The fantasy baseball regular season is rounding its final turn, making the waiver wire more important than ever. Meanwhile, the MLB All-Star Break is approaching, and the trade deadline is not far behind. With changes coming to World Series contenders, don’t be afraid to make changes to your team. Here are the top five fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for All-Star week.
Most leagues will combine the All-Star week with either the week before or after to create a longer matchup. Regardless of how your commissioner has it set up, those three games after the break will be crucial. Each of these players is claimed in fewer than half of ESPN fantasy baseball leagues. That means you are likely to find this player on your waiver wire and get the leg up on your league mates.
Who should you pick up for the longer matchup this week?
Top fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 16
Kody Clemens, Minnesota UTIL (Rostered: 0.7%)
The son of Roger Clemens, Kody Clemens, is a utility bat for the Minnesota Twins and raking for his new club. He started the year with the Philadelphia Phillies and was traded after a sluggish start. But in Minnesota, he is playing often and playing well. In 52 games, he has 11 homers and 23 RBIs. Six of those homers have come in the last 22 games, so he is heating up.
No one is going to confuse Kody’s career with Roger’s. But for fantasy baseball players, versatility is important. Clemens can play at first, second, or third base and has gotten time in the outfield. If you keep him on your bench and use him as an injury or off-night replacement, your team will be better off.
Pete Fairbanks, Tampa Bay closer (Rostered: 35.2)
The Rays are in the playoff race and should be going for it at the MLB trade deadline. If that changes over the next two weeks, closer Pete Fairbanks would be one of the players traded. That makes him a risk-free pickup this close to the trade deadline. On the field, Fairbanks has a 2.27 ERA and 15 saves in 17 opportunities.
The Rays come out of the All-Star Break with sets against the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox. That should provide a lot of wins for Tampa and a few save opportunities for Fairbanks. He has been dominant this year, and saves are hard to find in fantasy baseball.
Zach McKinstry, Detroit UTIL (Rostered: 29%)
The Tigers have been one of the best teams in baseball all season long because of their deep lineup. An unsung member of that lineup is Zach McKinstry, who is having an incredible summer. Since June 1, he has been hitting .318 with a .920 OPS. Combine that with positional versatility and Kerry Carpenter’s injury, and McKinstry is a great fantasy baseball pickup.
Despite not playing every day, McKinstry is putting up solid numbers for fantasy managers. He is available on most waiver wires despite hitting .310 this month. With the Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates coming up after the All-Star Break, this is a good time to pick up McKinstry.
Trevor Story, Boston SS (Rostered: 25.8%)
When Rafael Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants, Trevor Story was hitting .234 with a .638 OPS. Since then, he has been hitting .298 with a .901 OPS and nine of his 15 home runs. Shortstop is a hard position to find consistent production from, and Story has given that to fantasy baseball players since the Devers trade.
Despite the Devers trade, the Red Sox are firmly in the playoff race. If they make the postseason, Story will be a big reason why. While intriguing prospect names like Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer are out there, Story is the safer choice. The Red Sox come out of the break with a road trip against the Cubs and Phillies.
Cam Smith, Houston 3b/OF (Rostered: 25.7%)
The Astros have been firing on all cylinders without Yordan Alvarez in their lineup. A big reason why is Cam Smith, who was the key piece in the Kyle Tucker trade. In his rookie season, he is hitting .286 with seven homers and 39 RBIs. With some positional versatility and home run power, Smith should be an easy pickup for fantasy baseball players.
The Astros hit the road coming out of the All-Star Break, with sets against the Mariners and Diamondbacks coming up. Smith has been dominant against a lot of teams, and Houston has been crushing division opponents. Arizona has struggled on the mound this year, so this could be a big road trip for Smith, the Astros, and your fantasy baseball team.
