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10 hours ago
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The Return Trends At B.O.S. Better Online Solutions (NASDAQ:BOSC) Look Promising
If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out for. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in B.O.S. Better Online Solutions' (NASDAQ:BOSC) returns on capital, so let's have a look. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for B.O.S. Better Online Solutions, this is the formula: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.14 = US$3.5m ÷ (US$38m - US$13m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2025). So, B.O.S. Better Online Solutions has an ROCE of 14%. By itself that's a normal return on capital and it's in line with the industry's average returns of 14%. See our latest analysis for B.O.S. Better Online Solutions Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for B.O.S. Better Online Solutions' ROCE against it's prior returns. If you're interested in investigating B.O.S. Better Online Solutions' past further, check out this free graph covering B.O.S. Better Online Solutions' past earnings, revenue and cash flow. We like the trends that we're seeing from B.O.S. Better Online Solutions. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 14%. The company is effectively making more money per dollar of capital used, and it's worth noting that the amount of capital has increased too, by 66%. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, a combination that's common among multi-baggers. To sum it up, B.O.S. Better Online Solutions has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. And with a respectable 59% awarded to those who held the stock over the last five years, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue. If you want to continue researching B.O.S. Better Online Solutions, you might be interested to know about the 2 warning signs that our analysis has discovered. While B.O.S. Better Online Solutions isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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15-06-2025
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Shelby Miller is closing again, Abraham Toro is on fire
Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season. The premise is pretty straightforward. I'll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I'll list the category where I think he'll be helpful or the quick reason he's listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs. Advertisement For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, 'These players aren't available in my league,' and I can't help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they're available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types. MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani & Bobby Witt Jr. lead Top 300 rest of season ranks Roman Anthony makes a big jump after getting the call to Boston, and CES returns to the rankings. Waiver Wire Hitters Roman Anthony - OF, BOS: 65% rostered (TOP PROSPECT, RECENT CALL-UP) Advertisement Anthony doesn't qualify for this list, but he was just promoted on Monday, so it feels like I need to at least address my expectations for the top prospect in baseball. The 21-year-old hit .288/.423/.491 with 10 home runs, 45 runs scored, 29 RBI, and three steals in 58 games at Triple-A, which should be enticing on its own. Anthony has also never posted a swinging strike rate above 9% at any point in the minors, except for 50 games at High-A in 2023, which will aid his adjustment to the big leagues. He has already demonstrated the ability to hit MLB pitching hard, and I believe he can be a solid asset with a decent batting average, power, and the ability to swipe 5-10 bases. He's going to sit against most lefties, at least for now, so keep that in mind, but he should be added in all formats. Evan Carter - OF, TEX: 32% rostered (POST HYPE PROSPECT, HOT STRETCH) Kennedi Landry had a good piece on Evan Carter the other day, highlighting some of the changes that have led to his strong performance since coming off the He admitted to putting a lot of pressure on himself after his injury, and cited playing looser and feeling like he had a better mental approach at the plate. In the 10 games since being activated, he's gone 11-for-27 with three homers, eight RBI, two steals, and a 4/4 K/BB ratio. He's now hitting .283/.368/.517 on the season, with four homers, 10 RBI, 13 runs scored, and five steals. We do know that Texas is not likely to play him against many lefties, so that could limit his value in weekly leagues, and he seems to get banged up quite frequently, so he remains an injury risk, but Carter is just 22 years old and has plenty of fantasy juice if he can stay healthy. Another underrated platoon outfielder is Trevor Larnach - OF, MIN (20% rostered). Larnach is hitting well over the last month and will bat in the middle of the order against all right-handed pitchers, but it can be hard to roster players that we know are going to sit against lefties. Alejandro Kirk - C, TOR: 32% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, BELATED BREAKOUT?) Advertisement We've been waiting for the Alejandro Kirk breakout for quite some time, but the 27-year-old has been on fire of late, going 19-for-46 (.413) over his last 11 games with two home runs, nine RBI, and six runs. We know he's going to play at least 75% of the games for Toronto, and this is a team that has been playing well of late as well. Hitting fourth in the order now gives him plenty of opportunity for RBIs, and I like Kirk as an add in all formats if you need a catcher, but just keep expectations in check for his power ceiling. Abraham Toro - 1B/2B/3B, BOS: 31% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, HOT STRETCH) Listen, we know this isn't likely to last, but Toro is just 28 years old and was an intriguing prospect when he was coming through the minors. He's had some hot stretches before, and he's on a pretty good run of late, batting .350 over his last 23 games with four home runs, 14 runs scored, and 11 RBI. More importantly, he's starting regularly at first base for Boston and likely will continue to do so as long as he's hitting well. As we get closer to the trade deadline, it's possible that Toro could be replaced by somebody the Red Sox trade for, but if Toro is still starting and producing in a month, you'll have already earned value on picking him up. A deeper league multi-position add is Otto Kemp - 2B/3B, PHI (3% rostered). The 25-year-old has gotten off to a slow start since being called up by the Phillies, but he's playing first base pretty much every day while Bryce Harper is on the IL. Kemp has been a fixture in our Rotoworld blurbs because he has been crushing Triple-A to the tune of a .313/.416/.594 slash line in 58 games with 14 home runs and 11 steals. He has always posted high swinging strike rates in the minors, and the overall contact rate was just 67% in Triple-A, so don't expect a good batting average, but the power and speed are legit. Jo Adell - OF, LAA: 28% rostered (POWER UPSIDE, POST-HYPE PROSPECT) Advertisement I know we've done this a bunch with Adell in the past, and I'm not sure I buy it, but I do feel the need to point out that he's been playing well of late. Over his last 35 games, Adell is batting .276/.372/.612 with 10 home runs, 17 runs scored, and 19 RBI. More importantly, he has just a 23% strikeout rate over that span, with a 50% hard-hit rate and 11 barrels. We've seen Adell have short stretches of improved contact in the past, so there's no guarantee that this sticks, but if it does, he will be a huge fantasy asset, so he's worth adding while he's running hot. A deep league option primarily for batting average is Jake Meyers - OF, HOU (8% rostered). Earlier this season, I published an article on hitters who were being more aggressive and swinging at the first pitch more often this year than last year. Myers popped up for me on that leaderboard, and I explained in detail why I'm a fan of his new approach, so you should read that article to check out the analysis; however, I think he's a solid add for steals and something close to a .280 batting average. Nick Kurtz - 1B, ATH: 24% rostered (RETURN FROM THE IL, POWER UPSIDE) Nick Kurtz didn't set the world on fire this week in his return from the IL, but there is plenty of talent in his bat. He was heating up before landing on the IL with a strained oblique, hitting four home runs in his last five games before the injury. The talented rookie returned to the lineup on Monday, and we know that offense is going to pick up in Sacramento as the weather warms, so I'd be trying to add him in any leagues where he's still available. I'm actually surprised Kurtz is rostered in so many fewer leagues than Christian Encarnacion-Strand - 1B, CIN (35% rostered). Kurtz is a higher-rated prospect and is in a similarly strong environment. We know CES is going to play almost every day for the Reds, and we know that he flashed solid power skills in the minors. However, he has also had strikeout issues since being promoted to the big leagues and is not a lock to produce, given his career stats. He came off the IL like a house on fire and then went 3-for-17 in his next five games, which is emblematic of what we should expect from him. He's well worth a gamble given his power upside now that he's back and healthy, but I'd still rather have Kurtz. Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS: 23% rostered (EVERY DAY JOB, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Advertisement I've had Meidroth in this column for weeks, and I'm going to keep him here because he has multi-position eligibility and great batting average upside with some steals thrown in for good measure. In 30 games since May 11th, Meidroth is hitting .310/.385/.397 with 13 runs scored, five steals, two home runs, and a 16/14 K/BB ratio. He's another hitter I'm highlighting on here who is making good swing decisions and succeeding due to a strong understanding of the strike zone. He had never stolen more than 13 bases in a season at the minor league level, so that number is a bit shocking to me, but he can run a bit and is a smart baseball player on a bad team that has no problem taking chances on the bases. Meidroth is also hitting leadoff and playing every day, so he could accumulate runs and steals while hitting for a solid batting average. Another option for similar skills is Ernie Clement - 2B/SS/3B - TOR (19% rostered). Over the same period since May 11th, Clement is hitting .316/.352/.500 with four home runs, 18 runs scored, 12 RBI, and an 8/6 K/BB ratio in 31 games. Even with Andres Gimenez back, Clement is still an everyday player, just at 3B now. The 29-year-old has proved himself to be a solid batting average asset last season, and his multi-position eligibility makes him valuable in deeper leagues. Parker Meadows - OF, DET: 19% rostered (POWER/SPEED UPSIDE, RETURN FROM THE IL) Meadows has struggled a bit since coming off the IL, but I often think that we're too quick to turn away from a player just because he doesn't hit the ground running. Adjusting to MLB pitching is hard, even if you've been at this level before. Meadows was out for almost three months; it's going to take some time for him to get his rhythm back. He's a talented hitter and is playing pretty much every day in Detroit. Scoop him up before he gets hot. On the flip side, Matt Wallner - OF, MIN (13% rostered) has been hot since returning from the IL, or has at least seen his power return to previous form with three home runs in his last 10 games. The power is exactly what you're looking for with Wallner, and he's been batting cleanup against righties, which should provide solid counting stats. I think the batting average will tick up a bit as well and maybe settle closer to about .250. Marcelo Mayer - 3B/SS, BOS: 19% rostered (RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Advertisement Last week, I mentioned that Mayer was off to a slow start to his MLB career and may be a better real-life player than a fantasy player. While I still think that's true, Mayer has shown a bit more power this season and then put that on display with his two-homer game against the Rays on Wednesday. Sadly, he and Roman Anthony are going to sit versus most left-handed pitchers, which can make it harder to roster him in weekly lineup lock leagues. His teammate, Trevor Story - SS, BOS (32% rostered), is also heating up after a horrible May. Story is hitting over .319 in 12 games in June with two home runs, two steals, and 12 RBI. He's going to be in the lineup every day for Boston and has nine home runs and 10 steals on the year, so there is some power and speed here as well. He's prone to some cold stretches, but he remains a solid fantasy asset. Jeff McNeil - 2B/OF, NYM: 11% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, SURPRISING POWER) I think most people wrote off Jeff McNeil as a fantasy-relevant player when he was hurt earlier in the year, but he has been great for the Mets since coming off the IL, hitting .268 with 22 RBI, 13 runs scored, and one stolen base through his first 144 plate appearances this season. However, he has been heating up of late, along with this entire Mets offense, going 16-for-47 (.340) in his last 13 games. The multi-position eligibility is also helpful, and while I think McNeil will be primarily a batting average asset, he is showing some surprising power this year as well. Brooks Lee - 2B/3B/SS, MIN (4% rostered) is another solid multi-position eligible player who has remained in the lineup even as the Twins have gotten healthy. With Royce Lewis seemingly headed to the IL with yet another lower body injury, that should keep Lee as an everyday player in Minnesota. The power and speed numbers aren't going to be great, but he'll chip in a few and then add solid counting stats in a decent lineup. Kyle Teel - C, CWS: 11% rostered (PROSPECT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Advertisement Kyle Teel was promoted last weekend and has started every game but one at either catcher or DH. It seems like he's getting a chance to supplant Edgar Quero, who was fairly average in his first 39 MLB games and provided below-average defense. Teel also may have more offensive upside, slashing .295/.394/.492 in 50 games at Triple-A with eight home runs and seven steals. He's gone just 4-for-18 to begin his big league career, but he's worth a look in all two-catcher leagues. If you're looking for an option in a two-catcher format, you can go with Carlos Narvaez - C, BOS (20% rostered), who has not only emerged as the starting catcher in Boston but one of the better rookies in the AL. He was known primarily for his plus defense when he was acquired from the Yankees in a trade this off-season, but he's hitting .347/.448/.541 over his last 30 games with three home runs, 19 runs scored, and 13 RBI. He provides top-tier defense behind the plate and is going to start about two-thirds of the games for the Red Sox while hitting near the middle of the order. Nolan Schanuel - 1B, LAA: 11% rostered (BATTING AVERAGE ASSET, POTENTIAL POWER GROWTH) I've always liked Schanuel. He has tremendous plate discipline. He makes an elite amount of contact. He pulls the ball enough to do damage, and I think he's trying to be more selective in getting pitches he can drive. The power numbers aren't great, but Schanuel now hits at the top of a batting order that includes Zach Neto, Mike Trout, Jorge Soler, Taylor Ward, and Logan O'Hoppe. It's not a bad spot, and if your primary goal isn't power, then I think Schanuel could be a good bet for you. Same goes for Ty France - 1B, MIN (7% rostered), who remains the starting first baseman in Minnesota with a solid 8.4% barrel rate. He has less speed than Schanuel does and similarly modest power, but his batting average will be helpful, and he'll chip in enough in the counting stats to help you in deeper formats. Christian Moore - 2B, LAA: 8% rostered (PROSPECT CALL-UP, POWER/SPEED UPSIDE) Advertisement The Angels announced on Friday that they would be calling up Christian Moore. Shockingly, Moore is now the FOURTH player from last year's draft class to already make his MLB debut, along with Nick Kurtz, Jac Caglianone, and Cam Smith. Moore struggled to start the season in Double-A, but was playing solid in Triple-A and now has a .279/.374/.422 slash line in 54 games across Double-A and Triple-A with five home runs and eight steals. He also has a 14% swinging strike rate and just a 70% contact rate, so that tells us there will be swing-and-miss issues in the big leagues. Maybe expect a .240 average but with some intriguing power and speed hitting near the bottom of a solid but not great lineup. I get wanting to add him for his upside, but it does feel like more of a deep league target. Ryan Ritter - SS, COL (1% rostered), is another rookie who has stepped into a full-time role with Ezequiel Tovar on the IL with an oblique injury. Ritter was crushing at Triple-A with a .305 average with 16 home runs, 43 RBI, and three steals in 52 games. His contact rate was under 73% in Triple-A, which isn't ideal and makes me think the batting average will be a fair bit lower in the big leagues. I don't think he'll be up for long, but in deeper formats, he could be worth a gamble if you need a MIF. Mike Tauchman - OF, CWS: 6% rostered (OFF THE IL, PLAYING TIME GUARANTEE) Tauchman has been playing every day for the White Sox, batting leadoff and hitting .297/.410/.547 in 18 games since coming off the IL with three home runs, 12 runs scored, and 10 RBI. We've seen Tauchman be a solid deeper league fantasy asset in the past, and his plate discipline metrics are really strong so far this year. He will sit against most lefties, and doesn't play on a really good offense, so that caps some of the counting stats upside. However, in deeper formats, I think Tauchman is worth a look given his solid performance and consistent role. Despite the fact that I think the rule is stupid, Jurickson Profar - OF, ATL (14% rostered) is allowed to play in rehab games even though he was suspended 80 games for breaking league rules. Whatever. It's dumb. But he can return on July 2nd and figures to be the regular left fielder in Atlanta. If you have space to stash him now, that might not be a bad idea in deeper formats. Thairo Estrada- 2B, COL: 6% rostered (OFF THE IL, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Advertisement Estrada was a big late-round favorite of mine early in the season after he signed with Colorado. I think he hurt his fantasy value by playing through injury last year, but he's a .270 15/15 type of talent who will now be playing in Coors Field. A fractured wrist could impact some of that power, and Estrada is certainly going to be a better bet when Colorado is at home. However, I believe he could be a solid source of batting average and speed while being the likely everyday starter at second base for the Rockies. We've also seen Tyler Freeman - SS/OF, COL (3% rostered) emerge as the regular right fielder for the Rockies since being called up. He has hit .299/.367/.448 in 28 games with five stolen bases. Freeman had a solid enough season last year for Cleveland, and moving to Colorado should help him. Freeman makes a lot of contact, but the hard contact is limited, and his BABIP has been low in years past. Coors Field tends to boost BABIP, so Freeman could emerge as a .260-.270 hitter with some decent speed and multi-position eligibility. Alek Thomas - OF, ARI: 1% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) I had Thomas on here a bunch earlier in the season and, admittedly, dropped him in a few formats because his lack of power and speed really limit his fantasy viability. However, we have seen his power tick up a bit lately, with him having two home runs in his last 12 games. I don't think Thomas will become a power hitter, so he's probably more of a target if you need some batting average. Wenceel Pérez - OF, DET (1% rostered), who is hitting .280/.315/.540 in 16 games this season with three home runs, six RBI, and eight runs scored. He also hit .242 with nine home runs and nine steals in 112 games as a rookie last season. He's been playing a lot of right field with Kerry Carpenter shifting to DH and Colt Keith riding the bench a lot, and that could be how Detroit approaches this moving forward. He's likely only going to play four games a week, so it's more of a daily moves play or a stash and hope he takes Keith's place permanently. Waiver Wire Pitchers Jacob Misiorowski - SP, MIL: 45% rostered Much like Anthony, Misiorowski doesn't technically qualify for this list, but he made his MLB debut on Thursday, so I wanted to take the time to discuss him here because, man, that was an impressive showing. He regularly hit triple digits with his fastball and had solid command after his cutter/slider, which he can also use to get ahead. The curveball command was spottier, but it has good break, and then he also ripped off a few 90 mph changeups that got some swings-and-misses to lefties. Epect some inconsistency because he's a rookie with a spotty track record of command, but by all mean,s go out and grab him. Advertisement Mick Abel - SP, PHI: 39% rostered It turns out, Abel's stay in the rotation is going to be longer than some assumed when he was called back up last week. Aaron Nola's ribcage strain is going to prevent him from even throwing for the next two weeks, and then he'll need to build back up to bullpens before going on a rehab assignment. That means Abel may have another month before his spot in the rotation is in jeopardy. I'm not sure his ceiling is exceptionally high right now, but he has a deep pitch mix and seems comfortable attacking the strike zone, so I don't see him putting up too many stinkers for you either. Shane Smith - SP, CWS: 34% rostered It's rare you see a pitcher with a 2.37 ERA and 23% strikeout rate across 68.1 innings be rostered in so few leagues. But I guess that's what happens when you're on the White Sox. Smith has slowed a little bit of late, with two poor starts against the Mets and Mariners, but bounced back this week against the Tigers a bit. He has gone six innings only three times this season and has only two wins, so that can make him tough to start, but the ratios and strikeouts have been pretty good these past 6 weeks. Also, just some respect for Smith's teammate Adrian Houser - SP, CWS (18% rostered), who has a 2.15 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 29.1 innings for the White Sox this season. It's still Houser, and he pitches for the second-worst team in baseball, so there's not tons of upside here, but he's been really good so far and he'll likely be traded at the deadline, so maybe he ends up somewhere he can be more useful. Shelby Miller - RP, ARI: 34% rostered Justin Martinez is out for the season as he deals with a UCL injury, and AJ Puk just suffered a setback in his rehab, so Shelby Miller is going to be the primary closer in Arizona for a while. With Corbin Burnes also out for the season, there's a chance that the Diamondbacks actually sell at the deadline, which means it's unlikely they bring in competition for Miller. The question is whether or not Miller himself gets dealt. It also seems like Calvin Faucher - RP, MIA (9% rostered) has taken the closer role in Miami again. I'm not sure how many saves you're going to get out of this, and Miami can't seem to settle on one guy, but if you're hurting for saves, Faucher could be a solid option. Quinn Priester - SP, MIL: 26% rostered Priester has been on a tremendous run of late, pitching to a 2.54 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. He's still more of a match-up play than anything, but I thought he was worth highlighting here. Advertisement Edward Cabrera - SP, MIA: 21% rostered Cabrera looked so good early in his start against Washington on Friday, but then he got stepped on while covering first base and was clearly laboring. He allowed a home run immediately after the injury and was then removed from the game. Provided his injury isn't anything major, I remain very interested here. The right-hander has long tantalized with his upside and disappointed with his command, but he is making some pitch mix changes that caught my attention. I dug into him for my starting pitcher news column last week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for a more detailed breakdown. Robert Garcia - RP, TEX: 19% rostered Garcia is now the closer in Texas. I think. I have no idea. He has four saves in the last month and has had the last few save chances for Texas, but his ratios have been really problematic. Now, some of that is connected to a "blown" a save against the Rays last weekend, which was one of the unluckiest blown saves I've seen with TWO runners scoring on THE SAME infield single. Two of the three hits Garcia gave up in that inning were infield singles. It feels like a fluky poor performance. However, Chris Martin - RP, TEX (21% rostered) is also returning from the IL and could get back into the closer conversation as well, but nobody has seemed to want Martin to close during his career, and you have to wonder whether or not that has something to do with his preference. Michael Kopech - RP, LAD: 14% rostered Kopech has come off the IL and pitched the ninth for the Dodgers and then also walked three batters in one inning in the seventh. We have no idea what his role is going to be, but Los Angeles seems likely to have a right-handed complement to Tanner Scott, and maybe that's Kopech. However, Alex Vesia - RP, LAD (19% rostered) also picked up a save this week and while that was mainly due to matchups, he's been good this year and maybe can help you with your ratios while getting a handful of saves. David Festa - SP, MIN: 7% rostered With Pablo Lopez and Zebby Matthews both hurt, David Festa is locked into a rotation spot in Minnesota. Perhaps more importantly, he was also allowed to pitch six innings in his last start, and it seems like Rocco Baldelli may loosen the leash on him a bit. There remain some command concerns, but Festa has upside if you're swinging for the fences. Advertisement Hunter Dobbins - SP, BOS: 4% rostered Dobbins was featured in an article I wrote this week that highlighted starting pitcher targets for the second half of the fantasy baseball season. Check that out for the details on why I like Dobbins, but you maybe also saw that for yourself last night. Grant Taylor - SP/RP, CWS: 3% rostered The White Sox flame-throwing prospect is up and pitching out of the bullpen for now. Taylor has legit electric stuff, and I think he could be closing for the White Sox in short order. STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order)
NBC Sports
15-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Shelby Miller is closing again, Abraham Toro is on fire
Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season. The premise is pretty straightforward. I'll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I'll list the category where I think he'll be helpful or the quick reason he's listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs. For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, 'These players aren't available in my league,' and I can't help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they're available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types. Matthew Pouliot, Waiver Wire Hitters Roman Anthony - OF, BOS: 65% rostered (TOP PROSPECT, RECENT CALL-UP) Anthony doesn't qualify for this list, but he was just promoted on Monday, so it feels like I need to at least address my expectations for the top prospect in baseball. The 21-year-old hit .288/.423/.491 with 10 home runs, 45 runs scored, 29 RBI, and three steals in 58 games at Triple-A, which should be enticing on its own. Anthony has also never posted a swinging strike rate above 9% at any point in the minors, except for 50 games at High-A in 2023, which will aid his adjustment to the big leagues. He has already demonstrated the ability to hit MLB pitching hard, and I believe he can be a solid asset with a decent batting average, power, and the ability to swipe 5-10 bases. He's going to sit against most lefties, at least for now, so keep that in mind, but he should be added in all formats. Evan Carter - OF, TEX: 32% rostered (POST HYPE PROSPECT, HOT STRETCH) Kennedi Landry had a good piece on Evan Carter the other day, highlighting some of the changes that have led to his strong performance since coming off the He admitted to putting a lot of pressure on himself after his injury, and cited playing looser and feeling like he had a better mental approach at the plate. In the 10 games since being activated, he's gone 11-for-27 with three homers, eight RBI, two steals, and a 4/4 K/BB ratio. He's now hitting .283/.368/.517 on the season, with four homers, 10 RBI, 13 runs scored, and five steals. We do know that Texas is not likely to play him against many lefties, so that could limit his value in weekly leagues, and he seems to get banged up quite frequently, so he remains an injury risk, but Carter is just 22 years old and has plenty of fantasy juice if he can stay healthy. Another underrated platoon outfielder is Trevor Larnach - OF, MIN (20% rostered). Larnach is hitting well over the last month and will bat in the middle of the order against all right-handed pitchers, but it can be hard to roster players that we know are going to sit against lefties. Alejandro Kirk - C, TOR: 32% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, BELATED BREAKOUT?) We've been waiting for the Alejandro Kirk breakout for quite some time, but the 27-year-old has been on fire of late, going 19-for-46 (.413) over his last 11 games with two home runs, nine RBI, and six runs. We know he's going to play at least 75% of the games for Toronto, and this is a team that has been playing well of late as well. Hitting fourth in the order now gives him plenty of opportunity for RBIs, and I like Kirk as an add in all formats if you need a catcher, but just keep expectations in check for his power ceiling. Abraham Toro - 1B/2B/3B, BOS: 31% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, HOT STRETCH) Listen, we know this isn't likely to last, but Toro is just 28 years old and was an intriguing prospect when he was coming through the minors. He's had some hot stretches before, and he's on a pretty good run of late, batting .350 over his last 23 games with four home runs, 14 runs scored, and 11 RBI. More importantly, he's starting regularly at first base for Boston and likely will continue to do so as long as he's hitting well. As we get closer to the trade deadline, it's possible that Toro could be replaced by somebody the Red Sox trade for, but if Toro is still starting and producing in a month, you'll have already earned value on picking him up. A deeper league multi-position add is Otto Kemp - 2B/3B, PHI (3% rostered). The 25-year-old has gotten off to a slow start since being called up by the Phillies, but he's playing first base pretty much every day while Bryce Harper is on the IL. Kemp has been a fixture in our Rotoworld blurbs because he has been crushing Triple-A to the tune of a .313/.416/.594 slash line in 58 games with 14 home runs and 11 steals. He has always posted high swinging strike rates in the minors, and the overall contact rate was just 67% in Triple-A, so don't expect a good batting average, but the power and speed are legit. Jo Adell - OF, LAA: 28% rostered (POWER UPSIDE, POST-HYPE PROSPECT) I know we've done this a bunch with Adell in the past, and I'm not sure I buy it, but I do feel the need to point out that he's been playing well of late. Over his last 35 games, Adell is batting .276/.372/.612 with 10 home runs, 17 runs scored, and 19 RBI. More importantly, he has just a 23% strikeout rate over that span, with a 50% hard-hit rate and 11 barrels. We've seen Adell have short stretches of improved contact in the past, so there's no guarantee that this sticks, but if it does, he will be a huge fantasy asset, so he's worth adding while he's running hot. A deep league option primarily for batting average is Jake Meyers - OF, HOU (8% rostered). Earlier this season, I published an article on hitters who were being more aggressive and swinging at the first pitch more often this year than last year. Myers popped up for me on that leaderboard, and I explained in detail why I'm a fan of his new approach, so you should read that article to check out the analysis; however, I think he's a solid add for steals and something close to a .280 batting average. Nick Kurtz - 1B, ATH: 24% rostered (RETURN FROM THE IL, POWER UPSIDE) Nick Kurtz didn't set the world on fire this week in his return from the IL, but there is plenty of talent in his bat. He was heating up before landing on the IL with a strained oblique, hitting four home runs in his last five games before the injury. The talented rookie returned to the lineup on Monday, and we know that offense is going to pick up in Sacramento as the weather warms, so I'd be trying to add him in any leagues where he's still available. I'm actually surprised Kurtz is rostered in so many fewer leagues than Christian Encarnacion-Strand - 1B, CIN (35% rostered). Kurtz is a higher-rated prospect and is in a similarly strong environment. We know CES is going to play almost every day for the Reds, and we know that he flashed solid power skills in the minors. However, he has also had strikeout issues since being promoted to the big leagues and is not a lock to produce, given his career stats. He came off the IL like a house on fire and then went 3-for-17 in his next five games, which is emblematic of what we should expect from him. He's well worth a gamble given his power upside now that he's back and healthy, but I'd still rather have Kurtz. Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS: 23% rostered (EVERY DAY JOB, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) I've had Meidroth in this column for weeks, and I'm going to keep him here because he has multi-position eligibility and great batting average upside with some steals thrown in for good measure. In 30 games since May 11th, Meidroth is hitting .310/.385/.397 with 13 runs scored, five steals, two home runs, and a 16/14 K/BB ratio. He's another hitter I'm highlighting on here who is making good swing decisions and succeeding due to a strong understanding of the strike zone. He had never stolen more than 13 bases in a season at the minor league level, so that number is a bit shocking to me, but he can run a bit and is a smart baseball player on a bad team that has no problem taking chances on the bases. Meidroth is also hitting leadoff and playing every day, so he could accumulate runs and steals while hitting for a solid batting average. Another option for similar skills is Ernie Clement - 2B/SS/3B - TOR (19% rostered). Over the same period since May 11th, Clement is hitting .316/.352/.500 with four home runs, 18 runs scored, 12 RBI, and an 8/6 K/BB ratio in 31 games. Even with Andres Gimenez back, Clement is still an everyday player, just at 3B now. The 29-year-old has proved himself to be a solid batting average asset last season, and his multi-position eligibility makes him valuable in deeper leagues. Parker Meadows - OF, DET: 19% rostered (POWER/SPEED UPSIDE, RETURN FROM THE IL) Meadows has struggled a bit since coming off the IL, but I often think that we're too quick to turn away from a player just because he doesn't hit the ground running. Adjusting to MLB pitching is hard, even if you've been at this level before. Meadows was out for almost three months; it's going to take some time for him to get his rhythm back. He's a talented hitter and is playing pretty much every day in Detroit. Scoop him up before he gets hot. On the flip side, Matt Wallner - OF, MIN (13% rostered) has been hot since returning from the IL, or has at least seen his power return to previous form with three home runs in his last 10 games. The power is exactly what you're looking for with Wallner, and he's been batting cleanup against righties, which should provide solid counting stats. I think the batting average will tick up a bit as well and maybe settle closer to about .250. Marcelo Mayer - 3B/SS, BOS: 19% rostered (RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Last week, I mentioned that Mayer was off to a slow start to his MLB career and may be a better real-life player than a fantasy player. While I still think that's true, Mayer has shown a bit more power this season and then put that on display with his two-homer game against the Rays on Wednesday. Sadly, he and Roman Anthony are going to sit versus most left-handed pitchers, which can make it harder to roster him in weekly lineup lock leagues. His teammate, Trevor Story - SS, BOS (32% rostered), is also heating up after a horrible May. Story is hitting over .319 in 12 games in June with two home runs, two steals, and 12 RBI. He's going to be in the lineup every day for Boston and has nine home runs and 10 steals on the year, so there is some power and speed here as well. He's prone to some cold stretches, but he remains a solid fantasy asset. Jeff McNeil - 2B/OF, NYM: 11% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, SURPRISING POWER) I think most people wrote off Jeff McNeil as a fantasy-relevant player when he was hurt earlier in the year, but he has been great for the Mets since coming off the IL, hitting .268 with 22 RBI, 13 runs scored, and one stolen base through his first 144 plate appearances this season. However, he has been heating up of late, along with this entire Mets offense, going 16-for-47 (.340) in his last 13 games. The multi-position eligibility is also helpful, and while I think McNeil will be primarily a batting average asset, he is showing some surprising power this year as well. Brooks Lee - 2B/3B/SS, MIN (4% rostered) is another solid multi-position eligible player who has remained in the lineup even as the Twins have gotten healthy. With Royce Lewis seemingly headed to the IL with yet another lower body injury, that should keep Lee as an everyday player in Minnesota. The power and speed numbers aren't going to be great, but he'll chip in a few and then add solid counting stats in a decent lineup. Kyle Teel - C, CWS: 11% rostered (PROSPECT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Kyle Teel was promoted last weekend and has started every game but one at either catcher or DH. It seems like he's getting a chance to supplant Edgar Quero, who was fairly average in his first 39 MLB games and provided below-average defense. Teel also may have more offensive upside, slashing .295/.394/.492 in 50 games at Triple-A with eight home runs and seven steals. He's gone just 4-for-18 to begin his big league career, but he's worth a look in all two-catcher leagues. If you're looking for an option in a two-catcher format, you can go with Carlos Narvaez - C, BOS (20% rostered), who has not only emerged as the starting catcher in Boston but one of the better rookies in the AL. He was known primarily for his plus defense when he was acquired from the Yankees in a trade this off-season, but he's hitting .347/.448/.541 over his last 30 games with three home runs, 19 runs scored, and 13 RBI. He provides top-tier defense behind the plate and is going to start about two-thirds of the games for the Red Sox while hitting near the middle of the order. Nolan Schanuel - 1B, LAA: 11% rostered (BATTING AVERAGE ASSET, POTENTIAL POWER GROWTH) I've always liked Schanuel. He has tremendous plate discipline. He makes an elite amount of contact. He pulls the ball enough to do damage, and I think he's trying to be more selective in getting pitches he can drive. The power numbers aren't great, but Schanuel now hits at the top of a batting order that includes Zach Neto, Mike Trout, Jorge Soler, Taylor Ward, and Logan O'Hoppe. It's not a bad spot, and if your primary goal isn't power, then I think Schanuel could be a good bet for you. Same goes for Ty France - 1B, MIN (7% rostered), who remains the starting first baseman in Minnesota with a solid 8.4% barrel rate. He has less speed than Schanuel does and similarly modest power, but his batting average will be helpful, and he'll chip in enough in the counting stats to help you in deeper formats. Christian Moore - 2B, LAA: 8% rostered (PROSPECT CALL-UP, POWER/SPEED UPSIDE) The Angels announced on Friday that they would be calling up Christian Moore. Shockingly, Moore is now the FOURTH player from last year's draft class to already make his MLB debut, along with Nick Kurtz, Jac Caglianone, and Cam Smith. Moore struggled to start the season in Double-A, but was playing solid in Triple-A and now has a .279/.374/.422 slash line in 54 games across Double-A and Triple-A with five home runs and eight steals. He also has a 14% swinging strike rate and just a 70% contact rate, so that tells us there will be swing-and-miss issues in the big leagues. Maybe expect a .240 average but with some intriguing power and speed hitting near the bottom of a solid but not great lineup. I get wanting to add him for his upside, but it does feel like more of a deep league target. Ryan Ritter - SS, COL (1% rostered), is another rookie who has stepped into a full-time role with Ezequiel Tovar on the IL with an oblique injury. Ritter was crushing at Triple-A with a .305 average with 16 home runs, 43 RBI, and three steals in 52 games. His contact rate was under 73% in Triple-A, which isn't ideal and makes me think the batting average will be a fair bit lower in the big leagues. I don't think he'll be up for long, but in deeper formats, he could be worth a gamble if you need a MIF. Mike Tauchman - OF, CWS: 6% rostered (OFF THE IL, PLAYING TIME GUARANTEE) Tauchman has been playing every day for the White Sox, batting leadoff and hitting .297/.410/.547 in 18 games since coming off the IL with three home runs, 12 runs scored, and 10 RBI. We've seen Tauchman be a solid deeper league fantasy asset in the past, and his plate discipline metrics are really strong so far this year. He will sit against most lefties, and doesn't play on a really good offense, so that caps some of the counting stats upside. However, in deeper formats, I think Tauchman is worth a look given his solid performance and consistent role. Despite the fact that I think the rule is stupid, Jurickson Profar - OF, ATL (14% rostered) is allowed to play in rehab games even though he was suspended 80 games for breaking league rules. Whatever. It's dumb. But he can return on July 2nd and figures to be the regular left fielder in Atlanta. If you have space to stash him now, that might not be a bad idea in deeper formats. Thairo Estrada- 2B, COL: 6% rostered (OFF THE IL, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Estrada was a big late-round favorite of mine early in the season after he signed with Colorado. I think he hurt his fantasy value by playing through injury last year, but he's a .270 15/15 type of talent who will now be playing in Coors Field. A fractured wrist could impact some of that power, and Estrada is certainly going to be a better bet when Colorado is at home. However, I believe he could be a solid source of batting average and speed while being the likely everyday starter at second base for the Rockies. We've also seen Tyler Freeman - SS/OF, COL (3% rostered) emerge as the regular right fielder for the Rockies since being called up. He has hit .299/.367/.448 in 28 games with five stolen bases. Freeman had a solid enough season last year for Cleveland, and moving to Colorado should help him. Freeman makes a lot of contact, but the hard contact is limited, and his BABIP has been low in years past. Coors Field tends to boost BABIP, so Freeman could emerge as a .260-.270 hitter with some decent speed and multi-position eligibility. Alek Thomas - OF, ARI: 1% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) I had Thomas on here a bunch earlier in the season and, admittedly, dropped him in a few formats because his lack of power and speed really limit his fantasy viability. However, we have seen his power tick up a bit lately, with him having two home runs in his last 12 games. I don't think Thomas will become a power hitter, so he's probably more of a target if you need some batting average. Wenceel Pérez - OF, DET (1% rostered), who is hitting .280/.315/.540 in 16 games this season with three home runs, six RBI, and eight runs scored. He also hit .242 with nine home runs and nine steals in 112 games as a rookie last season. He's been playing a lot of right field with Kerry Carpenter shifting to DH and Colt Keith riding the bench a lot, and that could be how Detroit approaches this moving forward. He's likely only going to play four games a week, so it's more of a daily moves play or a stash and hope he takes Keith's place permanently. Waiver Wire Pitchers Jacob Misiorowski - SP, MIL: 45% rostered Much like Anthony, Misiorowski doesn't technically qualify for this list, but he made his MLB debut on Thursday, so I wanted to take the time to discuss him here because, man, that was an impressive showing. He regularly hit triple digits with his fastball and had solid command after his cutter/slider, which he can also use to get ahead. The curveball command was spottier, but it has good break, and then he also ripped off a few 90 mph changeups that got some swings-and-misses to lefties. Epect some inconsistency because he's a rookie with a spotty track record of command, but by all mean,s go out and grab him. Mick Abel - SP, PHI: 39% rostered It turns out, Abel's stay in the rotation is going to be longer than some assumed when he was called back up last week. Aaron Nola's ribcage strain is going to prevent him from even throwing for the next two weeks, and then he'll need to build back up to bullpens before going on a rehab assignment. That means Abel may have another month before his spot in the rotation is in jeopardy. I'm not sure his ceiling is exceptionally high right now, but he has a deep pitch mix and seems comfortable attacking the strike zone, so I don't see him putting up too many stinkers for you either. Shane Smith - SP, CWS: 34% rostered It's rare you see a pitcher with a 2.37 ERA and 23% strikeout rate across 68.1 innings be rostered in so few leagues. But I guess that's what happens when you're on the White Sox. Smith has slowed a little bit of late, with two poor starts against the Mets and Mariners, but bounced back this week against the Tigers a bit. He has gone six innings only three times this season and has only two wins, so that can make him tough to start, but the ratios and strikeouts have been pretty good these past 6 weeks. Also, just some respect for Smith's teammate Adrian Houser - SP, CWS (18% rostered), who has a 2.15 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 29.1 innings for the White Sox this season. It's still Houser, and he pitches for the second-worst team in baseball, so there's not tons of upside here, but he's been really good so far and he'll likely be traded at the deadline, so maybe he ends up somewhere he can be more useful. Shelby Miller - RP, ARI: 34% rostered Justin Martinez is out for the season as he deals with a UCL injury, and AJ Puk just suffered a setback in his rehab, so Shelby Miller is going to be the primary closer in Arizona for a while. With Corbin Burnes also out for the season, there's a chance that the Diamondbacks actually sell at the deadline, which means it's unlikely they bring in competition for Miller. The question is whether or not Miller himself gets dealt. It also seems like Calvin Faucher - RP, MIA (9% rostered) has taken the closer role in Miami again. I'm not sure how many saves you're going to get out of this, and Miami can't seem to settle on one guy, but if you're hurting for saves, Faucher could be a solid option. Quinn Priester - SP, MIL: 26% rostered Priester has been on a tremendous run of late, pitching to a 2.54 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. He's still more of a match-up play than anything, but I thought he was worth highlighting here. Edward Cabrera - SP, MIA: 21% rostered Cabrera looked so good early in his start against Washington on Friday, but then he got stepped on while covering first base and was clearly laboring. He allowed a home run immediately after the injury and was then removed from the game. Provided his injury isn't anything major, I remain very interested here. The right-hander has long tantalized with his upside and disappointed with his command, but he is making some pitch mix changes that caught my attention. I dug into him for my starting pitcher news column last week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for a more detailed breakdown. Robert Garcia - RP, TEX: 19% rostered Garcia is now the closer in Texas. I think. I have no idea. He has four saves in the last month and has had the last few save chances for Texas, but his ratios have been really problematic. Now, some of that is connected to a 'blown' a save against the Rays last weekend, which was one of the unluckiest blown saves I've seen with TWO runners scoring on THE SAME infield single. Two of the three hits Garcia gave up in that inning were infield singles. It feels like a fluky poor performance. However, Chris Martin - RP, TEX (21% rostered) is also returning from the IL and could get back into the closer conversation as well, but nobody has seemed to want Martin to close during his career, and you have to wonder whether or not that has something to do with his preference. Michael Kopech - RP, LAD: 14% rostered Kopech has come off the IL and pitched the ninth for the Dodgers and then also walked three batters in one inning in the seventh. We have no idea what his role is going to be, but Los Angeles seems likely to have a right-handed complement to Tanner Scott, and maybe that's Kopech. However, Alex Vesia - RP, LAD (19% rostered) also picked up a save this week and while that was mainly due to matchups, he's been good this year and maybe can help you with your ratios while getting a handful of saves. David Festa - SP, MIN: 7% rostered With Pablo Lopez and Zebby Matthews both hurt, David Festa is locked into a rotation spot in Minnesota. Perhaps more importantly, he was also allowed to pitch six innings in his last start, and it seems like Rocco Baldelli may loosen the leash on him a bit. There remain some command concerns, but Festa has upside if you're swinging for the fences. Hunter Dobbins - SP, BOS: 4% rostered Dobbins was featured in an article I wrote this week that highlighted starting pitcher targets for the second half of the fantasy baseball season. Check that out for the details on why I like Dobbins, but you maybe also saw that for yourself last night. Grant Taylor - SP/RP, CWS: 3% rostered The White Sox flame-throwing prospect is up and pitching out of the bullpen for now. Taylor has legit electric stuff, and I think he could be closing for the White Sox in short order. STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order) Week of 6/16 Strong Preference Fairly Confident Some Hesitation If I'm Desperate
India Today
13-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
ICAI to launch live virtual revision classes for CA inter September exams
The ICAI will begin Live Virtual Revisionary Classes (LVRC) for CA Intermediate September 2025 aspirants from July 8, offering flexible morning and evening slots via Zoom, ICAI BOS app, and YouTube. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will commence Live Virtual Revisionary Classes (LVRC) for candidates preparing for the CA Intermediate September 2025 examination, from July 8, 2025. These classes are structured to accommodate candidates' varying schedules, with sessions available both in the morning and evening. Morning classes run from 7:00 am to 9:30 am, while evening classes are scheduled from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. This flexibility ensures that students can choose the time slot that best fits their daily routines, allowing for a balanced approach to their study and personal commitments. The ICAI has detailed a specific schedule for these sessions, with each paper being allotted particular weekdays. For instance, Advanced Accounting will be covered on Thursday and Saturday mornings, whereas Taxation (Income Tax Laws) is set for Monday and Wednesday evenings. This systematic scheduling aims to ensure comprehensive coverage of all six papers, catering to diverse student preferences and learning styles. In addition to the upcoming classes for September 2025, ICAI has outlined plans for future sessions targeting exams in May 2026, September 2026, and January 2027. These classes will begin on July 21, 2025, and will similarly offer morning and evening slots throughout the week. This long-term planning by ICAI demonstrates their commitment to supporting students over multiple exam cycles, ensuring continuity and consistency in their preparation. Candidates interested in participating in these virtual classes can access them through multiple platforms, including the ICAI BOS mobile app, the BoS Knowledge Portal at and the ICAI CA Tube on YouTube. The sessions will be broadcast live on Zoom, requiring students to log in via the official ICAI portal ( using their course details, registration number, and date of birth. This multi-platform availability enhances accessibility for students across different regions. To join the classes, participants should follow a straightforward process: visit the official ICAI website, log in with the necessary credentials, navigate to the BOS Knowledge Portal or download the ICAI BOS mobile app, and select the desired session to join via Zoom. This ensures that students can attend sessions conveniently from different locations, making it easier to integrate into their schedules. For more detailed information, candidates are encouraged to read the complete notice available on the ICAI website.
NBC Sports
08-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Nick Kurtz is back, Kyle Teel is here
Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season. The premise is pretty straightforward. I'll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I'll list the category where I think he'll be helpful or the quick reason he's listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs. For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, 'These players aren't available in my league,' and I can't help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they're available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types. Matthew Pouliot, Waiver Wire Hitters Miguel Vargas - 1B/3B/OF, CWS: 39% rostered (POST HYPE PROSPECT, EMERGING POWER) Earlier this season, Vargas appeared in my article on hitters to add based on their plate discipline and contact rates. Vargas is chasing at a super low rate, making 85% contact overall and rarely swinging and missing. He's pulling the ball slightly less this season and has focused less on lifting the ball, which is a good change. He doesn't smoke the ball, but a 90 mph average exit velocity is pretty good, and he's playing every day in Chicago. He had a really strong month of May and while he has struggled a bit to start June, his plate discipline remains really strong, and so I expect another hot stretch to come. Tyler Stephenson - C, CIN: 36% rostered (HOT STREAK, POWER UPSIDE) Stephenson didn't exactly hit the ground running when he was activated off the IL, but he seems to be turning it on of late, hitting .308./373/.596 over his last 15 games with four home runs and 11 RBIs. I would consider him in one-catcher formats if you don't have the Contreras brothers, Cal Raleigh, Will Smith, Hunter Goodman, Logan O'Hoppe, or Adley Rutschman. If you're looking for an option in a two-catcher format, you can go with Carlos Narvaez - C, BOS (7% rostered). It seems as though Narvaez has emerged as the starting catcher and one of the better rookies in the AL. He was known primarily for his plus defense when he was acquired from the Yankees in a trade this off-season, but he's hitting .277/.355/.440 in 186 plate appearances with five home runs and 19 RBI. He provides top-tier defense behind the plate and is going to start about two-thirds of the games for the Red Sox while hitting near the middle of the order. Roman Anthony - OF, BOS: 32% rostered (TOP PROSPECT STASH, POTENTIAL CALL-UP) I have no inside information here, but I think Anthony will be called up on Monday before Boston's six-game homestand. The Red Sox still don't have space in the outfield for Anthony, and Rafael Devers said that he won't take reps at 1B, but it's coming to a point where Boston may have no choice but to move Gold Glove CF Ceddanne Rafaela back to the infield or trade Jarren Duran just to get Anthony's bat up. You can't be in a big market like Boston and have your big league team playing this poorly while the top prospect in baseball is hitting .290/.421/.495 with 10 home runs, 44 runs scored, and 29 RBI in 57 games at Triple-A. Anthony has never posted a swinging strike rate above 9% at any step in the minors other than 50 games at High-A in 2023, so he should be a solid batting average asset upon being called up with good power potential and the ability to swipe 5-10 bases. More of a short-term prospect pick-up is Otto Kemp - 2B/3B, PHI (3% rostered). The 25-year-old has been a fixture in our Rotoworld blurbs because he has been crushing Triple-A to the tune of a .313/.416/.594 slash line in 58 games with 14 home runs and 11 steals. He has always posted high swinging strike rates in the minors, and the overall contact rate was just 67% in Triple-A, so don't expect a good batting average, but the power and speed are legit, and he could play regularly with Bryce Harper on the IL. Kemp has also played all over the infield and some outfield, so he could stick as a utility bat when Harper comes back if he hits well enough. Parker Meadows - OF, DET: 24% rostered (POWER/SPEED UPSIDE, RETURN FROM THE IL) Meadows came off the IL this week and went 4-for-19 with three runs scored and two steals. More importantly, he started almost every game in center field and hit lead-off for the AL's best team. He did sit against the one left-handed pitcher they faced, so that may become a regular thing with Javier Baex and Wenceel Perez able to play center field, but Meadows needs to be rostered in way more leagues. Matt Wallner - OF, MIN (13% rostered) also returned from the IL this week and went 5-for-20 with three home runs and four RBI. The power is exactly what you're looking for with Wallner, and he's been batting cleanup against righties, which should provide solid counting stats. Sal Frelick - OF, MIL: 24% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Frelick has been a bit underrated in fantasy circles this season despite hitting .292 with 11 stolen bases on the season. He's primarily a batting average and stolen base asset, but he does help a little bit everywhere and is a solid, deep league player and a fine fifth OF in shallow formats. Another underrated outfielder is Wenceel Perez - OF, DET (2% rostered), who is hitting .294/.351/.647 in 11 games this season with three home runs, four RBI, and seven runs scored. He also hit .242 with nine home runs and nine steals in 112 games as a rookie last season. He's been playing a lot of right field with Kerry Carpenter shifting to DH and Colt Keith riding the bench a lot, and that could be how Detroit approaches this moving forward. He's likely only going to play four games a week, so it's more of a daily moves play or a stash and hope he takes Keith's place permanently. Nick Kurtz - 1B, ATH: 24% rostered (RETURN FROM THE IL, POWER UPSIDE) Nick Kurtz was heating up before landing on the IL with a strained oblique, hitting four home runs in his last five games. The talented rookie is set to come back on Monday, and we know that offense is going to pick up in Sacramento as the weather warms, so I'd be trying to add him in any leagues where he's still available. Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS: 23% rostered (EVERY DAY JOB, MODEST STEALS UPSIDE) In 33 games since May 1st, Meidroth is hitting .306/.386/.395 with 15 runs scored, seven steals, two home runs, and a 16/16 K/BB ratio. He's another hitter I'm highlighting on here who is making good swing decisions and succeeding due to a strong understanding of the strike zone. He had never stolen more than 13 bases in a season at the minor league level, so that number is a bit shocking to me, but he can run a bit and is a smart baseball player on a bad team that has no problem taking chances on the bases. Meidroth is also hitting leadoff and playing every day, so he could accumulate runs and steals while hitting for a solid batting average. Another option for similar skills is Ernie Clement - 2B/SS/3B - TOR (19% rostered). Over the same stretch of time, Clement is hitting .297/.339/.449 with three home runs, 18 runs scored, 12 RBI, one steal, and a 14/7 K/BB ratio in 34 games. Even with Andres Gimenez back, Clement is still an everyday player, just at 3B now. The 29-year-old has proved himself to be a solid batting average asset last season, and his multi-position eligibility makes him valuable in deeper leagues. Ryan O'Hearn - 1B/OF, BAL: 22% rostered (CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, POWER UPSIDE) Ryan O'Hearn is a boring veteran who has also been criticized because he was 'blocking' the path of many of the Orioles' top prospects for the last couple of years. However, at this point, Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby are gone, Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser play every day when healthy, Heston Kjerstad has not hit at the MLB level, and the team clearly doesn't trust Coby Mayo as a defender, so maybe we should just embrace O'Hearn for the value that he does bring. O'Hearn isn't going to play against lefties, but he has been producing more than enough against righties. He hits clean-up for the Orioles and is having one of his best seasons by trading a little bit of contact for a slightly more pull-happy approach. He's more of a line drive hitter, so the home run production will come and go, but the quality of contact has been really good, and this lineup should improve when Cowser and Westburg return soon. Abraham Toro - 1B/2B/3B, BOS (3% rostered) is also on a pretty good run of late and has been starting regularly at either first base or third base for Boston. We keep expecting that Boston will trade for a 1B, but if they continue to fall out of playoff contention, they may just stick with Toro, who is 28 years old and hitting .325/.338/.506 in 23 games this season with three home runs, 10 runs scored, and eight RBI. This is probably more of a short-term add but not a bad one in deeper leagues. Marcelo Mayer - SS, BOS: 19% rostered (RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Both Marcel Mayer and Cole Young - 2B/SS, SEA (5% rostered) are off to slow starts to their big league careers. They're both also likely better real-life players than fantasy players, but they are talented hitters and could work themselves into being strong batting average assets. Mayer has a bit more power and Young has a bit more speed, but they're both worth a shot to be on your bench to see if they can get hot. Jordan Beck - OF, COL: 19% rostered (HOME PARK BONUS, PROSPECT GROWTH) Beck's roster rate has plummeted from 36% last week, and that makes some sense with the Rockies on the road last week, but they're back at home for six games this week. He's a young hitter with some power and speed who has a 14.3% barrel rate on the season. His exit velocities aren't great, but he's pulling and lifting the ball more this year, which is going to help him get to his power. He still has just a 70% contact rate and 14.4% swinging strike rate, so the batting average will likely regress, but the power is intriguing, and you can slot him into your lineup every time the Rockies are at home. Carlos Santana - 1B, CLE: 19% rostered (BATTING AVERAGE, RBI UPSIDE) Every year, Carlos Santana has strong stretches where his batting average spikes and he drives in a bunch of runs in the middle of the batting order. We are in one of those stretches right now. Over the last month, he has gone 22-for-76 (.289) with three home runs and 13 RBIs. The batting average will likely regress in the coming weeks, and this isn't a pick-up necessarily to hold for the remainder of the season, outside of deeper formats, but Santana is a solid veteran hitter who can be helpful for you when he's riding hot streaks like this. Similarly, veteran Josh Bell - 1B, WAS (6% rostered), has been getting a little hot of late, going 11-for-37 (.297) over his last 11 games with three home runs and seven RBI. It's getting warmer in the Northeast, and the ball is starting to fly a little bit. If Bell continues to produce decent numbers, could he wind up traded to a team like Boston, that might need a corner infield bat? Christian Encarnacion-Strand - 1B, CIN: 18% rostered (POWER UPSIDE, RETURN FROM THE IL) If you thought you were going to sneak CES through on waivers after he was activated from the IL on Saturday, his 2-for-5 day with one home run and three RBI likely didn't help you. He's going to play almost every day for a Reds team that is struggling with injuries and has little to play for this season other than player development. CES has had strikeout issues since being promoted to the big leagues and is not lock to produce, but he's well worth a gamble given his power upside now that he's back and healthy. Jo Adell - OF, LAA: 7% rostered (POWER UPSIDE, POST-HYPE PROSPECT) I know we've done this a bunch with Adell in the past, and I'm not sure I buy it, but I do feel the need to point out that he's been playing well of late. Over his last 27 games, Adell is batting .276/.382/.605 with eight home runs, 14 runs scored, and 14 RBI. More importantly, he has just a 19% strikeout rate over that span, with a 51% hard-hit rate and nine barrels. We've seen Adell have short stretches of improved contact in the past, so there's no guarantee that this sticks, but if it does, he will be a huge fantasy asset. A deep league option primarily for speed is. Jake Meyers - OF, HOU (8% rostered)A few weeks ago, I published an article on hitters who were being more aggressive and swinging at the first pitch more often this year than last year. Myers popped up for me on that leaderboard, and I explained in detail why I'm a fan of his new approach, so you should read that article to check out the analysis; however, I think he's a solid add for steals and something close to a .270 batting average. Kyle Teel - C, CWS: 6% rostered (PROSPECT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Kyle Teel was promoted this weekend and has started three straight games at either catcher or DH. It seems like he's getting a chance to supplant Edgar Quero, who was fairly average in his first 39 MLB games and provided below-average defense. Teel also may have more offensive upside, slashing .295/.394/.492 in 50 games at Triple-A with eight home runs and seven steals. He's worth a look in all two-catcher leagues. Mike Tauchman - OF, CWS: 6% rostered (OFF THE IL, PLAYING TIME GUARANTEE) Teel's teammate Mike Tauchman has also been playing every day for the White Sox, batting leadoff and hitting .297/.410/.547 in 18 games since coming off the IL with three home runs, 12 runs scored, and 10 RBI. We've seen Tauchman be a solid deeper league fantasy asset in the past, and he may be locking into a strong stretch here as well. The Mets are also giving Starling Marte - OF, NYM (1% rostered) a chance to play more with Mark Vientos on the IL. Brett Baty has cooled a bit of late, and Marte has gone 8-for-25 (.320) in his last 11 games with eight runs scored, two home runs, and a steal. Marte no longer has the stolen base value he used to, but if he's going to DH and hit second regularly for the Mets, there is fantasy value there. Thairo Estrada- 2B, COL: 6% rostered (OFF THE IL, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) Estrada was a big late-round favorite of mine early in the season now that he's in Colorado. I think he hurt his fantasy value by playing through injury last year, but he's a .270 15/15 type of talent who will not be playing in Coors Field. A fractured wrist could impact some of that power, but Estrada hit a solid 7-for-23 during his rehab assignment and could be a solid source of batting average and speed while being the likely everyday starter at second base for the Rockies. Colorado has six games at home this week, so fire Estrada up. If you wanted more upside, you could take a gamble on Ronny Maurico - 2B, NYM (12% rostered), who has gone 3-for-16 with one home run and one steal in his first four games since being called up. As I mentioned above, Brett Baty has come back down to earth, and Maurico has all kinds of raw tools. It's unclear what kind of opportunity he'll get, especially when Mark Vientos comes back, but Mauricio could be worth a shot. Ha-Seong Kim - SS, TB: 4% rostered) (IL STASH, SPEED UPSIDE) If you have space for a bench stash, Kim is another possible option if you need speed. He's currently in Triple-A on a rehab assignment, so it feels like maybe one or two more weeks until we see Kim back up, but he should play every day for the Rays, who may also then ship him away at the trade deadline. Even if that happens, Kim would have value wherever he winds up, so now may be the time to stash him. Waiver Wire Pitchers Eury Perez - SP, MIA: 44% rostered Yes, Perez doesn't technically qualify for this list since he's rostered in too many leagues, but he's set to make his season debut on Monday in Pittsburgh and gets a nice two-start week against Washington as well. Perez is a high-end talent and could be one of the more exciting pitchers in 2026. He's coming back from Tommy John surgery and one a bad team that isn't playing for anything. I doubt they push him past five innings in most starts, and his chances for wins are really small. He's talented, so he'll be worth streaming in some starts and picking up in deeper formats, but I wouldn't add him expecting a 'league winner' or whatever. I would much rather be adding Mick Abel - SP, PHI (43% rostered), who also doesn't qualify for this list. Given Aaron Nola's struggles this year and his setback on his rehab, I think it's possible Abel is in the Phillies' rotation for much, if not all, of June. If he pitches well enough, they could trade Ranger Suarez for bullpen help or an outfielder and open up a spot in the rotation for Abel. Or maybe trade Abel to the Red Sox in a package for Jarren Duran. Would love that for both teams. Bubba Chandler - SP, PIT: 32% rostered Much like with Roman Anthony, we have no idea when Chandler will be up this season, but it feels like it has to be soon. He has dominated Triple-A this year and has nothing left to prove. I know waiting is hard, but if you have the bench space for a stash, I think Chandler is the one. Edward Cabrera - SP, MIA: 24% rostered Cabrera was confusingly pulled after 63 pitches and four innings on Friday, but I had liked what I saw before his exit. The right-hander has long tantalized with his upside and disappointed with his command, but he is making some pitch mix changes that caught my attention. I dug into him for my starting pitcher news column last week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for a more detailed breakdown. Shane Smith - SP, CWS: 24% rostered It's rare you see a pitcher with a 2.45 ERA and 23% strikeout rate across 62 innings be rostered in so few leagues. But I guess that's what happens when you're on the White Sox. Smith has slowed a little bit of late, with two poor starts against the Mets and Mariners, but bounced back this week against the Tigers a bit. He has gone six innings only three times this season and has only two wins, so that can make him tough to start, but the ratios and strikeouts have been pretty good these past 6 weeks. Also, just some respect for Smith's teammate Adrian Houser - SP, CWS (4% rostered), who has a 1.48 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in 24.1 innings for the White Sox this season. It's still Houser, and he pitches for the second-worst team in baseball, so there's not tons of upside here, but he's been really good so far. Zebby Matthews - SP, MIN: 21% rostered With Pablo Lopez on the IL for the next two months or longer, the Twins will have both Zebby Matthews and David Festa in the rotation. I know Rocco Baldelli loves to pull them after 4.2 innings, but he realistically can't do that with two pitchers in his starting rotation for two months. His bullpen will fall apart. Zebby has the better track record of pitching deep into games, and if we get Zebby as a 6+ inning pitcher, I buy the upside here. Also, Chris Paddack - SP, MIN (34% rostered) has been solid this year and isn't getting enough respect. I covered him in the same article as Cabrera, linked above, so I'd recommend checking that out. Robert Garcia - RP, TEX: 19% rostered Garcia is now the closer in Texas. I think. I have no idea. He had the last two save conversions for the Rangers, but then 'blew' a save against the Rays this weekend. In truth, that was one of the unluckiest blown saves I've seen with TWO runners scoring on THE SAME infield single. Two of the three hits Garcia gave up in that inning were infield singles. It feels like a fluky poor performance. However, Chris Martin - RP, TEX (21% rostered) is also returning from the IL and could get right back into the closer conversation as well. Ryne Nelson - SP, ARI: 6% rostered I know his start this weekend was brutal, but it was also in Cincinnati, where we know we tend to want to avoid using our starters. I just wanted to highlight Nelson here because I think he's in the Diamondbacks rotation for the rest of the season. I expect them to be sellers at the deadline, which could mean moving Zac Gallen too. Nelson has some warts as a pitcher, but he was good in the rotation last season, and I expect him to settle in and be just fine for Arizona. Pierce Johnson - RP, ATL: 1% rostered It's been a really rough season for Raisel Iglesias. The Braves are also quickly falling out of playoff contention, Spencer Strider is not himself, and Marcell Ozuna is playing through a torn hip. This team could easily sell at the deadline, and even if they didn't do a full sell, trading away a struggling veteran reliever to a contender who may want Iglesias is not a bad idea. The Braves could get an interesting prospect or two and easily find a new closer for next season. Pierce Johnson did give up a huge home run to Matt Chapman, but he's been pretty good this season and feels like a solid gamble for saves. You could also try Kirby Yates - RP, LAD (39% rostered), who's off the IL and could sneak into a save share with the Dodgers. STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order) Week of 6/9 Strong Preference Fairly Confident Some Hesitation If I'm Desperate
