When Devin Williams found himself demoted from the Yankees‘ closer role, I suspected it would only be a matter of time before he worked his way back into the ninth-inning role. And I was half-right.
Williams didn’t earn his job back, necessarily. Or, more accurately, Luke Weaver was so dominant that the Yankees never really had to consider giving Williams the job back. But he will get it back after Weaver was diagnosed with a hamstring strain that could cost him as much as six weeks of action.
Williams struggled as the Yankees closer early in the season, but he’s looked a lot more like himself lately, allowing runs in just two of his past 15 appearances, with 20 strikeouts to five walks in 13.2 innings in that stretch. There have still been a few hiccups – and his changeup whiff rate is down to 33%, the first time it’s ever been below 40% since 2019’s brief stint – but Williams looks good enough to get the job done, even if he looks a bit shakier than you might have expected coming into the season.
And the thing that separates him from some of the other closer targets on the waiver wire these days is that he really does have a chance to take the job and run with it. Williams has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball over the past half-decade, and if he pitches like that for the next six weeks, are the Yankees really going to remove him from the role? I doubt it, which means his long-term fate is in his own hands, and I would prioritize Williams ahead of Camilo Doval in leagues where both are available.
Here’s what else you need to know about from Monday’s action around MLB:
Tuesday’s top waiver-wire targets
Colton Cowser, OF, Orioles (68%) – Cowser has been activated from the IL and will make his return to the lineup Tuesday for the Orioles, and they really need him amid what has become a nightmare season. Cowser has been out since breaking his thumb during the fourth game of the season, and that kind of injury could just linger and wreck his whole season. But if he plays like he did last season, when he hit .242 with 24 homers and nine steals, you’re going to be happy to have him around. He’s just 25, too, so if there’s any growth in his contact rates, power-hitting, or base stealing, he could be even better. It’s a nice bet to be able to make for the cost of just some FAB when he was a top-150 pick coming into the season.
Parker Meadows, OF, Tigers (33%) – Meadows made his own return from the IL Monday and he looked awesome, going 2 for 4 with two walks, three runs, and a stolen base. And he was put right back in the leadoff spot, which is exciting. It’s not clear how often Meadows is going to play against left-handed pitching – he actually hit .263/.311/.421 against them last season, which is fine – but if he’s hitting leadoff already, there’s a ton to like about him for all categories leagues, at least.
Jacob Melton, OF, Astros (9%) – I overlooked Melton’s promotion in Sunday’s Waiver Wire newsletter, but he does deserve a look, at least. Melton is a 2022 second-round pick who has more than held his own at Triple-A this season, after struggling with the level last season. He’s got some pop and some speed and a kind of funky swing that has had scouts wondering how he would fare against higher-level competition at basically every level. His swing doesn’t really allow him to take advantage of his plus raw power, but the bigger issue in his minor-league career has been an inability to handle lefties. The Astros are likely to try to limit Melton to facing righties for the foreseeable future, both because of his struggles against same-handed pitching and because of his injury history. These challenges make him a relatively low-priority target, but one with an intriguing skill set who could force his way into a bigger role for a team desperate for production from the outfield.
Thairo Estrada, 2B, Rockies (15%) – Estrada is back from the IL and hitting well, with a .364 average through three games after going 3 for 4 Monday. He’s hitting in the top four of the Rockies lineup and is only a few years removed from being a really solid Fantasy option. If he can get back to being a 15-ish homer, 20-ish steal guy with Coors Field’s batting average inflating properties helping him out, he could be a must-start player in any categories league. We’re not there yet, but it’s within the range of possible outcomes.
