1B/3B Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups Week 26 (2023)

The 2023 Major League Baseball season is almost over and although I can't wait for postseason baseball, the regular season ending is always bittersweet. Of course, baseball fans get to see some of the best talent the MLB has to offer on the big stage in October, but writing this column every week has allowed me to realize just how many special players the league possesses.

I've gotten to know so many great players and am in awe every single time of just how incredible this sport is. I'll miss this column when the regular season comes to a close and am quite frankly dreading the offseason. Sure, we get hot stove rumors, trades, and transactions, but I find myself counting down the days until spring training and Opening Day as soon as the World Series ends and there is a new champion crowned.

If you've been following along with this column all season long, I want to thank you for taking the time to read these every Sunday. And I especially hope that these waiver wire adds helped you in your fantasy baseball team goals. I'll miss the 2023 regular season -- it supplied us with many amazing moments and surprises -- and writing these articles every week was a joy. So, without further ado, here are more first and third-base fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 26 -- September 18 through September 24.

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Waiver Wire Pickups For Shallow Leagues (30-50% rostered)

Willi Castro, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Minnesota Twins (36% rostered)

As the Minnesota Twins have all but wrapped up an AL Central division title with a 7.5-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians for first place, their offense has shown out during September. Royce Lewis, who's frequented this list in the past, has been stealing the show this month. His teammate Willi Castro isn't too far behind.

Castro, 26, has slashed .333/.370/.595 with a pair of home runs and five RBI across 12 games this month. With the Twins' magic number to clinch a postseason berth at seven, they hope to stay hot to end the season. In search of their first playoff win since 2004, they look to keep that momentum going as October approaches.

DJ LeMahieu, 1B/2B/3B, New York Yankees (45% rostered)

The New York Yankees seemed to have saved their best stretch of the season for the final few weeks. The Bronx Bombers have won 14 of their last 19 games. Although their postseason chances are slim, ending the 2023 campaign on a high note would be a positive takeaway.

Coming off of a red-hot August, DJ LeMahieu has somewhat kept the ball rolling in September. His .737 OPS on the month leaves much to be desired, but he's still hit two homers and collected eight RBI in 13 games. The veteran's 13th MLB season has seen him bat .243 and slug just .397 with 15 home runs and 43 RBI. One has to wonder how much gas the 35-year-old has left in the tank, and what the underachieving Yankees' plans are for him in 2024 and beyond.

Waiver Wire For Deeper Leagues (10-30% rostered)

Harold Ramirez, 1B/OF, Tampa Bay Rays (23% rostered)

In an all-important series against the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles, the Tampa Bay Rays took two of three games and brought themselves within a game of the division lead. The most convincing win of them all came on Friday night, when the Rays defeated the O's, 7-1, on the heels of a dominant outing from Zach Eflin and a big night from Harold Ramirez.

Ramirez's three-run bomb in the sixth inning capped off a two-hit, three-RBI outing. He doesn't play every day, but he's slashed a cool .368/.400/.789 in his last seven games, along with a pair of homers and seven RBI. Appearing in 110 games in 2023, the 29-year-old has quietly had a productive season at the plate. Overall, he's batted .304 alongside a .797 OPS, although it would be highly beneficial to the Rays if he could find his power stroke from the first half of the year.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 1B, Cincinnati Reds (28% rostered)

Although Christian Encarnacion-Strand hasn't been receiving as much playing time with Joey Votto back from the injured list and Jake Fraley being relegated to designated hitter duties, perhaps the Cincinnati Reds should consider starting him more. The 23-year-old has slugged .652 and reached base at a .440 clip with nine hits, including two home runs and five RBI in his last seven games.

Despite their struggles, Cincinnati is still in the hunt for a Wild Card berth. If Encarnacion-Strand can regain playing time by catching fire, Elly De La Cruz can find his power from the first half of the season, and Spencer Steer is able to cap off an impressive rookie campaign with a bang, it's possible the Reds could go on a run.

Deeper Waiver Wire Options to Consider (Under 10%)

Elehuris Montero, 1B/3B, Colorado Rockies (7% rostered)

The Rockies have long been out of the playoff picture, but they've played spoiler against the San Francisco Giants in the past few days. One of their hottest bats has come in the form of Elehuris Montero, who's slashed .360/.429/.560 with nine hits, a home run, and four RBI in his last seven games.

Montero was a hero on Friday night, as his walk-off single helped Colorado to a 3-1 win over the Giants during the same inning in which they lost their combined no-hit bid against San Francisco.

More Players to Consider

• Matt Vierling, 3B/OF, Detroit Tigers (6% rostered)
• Andruw Monasterio, 2B/3B/SS, Milwaukee Brewers (4% rostered)
• Miguel Rojas, 1B/SS, Los Angeles Dodgers (1% rostered)
• LaMonte Wade Jr., 1B/OF, San Francisco Giants (12% rostered)
• Ryan Noda, 1B/OF, Oakland Athletics (6% rostered)
• Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/OF, Baltimore Orioles (11% rostered)

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