Top Waiver Wire Adds: July 9th, 2026

JJ Bleday, OF, Cincinnati Reds

Bleday is hitting .239, which doesn't jump off the page, but everything underneath that average does. His OPS sits at .830 through 63 games — that's a massive jump from the .698 he posted last year. The power is real: 14 home runs already, matching his full 2025 total with a third of the season still to go.

The Statcast profile backs it up. His xBA is .263, xSLG is .451, and his xwOBA is .365. Hard hit rate is at 42.9% and average exit velocity is 88.9 mph. He's been doing damage, not getting lucky. Add in the .348 OBP and this is a legitimately useful fantasy bat across multiple categories.

The context matters too. He hit .341 with a 1.121 OPS at Triple-A in 2026 before getting called up, and posted a .353 average in Triple-A last year. The underlying skills have been there — Cincinnati gave him the opportunity and he's finally capitalizing on it.

If he's available in your league, grab him. He's more than a streaming play at this point.

Luis García Jr., 1B, Washington Nationals

García is quietly having one of the better first half seasons you're not talking about. Through 87 games: .291 average, 20 home runs, 68 RBI, .894 OPS. That's a top-10 first baseman conversation.

And the Statcast numbers say it might even be a little light. His xBA is .300, xSLG is .520, and his average exit velocity is 92.2 mph with a 48.4% hard hit rate. He's barreling the ball at a 10.5% clip. This isn't a fluke.

The one thing you're giving up from his 2024 profile is stolen bases — he swiped 22 bags two years ago, is down to just 4 this year. So if you're desperate for SBs, he won't solve that problem. But 20 HR with a .291 average in early July from a player available in a chunk of leagues? That's a priority pickup, especially in formats that reward OBP.

Washington is bad, but García's individual production has separated itself from the team context. He's a must-add if he's sitting on your wire.

Heriberto Hernández, OF, Miami Marlins

The surface stats on Hernández look fine — .238 average, 12 HR, .792 OPS through 63 games — but the Statcast profile is what makes this interesting. His average exit velocity is 92.4 mph, hard hit rate is 51.1%, and his barrel rate is at 11.3%. His xSLG is .520 and xwOBA is .371.

That hard hit rate is legitimately impressive. He's hitting the ball harder than his counting stats suggest, which usually means the counting stats are about to get better.

The batting average is a concern. His xBA is only .267, so don't expect him to suddenly hit .290. But if you need power and can absorb a mediocre average, he's worth a look. A 25-homer pace with a chance to outperform his current marks based on contact quality? You can build around that.

Miami isn't doing Hernández any favors with lineup protection, which makes the production more impressive in a weird way. Monitor his lineup spot and if they ever put something together around him, the counting stats could spike.

Jackson Jobe, SP, Lakeland Flying Tigers

Jobe is making his way back from injury and is currently rehabbing at Single-A Lakeland. That's not a knock on him — that's just where he is right now. The 2025 MLB debut showed real promise: 4.22 ERA over 10 starts, 39 strikeouts in 49 innings. The WHIP of 1.49 was messy and he didn't finish the season healthy, but the stuff was evident.

The fact that he's only thrown 1.1 innings at Lakeland in 2026 tells you he's still in the early stages of his comeback. This is a guy working back carefully, not a guy who lost his roster spot. There's a difference. Detroit clearly still believes in him or he wouldn't be rehabbing at all.

In redraft leagues, you probably can't carry him right now unless you have an IL or prospect slot to stash him. But this isn't a situation where you write him off — it's one where you keep a close eye on his workload as it ramps up. When he starts stretching out and looking healthy at High-A or Double-A, that's your signal.

Dynasty owners should already have him rostered. His ceiling as a starting pitcher is significant, and a healthy second half could still put him back in the majors before the season ends. Don't drop him, and if he's somehow available in your dynasty league, pick him up immediately.