Daily Waiver Report — Thursday, August 20, 2026

Andrew Vaughn has cut his strikeout rate from 22.4% to 9.1% over the past week while posting a .407 wOBA — and he's sitting at just 24% ownership with dual 1B/3B eligibility. That's the kind of profile that wins you a week in August. But he's not the only bat screaming for attention this morning.

Today's Top Adds

Josh Bell (1B, MIN) — 27% Owned

Bell is the hottest ownership mover on today's board, surging 7 percentage points in the past week, and the underlying numbers justify the rush. His wOBA has jumped from .355 over 30 days to .420 over the past seven, driven by a strikeout rate that's plummeted from 16.7% to 12.5% alongside a steady 12.5% walk rate. He's hitting .333 with a homer across 24 plate appearances in five games — a solid sample showing real contact quality improvement. At 27% ownership, the window is closing. If you need a first baseman or a utility bat with everyday at-bats, Bell is the cleanest add on this list.

Andrew Vaughn (1B/3B, MIL) — 24% Owned

The strikeout rate collapse is the headline: 9.1% over the past week, down from 22.4% over 30 days. That's elite-level contact ability, and it's translating into a .389 average and .407 wOBA across 22 plate appearances. He's also walking at a 13.6% clip, up from 11.8%. The power hasn't shown up yet — zero homers in the sample — but the plate discipline profile shift is the kind of process change that sustains. His ownership has barely budged (+1%), which means you likely have time to grab him, but that won't last if the contact keeps coming. The 1B/3B eligibility is a roster construction bonus.

Shane Baz (SP, BAL) — 52% Owned

Baz is the most interesting pitcher signal today despite his ownership actually cooling off by 8 points. People are dropping him — and they shouldn't be. His strikeout rate over the past seven days has exploded to 40.0%, up from 23.3% over 30 days, and his FIP sits at a sparkling 2.94. Yes, the ERA was 4.29 with a 14.29 K/9 in 6.3 innings last week, suggesting some sequencing bad luck against the strikeout dominance. The swing-and-miss stuff is clearly there. If he's been dropped in your league during that ownership dip, pounce immediately. The K rate alone makes him a must-roster arm.

Watch List

Steven Okert (RP, HOU) — 11% Owned

A 40.0% strikeout rate and a 1.43 FIP over the past week, with a clean 0.00 ERA and 12.0 K/9. The ownership is ticking up (+2%), and if he's working high-leverage innings in Houston's bullpen, this could escalate quickly. Monitor his role over the next few days.

David Hamilton (2B/3B/SS, MIL) — 2% Owned

A .460 wOBA in the past seven days, up from .295 over 30 days — that's a massive jump. He's hitting .385 with a homer while cutting his strikeout rate to 20.0% and walking at 13.3%. At just 2% ownership, he's essentially free. The multi-position eligibility adds value, but the sample needs another week to trust.

Jake Mangum (OF, PIT) — 14% Owned

Mangum's strikeout rate has cratered from 21.6% to 8.3% over the past week across 24 plate appearances. He's posting a .333 average and .388 wOBA with consistent playing time. The lack of power (zero homers) caps his ceiling, but in deeper leagues or points formats, the contact profile is intriguing.

Nick Sogard (1B/2B/3B, BOS) — 1% Owned

Sogard is interesting because of volume: 33 plate appearances in the past seven days, the highest on this entire report. He's hitting .296 with a homer and a .364 wOBA. At 1% owned, he's a deep-league stash with multi-position flexibility. The playing time is real — now we need to see if the production sustains.

Christian Vázquez (C, HOU) — 0% Owned

A .782 wOBA demands a mention even with a tiny sample caveat. Vázquez is hitting .500 with two homers while walking at a 25.0% clip over the past week. This is almost certainly unsustainable at this level, but the catcher position is so barren that even a short heater makes him worth monitoring. Don't add yet — watch one more week.

Kaelen Culpepper (SS, MIN) — 5% Owned

Culpepper has slashed his strikeout rate from 27.5% to 21.7% and is hitting .409 with a .390 wOBA across 23 plate appearances. His ownership is actually cooling (-3%), which feels like a mistake. The Twins are giving him consistent at-bats — keep him on the radar.

Luke Weaver (RP, PIT) — 21% Owned

The 0.43 FIP and 30.8% strikeout rate look elite, but a 9.00 ERA means the results aren't matching the peripherals. The K rate jumped from 18.2% to 30.8%, and the 12.0 K/9 is nasty. This is a classic FIP-ERA divergence — if you believe in the strikeouts and the underlying quality, he's a buy-low. But his ownership is dropping (-7%), so there's no urgency.

Stream of the Day

No streaming-specific signals were detected today. With no matchup-driven starter recommendations on the board, your best short-term play is Shane Baz if he's available — the 40.0% strikeout rate and 2.94 FIP make him a strong bet for his next start regardless of opponent. Otherwise, check back tomorrow for fresh streaming options.

Ownership Movers

  • Josh Bell (27%, +7%): Fully justified. The wOBA surge from .355 to .420, combined with improved plate discipline, backs every percentage point of that ownership spike. This move has legs.
  • Steven Okert (11%, +2%): Quietly climbing for good reason. A 1.43 FIP with a 40.0% K rate is the kind of reliever profile that wins ratios leagues. The move is early but directionally correct.
  • Andrew Vaughn (24%, +1%): Surprisingly stable given the numbers he's putting up. The 9.1% strikeout rate should be driving more action. This feels like ownership that's about to break upward.
  • David Hamilton (2%, +1%): Still essentially invisible at 2%, but a .460 wOBA week should start turning heads. The early movers here will be rewarded if this is real.
  • Jake Mangum (14%, +0%): Flat ownership despite an 8.3% strikeout rate over the past week. The market hasn't caught up to his contact surge yet, which gives you time in shallower formats.

Quick Hits

  • Vázquez's .782 wOBA is by far the highest on today's board, more than doubling his 30-day mark of .308. It's a small-sample mirage until proven otherwise, but the fact that a 0%-owned catcher hit two homers in a week is worth filing away. Track him here.
  • Kaelen Culpepper is losing owners (-3%) while hitting .409. That's a market inefficiency. The strikeout rate improvement from 27.5% to 21.7% suggests a real approach adjustment, not just BABIP luck.
  • Milwaukee's infield is suddenly a waiver goldmine. Both Vaughn and Hamilton are producing at elite wOBA levels (.407 and .460 respectively) at combined ownership under 26%. Something is working in that lineup.
  • The FIP-ERA gap on Luke Weaver is staggering: 0.43 FIP vs. 9.00 ERA. That level of divergence almost always corrects toward the FIP. If you have an open roster spot and stomach for volatility, he's a contrarian add.
  • Nick Sogard logged 33 PA in seven days at 1% ownership. That's everyday playing time that nobody is rostering. In leagues with daily transactions, he's a free source of counting stats with 1B/2B/3B eligibility.