As we get deeper and deeper into the season, there is more and more data that we can point to and say “look, this is real” or “no, don’t pick him up, it’s fake” and that’s very exciting when it comes to fantasy baseball. That’s how you gain an edge on your opponents, attacking the waiver wire and sometimes even buying low on players that are poised to breakout, even if you don’t see it at the moment. It’s a 162 game season and there are edges to be gained in fantasy baseball at all times. Let's dive into the fantasy baseball waiver wire heading into Week 8 of the season.

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers

AJ Smith-Shawver, SP, Atlanta Braves

ESPN: 14% / Yahoo: 29%

FAAB: 7-9%

Heading into the weekend, it’s time to check your waiver wire for some pitching depth and add AJ Smith-Shawver. He draws a Saturday matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates and his next projected outing after that comes against the Nationals. Smith-Shawver has a 23.7% K-rate and has generated 11.5% swinging strikes. If you’re looking to add strikeouts off of the waiver wire, this is one of the top options available in over 70% of Yahoo! Fantasy baseball leagues and 85% on ESPN.

 

Gavin Williams, SP, Cleveland Guardians

ESPN: 12% / Yahoo: 33%

FAAB: 9-11%

For the third time in his last four starts, Gavin Williams struck out at least eight batters and has really started to settle in the 2025 season. What’s really snakebit Williams thus far is his control, or lack thereof. After Friday’s start, a start in which he didn’t allow a run in, he only lasted five innings because he walked four and struck out eight and threw 100 pitches. His K/9 is up to 10.9 on the year and his 4.38 ERA, .376 BABIP and 3.83 xFIP suggest he’s been getting a little unlucky.

 

Will Warren, SP, New York Yankees

ESPN: 3% / Yahoo: 9%

FAAB: 5-7%

There has been a lot to point towards negativity surrounding Will Warren and it’s mostly been the control, but what if I told you things are actually MUCH better than they appear? Despite the 4.00 BB/9, Warren is now over 10.2 K/9 and his 4.75 ERA is attached to a 3.26 xFIP and is coming off a masterful 7.1 IP, one run outing against the Athletics in one of the best hitting environments in the league while striking out seven batters. Warren is unowned everywhere and his next start comes in an elite pitching environment in Seattle. He could be worth the stream and from there, possibly just be a long-term solution.

 

Will Vest, RP, Detroit Tigers

ESPN: 4% / Yahoo: 22%

FAAB: 2-4%

The best option available on your waiver wire for saves right now is likely Will Vest and although that’s not the best news of the day, I did save a bunch of money on my ca..nevermind. Anyways, Vest has been GREAT out of the bullpen for the Tigers and has four saves on the year. He’s notched 19 Ks in 17 IP and has pitched to a 2.12 ERA. If you don’t believe me about how good he’s been, let Baseball Savant show you the way; 

His save this past Friday saw Tommy Kahnle work the eighth inning for the second straight save opportunity while Vest pitched the ninth and shut the door. If you’re desperate for saves, he’s your guy.

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Infielders

Daniel Schneemann, 2B, SS, OF Cleveland Guardians

ESPN: 6% / Yahoo: 25%

FAAB: 6-8%

No position player has been added more this week than Daniel Schneemann on Yahoo! Fantasy. Admittedly, I was a little skeptical at first, but he continues to smash the baseball and the numbers are as good under the hood as they are on the surface.

This dude is barreling EVERYTHING thrown at him and has elite positional eligibility to boot. It’s really hard to ignore this start from the 28-year old Schneemann this season.

 

Colt Keith, 1B, 2B, Detroit Tigers

ESPN: 7% / Yahoo: 15%

FAAB: 5-7%

After not swinging his bat for the first month of the year, May has been incredibly productive for Colt Keith. Through seven games, Keith has tripled his home run count this year and has slashed .333/.417/.762. Despite a .215 AVG, his OBP is hovering right at .350.

A lot of his expected numbers suggest all of that stuff will start trending upwards and man, if Keith is anywhere near a .260 hitter he’ll likely be on base four times every 10 at-bats. That’s value, especially at second base which is a very weak fantasy baseball position.

 

Hyeseong Kim, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers

ESPN: 10% / Yahoo: 22%

FAAB: 4-6%

While Tommy Edman remains sidelined on the injured list, Hyeseong Kim is getting a chance at the major league level and if he continues to produce, he’ll likely stick with the Dodgers long-term. In the six games he’s been with the team, he’s made four starts and has been extremely productive. He’s scored four runs, driven in two more, and swiped two bases to boot. He already has 2B and SS eligibility on Yahoo! Fantasy and has made an appearance in the outfield as well, so that should also be added to the list in no-time. He was lauded for his ability to play multiple positions and with injuries and multiple struggling assets in LA, Kim just has to play well to stay on the field, which is a very reasonable expectation.

 

 

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Outfielders

Dane Myers, OF, Miami Marlins

ESPN: 4% / Yahoo: 10%

FAAB: 2-4%

I mean, what 29-year old Dane Myers is doing isn’t sustainable, right? RIGHT? Hello? Is this thing on? It’s possible that Myers is having sustainable success because everything he’s doing at the dish is amongst the top in the league. He’s 85th percentile or better in;

  • xwOBA - .388
  • xBA - .337
  • xSLG - .521
  • Avg. Exit Velocity - 92.4%
  • Launch Angle Sweet-Spot% - 48.2%

The Marlins outfield is going to be getting healthier as Derek Hill is working his way back, but I’m not sure Hill can usurp Myers if he continues to play well. In just his last nine games, Myers has five runs, two homers, nine runs batted in, and four stolen bases. He’ll contribute to teams searching for a little power and speed.

 

Evan Carter, OF, Texas Rangers

ESPN: 3% / Yahoo: 11%

FAAB: 2-4%

22. That’s how old Evan Carter is. After a fantastic 23 games of 2023 and World Series heroics on top of that, Evan Carter came into 2024 as a consensus top-five prospect across major league baseball and he hasn’t lived up to the hype...yet. He wasn’t great before his callup, but there was some power (3 HR) and speed (6 SB, 2 3B) flashed and he’s also a patient hitter, walking 13 times in 21 games. Carter is someone I’d be more than willing to stash on my bench – if I had the available space – to see if he can live up to his potential, because his ceiling is as high as anyone’s that is potentially just sitting on your waiver wire.

 

Miguel Andujar, 3B, Athletics

ESPN: 1% / Yahoo: 2%

FAAB: 1-2%

In really deep formats, 12-14 team leagues, Miguel Andujar is an intriguing pickup off of the waiver wire. He’s already gained 3B eligibility on Yahoo! and is only four games away from it on ESPN now that the A’s have him playing there more. That’s where his true value lies, but it doesn’t hurt that he’s hitting .307 in the heart of a really good Athletics lineup. In each of his last five games he’s hit fourth or sixth and the cherry on top is that he gets to play his home games at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, a hitter's haven. Per Baseball Savant, Sutter Health Park currently ranks second amongst all ballparks in park factor.