Weekly Waiver Wire Roundup — August 24, 2026

Rafael Flores Jr. posted a .607 wOBA across five games last week, the single highest mark among all waiver wire targets, and he's still sitting at just 12% ownership — that's the kind of inefficiency that wins leagues in late August. Eighty rising signals lit up the board over the past seven days, tilted heavily toward relievers and outfielders, but the most actionable adds this week are concentrated among bats heating up at exactly the right time for fantasy playoff pushes.

Top 5 Adds of the Week

Lawrence Butler (OF, ATH) — 46% Owned (+12% 7d)

Butler is the consensus top add of the week, and the data backs the hype without reservation. His 7-day wOBA of .446 represents a significant jump from his .369 over 30 days, and the process is clean: his strikeout rate dropped from 18.8% to 17.2% while his walk rate climbed from 10.9% to 13.8%. That's not a fluke power surge — that's an approach adjustment translating into results. He slashed .360 with 2 home runs across 29 plate appearances and 5 games. At 46% ownership and surging, the window is closing fast. If he's available in your league, this is a priority claim.

Rafael Flores Jr. (C,1B, PIT) — 12% Owned (+12% 7d)

Flores Jr. is the week's most explosive hitter by wOBA and still practically free. A .607 wOBA in any sample demands attention, but it's the trajectory that makes this compelling — that number is up from an already-strong .460 over 30 days. He hit .444 with 3 home runs in just 20 plate appearances, and his strikeout rate actually ticked down from 32.5% to 30.0%. Yes, the K rate is still elevated, and yes, this is a five-game heater. But catcher-eligible bats with this kind of power output don't stay at 12% ownership for long. The dual C/1B eligibility adds roster flexibility that makes him a near-zero-risk pickup.

Spencer Jones (OF, NYY) — 18% Owned (+7% 7d)

The Yankees outfield prospect is finally flashing the tools that made him a top prospect. Jones posted a .479 wOBA over the past week, a massive jump from his .343 mark over 30 days, and did it with consistent playing time — 23 plate appearances across five games. A .381 average and 2 home runs suggest the raw power is arriving in games, and at 18% ownership, he's still available in most competitive formats. The lineup spot in New York provides a high floor for counting stats if the performance sustains.

Javier Sanoja (2B,3B,SS,OF, MIA) — 13% Owned (+7% 7d)

Sanoja's appeal is twofold: elite production and elite eligibility. His .487 wOBA over the past seven days nearly doubled his 30-day mark of .346, driven by a .409 batting average and 2 home runs across 23 plate appearances. The multi-position eligibility at second base, third base, shortstop, and outfield makes him a Swiss Army knife for playoff rosters. At 13% ownership, he's the kind of add that can fill a gap at virtually any position while providing genuine offensive upside. Miami's lineup context isn't ideal, but individual performance this strong transcends team environment.

Josh Bell (1B, MIN) — 27% Owned (+7% 7d)

Bell's week was the most process-driven of the top five adds. His 7-day wOBA of .420 is a clear step up from .355 over 30 days, and it's underpinned by a strikeout rate decline from 16.7% to 12.5% paired with a walk rate increase from 11.1% to 12.5%. That plate discipline profile — striking out less, walking more, and producing a .333 average with a home run across 24 plate appearances — is the archetype of sustainable improvement. Bell in Minnesota has always had the raw ability; the discipline markers suggest this stretch has more staying power than a typical hot week.

Biggest Risers in Ownership

Lawrence Butler (OF, ATH) — +12% to 46%

Already covered in depth above. The pickup is fully justified. A .446 wOBA with improving plate discipline across 29 plate appearances is not a mirage. The ownership surge is the market catching up to legitimate performance.

Rafael Flores Jr. (C,1B, PIT) — +12% to 12%

Doubling from 0% to 12% on the strength of a .607 wOBA and 3 home runs is the market doing exactly what it should. The strikeout rate remains a concern at 30.0%, but at the catcher position, this kind of power is extraordinarily scarce. The pickup is justified and probably still undervalued.

Ben Joyce (RP, LAA) — +9% to 15%

Joyce was the biggest reliever riser of the week, jumping 9 points to 15% ownership. While his specific stat line wasn't among the top-five breakdowns, the signal volume at the reliever position (15 total RP signals, more than any other position) suggests the Angels right-hander is benefiting from an expanded role or improved results. At 15%, he's worth a speculative add in leagues that value relief pitching heavily.

Spencer Jones (OF, NYY) — +7% to 18%

Jones' rise is justified by a .479 wOBA and consistent playing time. The 7-point jump is actually modest relative to the production — if this were a more established name putting up these numbers, he'd be at 40% by now. The market may still be underpricing the breakout.

Javier Sanoja (2B,3B,SS,OF, MIA) — +7% to 13%

A .487 wOBA with quad-position eligibility at 13% ownership is the definition of an inefficient market. The pickup is absolutely justified, and the fact that he's still this widely available tells you more about Miami's visibility than about Sanoja's production.

Buy Low Candidates

No buy-low candidates were identified this week. This is noteworthy in itself — when the system finds zero watch-list players with strong underlying metrics masking below the surface, it typically means the waiver wire is sorting efficiently. Players are either producing and getting added (the "Add Now" tier) or their underlying metrics aren't generating enough signal to warrant a speculative stash. Keep an eye on this section next week, as late-August regression candidates often emerge after a hot stretch cools while the process metrics remain strong.

Position Scarcity Report

Relief Pitchers — 15 Signals (Most Active Position)

The RP position dominated the signal board this week with 15 total signals, far outpacing every other position. Key names generating buzz include Mason Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Seranthony Domínguez, Cade Smith, David Bednar, Bryan Abreu, Andrés Muñoz, Kenley Jansen, Pete Fairbanks, Josh Hader, Tanner Scott, Paul Sewald, Luke Weaver, A.J. Minter, and Emilio Pagán. The late-August bullpen shuffle is in full swing — closers are being traded, roles are shifting, and save opportunities are being redistributed. If you're in a saves-heavy format, this is the week to be aggressive on the wire at RP. The sheer volume of signals suggests opportunity across multiple tiers of reliever.

Outfield — 9 Signals

Outfield was the second-most active position, led by Lawrence Butler, Spencer Jones, Jarren Duran, Luis Robert Jr., Jo Adell, Andy Pages, Garrett Mitchell, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Chase DeLauter. With Butler and Jones headlining the adds, this is a position where the wire remains deep. Managers needing outfield help should have multiple viable options this week.

Catcher — 8 Signals

Eight catcher signals in a single week is exceptional for the thinnest position in fantasy. Beyond Rafael Flores Jr., names like Mickey Gasper, Alejandro Kirk, William Contreras, Gabriel Moreno, Keibert Ruiz, J.T. Realmuto, and Cal Raleigh all generated signals. This is a rare week where catcher upgrades are genuinely available on the wire. If you've been streaming the position, lock someone in now.

Infield Positions — Combined 26 Signals

The infield was well-represented across multiple eligibility combinations: pure first base (5 signals), multi-positional infielders at 1B/2B/3B (4 signals), 1B/3B (4 signals), 2B/3B/SS/OF (3 signals including Javier Sanoja), 2B/3B/SS (3 signals), and several other combinations. Josh Bell leads the 1B group, while multi-eligible options like Maikel Garcia, Brendan Donovan, Jake Cronenworth, and Coby Mayo provide roster flexibility. Shortstop was the thinnest pure infield position with only 1 standalone SS signal — managers needing short specifically may want to look at multi-eligible players like Sanoja or JJ Wetherholt to fill the gap.

Starting Pitchers — 6 Signals (SP + SP/RP)

Starting pitching was surprisingly quiet this week with only 2 pure SP signals and 4 SP/RP signals. Names like Dylan Dodd, Brent Headrick, Braxton Ashcraft, and Paul Blackburn were among those generating interest. If you need starting pitching help, the wire is thin — you may need to look at the SP/RP dual-eligible arms or target streamers on a matchup basis rather than expecting a league-winner at the position.

Looking Ahead

The 15-signal reliever surge is the trend to watch most closely heading into next week. Late-August roster moves and bullpen reshuffling across contending teams should continue to create closer opportunities, and the save landscape could shift dramatically before September call-ups add even more chaos. On the hitting side, keep an eye on whether Rafael Flores Jr.'s power binge holds — a catcher sustaining even half of a .607 wOBA would be a league-winning pickup at 12% ownership. The total absence of buy-low candidates this week suggests we may be in for a correction next week, where some of these hot hitters cool off and present watch-list opportunities with intact underlying metrics. Stay aggressive on the wire — this is the final stretch where roster construction wins championships.