Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Royals rookie Vinnie Pasquantino among players to add

As we head into the holiday weekend, there are several pitchers who can brighten your time off work by being streamed in fantasy baseball leagues in the coming days. There are also some hitters who can make a long-term difference and a few who should be streamed this weekend. Let’s dive in:

Vinnie Pasquantino (1B, Kansas City Royals, 34 percent rostered)

Pasquantino finally made his MLB debut on Tuesday, after mashing Triple-A pitching this season to the tune of 18 homers, 67 RBIs and a .948 OPS in 69 games. The slugger maintained excellent strikeout and walk rates during his Minor League career and profiles as someone who should help fantasy teams in batting average and power categories. First base is a deep position this year, but there is still room for Pasquantino to be rostered in most leagues.

Juan Yepez (1B/3B/OF, St. Louis Cardinals, 39%)

As you’ll see in this article, there are many great outfield options right now but the infield pickings are less appealing. Yepez can help at either corner spot, and his recent hot stretch at the plate has pushed his OPS to .840. The slugger has been regularly hitting near the middle of the lineup, and his low strikeout rate should ensure a solid batting average to go with helpful totals of homers and RBIs.

Nick Senzel (2B/OF, Cincinnati Reds, 12%)

Senzel has been collecting hits regularly and running the bases aggressively of late, tallying three swipes in his past seven games. This weekend is the perfect time to give the speedy outfielder a chance, as next week the Reds are going to play eight games at their pitcher-friendly home park. And his second base eligibility is a nice bonus.

Jesus Sanchez (OF, Miami Marlins, 22%)

Sanchez hasn’t been able to hit lefties at all this season, but the lefty slugger has produced 10 homers and a .791 OPS against right-handers. Five of those long balls came in June, and he could start July off in fine fashion when he faces a trio of mediocre Nationals right-handed starters this weekend who are part of a pitching staff that ranks 29th in baseball with a 5.10 ERA.

Alek Thomas (OF, Arizona Diamondbacks, 21%)

I continue to be baffled by the low roster rate of Thomas in Yahoo leagues. The rookie is a premium prospect who is off to a decent start in the Majors (.724 OPS) and has the ability to collect homers and steals. This is the perfect weekend to give Thomas a chance, as he should thrive in three games at hitter-friendly Coors Field.

David Peralta (OF, Arizona Diamondbacks, 5%)

Those who want to get in on the Coors Field action but have no access to Thomas in deeper leagues can instead grab Peralta, who has produced nine homers and a .761 OPS this year. The lefty-swinging outfielder should play against right-handed starters on Friday and Sunday but will likely begin Saturday’s game on the bench.

Darick Hall (UT, Philadelphia Phillies, 1%)

Hall homered twice in his second career game on Thursday, which could be a sign off things to come for a slugger who had already racked up 20 long balls in Triple-A this year. The 26-year-old is unlikely to provide a helpful batting average and is not ready for consideration in most leagues, but he can be added in deep formats.

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Tyler Wells (SP, Baltimore Orioles, 30%)

Wells has quietly become one of the more reliable starters in baseball, having given up three or fewer runs in each of his past 14 starts. The right-hander won’t be a stellar source of strikeouts and has a tough matchup on Sunday against Minnesota, but he has been so consistent that I would give him a shot in any league where I was chasing points or wins.

Brady Singer (SP, Kansas City Royals, 23%)

Since rejoining the Royals rotation on May 17, Singer has produced a slightly bloated 4.28 ERA but a solid 1.12 WHIP and an excellent 43:9 K:BB ratio. The right-hander has a great chance to have a terrific outing when he faces a Tigers lineup on Saturday that has been awful (.585 OPS) against righties.

Marco Gonzales (SP, Seattle Mariners, 37%)

Gonzales isn’t as good as is indicated by his 3.31 ERA, as his K:BB line is a terrible 47:31 and his 5.22 FIP more accurately represents his skills this year. So, why is Gonzales in this article? Because the left-hander is still good enough to have a quality start when he works at home Friday against an A’s lineup that ranks 28th in OPS vs. southpaws (.626).