Deeper Hitter Pickups for Fantasy Baseball - Waiver Wire Report for Week 6

We’re rounding around week six of the fantasy baseball season. I know it takes some time to settle in, but there is no time to waste. Fantasy baseball necessitates hyper-vigilance, especially in deeper leagues where the waiver wires are quickly stripped of talent. This weekly article will outline the upcoming schedule, two-start pitchers, and a few waiver targets that are rostered in less than 5% of leagues.

It’s good practice to maximize at-bats and starts. A quick look at upcoming schedules for the sixth week of the MLB season could end up giving you the edge in this week’s play. There are plenty of two-start pitchers this week who should end up providing great value.

This article will discuss some deeper-league fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for week six, May 1 through May 7. Often, guys who make hot starts typically extend them until at least June, so even if it is just the sixth week of the season, the waiver wires are the hottest they’ll ever be. Rostered percentages can change quickly. So be quick to check your leagues for their availability. Key point - this list will focus on rostered players in less than 5% of Yahoo! leagues.

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Fantasy Baseball Schedule Outlook

This week has some great schedules to target for fantasy. We still haven’t gotten a team with eight games, and there are two teams with five games on the docket. Most teams are playing six games, but the few teams that are playing seven are great targets for at-bats this week.

In this week’s weather report: clear skies for most of the country, with spotty inconsequential showers in different American cities. However, two inches of rain in the Baltimore/DC area could put those Saturday games in some peril.

• 7 Games- BOS, TOR, WAS, NYM, CHC, ATL
• 6 Games - BAL, CWS, DET, KC, LAA, MIN, NYY, OAK, TB, TEX, MIA, STL, CLE, HOU, SEA, CIN, COL, LAD, MIL, PHI, PIT, SF,
• 5 Games - TEX, ARI

Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers

With the season settling in, there are starting pitchers of varying quality in this week’s two-start list. For more insight, check out Justin Raffone’s article on this week’s two-start pitchers.

• Bryce Elder (@ NYM, vs. BAL)
• Kyle Wright (@ MIA, vs. BAL)
• Drew Smyly (@ WAS, vs. MIA)
• Hayden Wesneski (@ WAS, vs. MIA)
• Luke Weaver (@ SD, vs. CWS)
• Ryan Feltner (vs. MIL, @ NYM)
• Tony Gonsolin (vs. PHI, @ SD)
• Sandy Alcantara (vs. ATL, @ CHC)
• Eric Lauer (@ COL, @ SF)
• Kodai Senga (vs. ATL, vs. COL)
• Joey Lucchesi (@ DET, vs. COL)
• Taijuan Walker (@ LAD, vs. BOS)
• Roansy Contreras (@ TB, vs. TOR)
• Blake Snell (vs. CIN, vs. LAD)
• Steven Matz (vs. LAA, vs. DET)
• MacKenzie Gore (vs. CHC, @ ARI)
• Trevor Williams (vs. CHC, @ ARI)
• Tyler Wells (@ KC, @ ATL)
• Corey Kluber (vs. TOR, @ PHI)
• Tanner Houck (vs. TOR, @ PHI)
• Cal Quantrill (@ NYY, vs. MIN)
• Michael Kopech (vs. MIN, @ CIN)
• Michael Lorenzen (vs. NYM, @ STL)
• Luis Garcia (SP) (vs. SF, @ SEA)
• Ryan Yarbrough (vs. BAL, vs. OAK)
• Griffin Canning (@ STL, vs. TEX)
• Domingo German (vs. CLE, @ TB)
• Logan Gilbert (@ OAK, vs. HOU)
• Calvin Faucher (vs. PIT, vs. NYY)
• Jose Berrios (@ BOS, @ PIT)
• Yusei Kikuchi (@ BOS, @ PIT)

Deeper Infield Waiver Wire Pickups

Joey Ortiz (SS), Baltimore Orioles

1% Rostered

Baltimore Orioles' seventh-ranked prospect Joey Ortiz made his debut this past Thursday. He drove in three runs off of a two-run single and a sacrifice fly. It's a continuation of his success at the Triple-A level, where he slashed .351/.396/.542 in 42 games. The 24-year-old has shown a rare comfortability at the plate for a rookie. If given more at-bats, he has the hitting tools to produce.

Ortiz is also touted by scouts for his defense. He managed to pull a slick move on Eric Haase in his debut, almost resulting in an out.

"ya you're out" <---- it almost worked! 😂 pic.twitter.com/OfquzO929u

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 27, 2023

If Ortiz can hit well enough in this series, he can secure a spot in the major-league lineup. He will get time by pushing Adam Frazier from second or securing a platoon with Gunnar Henderson, where he'll bat against lefties.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand (1B), Cincinnati Reds

4% Rostered

The Reds’ sixth-ranked prospect is tearing up Triple-A to start this season. Through five games, he is slashing .500/.538/1.083 with four home runs and nine RBI.

The occupants of the corner infield spots on the major-league team are Joey Votto, Wil Myers, and Spencer Steer. While the 25-year-old Steer will see regular plate appearances this season, the regressing Votto and Myers are uninspiring options at first. The Reds will likely want Encarnacion-Strand in the majors very soon.

Once in the majors, he should quickly supplant Joey Votto as the team’s starting first baseman. His incredible power will be on full display in the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark. Encarnacion-Strand is one of the best stashes available and should be productive when called up.

Enmanuel Valdez (2B), Boston Red Sox

0% Rostered

With starting second-baseman Yu Chang out for six weeks, the Red Sox have recalled infield prospect Enmanuel Valdez. He debuted on April 19 but was demoted when Yu Chang returned from the paternity list.

Valdez can flat-out hit. Through four games in the majors, he is slashing .364/.364/.455. In 2022, the 24-year-old slashed .296/.376/.542 with 28 home runs and 107 RBI. He hasn’t struggled at the plate in the majors and has held his own on defense. Valdez will turn in solid offensive production for at least the next month, and if he hits well enough, he’ll be at second for much longer.

Enmanuel Valdez with an RBI double off the Monster!

He continues to look impressive at the plate.

Red Sox now up 4-1! pic.twitter.com/fGBdLGe7vY

— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) April 29, 2023

Deeper Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups

Max Kepler (OF), Minnesota Twins

4% Rostered

Injuries have derailed the incredibly promising career of Max Kepler, but not all hope is lost for the 30-year-old. In his last 10 games, he is slashing .333/.385/.636 with two home runs and an average exit velocity of 95.4 mph. It's a travesty that Kepler hasn't been mass rostered because of this stretch, but that will change soon. Get him before he's off your waiver wires.

Victor Robles (OF), Washington Nationals

5% Rostered

Victor Robles has been one of the more disappointing players on this Nationals team throughout his tenure. The former top prospect has yet to reach the lofty expectations set for him. In 2022 he was brought to a new low, with a .260 wOBA and an abysmal 25.6% K rate in 132 games.

This season, Robles is showing flashes of the type of player many hoped he'd be. Through 26 games, he is slashing .268/.373/.338 with six stolen bases, a 14% K rate, and a 9.3% walk rate. Spectacularly, he holds a batting average of .476 against left-handed pitchers this season. Robles has reclaimed fantasy relevance and should be on rosters in deeper leagues.

Michael A. Taylor (OF), Minnesota Twins

2% Rostered

Michael A. Taylor has been a dependable outfielder throughout his nine-year career but has offered little offensive production.

But in his age-32 season, Taylor has made some improvements. He is currently slashing .244/.295/.427 with four home runs, 11 runs, and 11 RBI.
Admittedly, it isn't much to write home about, but he should be intriguing for deep-league players. An everyday player with improved pop is on rosters in most deep leagues.

Corey Julks (OF), Houston Astros

2% Rostered

A banged-up Houston outfield has resulted in the unexpected emergence of Corey Julks. The 27-year-old rookie has impressed, slashing .300/.306/.443 with two home runs and eight RBI in 72 plate appearances.

Despite being a largely unheralded prospect, Julks was producing at the Triple-A level with 31 homers, 22 stolen bases, and 89 RBI as a Sugarland Space Cowboy. Chas McCormick and Michael Brantley are still nursing injuries, so look to Julks for some fantasy production in the short term.

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