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Jun 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pinch Esmerlyn Valdez (55) circles the bases on a solo home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Maintenance work is boring, but it is necessary. Our fantasy baseball seasons progress, and moves must be made to remain a title factor. Who can be picked up? Leave that to us. These players have strong reasons to be added from waivers to your team's roster.
1B, Luis Garcia Jr.
The Nationals have indulged in their offensive masterclass of a 2026 season. Their latest breakout star is Luis Garcia Jr., who ranks as the 4th best player in offensive rating in June, per Fangraphs. He is batting .279 with a .850 OPS and 16 home runs. Garcia Jr. is only available in 33% of leagues, but if he's in your league, pick him up now.
OF, Jake McCarthy
McCarthy broke out in 2024, and then flubbed his 2025 season with a .204 batting average. He is back in a big way for the Rockies, batting .304 with a .834 OPS and 13 stolen bases in 2026. He is available in 67% of leagues.
SP, Ryan Weathers
Weathers will not dish out Cy Young-caliber stuff, but he is very reliable. Weathers ERA in 2024, 2025, and 2026 are all between 3.60 and 4.00. In 2026, he is averaging about 1.1 strikeouts per inning. Weathers only has 3 wins in 15 starts, but he is averaging nearly 6 innings per start. The Yankees, who are 48-35 this year, are bound to get more wins from Weathers in the second half.
1B, OF, Esmerlyn Valdez
The Pirates' No. 9 overall prospect is off to a hot start. In 42 at-bats, Valdez is batting .262 with a 1.001 OPS, including 5 home runs. He has a plus-4 Batting Run Value and .370 xwOBA. The wave might as well be ridden. Valdez is available in 94% of leagues.
OF, Chase DeLauter
At one point, DeLauter was an AL Rookie of the Year favorite. He is now at odds of plus-5500. Nonetheless, DeLauter is playing great baseball. His 2026 season features 245 at-bats resulting in a .265 batting average, .746 OPS, and 7 home runs.
The better visual is his Statcast data. DeLauter is in the top-11% of MLB players in: Squared-Up %, Chase %, Whiff %, and K %. Over time, DeLauter will get better and better.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Esmerlyn Valdez Plus 4 Other Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (June 29).
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