Sunday night’s star remains available in a shocking number of ESPN leagues.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Chicago Cubs‘ everyday center fielder and (at least thus far) No. 7 hitter, hit two home runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball, propelling his team to a 4-2 victory and weekend series win. It was his first game all season with more than six fantasy points, and only his 11th among 18 total games with a positive point total. However, as it came on the big stage, it seems likely — and deservedly so — that this outing will boost his roster rate in ESPN leagues.
Crow-Armstrong, somehow, remains out there in 68.0% of ESPN leagues, whereas in many offsite games he’s rostered in more than 80%. There’s a logical reason for there being a discrepancy, in that his skill set isn’t ideal for our standard scoring system (points) being that he’s a free-swinging type who provides a greater contribution to his fantasy teams with his legs than his bat. Still, Crow-Armstrong’s Sunday performance should serve a reminder that he’s capable of helping fantasy teams universally.
Crow-Armstrong’s raw speed provides a helpful base for fantasy play, as he had a 99th percentile Statcast sprint speed last year and has 98th percentile thus far in 2025. He’s a perfect 6-for-6 on his steals attempts after going 27-for-30 last season, and between this and last season, only Elly De La Cruz (41.4%), Dairon Blanco (37.7%), Jose Caballero (34.7%) and David Hamilton (34.5%) have attempted a stolen base on a greater percentage of his opportunities (minimum 50) than Crow-Armstrong (32.7%).
With the bat, Crow-Armstrong has made contact on 78% of his swings, up from 70% last season, he has maintained the elevated launch angle he exhibited over the final three months of 2024 (16.1 degrees then, 17.1 this year) and kept his hard-hit rate within range (40.3% then, 35.8% this year). There’s enough pop in his bat that he’s capable of 15-20 homers, to go along with what’s already 40-SB ability.
Best yet, Crow-Armstrong’s defense is likely to rate among the game’s best, assuring him regular at-bats to drive up his counting numbers. There’s no question that he needs to be immediately added in all formats.
Week 4’s other top waiver wire picks
Geraldo Perdomo, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks (available in 55.2% of leagues): Although the four-year, $45 million contract extension through 2029 that he signed in February might have been unexpected, Perdomo’s combination of elite plate discipline, baserunning smarts and above-average defense at three different infield positions makes him one of the game’s more underrated players.
He has filled in admirably as the Diamondbacks’ No. 2 hitter against right-handers and leadoff man against lefties since Ketel Marte landed on the IL, batting .273 with 12 walks compared to zero strikeouts in eight games. Perdomo’s skill set isn’t that of a league-winner, but his on-base ability makes him a worthwhile plug-in for so long as he remains in the top third of one of the better lineups in baseball.
Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics (available in 64.5%): An elite contact hitter in the style of David Eckstein, Wilson’s 88% contact rate on his swings since his July 19, 2024 debut is seventh-best among the 260 hitters who have had at least as many trips to the plate as him. And this is in spite of the fact that he has the 21st-highest chase rate (percentage of swings at non-strikes) during that same time span.
That’s a skill that minimizes downside in points leagues, even if Wilson to this point has been an extreme ground baller with little pop in his swing. He has recently moved up to sixth/seventh in the Athletics order and is their regular shortstop, playing in a home ballpark that should inflate offense up and down the lineup.
Rotisserie-style player to add
Jose Caballero, SS/2B/3B, Tampa Bay Rays (available in 90.4% of leagues): As mentioned above, he’s one of the most likely players in baseball to attempt a steal when presented with the opportunity, but what stands out for him thus far in 2025 hasn’t been his speed, but rather his patience at the plate. Through 33 plate appearances, he has six walks, already more than 20% of his entire 2024 total (27), while cutting his chase rate from 35% to 22%.
Taking into account his ability to play all over the field, the Rays have taken notice, starting him in four of their past five games with multiple appearances at both third base and in right field. Caballero is plenty capable of a 40-steal campaign if he’s used regularly, as he was in 2024, but he could see that total — and his numbers on the whole — jump markedly if his new patient approach sticks.
Deeper-league pickups
Zebby Matthews, SP, Minnesota Twins (available in 97.1% of leagues): While he didn’t get the call this past week after Pablo Lopez was placed on the IL — David Festa instead was summoned — Matthews should factor into the Twins rotation soon. The Twins had already been mulling a six-man rotation, and Matthews has pitched excellently between spring training (9 1/3 scoreless innings with a 37.5% K rate) and two starts for Triple-A St. Paul (1.80 ERA, 36.1 K%). It’s possible Matthews could get a look in Chris Paddack‘s spot in short order.
Chase Meidroth, SS/3B, Chicago White Sox (available in 98.0%): Though his spring statistics failed to impress (.146/.300/.171 rates over 17 games), the White Sox gave serious consideration to having this rookie begin the season as their starting shortstop. Instead, he reported to Triple-A Charlotte, hit three home runs, stole two bases and again posted more walks than strikeouts — he had 105 of the former and 71 of the latter for Triple-A Worcester last year — across nine games to earn a quick recall. Acquired in this past winter’s Garrett Crochet trade, Meidroth is a contact-oriented hitter whose patience is his calling card. If your league weights walks or on-base percentage more heavily, he’s well worth a speculative pickup.
Jose Quintana, SP, Milwaukee Brewers (available in 97.5%): The Brewers have a way of squeezing production out of the least likely pitchers — see Tobias Myers in 2024, Wade Miley in 2023 or Eric Lauer in 2022. Quintana is coming off a surprisingly productive 2024 of his own for the Mets. He’s one of the better pitchers at both getting ahead early in the count as well as minimizing hard contact, and in his first start for the Brewers he went sinker-heavy, generating a 55% ground ball rate. Quintana is a pitcher best used for matchup-seekers, but since the Brewers are starved for starting pitching and are paying him $4 million, he should see plenty of chances in that regard.
