Week 8 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups Featuring Kyle Teel & Marcus Semien

Kyle Teel, Chicago White Sox (82% Rostered)

In shallow leagues where Teel is still available, it is time to pick him up. He projects as a top 12 catches for the remainder of the season, and the White Sox should hit him in a favorable part of the batting order. Over his first three rehab games at AAA, Teel made two starts behind the plate and one at DH, leading to three hits over 12 at-bats with two runs, one home run, and two RBIs while taking a walk and striking out three times.

I'm hoping Teel is back with the White Sox by next week, and I'm a selfish fantasy game manager (I have him on five teams, thanks to his injury discount).

Agustin Ramirez, Miami Marlins (47% Rostered)

Ramirez has made four starts at catcher over five games since being unexpectedly sent back to AAA, going six-for-20 with six runs, four RBIs, and four stolen bases. Before the demotion, he was beginning to find his rhythm at the plate (8-for-28 with three runs, three RBIs, two steals, five walks, and five strikeouts). For fantasy teams with a weakness at catcher, he's worth picking up now as a buy-and-hold target.

His value was well-established last season, commanding $200 free agent bids in high-stakes leagues when called up and delivering on that investment. This week, he's a free pickup, but that window won't last long once he's back in the majors.

His power-speed combination will draw immediate attention from fantasy game managers looking to add upside at a thin position. If anything, his bat profiles best in a DH role for Miami, where he'd be an upgrade over anyone currently filling that spot on the Marlins' roster.

Keibert Ruiz, Washington Nationals (7% Rostered)

In May, Ruiz has shown an uptick in play at the plate. He has seven hits over 26 at-bats with five runs, two home runs, and six RBIs, but the Nationals have had him on the bench for five games. His questionable playing time is a strike, especially in shallow leagues.

Ruiz is sitting on career highs in exit velocity (89.4) and hard-hit rate (40.6%) while offering a flyball swing path (44.9%). His direction suggests more home runs are coming, which should lead to more starts. For now, he is only a backend bridge, injury cover catcher until Washington gives him at least four starts a week.

Luis Torrens, New York Mets (0% Rosted)

Five years into his major league career, Francisco Alvarez has shown that he clearly doesn't have the health card in his back pocket. The Mets placed him on the injured list this week with a meniscus issue in his right knee that required surgery and will knock him out of action for eight weeks.

As a result, Torrens secures the bulk of New York's catching duties, which comes two weeks after the Mets signed him to a two-year extension for $11.5 million. In 2025, Torrens played better than expected over his first 87 at-bats (.276/7/1/11) with Alvarez also injured. His ceiling across the board is relatively low, but playing time should be his friend over the next two months.

Other Options: Tyler Stephenson, Mitch Garver

Week 8 Waiver Wire First Basemen

New York Mets first baseman Mark Vientos (27) rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning at Citi Field. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mark Vientos, New York Mets (75% Rostered)

Vientos heads into this weekend on a four-game hitting streak (5-for-16 with three runs, one home run, and three RBIs) while showcasing more power (five home runs and 14 RBIs) over his last 20 games. The Mets have had him in their starting lineup for their previous 11 games in May, leading to 11 hits over 44 at-bats with seven runs, four home runs, and 11 RBIs. Vientos has 30+ home run upside if he can secure 500+ at-bats.

Josh Bell, Minnesota Twins (26% Rostered)

After playing well over his first 17 games in April (17-for-59 with 15 runs, three home runs, and 13 RBIs), fantasy teams have tossed him back into the player pool in shallow leagues over the past three weeks. He has looked lost at the plate over his last seven games (.231/0/0/6 over 26 at-bats) based on his walks (0) and strikeouts (15).

Despite giving off an avoid outlook, Bell still has the swing to deliver help in power. He has a pair of doubles in his last two starts, which may be a signal of bat is coming back to life.

Other Options: Jake Burger, Kyle Manzardo, Gavin Sheets, Paul Goldschmidt

Week 8 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Second Basemen

Texas Rangers second baseman Ezequiel Duran (20) throws to first base for an out during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Globe Life Field. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Ezequiel Duran, Texas Rangers (43% Rostered)

Since moving the Rangers' starting lineup in May, Duran has at least a hit in 10 of his last 11 starts, leading to a .325 batting average across 40 at-bats with eight runs, two home runs, eight RBIs, and one steal. With Josh Smith battling multiple issues, Texas should continue to give Duran every day at-bats. He is on pace for an 85/15/80/20 season if given over 500 at-bats.

Marcus Semien, New York Mets (66% Rostered)

Semien picked up the pace with his bat over his last eight games by going 9-for-29 (.310), with seven runs, two home runs, three RBIs, and a steal. He gets extra credit for being in the lineup every day, but his overall stats this year (.227/15/3/14/5 over 154 at-bats) align more with his decline in 2025 than his best years with the Texas Rangers. His exit velocity (86.5) is at a career low level despite already having 10 barrels but only three home runs. Semien continues to have a flyball swing path (45.5%).

Other Options: Luis Garcia, Hyeseong Kim, Vaughn Grissom

Week 8 Waiver Wire Third Basemen

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte (4) hits against the Chicago Cubs in the second inning at Sloan Park. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Noelvi Marte, Cincinnati Reds (29% Rostered)

Since his demotion to AAA in mid-April, Marte has been one of the more productive hitters at that level. Over 100 at-bats, he's hitting .350 with 20 runs, three home runs, 12 RBIs, and eight steals, and his plate discipline has been equally encouraging (10 walks against 19 strikeouts over 112 plate appearances). He's recorded at least one hit in nine of his last 12 starts (14-for-48, eight runs, one home run, six RBIs, one steal) and continues to wait for a call back up to Cincinnati.

What the Reds see in Will Benson is a mystery. He's hitting just .194 over 67 at-bats this season with 10 runs, two home runs, four RBIs, one steal, and a 29.3% strikeout rate. Over the past three years, Cincinnati has handed him 640 at-bats and gotten a .202 average, 82 runs, 28 home runs, 88 RBIs, 19 steals, and a 33.9% strikeout rate in return. Meanwhile, a clearly more productive option is sitting in the minors waiting for an opportunity.

Gage Workman, Detroit Tigers (0% Rostered)

Over his four starts with the Tigers, Workman has four hits over 11 at-bats with two runs, two home runs, and five RBI while being in the free agent pool in all 12-team leagues in the high-stakes market. His bat was at an all-time best over his first 35 games this year at AAA (.358/21/4/28/12 across 134 at-bats). His strikeout rate (23.3%) was slightly higher than the league average.

Workman wasn't an attractive prospect between High A and AAA from 2022 to 2025 (.245/278/59/249/91 over 1,622 at-bats) due to his massive strikeout rate (34.5%). With better contact, he profiles as a 20/30 player based on his minor league career. In 2024, Workman stopped batting right-handed (switch hitter), which may be the reason for a lower strikeout rate this year (37.9% at AAA in 2025).

Brett Baty, New York Mets (66% Rostered)

Over his last four starts covering five games, Baty has five hits across 15 at-bats with two runs, one home run, and three RBIs. He was at his power best in 2025 (18 home runs and 50 RBIs over 393 at-bats), but his bat has been quiet this year against left-handed pitching (4-for-19 with five runs and one RBI). The Mets face five righties next week, giving Baty a chance to see more at-bats and potentially build on his recent uptick in play.

Other Options: Nolan Arenado, Alec Bohm, Colt Keith, Brady House

Week 8 Waiver Wire Shortstops

Seattle Mariners shortstop JP Crawford (3) flips the ball for an out against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning at American Family Fields of Phoenix. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

J.P. Crawford, Seattle Mariners (6% Rostered)

Despite offering a trending power bat over the past month, Crawford continues to sit in the free agent pool in almost all 12-team leagues. He's riding a three-game hitting streak (5-for-13 with three runs, one home run, and four RBIs), but many fantasy game managers focus on current batting (.215 for Crawford) rather than their destination based on each player's career resume. His bat and approach have been better over his last 24 games (.231/17/5/11/1 over 91 at-bats with 17 walks and 13 strikeouts).

Ha-Seong Kim, Atlanta Braves (2% Rostered)

The Braves called up Kim this week, giving fantasy teams a potentially helpful bat off the waiver wire. He only has one hit over his first nine at-bats with no production, which may lead to him slipping through the free agent cracks. Kim hit .286 across his 28 rehab at-bats with six runs, one RBI, and one steal while controlling the strike zone (six walks and four strikeouts). When at his best in 2023, he offered a 15/30 skill set with a neutral batting average.

Other Options: Masyn Winn, Chase Meidroth, Braden Shewmake

Week 8 Waiver Wire Outfielders

Washington Nationals center fielder Dylan Crews (3) rounds past third base against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals (13% Rostered)

Crews continues to put up numbers at AAA while waiting for a call-up that hasn't come. His overall season line in the minors (.257, 28 runs, five home runs, 20 RBIs, seven steals over 143 at-bats) isn't eye-popping, but his recent form tells a more compelling story.

He's currently riding an eight-game hitting streak, going nine-for-33 with eight runs, a home run, six RBIs, and two steals, highlighted by a two-for-five effort Wednesday with two runs, a homer, and four RBIs. Zoom out a bit further, and the picture gets even better. Crews has recorded at least one hit in 14 of his last 15 starts, batting .310 with 13 runs, three home runs, 11 RBIs, and two steals over that stretch. His plate discipline this season has been solid too, with a slightly above-average strikeout rate (24.1%) and a strong walk rate (11.1%).

Meanwhile, Joey Wiemer (the man apparently blocking him) is hitting just .184 over his last 49 at-bats with a 46.2% strikeout rate. Jacob Young, another name ahead of Crews on Washington's depth chart, is batting .218 over 147 at-bats this season and .227 over 471 at-bats across the past two years. It's genuinely puzzling that the Nationals' coaching staff hasn't found a way to get Crews into the lineup over either of them.

Henry Bolte, Athletics (0% Rostered)

Oakland called up Bolte on Wednesday night on the heels of an extraordinary 10-game stretch at AAA that included back-to-back five-for-five performances, four home runs, and seven RBIs over just those two games alone. Over his full hot streak, he went 27-for-46 with 12 runs, five home runs, 13 RBIs, six steals, and only six strikeouts. He wasted no time making an impression in the majors either, collecting three hits in six at-bats with an RBI, a steal, a walk, and just one strikeout over his first two games.

This season at AAA, Bolte hit .348 across 158 at-bats over 37 games, with 41 runs, 12 home runs, 28 RBIs, and 17 steals. His strikeout rate (22.0%) has crept toward league average and continued to improve as the season progressed.

The strikeout history is worth noting. Bolte posted a 28.7% strikeout rate in 2025, a number that typically climbs at the major league level. Going further back, he sat at 33.4% in 2023 at A Ball and 34.2% in 2024 across High A and AA. The trend, however, is clearly moving in the right direction. The work he's put into his bat-to-ball skills over the past two seasons is showing up in real results, and 2026 has been the clearest proof yet that the improvements are starting to stick.

A.J. Ewing, New York Mets (0% Rostered)

An injury to Luis Robert opened the door for Ewing to get his first major league opportunity this week. Over thee starts, he has three hits over nine at-bats with four runs, one home run, one RBI, and one steal while taking more walks (4) than striking out (3). Ewing opened 2026 at AA, leading to a quick promotion to AAA after 18 games.

Over the past two seasons in the minors, between High A, A, AA, and AAA, he hit .321 with 112 runs, four home runs, 65 RBIs, and 90 steals. His walk rate (12.9%) gives him top of the order upside, and Ewing controlled the damage in strikeouts (125 - 18.0%).

With success, the Mets should keep Ewing on their major league roster and in their lineup once Robert returns (he's expected to be out for a while). For the fantasy teams that need speed and batting average, the Mets' rising rookie will be available in most leagues this week. He tends to have a low flyball rate, suggesting a massive liability in power over the long haul in 2026. Ewing also has experience playing second base.

Zack Cole, Houston Astros (12% Rostered)

The 15-team high-stakes market made a run at Cole last week. He landed on the injured list in late March with a broken right toe at AAA. After three games at AAA (1-for-9 with two runs and a solo home run), Houston called him up to the majors. Cole has seven hits over 28 at-bats with the Astros, highlighting two home runs and six RBIs, but he has taken no walks and whiffed 12 times.

Between AA, AAA, and Houston in 2025, Cole hit .277 across 405 at-bats with 72 runs, 23 home runs, 76 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases, giving him a high floor in five categories. On the downside, his high strikeout rate (35.5%) invites job lose risk at the major league level. He should be treated as a bridge player in deeper formats until his whiffs outweigh his production.

Other Options: Isaac Collins, Nathan Church, Miguel Andujar

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Week 8 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups Featuring Kyle Teel & Marcus Semien.