2024 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds: Max Kepler, Dean Kremer
Playing the waiver wire is crucial to fantasy baseball success throughout the season. Here's 6 players that should help bolster rosters.
Playing the waiver wire effectively is crucial to fantasy baseball success throughout the season. Each week of the 2024 campaign, this article will help pinpoint which players are readily available to be picked up in most formats. All of them should help bolster fantasy rosters in the short and/or long term.
***Players included on the list below were rostered In less than 70 percent of Yahoo! Leagues at the time of writing. Stats are up to date through May 7.
Hitters
Max Kepler – OF – Minnesota Twins (30%)
Unfortunately, an early IL stint derailed the start of Kepler’s 2024 campaign after just five games. Since returning on April 22, however, the veteran slugger has been absolutely rolling at the dish. He’s hit safely in 13 of 14 games, coming up with multiple base knocks in seven of them. He’s also riding a streak of four-straight two-hit games coming into play Wednesday.
Overall during this stretch, Kepler has mashed his way to an eye-popping 1.243 OPS with two homers, seven doubles, and 11 RBI. He’s also walked (7) more than he’s struck out (4). Expect the RBI to keep coming from Kepler and, based on his track record, the homers should pick up a little too.
Luis Garcia Jr. – 2B – Washington Nationals (34%)
Garcia was recommended as a waiver pickup in this weekly article a couple of weeks back, and though his rostered rate has notably gone up, it’s still not high enough. He’s dealt with a wrist issue in recent days, but even that has not been able to cool off his hot bat.
Garcia turned in a stellar four-hit performance this past Sunday which included his third homer of the season and second of the month. In May, he’s now gone 8-for-15 with eight RBI, four runs, and two steals. In that small sample, he’s hammered pretty much everything thrown at him, recording a 93.9 avg EV and 72.7 HardHit%.
Josh Rojas – 2B,3B – Seattle Mariners (15%)
Since he typically sits against left-handed pitchers, Rojas is basically a target for deeper formats. However, with the way he has been hitting lately, his overall rostered rate has climbed and will likely continue to do so.
Rojas took over the leadoff spot, against righties at least, in the Mariners lineup when J.P. Crawford (oblique) hit the IL a couple of weeks ago.
Since then, Rojas has put up a ridiculous .400/.475/.714 slash line with five extra-base hits (2 HR), four RBI, six runs, and two steals. He’s also picked up multiple hits in three of his last four games, going 8 for 17 in that recent span. Last year’s struggles seem to be fully behind him.
Pitchers
Dean Kremer – SP – Baltimore Orioles (35%)
With wins being such a volatile stat in today’s game, it’s not too often that a starting pitcher earns three in a row. However, that’s exactly what Kremer has accomplished over the past couple of weeks. It certainly helps to be supported by a loaded lineup like that of the Orioles, but Kremer has been dealing nonetheless.
Across those last three starts, Kremer has cruised to the tune of a 1.96 ERA and 0.76 WHIP while holding opposing batters to a .133 AVG. His 20-to-6 K/BB ratio in 18.1 innings is excellent as well and marks a notable uptick. Can he keep it going? Well, a 47.5 GB%, 72.7 Contact%, and 11.5 SwStr% in this stretch are quite encouraging improvements over career norms.
Trevor Williams – SP – Washington Nationals (16%)
It’s difficult to trust a guy like Williams given his extended track record of mediocrity, but, right now, he’s got everything working. It’s one thing to shut down the Marlins in Miami’s pitcher-friendly environment, as Williams did back on April 26. However, he’s most recently passed tests on the road against the Rangers and then at home opposite the Orioles on Tuesday night.
In those two May starts, Williams has not been scored upon over 10 frames, allowing just seven hits and four walks (1.10 WHIP) while recording a 57.7 GB%. He also struck out a season-high eight batters Tuesday. His 1.96 ERA on the season is unsustainable, but a 3.26 xERA suggests he’s been more than just lucky. Williams really shouldn’t be overlooked any longer, at least in the short term.
Trevor Megill – RP – Milwaukee Brewers (21%)
The latest in the merry-go-round of closing options for the Brewers so far this season, Megill has nailed down three saves since April 25 and two over the past five games. He’s turned in five straight scoreless outings coming into play on Wednesday, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out four over five frames in that span.
Armed with high-90s heat and a good curve, Megill is sporting a strong 13.1 SwStr% while limiting the opposition to a 71.9 Contact%. He may just be the one to stick at the back of the bullpen for the Brewers until Devin Williams (back) returns.
Written by
Nate Miller is a feature writer at FantasyPros and Just Baseball. He has been an analyst in the fantasy sports industry for the past decade, covering…