More Fantasy Baseball Week 5 Waiver Wire Adds: Mark Canha, Jose Butto, Jose Caballero and More
Discussing the most-added fantasy baseball players in the last half of week 5 of the fantasy baseball season.
The NFL Draft and NBA playoffs will be distractions to fantasy baseball owners everywhere this weekend, so let the FantasySP team help you identify some potential waiver wire adds instead.
We’ll discuss several of the names appearing on the Waiver Wire Pickups page after already identifying some adds and drops earlier in the week.
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Trevor Williams Fantasy Outlook
Williams is in line to start Washington’s Friday game against the Marlins. FantasySP’s own David Hepner covered the favorable matchup for Williams, so I’ll let you refer there for that information.
I see Williams as more than a streaming option right now. He’s 2-0 so far this season with a 2.91 earned run average across four starts and 21 2/3 innings. Williams has 18 strikeouts, while allowing seven runs on just 15 hits and six walks.
Williams has faced the Pirates, Giants, Athletics and Astros so far, so a mix of good and bad offenses. Williams owns a career 4.44 ERA and is coming off a 2023 season in which he posted a 5.55 ERA. He’s also had some seasons in which he had an ERA in the 3s, and the way he’s pitching so far, he shouldn’t just be a streaming option. Until he posts a truly poor start, I’d do my best to keep Williams on the end of my roster.
Mark Canha Fantasy Outlook
Canha has been one of the league’s best surprises so far. Across his first 24 games, Canha had a .259 average and .394 on-base percentage. He’s doubled six times and hit five homers among his 21 total hits. Canha has driven in 14 runs, scored 12 times, stolen a base, walked 13 times and struck out 18 times.
Canha is a career .250 hitter, so that number might not drop too much as the season rolls on. He’s got a career .344 OBP, so that’s where his value could decrease over time. Still, for as hot as he is at the plate right now, there’s really no reason not to add him until he cools off.
Canha should have some position versatility, which makes him even more appealing. He’s hitting well enough to be in most fantasy starting lineups right now, but otherwise is a good backup option at several positions.
Jose Caballero Fantasy Outlook
Caballero has burst onto the scene this season across his first 23 games. He hit just .221 with a .343 OBP last season, but has a .272 average and .302 OBP this season. You’d like to see that OBP mark rise (and I assume it will over time), but Caballero is simply delivering more than a season ago.
Caballero has five doubles, a triple and two homers among his 22 total hits - a season ago, he posted 14 extra-base hits across 51 hits. He’s driven in 11 runs, scored 11 times and stolen nine bases already - last year, he had 26 RBIs, 37 runs scored and 26 stolen bases in 104 games and 280 plate appearances.
He’s getting playing time right now with the Rays extremely banged up, but he’s also playing well enough to potentially keep a starting role for when the team is closer to full health. He might not be a season-long fantasy option, but in the short term, he’s a great option. He also should have some position flexibility that makes him a touch more appealing to fantasy owners.
Jose Butto Fantasy Outlook
Butto is another waiver wire option because he’s pitching on Friday against the Cardinals. St. Louis is one of the worst-hitting teams so far, so it makes sense. Again though, Butto has pitched well enough this season to be viewed as more than a streaming option.
Across his first three starts, Butto has no wins or losses, but a 1.65 ERA. He’s struck out 21 batters over just 16 1/3 innings. Butto has surrendered three runs on eight hits and nine walks. He worked six innings against the Tigers and Royals, while going five frames against the stacked Dodgers, so that should be all you need to hear.
Butto had just 10 career games pitched coming into the season. He posted a 3.64 ERA across nine games (seven starts) in 2023, so this is starting to look like his first real chance to hold a permanent role in the starting rotation. He’s pitched well enough to retain that spot, but still could lose it when the likes of Tylor Megill, David Peterson and Kodai Senga return.
Until that point though, Butto could be a decent fantasy starting option for your fantasy team. Take advantage of him while he’s still locked in to a rotation spot.
Josh Smith Fantasy Outlook
Texas’ Smith also seems to have turned the corner in his career. He’s hitting .292 with a .393 OBP after holding averages between .185-.197 and OBPs between .304-.307 in his first two seasons in the big leagues.
Smith has doubled six times and homered once among his 21 total hits this season. He drove in 12 runs, scored 12 times, walked eight times and struck out on 13 occasions.
Smith has a regular spot in the lineup because of the injury to Josh Jung. Until Jung returns though, Smith is a decent fantasy option, and one you could utilize if he’s still available in your league’s waiver wire.
#waivers #2024-fantasy-baseball
