Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Heriberto Hernández, Andrew Vaughn and Michael Petersen
FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
Heriberto Hernández (OF Marlins): Rostered in 11 % of Yahoo leagues
Although he did a pleasant job in 87 video games as a 25-year-old rookie in 2025, expectations weren’t excessive for Hernández coming into 2026. The Marlins deliberate to play him largely in opposition to lefties and then wound up sending him down on the finish of April after he opened the 12 months 10-for-63 with no homers. As it turned out, it was solely the briefest of stints in Triple-A. Hernández returned on May 7 and has since hit .275/.325/.588 with 13 homers in 55 video games. He’s been an on a regular basis participant the final three weeks with Owen Caissie harm.
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Hernández’s exit velocity numbers have been fairly spectacular all alongside; he at the moment boasts a 93rd percentile hard-hit price and an 86th percentile barrel price. He does swing and miss a lot, and his manufacturing has tailed off a few of late throughout the Marlins’ 12-game dropping streak, which ended Monday, however the whole package deal nonetheless appears fairly good. A pleasant shock is that he is gone 7-for-9 stealing bases (plus 3-for-3 in his 5 Triple-A video games). He has loads of pace — he is within the 86th percentile in dash pace — however he by no means stole greater than seven bases in seven minor league seasons.
Caissie will quickly return from his calf pressure to start out in opposition to right-handers, which may negatively have an effect on Hernández’s taking part in time. The Marlins, although, may wish to ship down Jakob Marsee to make room for Caissie. It’s additionally fairly attainable they will commerce a bat earlier than the deadline, retaining issues open for Hernández to proceed to play repeatedly. That they’re hitting him third even in opposition to right-handers in the intervening time looks as if signal.
Andrew Vaughn (1B Brewers): Rostered in 23 % of Yahoo leagues
Sometimes procrastination pays off, equivalent to while you’re gradual writing your Waiver Wire article as a result of it is 85 levels in your workplace and you discover out at 5:50 pm EDT, a time by which you’ve got usually posted mentioned article, that Jake Bauers has a fractured toe after fouling a pitch off himself throughout Monday’s recreation. That positively makes it time so as to add Andrew Vaughn in all leagues during which he is obtainable.
Just by observing his .310/.391/.491 line, it appears apparent that Vaughn ought to have been taking part in repeatedly for the Brewers already. However, he has actually taken to his platoon function this 12 months, hitting an unimaginable .379/.474/.667 versus lefties however a much more modest .267/.336/.381 in opposition to righties. He had somewhat regular splits over the course of his profession coming into the season; his profession OPS was .787 in opposition to lefties and .702 versus righties, and Vaughn looks as if an improved participant on the entire, even when he is largely exhibiting up in opposition to lefties. For occasion, his strikeout price this 12 months in opposition to righties is simply 14 %, down from 21 % for his profession. He’s additionally sacrificed little or no bat pace in vastly enhancing his strikeout and stroll price. It looks as if he needs to be simply high quality as a daily.
Vaughn may solely be a short-term pickup, relying on how a lot time Bauers misses, however repeatedly batting in the midst of one of many league’s most efficient lineups ought to make him notably helpful for the brief time period. Bauers’ harm may also make Luis Lara related in combined leagues for a spell till Sal Frelick returns.
Michael Petersen (RP Marlins): Rostered in seven % of Yahoo Leagues
With the Marlins prone to promote and Pete Fairbanks definitely one among their first decisions to go, Petersen makes for a worthy stash. The journeyman has emerged because the workforce’s prime setup man with Anthony Bender harm and is as much as 17 holds for a workforce whose closest has simply 13 saves. A Seventeenth-rounder within the 2015 draft who did not attain the majors for the primary time till 2024, Petersen has busted out at age 32, posting a 2.84 ERA and a 29 % strikeout price in 44 1/3 innings out of the Marlins pen. He has a 1.84 ERA in his final 20 appearances.
If there’s a problem with selecting up Petersen at this level, in addition to the seemingly minor forearm contusion he suffered Sunday, it is the chance that no contest will need Fairbanks. Still, the Marlins will most likely pay down his wage (he has about $5 million left on his $13 million contract) with the intention to make one thing occur. Fairbanks has a hidden 7.18 ERA this season, however his strikeout price stands at 30 %, and his velocity has held regular since final 12 months, when he had a 2.83 ERA for the Rays. A deal ought to occur, placing Petersen in line for saves at the least till Bender will get again. Bender, out for the reason that finish of June with a stress response in his shin, is again throwing and may return in mid-August. Still, he is most likely a commerce candidate, too, regardless of the harm. After all, he has a 2.35 ERA for the reason that begin of 2025, and the large contenders are all about loading up on aid arms for October.
Of course, Petersen may at all times go, too. That he is making the minimal and will not even be arbitration eligible subsequent 12 months means the Marlins are below zero stress to maneuver him. However, given their age, they will certainly be open to the chance if the appropriate supply comes alongside. Those in search of saves may at all times attempt ready and seeing what occurs on the deadline earlier than making a transfer right here. However, Petersen has been efficient sufficient that he may not final within the free agent pool.
Waiver Wire Quick Hits
-Pittsburgh’s Mason Montgomery nearly bought the RP slot over Peterson, and he’s most likely one of the best use of a roster spot at this very second. However, there is a good probability the Pirates will decide up a veteran closer-type reliever earlier than the deadline. It’s most likely for one of the best, since Montgomery is the workforce’s finest weapon to come back in and face powerful lefties previous to the ninth.
– Two Orioles place gamers have been additionally thought-about right here, however whereas I used to be initially leaning in the direction of that includes Christian Encarnacion-Strandthe workforce simply saved him out of the lineup for a second straight recreation on Tuesday. A .370/.414/.741 line with three homers in seven video games hasn’t earned him a lot simply but. Dylan Beavers may make extra sense as a pickup in the intervening time, because the Orioles have him main off in opposition to righties. He’s not going to excel in anybody class, however he can do some little bit of the whole lot if the taking part in time is there. Unfortunately, although, he has been caught on three of his 4 steal makes an attempt whereas batting .298/.377/.362 in 53 plate appearances this month.
