Daily Waiver Report — Saturday, May 16, 2026

Brandon Valenzuela is sitting at 5% ownership with a .497 wOBA over the last seven days, 62.0% hard-hit rate, and a 94.8 mph average exit velocity — and if you play in a league with catcher scarcity, you need to stop reading and go add him right now before the rest of this article loads.

Today's Top Adds

Spencer Steer — 1B/OF, CIN (22% rostered, +6% 7d)

Steer's strikeout rate has cratered from 16.7% over the last 30 days to a minuscule 3.6% over the past week — the kind of swing that screams improved pitch recognition, not luck. He's slashing .346 with a .385 wOBA, backed by a 93.6 mph exit velocity and 47.8% hard-hit rate across 28 plate appearances. The multi-position eligibility (1B/OF) sweetens the deal. Ownership jumped 6% in seven days and is accelerating. The window to grab him in shallow leagues is closing fast.

Brandon Valenzuela — C/1B, TOR (5% rostered, +4% 7d)

This is the headliner. Valenzuela's .497 wOBA over the last seven days dwarfs his 30-day mark of .372, and the process backs it up: 62.0% hard-hit rate, 94.8 mph exit velocity, a strikeout rate that dropped from 20.4% to 12.5%, and a walk rate climbing from 14.3% to 18.8%. He's hitting .385 with a home run in five games. At 5% rostered, this is a free square on the waiver wire. Catcher-eligible bats with this kind of quality contact don't stay available for long.

Dillon Dingler — C, DET (53% rostered, +3% 7d)

Dingler is already rostered in more than half of leagues, but if you're in the other half, move now. His .430 wOBA in the last week is a significant jump from a .326 30-day mark. Two home runs, a .304 average, 61.1% hard-hit rate, and a 93.9 mph exit velocity over 26 plate appearances — the contact quality here is elite for a catcher. His walk rate also ticked up from 7.1% to 11.5%, showing a more disciplined approach at the plate.

Carter Jensen — C, KC (32% rostered, stable)

Jensen is quietly putting up the best raw numbers of anyone on this list: a .507 wOBA, .462 batting average, an 11.1% strikeout rate (down from 28.1% over 30 days), and a 22.2% walk rate. The exit velocity of 89 mph and 46.7% hard-hit rate suggest the batted-ball profile isn't as loud as the surface stats, which is why he sits on the Watch-leaning end of "Add Now." But the plate discipline transformation — cutting K-rate by more than half while doubling his walk rate — is real and worth buying into at 32% ownership. Today's catcher crop is unusually strong; if you're streaming the position, Jensen should be at the top of your priority list.

Watch List

Gavin Sheets — 1B/OF, SD (3% rostered)

Sheets is flashing a .416 wOBA with a .333 average, a homer, and improving plate discipline — strikeout rate down to 13.6%, walk rate up to 18.2%. The 89.3 mph exit velocity and 41.7% hard-hit rate are merely fine, not special. Worth monitoring for another week to see if the contact quality ticks up to match the discipline improvements. At 3% ownership, there's no urgency — but the trend lines are pointing the right direction.

José Alvarado — RP, PHI (2% rostered)

A 41.7% strikeout rate and a -0.60 FIP over the past week. That FIP is absurd. The 16.67 K/9 is elite reliever territory. If he's getting high-leverage innings in Philadelphia, he's a speculative add in leagues that value ratios and strikeouts. The ERA of 3.33 lags behind the peripherals, which usually means positive regression is coming.

Tejay Antone — RP, CIN (0% rostered)

A 1.10 FIP and 26.7% K-rate are intriguing, though the 4.5 ERA and early sample size warrant patience. Keep on the radar as a potential ratios stabilizer in deeper leagues.

Luis Torrens — C, NYM (0% rostered)

Torrens has jumped from a .235 wOBA over 30 days to .405 over the last week with a .364 average, 7.7% K-rate, and 15.4% walk rate. The 90.5 mph exit velocity is below the threshold for conviction, and at 0% ownership, the market agrees this is a "show me more" situation. But the discipline swing is notable.

Hao-Yu Lee — 2B/3B, DET (0% rostered)

A .501 wOBA with a 0.0% strikeout rate over the last seven days — yes, zero strikeouts — after posting a 29.6% K-rate over 30 days. That's the kind of stat that makes you double-check the data. He's hitting .429 with a 12.5% walk rate. The 89.9 mph exit velocity keeps this on the Watch List rather than Add Now, but the strikeout disappearing act is remarkable and worth monitoring closely.

Alex Vesia — RP, LAD (22% rostered, -3% 7d)

Ownership is dropping, and the 11.74 ERA explains why managers are panicking. But the 38.5% K-rate, 19.57 K/9, and 1.36 FIP tell a completely different story — this is a reliever getting unlucky on batted balls, not one who has lost his stuff. If you can stomach the ugly ERA, hold or buy the dip. The strikeouts are real.

Stream of the Day

No streaming-specific signals surfaced in today's data. With a Saturday slate, most managers are locked in on two-start pitchers for the week ahead. Check back tomorrow for Sunday streaming options and early looks at the Monday-Wednesday pitching landscape.

Ownership Movers

  • Spencer Steer (22%, +6% 7d) — The biggest riser this week, and completely justified. A .385 wOBA, 3.6% K-rate, and 93.6 mph exit velocity over 28 plate appearances is a legitimate breakout signal, not noise. The ownership curve is going to steepen.
  • Brandon Valenzuela (5%, +4% 7d) — Rising fast from a low base. A near-80% jump in ownership percentage (.497 wOBA, 62.0% hard-hit rate) suggests the early adopters are moving. Still criminally under-owned.
  • Dillon Dingler (53%, +3% 7d) — Already majority-owned, but the +3% trend confirms managers are reacting to a real surge (.430 wOBA, two homers). If he's on your wire, you're behind.
  • Gavin Sheets (3%, +0% 7d) — Stable at 3% despite a .416 wOBA. The market hasn't caught on. That could change if the hard-hit numbers improve.
  • José Alvarado (2%, stable) — Flying completely under the radar with a -0.60 FIP. This is either a league-winner reliever pickup or a small-sample mirage. The K-rate says it's real.

Quick Hits

  • Catcher bonanza: Four of today's ten signals are catchers (Valenzuela, Dingler, Jensen, Torrens). If you've been punting the position, today is the day to stop.
  • Hao-Yu Lee's 0.0% strikeout rate over the last seven days — down from 29.6% over 30 days — is the single most dramatic K-rate swing in today's data. The 2B/3B eligibility in Detroit adds roster flexibility if this approach sticks.
  • Alex Vesia's 11.74 ERA vs. 1.36 FIP is the widest gap on today's report. That kind of ERA-FIP divergence almost always corrects toward the FIP. Managers dropping him at -3% ownership are donating value.
  • Carter Jensen cut his strikeout rate from 28.1% to 11.1% in one week — the largest absolute K-rate decline among today's adds. Combined with a .507 wOBA, the discipline overhaul is producing immediate results.
  • Today's signals are entirely bats and relievers — not a single starting pitcher triggered a rising signal. Expect a pitcher-heavy report early next week as the rotation cycle resets.