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AL-Only Leagues: Deeper Waiver Wire Pickups For Week Eight

As May comes to an end, we are about to close the chapter on the first third of the season. No fantasy team is a lost cause at this point, but if your team is floundering, the time to pick up the pace and still have a reasonable shot at competitiveness is beginning to wane. Fantasy rosters are often like boats: they can stay afloat longer with some quick reflexes and plugging as many holes as possible.

One of the easiest paths to keeping a roster afloat on the fantasy high seas is improvement through the waiver wire. While determining who is a lost cause and who could still come around on one's roster is another matter entirely, who to target to fill those potential spots is not. That's precisely why we are digitally gathered here, sirs and madams of the fantasy world: to plunder for riches!

So pull out your best knapsack, fannypack or other "-ack" device and take a handful of these potential plugs to seal your leaks. These aren't guaranteed to last, but they can help owners get to the next roster port. All players are owned in 25% or less of Flea Flicker leagues.

Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.

 

American League Targets - Hitters

Leonys Martin (OF, SEA) - 13% Owned

Long living under the weight of only glimpsed fantasy potential, outfielder Leonys Martin is starting to shows signs of it again. He enters Tuesday night on a seven-game hitting streak that also includes three home runs, five runs scored and five RBI. For the month of May, Martin is hitting .319 with four home runs, seven RBI and five steals, easily making him a must-start in all AL-only leagues. His ability to do this long-term is still questionable, but with stats that sizzling, try not to worry about that until he stops hitting.

Jarrod Dyson (OF, KC) - 4% Owned & Paulo Orlando (OF, KC) - 3% Owned

Fellow owners of outfielder Alex Gordon, and those looking to take advantage of his injury, huddle up. The Royals are looking to fill his spot in the lineup with outfielders Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando. Both outfielders bring a different skill set to the table, but neither has established themselves as a reliable fantasy option, hence the current low ownership rates. Which one fantasy owners should pick up will likely come down to the need (or lack there of) for speed.

Dyson is the safer pickup as he has more of a track record and has averaged one stolen base for every seven at-bats over his career (154 in 1,147 at-bats). He already has eight this year. But Dyson's career marks of six home runs and a .255 average are what have historically held his value down. Orlando is more of the unknown, debuting last year as a 29-year-old who hit 14 doubles, six triples and seven home runs in only 241 at-bats. He has followed that up this season by hitting .400 with one home run, 10 RBI and two stolen bases. With the lion's share of Gordon's at-bats going to Orlando, he has an ample opportunity to strut his stuff.

Joey Gallo (3B/OF, TEX) - 10% Owned & Ryan Rua (1B/OF, TEX) - 2% Owned

Texas received bad news this week on three of their outfielders, Josh Hamilton, Drew Stubbs and Shin-Soo Choo, losing the former all season and latter two to the disabled list. Now the Rangers will be looking to use both outfielder Ryan Rua and, more importantly, top outfield prospect Joey Gallo to solidify their outfield going forward. Rua once looked like a major offensive threat in the minors not unlike Gallo, but even with those hopes since diminished, he has shown enough this season to believe he could be an average fantasy outfielder, which in AL-only ain't half bad.

Joey Gallo and his big-time power bat have the might to put up All-Star numbers right away. He already has two 40-homer seasons in the minors, and had eight this year before the call up. How patient he can be at the plate will likely determine just how valuable he can be overall. But if Gallo's gains in that department this year (24 strikeouts versus 22 walks) hold up, he'll help wins leagues.

Johnny Giavotella (2B, LAA) - 5% Owned

I don't want to alarm anyone--especially any jumpy Royals fans--but second baseman Johnny Giavotella might have actually, finally unlocked his potential. He has followed up his successful debut with the Angels last season--one that saw him set a career high in batting average with .272--by hitting .279 so far this season. There isn't much in the ways of counting stats in this package, but AL-only owners could do far worse than an average-only middle infielder riding a 12-game hitting streak.

Didi Gregorius (SS, NYY) - 9% Owned

Shortstop Didi Gregorius brings to the table a fantasy package quite similar to Giavotella: an okay batting average with a sprinkle of counting stats. He is also amidst a hitting streak, though his is only at six games. After a tough April, Gregorius has put together a great May, hitting .294 with one home run, eight runs scored and 11 RBI. Normally a weaker hitter against lefties than righties, he is experiencing a platoon reversal this season. If he can raise the right back to his norm while keeping at least some of the gains in the left, Gregorius will easily top his current career-high in batting average of .265, much to the delight of his fantasy owners.

 

American League Targets - Pitchers

Michael Fulmer (SP, DET) - 5% Owned

After the failure of the hyped Twins and Athetics pitching prospects earlier this month, it is nice to see an AL pitching prospect experience some Major League success, even if it's just two starts. After his second through fourth starts of his career were duds, starting pitcher Michael Fulmer showed up in a big way in his last start against the Majors' current home run leaders, the Rays. Over seven innings, he limited them to one run on four hits and a walk, striking out 11. Consistency isn't his strong suit at the moment, but Fulmer brings enough potential as the Tigers' top prospect to be worth a roster space.

Ivan Nova (SP, NYY) - 5% Owned

Starting pitcher Ivan Nova has been great since taking over the rotation spot of oft-injured starter C.C. Sabathia. In his three starts so far, he has given up one run in each, walking two and striking out eight along the way. Other than in walks--where he is allowing far less--Nova is producing right along his career norms and appears primed to return to the land of double digit wins. But with an ERA of 5.65 in the past two seasons, he'll have his work cut out for him to stay near his 4.28 career mark or produce his third season under 4.00. Current results say he's up for the task.

Sam Dyson (RP, TEX) - 10% Owned

Texas' new closer Sam Dyson has not missed a beat since inheriting the role from Shawn Tolleson earlier this month. He already has four saves since his first on May 11th. Houston gave him a headache during one of those saves, scoring a run off of two hits, but he was still able to close the door. As Tolleson was simply a pleasant surprise and not an established closer, the Rangers have no obligation to reinstall him when he recovers. Look for Dyson to run with this gig all season, putting up average closer stats.

Michael Feliz (RP, HOU) - 1% Owned

Relief pitcher Michael Feliz makes the list week despite having a 5.29 ERA on the season. But outside of two disasterous appearances in April that saw him allow nine runs in 5.1 innings, he has been absolutely bonkers. In 11.2 innings in May, Feliz has a 0.77 ERA, 0.26 WHIP and 19 strikeouts. He should be used in all AL-only leagues while he's hot, especially on teams with ERA and WHIP bloat from bad starters.

Luke Hochevar (RP, KC) - 2% Owned

Since opening May with a terrible appearance against the Nationals, relief pitcher Luke Hochevar has pitched eight scoreless innings in a row, picking up five holds and 13 strikeouts along the way. He's now sitting at 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 24 strikeouts on the season. Since fizzling out as a starter, Hochevar has been a fantastic reliever for AL-only teams. With so many struggling starters out there, don't be afraid to seek some relief.

 

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Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Francisco Alvarez

Needs Thumb Surgery, May Play Through Injury
Willy Adames

Out With Side Soreness on Tuesday
A.J. Brown

on Track to Play in Week 1
Jacob deGrom

Being Skipped in Rotation Due to Shoulder Fatigue
Adley Rutschman

Scratched on Tuesday With Abdominal Discomfort
CBJ

Brendan Smith Joins Blue Jackets on Tryout Deal
STL

Milan Lucic Joins Blues for Tryout
DET

Red Wings Pick Up Travis Hamonic
Austin Riley

Doesn't Appear Ready to Return Any Time Soon
Aaron Judge

Unikely to Throw Normally Again This Year
Jalen McMillan

Could be Out Through Week 9 Bye
Indiana Pacers

Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Agrees to a Multiyear Contract Extension on Tuesday
Washington Wizards

John Wall Retires After 11 NBA Seasons
Daniel Jones

Named as Colts Starting Quarterback
Jalen McMillan

Will Not Be Ready for Season Opener
Collin Sexton

Hornets Have High Hopes for Collin Sexton
Rui Hachimura

Likely to Start Season Without Contract Extension
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Hopes to Bounce Back in 2025-26
Stephen Curry

Ready to Go for New Season
Orlando Magic

Lester Quinones Agrees to Deal With Magic
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Cleared to Play on Tuesday Night
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Pulled With Hamstring Tightness
MLB

Game 2 of Brewers-Cubs on Monday Postponed
Bryce Miller

to be Activated on Tuesday
Kyle Tucker

to Get Multiple Days Off
Shane Bieber

to Make Season Debut on Friday
Joe Mixon

Could Start Season on NFI List
Zack Wheeler

has Surgery to Remove Blood Clot
De'Von Achane

Unlikely to Practice This Week
Justin Jefferson

Returning to Practice
Chris Godwin

Bucs Chris Godwin Likely to Start Season on PUP List
Joe Flacco

Browns Name Joe Flacco as Their Week 1 Starter
Jalen McDaniels

Inks Deal With New Orleans
N'Faly Dante

Signs Deal With Hawks
Matthew Stafford

Practicing on Monday
Dru Smith

Agrees to Deal With Heat
Austin Dillon

Scores an Upset Victory at Richmond
William Byron

Clinches the Regular Season Championship Title at Richmond
Denny Hamlin

Pit-Road Struggles Impede Denny Hamlin's Chances of a Top Finish at Richmond
Joey Logano

Earns A Fourth-Place Finish at Richmond
Kyle Larson

Rallies to A Top-10 Finish at Richmond
Malik Nabers

Dealing With Back Injury
Khamzat Chimaev

Is The New UFC Middleweight Champion
Dricus Du Plessis

Gets Dominated At UFC 319
Aaron Pico

Suffers Knockout Loss In His UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Scores Stunning First-Round Knockout
Leodalis De Vries

Earns Promotion to Double-A
Nathaniel Lowe

Finalizing Deal with Boston
Geoff Neal

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Ketel Marte

Arizona Could Trade Ketel Marte in the Offseason
Carlos Prates

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Page

Dominates At UFC 319
Jared Cannonier

Gets Outclassed
Tim Elliott

Gets Submission Win
Kai Asakura

Still Winless In The UFC
Austin Cindric

has Arguably his Best Run of the Season at Richmond
Ryan Blaney

Contends for First Richmond Win but Comes Up Short
Alex Bowman

Finishes Second but Loses Ground in Playoffs
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Sets Personal Laps-Led Record at Richmond
Chris Buescher

Falls Out of Playoffs After Miserable Richmond Run
Coby White

Bulls Not Interested in Trading Coby White
Dereck Lively II

Expected to be Ready for Camp
Brian Robinson Jr.

Commanders "Shopping" Brian Robinson Jr.
John Metchie III

Texans Trade John Metchie III to Eagles
Victor Scott II

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Listening to Trade Offers for Trey Hendrickson
Marcelo Mayer

to Have Season-Ending Wrist Surgery
Samuel Basallo

Called Up From Triple-A Norfolk
J.K. Dobbins

Expected to Win Starting RB Job?
Quentin Johnston

Suffers Concussion in Preseason Loss
Jaxson Dart

Plays Well on Saturday Night
Marcus Semien

Avoids Serious Injury
Kyle Stowers

Heads to Injured List With Left-Side Strain
Zack Wheeler

Placed on Injured List With Blood Clot in Shoulder
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Optimistic Terry McLaurin Deal Can Get Done Soon
De'Von Achane

De’Von Achane Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Likely Avoids Serious Injury
Denny Hamlin

the Heavy Favorite to Win at Richmond
Christopher Bell

Has Been Great at Richmond
Tyrese Haliburton

No Longer Using a Scooter, Crutches
Ryan Blaney

Can Ryan Blaney Finally Break Through at Richmond?
Joey Logano

Will Start Last at Richmond After Practice Trouble
Chase Elliott

Lack of Top-Line Speed Hurts his DFS Potential
Kyle Larson

Recent String of Crashes Make Him a Big Risk at Richmond
William Byron

Probably Slightly Too Inconsistent at Richmond to Start for DFS
Ryan Preece

on Pole at Richmond as Playoff Deadline Looms Closer
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best RFK Racing DFS Option at Richmond
Chase Briscoe

Still Figuring Out Richmond
Chris Buescher

a Solid Choice for DFS Play, but Teammates Look Faster
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Activate Terry McLaurin From PUP List
Rashee Rice

NFL Could Reach Settlement Before Hearing
Haywood Highsmith

Dealt to Brooklyn on Friday
Amir Coffey

Signs One-Year Deal With Bucks
Khamzat Chimaev

A Favorite At UFC 319
Dricus Du Plessis

Set For His Third Title Defense
Aaron Pico

Set For UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Geoff Neal

Looks For His Second Win In A Row
Michael Page

Set For His Second Middleweight Bout
Jared Cannonier

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kai Asakura

Looks For His First UFC Win
Tim Elliott

Set To Open Up UFC 309 Main Card
CBJ

Mikael Pyyhtia Re-Signs With Blue Jackets for One Year
UTA

Caleb Desnoyers Expected to Miss 12 Weeks After Wrist Procedure
Tyson Foerster

on Track to Be Healthy for Season Opener
NHL

Olivier Rodrigue Signs KHL Deal
NHL

Emil Bemstrom to Join Swiss Team
Payton Pritchard

Reportedly Moving Into Starting Lineup
Kevin Durant

Rockets Not Interested in Keeping Kevin Durant with Max Extension
NBA

Isaiah Mobley Joins Turkish Team
NBA

Cole Swider Links Up with EuroLeague Powerhouse

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RANKINGS
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