Welcome to the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Week 24 Waiver Wire.
With just a couple weeks left in the MLB regular season, Fantasy Baseball leagues have filtered out the members, with just a handful of remaining contestants, each hoping to be crowned champion. Fantasy managers have fought hard and long hours every day for the past 23 weeks to make it to this point, don't screw it up now. The players listed below are the hand-picked favorites for the week. They offer the best chances for Fantasy managers to gain the edge over their opponents in hopes of winning the grand prize.
This week on the Waiver Wire, three starting pitchers, including two rookies, make the list. Firstly, however, we start with a pitcher making his first big league appearance for the first time since April 2022 after recovering from Tommy John Surgery. Next is a trio of outfielders. One is a repeat pickup after shining in his first taste of MLB action. Lastly, a super-utility player has consistently made the Best of the Rest section but has yet to make it as a top Waiver add.
For our all-access members, an additional 27 batters and 25 pitchers are listed that can help you win the week and advance even further into the playoffs.
2023 Fantasy Baseball Week 24 Waiver Wire
John Means, SP, Baltimore Orioles
John Means is back on the mound for the first time in 517 days ? pic.twitter.com/2W5os4wupA
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 12, 2023
John Means made his 2023 MLB debut on Tuesday, September 12, against the St. Louis Cardinals. He last appeared in April 2022 before missing the next season and a half recovering from Tommy John Surgery. The lefty has a career 3.83 earned run average, with 7.69 strikeouts and 1.82 bases on balls per nine innings.
On Tuesday, Means picked up the loss after allowing two solo home runs and a sacrifice fly for three runs. Means lasted five innings, which is impressive given that he hasn't pitched in a Major League game in over a year. The 30-year-old ended with one strikeout and zero walks.
Means is a two-start pitcher this week and is tentatively scheduled to start on Monday at the Houston Astros and again on Sunday at the Cleveland Guardians. Over the last 15 days, the Astros offense ranks fourth in runs scored, first in OPS, and has the fewest strikeouts in MLB. On the other hand, the Guardians rank 28th in runs, 26th in OPS, and have the third-fewest strikeouts in this span.
Reese Olson, SP, Detroit Tigers
Reese Olson has strung together three straight quality starts, totaling 19.2 innings with just three earned runs. Olson has struck out 13 batters, allowing eight hits and five bases on balls. His most recent start was his most impressive. He struck out seven batters in six innings, with just two hits and four bases on balls. The only damage against him came from a solo home run off the bat of Spencer Steer.
Olson is scheduled to start on Tuesday versus the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles. It's unclear if he'll make his next start on Sunday or Monday. If It's Sunday, he will have much more value this week and will face the Oakland Athletics in Oakland. If it's Monday, he will be a two-start pitcher for the next week.
Olson's recent performances have brought his ERA down to 4.30 and his strikeouts per nine up to 8.9. The 24-year-old has four wins and seven losses across 19 games and 92 innings.
Matt Vierling, 3B/OF, Detroit Tigers
POUR IT ON.
First career grand slam for Matt Vierling! pic.twitter.com/0laN9vi35T
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 14, 2023
Matt Vierling is the first batter on the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Week 24 Waiver Wire. The outfielder has been spending a lot of time at third base recently, allowing him to play every day. Vierling has been on fire since the beginning of the month. Since September 1, he's slashing .375/.512/.656 with a 218 wRC+. Five of his 12 hits have gone for extra bases in this span (three doubles, two home runs).
Overall, Vierling's season has been extremely average. He's slashing .267/.332/.383 with a 98 wRC+ across 462 plate appearances and 118 games. He added 53 runs, 37 RBI, and six stolen bases. However, with his recent success at the plate, he has propelled himself into being one of the top Waiver Wire targets.
With multi-positional eligibility and a slim four percent roster percentage, Vierling has plenty to offer Fantasy managers. I'm willing to move on from Jake Burger, Ke'Bryan Hayes, and Eugenio Suarez at third base. Managers should look at James Outman, Josh Lowe, and Giancarlo Stanton regarding outfielders to give up in favor of Vierling.
Heston Kjerstad, OF, Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles promoted their third-ranked prospect, Heston Kjerstad. Kjerstad is the 24th-ranked prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com. The Orioles picked the prospect with the second overall selection in the 2020 MLB Draft.
The outfielder has appeared in two games, the first as a pinch hitter and the second as a starting outfielder. Thus far, he has gotten one hit (solo home run) in plate appearances. The 24-year-old has struck out twice as well.
FanGraphs rates Kjerstad as a power-first bat with an average to above-average hit tool. The power has already shown up, as his first MLB hit was a 418-foot home run. Expect more of this to come this week from the top prospect.
Evan Carter, OF, Texas Rangers
Evan Carter ties it up with his first MLB homer for the @Rangers! pic.twitter.com/QVnicLpKKn
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 11, 2023
Evan Carter makes the Waiver Wire for the second week in a row. I'm going to keep this one short and sweet for that reason.
Carter is the Rangers' number one prospect and a top-ten prospect in baseball. Since being promoted to the Majors, he is slashing .300/.423/.500 with a 152 wRC+. He's recorded six hits (one double, one home run), five runs, three RBI, and two stolen bases.
If anything, I am falling for the hype train even harder this week than last. After this impressive start to his career, I'm adding Carter anywhere he's still available. With a slim seven percent roster percentage, Carter is available in way too many leagues. Scoop him up now and watch the rookie lead your team to the championship.
Ryan Pepiot, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Ryan Pepiot has been a welcome addition to the rotation for the Dodgers and Fantasy managers. Serving up a 2.00 ERA, 7.33 K/9, and 0.67 BB/9, he is a must-add pitcher down the stretch.
He has a three-pitch mix (Fastball, Changeup, Slider) that isn't overpowering, but he has excelled in limiting hard contact (23.6%) and getting swings-and-misses (27.8% Whiff rate).
Pepiot will start against the Detroit Tigers at home on Wednesday. Over the past seven days, the Tigers are tied for tenth in runs and 12th in OPS. This lines Pepiot to pitch again on Monday or Tuesday and be a likely two-start pitcher in the next round.
Willi Castro, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Minnesota Twins
? WILLI CASTRO WHEELS ?#MLB || #MNTWINS || #LGM pic.twitter.com/vMlq2ItFvr
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) September 10, 2023
Last but not least is utility man Willi Castro on the 2023 Fantasy Baseball Week 24 Waiver Wire. Castro has been a weekly staple in the Best of the Rest section below. He is on pace for a career season with a .253/.328/.400 slash line, 31 stolen bases, seven home runs, 52 runs, 31 RBI.
The best part is the career-high 31 stolen bases. Castro's previous high was nine, which he got in 2022 and 2021 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. Next up is the run production. He is four runs and six RBI shy of tying his best mark for these categories. Castro is also just two home runs shy of tying his best mark for home runs (nine). I expect him to beat all these marks in the season's final weeks.
Since returning from the injured list earlier this month, Castro is on a tear. Since his return on September 3, he is slashing .324/.366/.622 with a 163 wRC+, two home runs, nine runs, four RBI, and two stolen bases.
He needs to be added in 12-team Fantasy Leagues. The switch-hitter is already having a career year, and now he is in a groove at the plate. He also is eligible to play nearly every position on the field. Castro is likely to only get better in the next couple of weeks and make his Fantasy managers happy.
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