Fantasy baseball waiver wire: 10 players to add for MLB Week 6

The first full month of the MLB season is in the books, giving fantasy managers a fresh opportunity to take stock of their rosters.

Granted, the samples are still small. But roughly 30 games into the season, we can at least take note of some potential trends. Batting averages, slugging percentages and OPS are all down slightly from 2024’s full-season totals, while stolen bases have taken a pretty big jump.

Otherwise, it’s hard to draw any significance as the weather starts to warm up across the country. Taking steps to improve your team by even a small amount is the best strategy for this – or any – time of year.

Fantasy baseball waiver wire targets: Week 6

Due to the wide variance in types of leagues and individual team needs, the players listed here are in the highest to lowest roster rates in Fantrax leagues, which may or not match rates on other platforms. (Suggested bid values for standard 5×5 Mixed Roto leagues in parentheses based on $100 free agent acquisition budget for the season.)

OF Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers

• 68% rostered (FAAB bid: $12)

The reigning National League co-player of the week, Pages has been on quite a roll over his last eight games, hitting .545 with four homers, nine runs, nine RBI and three stolen bases. Getting a piece of the Dodgers offense is never a bad idea, and Pages is making the most of his everyday opportunities.

RP Camilo Doval, San Francisco Giants

• 65% rostered (FAAB bid: $10)

Seems the changing of the guard in the Giants’ ninth inning is fully complete. Ryan Walker hasn’t had a save opportunity since blowing one on April 20. Meanwhile, Doval has converted three in a row since then. The NL saves leader in 2023 has been excellent so far with a 1.93 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 14 innings – albeit with just 10 strikeouts. Still, saves are saves.

SP Lucas Giolito, Boston Red Sox

• 62% rostered (FAAB bid: $6)

Giolito made his first MLB appearance since October 2023 on Wednesday against the Blue Jays, going six innings and allowing three runs on five hits. Even more encouraging were his seven strikeouts. Still just 30, Giolito seems to be almost fully recovered from the elbow surgery that sidelined him all of last season. There could be traces remaining of the pitcher who was an All-Star and Cy Young contender back in 2019.

SP Tony Gonsolin, Los Angeles Dodgers

• 58% rostered (FAAB bid: $5)

Speaking of pitchers returning from elbow surgery, Gonsolin made his first start since August 2023 the same day Giolito did. He also yielded three runs in six innings, but with nine strikeouts. The Dodgers rotation could use some good news these days.

OF Daulton Varsho, Toronto Blue Jays

• 47% rostered (FAAB bid: $3)

Also making his 2025 debut this past week, Daulton Var-showed off his Gold Glove in his first game with a ridiculous catch in center field. Then in his second game, he launched his first home run. Don’t expect that much offence from Varsho on a regular basis, but his defence will keep him in the Toronto lineup most every day.

SS J.P. Crawford, Seattle Mariners

• 45% rostered (FAAB bid: $6)

Crawford has been on fire for the past three weeks, which has coincided with the Mariners enjoying a surprising hot streak with their bats. He slashed .370/.469/.519 over a 16-game span before being elevated Wednesday from the No. 9 position to the leadoff spot in the order. He responded with two more hits and two RBI. If the move sticks, it could greatly enhance Crawford’s fantasy value.

Deeper league waiver wire targets

SP Ben Casparius, Los Angeles Dodgers

• 45% rostered (FAAB bid: $6)

WIth his strong start to the season, Casparius has pretty much forced the Dodgers to move him into the rotation. The rookie tossed 3⅔ scoreless innings after Tyler Glasnow became the latest L.A. starter to hit the injured list. That performance lowered Casparius’ ERA to 2.91 over 21⅔ innings. His 23/3 strikeout-to-walk ratio is most impressive. Plus, he’ll be in line for two starts next week.

2B/OF Jeff McNeil, New York Mets

• 37% rostered (FAAB bid: $5)

McNeil battled injuries last season as his average slumped to a career-low .238. The 2022 NL batting champ looks more like himself after finally recovering from an oblique injury that delayed his season debut until last Friday. Since then, he’s gone 5-for-15 (.333) with a homer, triple and three RBI – while playing both second base and the outfield.

RP Kevin Ginkel, Arizona Diamondbacks

• 21% rostered (FAAB bid: $5)

The D’backs already have A.J. Puk on the 60-day injured list and then on Thursday put Justin Martinez on the 15-day IL. Fortunately, Ginkel worked his way back from a shoulder injury just in time to make his season debut on Wednesday. He didn’t pick up the save (Ryan Thompson did), but he worked in a high-leverage situation earlier in the game and came out of it unscathed. Ginkel was expected by many to be the opening day closer anyway, so here’s a chance to get ahead of the curve. Another veteran, Shelby Miller, could also be in the mix for saves after picking up his first of the season on Thursday.

2B/3B Luis Urias, Athletics

• 14% rostered (FAAB bid: $3)

Urias seems to have found a home at second base in Sacramento. Although the numbers don’t jump out, he is playing every day, and he does have four homers and a .490 slugging percentage. There’s room for even more improvement thanks to a .211 batting average on balls in play.

Prospect watch

SP Noah Cameron, Kansas City Royals

Filling in for a not-yet-ready Cole Ragans, Cameron tossed 6⅓ no-hit innings and picked up the win in his MLB debut on Wednesday. But all that got him was a pat on the back and a ticket back to Class AAA Omaha (where he was 2-0 with a 3.22 ERA in five starts). Cameron will resurface at some point though, and he’ll be a popular pickup when he returns.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy baseball Week 6: 10 best waiver wire pickups