Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Last call to add Josh Rojas

I’m excited to cover the Waiver Wire column this week. Think of me as the cool supply teacher — the guy who lets you put your feet up on the desk, chew gum in class, and watch a movie. And since I’m just here for one day, I want to pack in as many educational nuggets as possible.

Here I come, with plenty of players and shorter write-ups than usual. Buckle up:

Josh Rojas (2B/SS/OF, 54 percent)

A popular sleeper in late March, Rojas was ice-cold to start the season before going 9-for-23 (.391) with four homers since April 29. The D-backs have been surprisingly productive offensively this season, and an effective Rojas would make them even more dangerous. The 26-year-old has just one steal this year, but he has fleet feet that could alive at any time.

Christian Walker (1B, 40 percent)

Another Arizona option, Walker recently returned from an extended IL stint. The slugger is unlikely to make a massive fantasy impact, but he has drawn all of his 2021 plate appearances from the No. 3 spot in a productive lineup, which gives him the potential to collect plenty of RBIs and runs in the coming weeks.

Brandon Belt (1B/OF, 22 percent)

Those in leagues where Walker is unavailable could look a little deeper down the list and consider Belt. The 33-year-old is off to a powerful start, producing six homers and 18 RBIs in 84 at-bats. Belt is striking out too often to help your batting average, but his .226 mark isn’t a major problem in the current landscape.

Brandon Crawford (SS, 7 percent)

Apparently, I have a thing for San Francisco Brandons this week. Crawford sits seventh among all middle infielders in HR+SB, having swiped three bags and gone deep six times. One of the few players who gets regular playing time in a platoon-heavy Giants lineup that is exceeding expectations, Crawford should be a solid source of counting stats.

Adolis Garcia (OF, 47 percent)

Garcia has emerged from the depths of the waiver wire to be one of this year’s early gems. And his powerful start (7 HR, 19 RBI) shouldn’t be too surprising, as the native Cuban produced 32 long balls and 96 RBIs in his 2019 Triple-A season. Regularly hitting cleanup, Garcia may be the most desirable hitter in this article.

Nick Senzel (OF, 26 percent)

A popular March sleeper who has thus far been a flop, Senzel showed small signs of life by batting .389 with a homer, a steal, and a 1.056 OPS in his past five games. I’m not sure if he can truly turn things around, but the outfielder is one of the few Cincinnati regulars on waivers and the team has the most favorable hitting schedule in baseball next week. If you’re going to give Senzel one more chance, an upcoming four-game series at Coors Field is the best time.

Rafael Dolis (RP, 35 percent)

After teasing fantasy managers with Julian Merryweather and Jordan Romano, the Blue Jays seem to have finally settled on a closer. Dolis fits a nice niche in their bullpen — he’s good enough to convert most of his save chances but isn’t so dominant that he could be better utilized in other roles. Merryweather won’t be back for several weeks and my guess is that Romano stays in a setup role.

Cole Irvin (SP, 36 percent)

Irvin deserves far more attention in fantasy circles, having posted a 1.42 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP across his past four starts. Overall, the left-hander owns a 34:5 K:BB ratio across 35 innings this season, and his xERA is slightly lower than his actual 3.09 mark.

Daniel Lynch (SP, 19 percent)

A first-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Lynch is coming to the Majors straight from High-A ball. While the big jump would normally be a cause for concern, fantasy managers need to be more open-minded coming off a 2020 season with no Minor League action. Lynch walked four batters in his debut, but his control skills were good at developmental levels and he could quickly make a sizable fantasy impact.

Shane McClanahan (SP, 25 percent)

McClanahan is arguably an even more exciting prospect than Lynch, having flashed triple-digit velocity across his initial two MLB starts. The left-hander posted a 10:2 K:BB ratio in his two outings, with the only caveat being that he tossed just eight innings. Talent is no issue with McClanahan, but usage volume will be the deciding factor of his fantasy value.

Garrett Richards (SP, 16 percent)

Richards rebounded from a miserable start to the season to post a 17:1 K:BB ratio across 12 innings of two-run ball in his past two starts. The right-hander owns a solid career 3.65 ERA and is backed by a strong Boston lineup, giving him plenty of upside if he has put his early season control woes behind him.

Griffin Canning (SP, 10 percent)

The Angels messed with Canning, and the results weren’t good.

The 24-year-old was decent in his initial two starts before being unexpectedly used in a relief outing and then returning to the rotation just four days later. Not surprisingly, his start on short rest was a disaster. Canning got back on track last time out, holding the Mariners to one unearned run while striking out nine. This talented youngster should be rostered in 12-team leagues.