – BAL): 26%

Jackson Holliday was activated earlier this week and should be back on fantasy rosters everywhere. Holliday attempted 28 steals last year, and while he has yet to run this season, you have to believe he’ll get back to his aggressive ways before long.

Holliday is someone worth picking up for multiple categories. Now entering his third major league season, the 22-year-old has a bit more experience to fall back on. He’s also put on a bit of bulk.

As the former top prospect across baseball, Holliday was once expected to produce immediately at just 20 years old. Now, with less pressure to perform and less media coverage, Holliday will likely produce across the board. He’s 2-for-7 with a home run already since his return and deserves a spot on rosters everywhere.

ERA

Zebby Matthews (SP – MIN): 17%

Zebby Matthews has been all over the place in terms of production throughout his young career. As a top performer in the Twins’ farm system, his ceiling has always been high. The Majors, however, have been a different story. This season, he may be turning that around.

In Matthews’ two starts so far, the 6-foot-5, 26-year-old has yielded just two runs over 13 innings. He’s only walked one batter and allowed a single home run. Matthews also struck out 11. The shoe could fall off at any moment, but considering his pedigree and upside, Matthews is worth a look in most league types.

Strikeouts

Jared Jones (SP – PIT): 21%

Jared Jones has faced a long recovery period since his surgery last year, but he’s finally nearing a return. Jones moved his minor-league rehab assignment to Triple-A on Saturday, where he threw 76 pitches and recorded six strikeouts over 4.1 innings.

A bullpen session is scheduled for Tuesday, which should be the final checkpoint in his recovery. If all goes smoothly, Jones could be back starting in the following days or week.

Jones was masterful in his rookie campaign, striking out 132 batters over 121.2 innings. He kept his WHIP below 1.20 and registered a passable 4.14 ERA. While it might take him some time to ramp up, Jones has long-term star potential and should be added now while still available.

WHIP

Connor Prielipp (SP – MIN): 9%

Connor Prielipp got lit up in Boston, but the young southpaw was due for a bit of regression. Not even the best are perfect every time out, and that’s darn near close to what Prielipp has accomplished.

Before Friday’s outing, the former Alabama standout had allowed just 15 hits and nine walks over 25 innings (five starts). Prielipp’s WHIP registered above 1.00 for the first time all season after his latest outing.

While the Red Sox game was a bit of a setback, Prielipp’s confidence still seems to be well intact. He seemed unfazed after the game and should be ready to shove again next week.

The 6-foot-2 lefty has stranded fewer than 60% of base runners this season while striking out more than a batter per inning. The metrics say he’s been even better than his numbers show. With the White Sox on tap twice and the Royals to follow, Prielipp’s worth starting for the foreseeable future.

Saves

Richard Lovelady (RB – WSH): 0%

Richard Lovelady seems to thrive in late-game situations. Surprisingly, the journeyman reliever is up to four saves on the campaign, with three coming in the last eight days. On Saturday, the crafty southpaw was called upon in the ninth inning to face the Braves’ heart of the order despite Gus Varland being available.

Lovelady’s save opportunities may be matchup-based, as two of the three Braves hitters he faced were lefties, but he was able to shut them down in order and earn the save.

Lovelady’s not for shallow leagues, but the Nationals are winning games, and they don’t have a real standout in the bullpen. Lovelady could see plenty of opportunities in the near future and is a decent add for those desperate for saves in deeper leagues.

Wins

Payton Tolle (SP – BOS): 49%

Payton Tolle has been dealing of late. His numbers are exemplary, with a 2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and a 27.9% strikeout rate. He’s set to take on the Braves this week. While that may seem daunting, Tolle absolutely dominated them last time out. The 6-foot-6 lefty lasted eight innings while allowing just four hits and one walk.

The lack of run support is why Tolle has snagged only two wins. However, he’s pitching deeper into games, throwing six, seven and eight innings in three out of his last four outings. The victories will come. If Tolle is still available in your league, consider yourself lucky.