X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Streaming Wars: Waiver Wire Targets for May 8

Brad Johnson's fantasy baseball daily streaming picks for May 8th. Pitcher and hitter streamers for MLB DFS games, and head-to-head (H2H) waiver wire targets.

Welcome back to Streaming Wars, your one-stop shop for streaming the waiver wire. Use this column to bolster your neediest categories.

Below are your pitcher and hitter streaming targets for Monday, May 8th.

Let's get to it.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Agenda

  1. A Murder of Injuries
  2. Today's Weather and Updates
  3. Tomorrow's Picks

 

1. A Murder of Injuries

It's still the weekend so let's kick things off with a goofy poll. A group of geese is a gaggle. Monkeys form a troop. When a bunch of lions hang out, they're called a pride. What word should we use to describe a cluster of injuries?

We all knew the 10-day disabled list would increase the number of players placed on the shelf. However, I feel like we were under-prepared for the full effect of the new rule. In one league I commission, I am considering adding an additional pair of disabled list slots to deal with the issue. It may be time for fantasy baseball leagues to move from two to four disabled list slots as the default setting.

 

2. Today's Weather and Updates

San Diego has a rare rain day on tap for Sunday. The game could be postponed. Tomorrow should be a beautiful day for baseball.

 

3. Tomorrow's Picks - Monday, May 8th

Pitchers to Use

Let's start with Joe Biagini since he's usable in a very unusual way. The Toronto reliever is making a spot start as the Blue Jays try to survive an injured rotation. Biagini isn't stretched out. We're looking at a three inning start. He absolutely will not earn a win, but there's a decent chance you'll get good ratios. He won't face anybody more than twice. These spots starts always have an extra element of risk since the pitcher's routine is based around relieving.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me every damned time, and you must be Kendall Graveman. At the start of every season, Graveman looks to be on the cusp of a breakout. He's already back to boring ol' Kendall. Although I'm much less enthused about owning him, his matchup against a probably Mike Trout-less Angels offense is usable.

Alex Wood's ownership has climbed to 27 percent. This may be your last chance to acquire him cheaply. The southpaw uses a funky delivery to keep hitters uncomfortable. He has a high strikeout and ground ball rate coupled with a tolerable walk rate. His velocity is up two mph. He's an automatic start in all formats. Wood should receive run support against the Pirates. Keep an eye on how the Dodgers handle today's rainout - Wood could be bumped.

Nick Martinez is a boring spot starter quality arm. He doesn't record strikeouts and allows home runs by the bushel. However, you may wish to give him a look opposite Jered Weaver at Petco Park. It's a friendlier venue for pitchers than his normal stomping grounds, and there's a good chance he'll leave the game with a big lead.

Other Targets: Adam Conley, Blake Snell

 

Pitchers to Exploit

I've received a lot of questions about Antonio Senzatela. A 2.84 ERA over six starts - including some Coors Field appearances - will do drum up fantasy interest. Do yourself a favor, sell or divest now. He's a fastball-slider guy without any true weapons. Regression is going to hit him like a Mack truck. His success can be traced to a low hard contact rate. However, pitchers who can actually control quality of contact usually have a high soft contact rate. That's not the case for Senzatela. He's just been lucky.

I can't believe Rookie Davis is making another start. Perhaps it's because he held the Pirates scoreless in five innings last week. It's not like it was a good outing (three walks, two strikeouts), and it was only the first time he reached the fifth frame. Davis looks like a pitcher, but he doesn't have any of the weapons necessary to retire major league sluggers. The Yankees are going to destroy him.

Kevin Gausman has a history of pitching poorly through the first half of the season. He's off to his worst start ever. Gausman has been hit and homer prone while struggling with his command. His 5.81 K/9 and 5.23 BB/9 don't play in the majors.

The Pirates have tried to use Trevor Williams as a long reliever. He has been... not effective. In 24.1 career innings, Williams has a devilish 6.66 ERA with 7.77 K/9 and 4.44 BB/9. He's been plagued by home runs. Load up on Dodgers.

Other Targets: Nate Karns, Ricky Nolasco, Jered Weaver

 

Homers on the Wire

Yonder Alonso hit two more home runs yesterday. He's now up to 12 percent owned. Are you familiar with the concept of "the tipping point?" If not, google it. Alonso's long past of crappiness has thus far dissuaded most owners from taking a chance on Alonso. He's been the sixth best first baseman, and he's an easy top 15 guy over the rest of season. He should be owned in all but the very smallest leagues. Alonso will face Ricky Nolasco. Of lesser interest are Matt Joyce and Jed Lowrie.

Logan Morrison is the seventh ranked first baseman. He's just 11 percent owned. While Alonso's power outburst can be tracked back to a new swing and 40 percent hard hit rate, LoMo's burst of over-the-wall power is unsupported by a change in peripherals. Continue to aggressively stream him. He'll see Nate Karns. Colby Rasmus has been back a few days. His only hit in 11 plate appearances was a home run.

I'm recommending three Texas outfielders today. A fourth, Nomar Mazara, is too widely owned to recommend as a streamer. However, since the Rangers are visiting a National League park, they'll have to bench one of their outfielders. I'd bet on it being Delino DeShields or Shin-Soo Choo. It would be unfortunate if Choo takes a seat since his lefty swing and ground ball tendencies make him a big home run threat against a fly ball pitcher like Weaver. Carlos Gomez is also a threat to ambush a Weaver fastball over a wall.

You don't have to be hitting as well as Aaron Hicks to be a power option in Cincinnati. The Yankees are using Hicks most days, although he's still too frequently the odd man out in the outfield rotation. He's hitting a ridiculous .355/.468/.710 with 50 percent more walks than strikeouts. Chase Headley is alternative to take advantage of a small park.

Other Targets: Yangervis Solarte, Ryan Schimpf, Hunter Renfroe, Andrew Toles, Randal Grichuk, Tommy Pham, Scott Schebler, Wilmer Flores, T.J. Rivera

 

Steals on the Wire

The Jose Reyes hit barrage continues. Since late April, he's slashing .349/.408/.674 in 49 plate appearances. He has five walks and one strikeout during the streak. Asdrubal Cabrera is the latest Met to hit the skids. Reyes will take over at shortstop. He's 30 percent owned.

Brett Gardner went on a power binge last week. You probably missed him at his best, but he remains a speedy runner with fluke power upside. The Yankees are visiting another park for children. They'll face a Double-A quality pitcher.

The injury bug has bitten deeply into the Cardinals lineup. Kolten Wong has been pressed into leadoff duties for the Cardinals. St. Louis is facing a lefty so we may instead see Aledmys Diaz lead off on Monday. Either way, Wong is one of the few options available for steals. He should much more widely owned than he is - just 10 percent.

Other Targets: Delino DeShields, Manuel Margot, Kevin Kiermaier, Michael Taylor

 

Skill Positions

The Tigers ninth inning situation is coming to a head. Francisco Rodriguez blew another save and now has a 6.35 ERA on the season. The main issue is easy to spot - an elevated fly ball rate combined with his typically high HR/FB ratio. He'll probably be fine going forward, but a couple more blown saves could force a switch. Frankly, there aren't any other ninth inning relievers in that bullpen. Justin Wilson is the closest thing if you're looking to speculate.

Austin Hedges has a matchup against a homer prone pitcher. They're both fly ball guys. In other words, don't be surprised if Hedges hits the ball too high.

If you need a shortstop Didi Gregorius is slashing .344/.382/.406 through 34 plate appearances. Don't expect a repeat of his fluke 20 home runs season, even with help from Yankee Stadium. Even so, he's a viable power threat at Great American Ballpark.

 

More Lineups Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cody Garbrandt

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Brundage

Defeated After Accidental Clash Of Heads
Cody Brundage

Mansur Abdul-Malik Defeats Cody Brundage By Technical Decision
Oumar Sy

Suffers His First Loss
Alonzo Menifield

Scores Upset Win
Alex Bowman

Delivers Bravura Performance After Michigan Injury
Tyler Reddick

Inexplicably Mediocre on his Once-Best Track Type
John Hunter Nemechek

Canny Strategy Gives John Hunter Nemechek Best Career Road-Course Finish
Cole Custer

Earns Best Finish Since Cup-Series Comeback at Mexico City
Grant Holmes

Punches Out 15 in Loss
Elly De La Cruz

Goes Yard in Fourth Straight Game
Will Vest

Dealing With Finger Injury
Jackson Merrill

Placed on Seven-Day Concussion Injured List
J.J. McCarthy

Looking "a Lot Stronger"
Shohei Ohtani

Will Be Dodgers' Starting Pitcher Monday
Roki Sasaki

Shut Down From Throwing
Garrett Wilson

Receives New Contract Offer
Jordan Hicks

Headed to Boston
Kyle Harrison

Traded to Red Sox
Travis Kelce

Slims Down During the Offseason
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Restart Contract Discussions
Brady House

Nationals Promoting Brady House to Major Leagues
Rafael Devers

Traded to San Francisco
Logan Gilbert

to Start on Monday
Jayden Higgins

Impresses During Minicamp
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

on the Move to Memphis
Cole Anthony

Dealt to the Grizzlies
Seattle Seahawks

DeMarcus Lawrence Making an Impression With his New Team
Isaiah Simmons

Being Used Exclusively as a Linebacker
Tyler Mahle

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Travis Etienne Jr.

the Jaguars Lead Back?
Luis Robert Jr.

Scratched with Thumb Soreness
Desmond Bane

Traded to Orlando
Byron Buxton

Scratched from Sunday's Lineup
Daniel Jones

the Favorite in Colts QB Competition?
Brendan Donovan

Returns to the Lineup
Steven Adams

Rockets Agree to Three-Year Contract Extension
Royce Lewis

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Ty Dillon

Is a Respectable Cap Flexiblity-Focused DFS Option For Mexico City
Corey Perry

Produces 10th Postseason Goal
Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Shohei Ohtani

Blasts Two Homers in Win
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Michael King

Not Making Progress
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Jackson Merrill

Removed Early on Saturday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in the Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front-Row Start
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong of a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014
Erik Jones

Mexico City Will Likely be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports' Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Worst Track Type
Riley Herbst

Surprisingly Outqualifies 23XI Racing Teammates at Mexico City
Cody Ware

a Very Experienced Road Racer but Still a Long Shot
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite to Win in Mexico City
Christopher Bell

the Chalk DFS Play in Mexico City
Giancarlo Stanton

Likely Returning Early Next Week
Spencer Strider

Registers 13 Strikeouts
Emeka Egbuka

"the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF