2 days Ago By USA TODAY Sports
We're just two series into a long 2025 MLB season. We've got to give some slow starts the benefit of the doubt. Do we really think Mike Trout is going to hit under the Mendoza line for the rest of the season? No.
Is William Contreras washed after just six games? No. Are the Atlanta Braves going to continue their offensive woes all year? Probably not. While you may have lost your first fantasy matchup thanks to slow starts, it's important to remember that players go through ebbs and flows.
Everything eventually veers back toward normalcy. However, there have also been some hot, promising starts that you can take advantage of on your waiver wires. While there is a chance that several of these players fall back to Earth, the underlying metrics or previous success could point to an absolute steal available in more than half of all leagues.
Here are five players you should target on waivers this week. All roster numbers provided by ESPN. MLB payrolls 2025: Full list of every baseball team from highest to lowest Fantasy baseball rankings: Five players to target on waivers SP Jeffrey Springs, Athletics (Rostered in 42.
1% of leagues) Springs has been one of MLB's best kept secrets for some time now. He missed almost all of the past two seasons with injury, but now that he's back it's easy to remember how dominant he was prior. Since the start of 2022, Springs boasts a 2.
36 ERA across 190.1 innings pitched. Yes, the injuries are a concern and maybe he won't be the same pitcher who emerged in 2021-22 with the Tampa Bay Rays .
But in Springs' first start of the year he held the Seattle Mariners to only three hits and one walk across six innings while striking out nine batters. Given Springs' track record, he's worth taking a shot on if you need a starter. At the very least, he should be a great streaming option moving forward.
RP/SP Kris Bubic, Kansas City Royals (Rostered in 11.3% of leagues) Like Springs, Bubic posted six innings of shutout ball against the Milwaukee Brewers in his first start of 2025. While he is likely to lose his RP status soon, Bubic is still a high-upside starter who provides shades of Michael King from a few seasons ago, when he transitioned from the bullpen to the rotation and found massive success.
Bubic's 4.1% walk rate from a season ago is what really sparks interest. Given Kansas City's history of getting the most out of its pitchers, Bubic is a prime candidate for a breakout campaign.
1B Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics (Rostered in 32.4% of leagues) Yes it's early, but Soderstrom's Baseball Savant page is flooded with red, signaling him as one of the premier hitters in the early going. With tons of first basemen struggling to start the season as well, Soderstrom becomes a great pickup until the season gets into its groove.
Soderstrom, however, could very well be more than just a short-term solution. With the Athletics playing in that small Sacramento ballpark, and Soderstrom surrounded by other talented hitters such as Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler, Soderstrom should get plenty of pitches to see. As it stands, Soderstrom ranks in the 80th percentile or better in expected slugging percentage (.
626), average exit velocity (95.9), barrel rate (18.8%) and hard-hit rate (62.
5%). Even if he comes down a bit, that's still incredible value for someone you didn't even spend a draft pick on. 1B Wilmer Flores, San Francisco Giants (Rostered in 7.
9% of leagues) Flores has been in the league for more than a decade now, having posted an OPS+ over 100 in eight of the past nine seasons. He's always been an above-average hitter, but nothing special. But in all fairness, Flores hasn't had much opportunity, as he's played in more than 130 games just twice in that same span.
Flores might get that opportunity in 2025. LaMonte Wade Jr. is 0 for 16 to start the year, and Flores could see ample time at first base if those struggles continue.
And with how weak first base is currently, Flores could be worth a short-term roster spot during his streak. 2B/SS/OF Kristian Campbell, Boston Red Sox (Rostered in 54.7% of leagues) Campbell had not played a big-league game before 2025.
He's now played six, enough for the Red Sox to lock him up with an eight-year, $60 million dea l. That shows faith in the 2024 Minor League Player of the Year. Campbell is playing pretty well too, slashing .
375/.500/.688 through five games with a home run.
He's also very versatile as a defender, capable of playing the outfield or middle infield, which gives him more opportunity to play. He's everything you could ask for in a prospect, and while he is rostered in more than half of ESPN leagues, it's still a shame that he's unrostered in more than 45% of leagues. Grab him while you can.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy baseball rankings: Waiver wire players to target this week.
