Welcome back, RotoBallers! This article will discuss our fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for the outfield in Week 27, September 23 through September 29. If you're still reading in the final week of the regular season, then you are presumably competing for the championship. There is no margin left for error. Let's bring home the title.
With end-of-season rosters becoming increasingly challenging to keep up with, fantasy managers must get ready to adapt to evolving situations. Playing time opportunities are changing league-wide every day. This article will highlight the guys deserving more attention this week.
The names in this article are in order of rostered percentage and do not indicate a confidence ranking. Rostered percentages can change quickly, so check your leagues for availability.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and weekly lineup resources:- Fantasy baseball injury reports
- Fantasy baseball trade analyzer
- Daily MLB starting lineups for fantasy baseball
- Fantasy baseball BvP matchups data (Batter vs. Pitcher)
- Fantasy baseball PvB matchups data (Pitcher vs. Batter)
- Who should I start? Fantasy baseball player comparisons
- Fantasy baseball closer depth charts, bullpens, saves
- Fantasy Baseball live scoreboard, daily leaderboards
Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Standard Leagues
Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles (50% Rostered)
Colton Cowser ranks among the American League Rookie of the Year favorites and it's no great mystery why. The 24-year-old's campaign is headlined by a strong .774 OPS with 22 home runs. His first few months of the season were largely peaks and valleys, but Cowser has maintained consistent production in the second half with a .834 OPS and a 139 wRC+.
Cowser's 30.5% strikeout rate adequately underscores where he needs to improve, but it's hard to ignore the results when he does put the ball in play. His outstanding batted-ball metrics include a 13.5% barrel rate, .446 xSLG, 45.8% hard-hit rate, and a 90.3 MPH average exit velocity. Cowser has the ceiling to secure you a fantasy championship victory.
Heliot Ramos, San Francisco Giants (45% Rostered)
Heliot Ramos was a regular on this list early on in the season. Following a mild slump, he is suddenly available in over half of fantasy leagues for the first time in months, making Ramos one of the most potent bats you will see on the waiver wire. Overall, he sports a .800 OPS with 21 home runs and a 121 wRC+ this season.
Heliot Ramos becomes the first right-handed hitter in the 24-year history of Oracle Park to hit a home run into McCovey Cove! pic.twitter.com/CnTnvcibpD
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 15, 2024
Looking under the hood, Ramos' advanced numbers fully support his breakout campaign. The 25-year-old has generated a fantastic 15.4% barrel rate, .498 xSLG, 47.3% hard-hit rate, and a 91.3 MPH average exit velocity. The San Francisco Giants aren't playing for much now, but Ramos should remain a fixture in the lineup down the final stretch.
Parker Meadows, Detroit Tigers (22% Rostered)
To appreciate Parker Meadows, we need to tune out the overall numbers. He performed horribly early on in the season, batting .131 across 32 games in the first half. Since the All-Star break? Meadows has produced a .301/.345/.519 slash line with five home runs and a 143 wRC+.
Meadows has developed into one of the most important hitters in a Detroit Tigers lineup still competing for a playoff spot. He is presently operating out of the leadoff spot and should see every day playing through the final week of the season. Look to Meadows as a worthwhile source of consistent offensive production featuring home run and base-stealing upside.
Pavin Smith, Arizona Diamondbacks (21% Rostered)
Pavin Smith's 2024 campaign has been largely lost to injury, but since rejoining the Arizona Diamondbacks lineup, he has ranked among their most lethal offensive contributors. Since the beginning of September, Smith boasts an elite .356/.455/.822 slash line with a 235 wRC+, bringing him up to a .955 OPS overall this season.
While the sample size is smaller than others, Smith offers the most impressive Baseball Savant profile that you can find on the waiver wire. His incredible batted-ball metrics include a .543 xSLG, 14% barrel rate, .304 xBA, and a 45% hard-hit rate. Further, Smith is striking out at just a 16.4% clip, so it's not hard to figure out why he's been so successful.
Outfield Waiver Wire Adds - Deeper Leagues
Andrew Benintendi, Chicago White Sox (7% Rostered)
Andrew Benintendi has been a fantasy baseball write-off for the better part of three seasons now. However, while everyone was sleeping on him, the 29-year-old has quietly been his team's hottest hitter over the past couple of months. Since the All-Star break, Benintendi sports a surprising .837 OPS with 12 home runs and a 135 wRC+.
A WALK-OFF HOMER for Andrew Benintendi! 😤 pic.twitter.com/cKWzhtuV3v
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 15, 2024
Overall, Benintendi is up to 19 home runs this season, just one shy of his career-high total from 2017. After accumulating only 10 home runs over his past two campaigns combined, it appeared that his power stroke was gone. That said, Benintendi has clearly unlocked something with his approach and is a worthwhile streaming option for the final week.
Jesus Sanchez, Miami Marlins (7% Rostered)
Jesus Sanchez has been a regular mention on this list all season long. He hasn't reached the ceiling he's capable of, but Sanchez has remained a consistent producer throughout the campaign. Overall, he sports a strong .722 OPS with 17 home runs and 14 stolen bases.
While Sanchez's surface statistics aren't spectacular, his underlying numbers paint the picture of a much more prolific hitter. Sanchez's impressive batted-ball metrics include a .483 xSLG, 12.3% barrel rate, 51.4% hard-hit rate, and a 92.7 MPH average exit velocity. He's the type of hitter who will win you a championship if he catches fire at the right time.
Trevor Larnach, Minnesota Twins (2% Rostered)
This deep down on the waiver wire, Trevor Larnach might just be your best shot at finding a championship-winning upside. For the season, he carries a respectable .252/.333/.436 slash line with 15 home runs and a 120 wRC+. Larnach has been somewhat limited by a strong-side platoon all year, but he remains in the lineup on most days.
Similarly to Jesus Sanchez, Trevor Larnach's advanced metrics suggest an unrealized upside. He is striking the ball much better than the surface numbers tell us, producing a 92.2 MPH average exit velocity, .477 xSLG, 10.7% barrel rate, and a 44.7% hard-hit rate. Larnach is capable of catching fire.
More Players to Consider
- Joc Pederson, Arizona Diamondbacks (43% rostered)
- Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals (41% rostered)
- Starling Marte, New York Mets (41% rostered)
- Victor Robles, Seattle Mariners (32% rostered)
- JJ Bleday, Oakland Athletics (30% rostered)
- Jasson Dominguez, New York Yankees (29% rostered)
- Michael Toglia, Colorado Rockies (25% rostered)
- Hunter Goodman, Colorado Rockies (19% rostered)
- Matt Wallner, Minnesota Twins (17% rostered)
More Deep-League Players to Consider
- Juan Yepez, Washington Nationals (7% rostered)
- Ramon Laureano, Atlanta Braves (6% rostered)
- Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates (6% rostered)
- Hunter Renfroe, Kansas City Royals (4% rostered)
- Mike Yastrzemski, San Francisco Giants (3% rostered)
- Addison Barger, Toronto Blue Jays (2% rostered)
- Angel Martinez, Cleveland Guardians (2% rostered)
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!