We are halfway into the 2026 season. With injuries, underperformance, and the MLB trade deadline approaching, it can be common for managers to start to feel the grind of the MLB season, especially if you find yourself in the bottom half of the standings. Take a breath. It’s important to remember there is plenty of time to make a comeback. Just don’t call it a comeback and keep your eye on the prize. Without further ado, let’s look at a few waiver wire options that can help save a season.
Logan Henderson, SP — Milwaukee Brewers (41% rostered)
Despite some injury issues, Logan Henderson was fantastic during the 2025 season for both Triple-A Nashville as well as for the Brewers. Although he was used a bit as a yo-yo, being called up and sent down multiple times, he managed to post a 1.78 ERA in 25 innings. His 11.72 K/9 is pushing toward elite levels, while his 2.84 BB/9 proves he can hit his spots.
His 3.02 FIP does point to a very small amount of luck, but he quickly disproved that to start 2026 as he dropped his FIP down even further to 2.40, giving him a 2.23 ERA, 11.73 K/9 and a 2.61 BB/9 over 48.1 total innings at the big-league level between 2025-2026. He has a nasty changeup that he pairs with a fastball to keep right-handed hitters guessing and mixes in a cutter that can jam up lefties, as well as a slider he throws from time to time.
The risk with Henderson is his injury profile. He has had multiple issues with his elbow since 2022 and as recently as March was experiencing some soreness, which all too often can lead to more serious injuries. Funny enough, with as much concern as there is about his elbow, it ended up being his back that sidelined him thus far in 2026. During a dominant 5-inning shutout against the Dodgers on May 22nd, he tweaked his lower back and has been on the IL ever since.
Luckily for him, as well as your fantasy team, he seems to be on his way back. He recently made his first rehab appearance in Triple-A, striking out seven batters over three innings of work, so at first glance things seem to be going well. If he can continue to put up numbers anywhere close to his first 48 innings, he’ll be an asset in any type of league.
Kody Clemens, 2B/OF — Minnesota Twins (26% rostered)
Somewhat of a late bloomer, Clemens has shown that he has plenty of power to stick in the big leagues and has even improved in a few different areas this season. While he did hit 19 homeruns in only 348 at-bats, his batting line was a paltry .213/.281/.303. That’s going to absolutely kill any team in head-to-head category leagues.
This year has seen a much-improved line. While his bat speed is slightly down from last year, he is swinging more on both pitches inside and outside of the zone, allowing him to put the ball in play a bit more. Swinging outside of the zone is typically not the route to success but mix that with a big jump in average exit velocity (93rd percentile) and barrel percentage (80th percentile) and it make sense as to why he is seeing improvement.
The tradeoff is a lower walk percentage and a groundball rate that’s five percent higher than last year. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be affecting his homerun rate too much, as he is hitting about the same number of homeruns per at-bat as last year. If Clemens can hit 30+ homeruns from the second base position, even with an elevated groundball rate, it’s a trade many managers would be willing to make.
And that is exactly what Clemens is on pace to do. He is currently hitting .241/.303/.474 with 14 homeruns and 6 stolen bases in only 266 at-bats. The good news doesn’t stop there either. His current xBA is sitting at a cool .260, meaning there may be a little more upside in his bat still. And bringing down that groundball rate would almost certainly push him closer to a 40-homerun season.
Clemens’ positional eligibility also gives teams a chance to add power all throughout their lineup. Depending on the league, he is potentially available at 1B, 2B, LF, CF, and RF. If injuries are bogging down your lineup or you’re in need of some power, Clemens is a great mid-season depth pickup.
At 30, Clemens isn’t going to lock down a spot in any dynasty league but when you’re getting into the dog days of the MLB season, it’s not often you find a player on waivers that can deliver 30+ homer pop, while also contributing a bit of speed.
TJ Rumfield, 1B — Colorado Rockies (50% rostered)
I debated saving Rumfield for the last chance adds section of this piece, but since there is a 50/50 shot, he is available in your league, I figured he deserved his own spot considering how good his numbers have been.
Given his position there is a chance you may not have room for Rumfield, but his numbers thus far say he may deserve a spot. Among all first basemen, he currently ranks 2nd with a batting average of .293, behind only Freddie Freeman’s .294 average. He also ranks 6th in strikeout rate, which happens to be four spots above Freeman. This isn’t to say Rumfield is at all on par with the hitting ability of the future hall-of-famer, but he has been a very useful player in most leagues with a full slash line sitting at .293/.373/.487 with 12 homeruns.
While most may expect Coors Field to be doing a lot of work for Rumfield here, he actually has a higher average on the road this season and almost half of his homeruns have come on the road as well. So, while there isn’t too much to dream about in his statcast profile with a xBA at .247 and one of the worst exit velocities in baseball, his bat control gives you good reason to sleep well at night.
His strikeout rate is better than 85% of the league and his launch angle sweet-spot percentage is better than 77% of the league. Those things together give him the chance at consistently “hitting em where they ain’t” while mixing in a homerun every now and then. Perfect bench or injury replacement bat for the time being considering he is currently ranked as the 15th first baseman in OPS leagues.
Esmerlyn Valdez, 1B, OF — Pittsburgh Pirates (45% rostered)
Valdez was flying a bit under the radar in the Pirates farm system with all the hype surrounding Konnor Griffin, Seth Hernandez, and Bubba Chandler but he has burst onto the scene in 2026.
In 57 at-bats he is hitting .316/.375/.737 with six homeruns already. That’s one homerun every 9.5 at-bats. For context, Barry Bonds hit a homerun every 12.9 at-bats over his career…okay, maybe we’re getting a little carried away here, but you get the point. Valdez is obviously not Bonds, but he does have power in his own right.
Yes, it’s a very small sample size, but Valdez’s Statcast metrics run deep into the red. Specifically, hard-hit rate, barrel percentage, average exit velocity and xSLG are all better than 90% of the league right now. This is the type of profile one can dream on, but it’s not all pretty.
His current whiff rate and strikeout rate are sitting in the bottom 10% of the league at 37.8% and 32.8% respectively. So, there is plenty of room for regression on his current line. Valdez never really hit for a very high average in the minors, so expecting a .240-.250ish average with 25 homeruns is probably reasonable.
There is not a ton of competition for at-bats in the outfield right now until Oneil Cruz comes back, but he has already shot up to 45% rostered, so take advantage of the hot streak while you can. Same goes for dynasty. Valdez is only 22 years old, so he has plenty of time to solidify himself as a threat in the heart of the Pirates lineup. Worth the pickup off the waiver wire if you’re lucky enough to find him or are in a shallower league.
Heliot Ramos, OF — San Francisco Giants (38% rostered)
Ramos has been shelved since May 15th with a quad strain. With the likes of Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, and Willy Adames headlining the Giants struggling offense, Ramos tends to go a bit overlooked, even by his own fanbase.
This is undeserved though as he has come into his own over the last two seasons showing consistent power to all fields, above average contact rates and even a little speed on the basepaths. Where he lacks in having a single elite tool, he makes up for in being able to contribute a little bit across the board.
Injuries halfway through the season can be a real thorn in the side of many teams, but a guy like Ramos can provide a bit of low ceiling consistency when in between starters. In each of his full two seasons he averaged over 20 homeruns, over a .260 average and over five stolen bases. Call it nitpicky, but I call it consistent. Either way, it’s production nonetheless and serviceable in many situations, especially in deeper leagues.
With guys like Julio Rodriguez, Mike Trout, and Aaron Judge on the injured list, Ramos is a great option to bridge the gap in their absence. Go grab him if you need an outfielder.
Last Chance Adds:
Carter Jensen, C — Kansas City Royals (67% rostered):
Over the last month, Jensen has hit .298/.330/.558 with 6 homeruns, and a stolen base for good measure. If he is still available in your league, time to make a move.
Sam Antonacci, 2B, 3B, LF — Chicago White Sox (53% rostered):
All Antonacci has done since being last mentioned on a waiver article at The Baseball Effect is hit. Over the last month, he has hit .330/.433/.534 with four homeruns and three stolen bases. His ownership percentage has recently inched above 50%. Last call is now.
Waiver Wire Stashes:
Charlie Condon, 1B/OF — Colorado Rockies (7% rostered)
The more exciting of the two Rockies on this list, Condon, doesn’t have much else to prove in Triple-A. He is currently hitting .296/.419/.614 with 20 homeruns and five stolen bases over 277 at-bats. The Rockies’ current outfield and first baseman have performed well this year, but Condon is bound to break through soon enough. The power mixed with Coors is worth a stash in any league if there’s room.
Luis Lara, OF — Milwaukee Brewers (3% rostered)
Less than a month ago the Brewers and Lara agreed to a seven-year $31 million contract. This is usually an indication that a prospect will be fast tracked in one way or another to the big-league squad. Look at Cooper Pratt. So far in 2026, Lara has proven the Brewers right hitting .325/.435/.468 with eight homeruns and 23 steals in 280 at-bats. A speedster with a recent bump in power is well worth a stash spot on any deep roster. As with anything else, follow the money.
George Lombard Jr., SS — New York Yankees
A top 25 prospect, Lombard Jr. struggled in Triple-A during May hitting only .196 with two homeruns and six stolen bases. He turned the corner in June hitting .306 with another couple of homeruns and steals until the 16th when he was placed on the injured list with sprained fingers. He should be fine and back in the lineup soon enough, but with the trade deadline coming up and the Yankees in line as one of the favorites to trade for Tarik Skubal, Lombard Jr. is a top prospect everyone should be keeping an eye on.
Extra Innings
Don’t forget waiver adds are all about roster construction. Understanding what you are giving up and what you are getting will inevitably change how your team performs over the long haul. These are the moves that separate the playoff teams from the team waiting for next year’s draft. So do your best Billy Beane impression and go find some value where others see nothing.
*All stats as of June 3rd, 2026
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Photography by Tommy Russell
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