Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Prioritize hitters on both sides of this weekend's Marlins-Braves series

Date:2025-08-07 22:15:47 Category:sports Views:2 Comment:0

This is a terrific weekend to stream starting pitchers in fantasy baseball, as there are several hurlers on the list at the bottom of this article who can be started with enthusiasm in most leagues. On the hitting side, the four-game series between the Marlins and Braves is one to target, and the Giants are facing the Nationals' pitching staff at the right time.

Matchups to Target

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Although Arizona stripped some talent from its lineup at the trade deadline, there is still enough firepower to take advantage of the league’s worst pitching staff. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (43%) is the most obvious player to add from this lineup, while Alek Thomas (1%) and Tyler Locklear (6%) also make sense in deeper formats.

Marlins @ Braves: On volume alone, hitters on the Marlins and Braves are worth streaming this weekend, as they are the only teams who will play four games in three days. The Braves have struggled to survive many rotation injuries, which makes Marlins hitters especially appealing. Otto Lopez (31%) is steady and productive, while rookie speedster Jakob Marsee (6%) has shown enough in his brief trial to create some fantasy buzz. Jurickson Profar (36%) is the top Atlanta hitter to add, and Drake Baldwin (18%) is a solid catcher streamer.

Tigers vs. Angels: The Tigers should reach base often this weekend when they face Kyle Hendricks (1.24 WHIP), Jack Kochanowicz (1.63 WHIP), Yusei Kikuchi (1.40 WHIP) and a bullpen with a 1.43 WHIP. With three eligible positions, Javier Báez (22%) is easy to fit into a lineup. The same can be said of Colt Keith (18%), who has swung a hot bat of late, as has outfielder Wenceel Pérez (5%).

Giants vs. Nationals: Washington’s pitching staff has endured an incredibly bad stretch of late, allowing 71 runs over seven games since July 29, and they may not have the talent to turn things around right away. Jung Hoo Lee (41%) should reach base often in this series, and Casey Schmitt (3%) could make an impact.

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Matchups to Avoid

Mets @ Brewers: The Brewers have pitched well during their summer surge, and this weekend they will roll out three starters who each have an ERA under 3.20. The Mets top-four hitters — Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo — are the only ones who warrant fantasy attention for this series.

Mariners vs. Rays: Runs may be hard to come by for both teams in this series, as five of the six starting pitchers have an ERA under 3.25. Junior Caminero is the only must-start player from the Rays, although Yandy Díaz and Brandon Lowe will stay in some lineups. The Mariners have a few players who will remain in lineups, including Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena, but they are likely to be less impactful than usual.

Blue Jays @ Dodgers: Toronto’s productive offense could stall for a few days when they are matched up with an effective trio of starters — Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are the only Blue Jays who must remain active.

Rangers vs. Phillies: Christopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesús Luzardo form an imposing trio of starters for the Rangers to face this weekend. Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford will stay in lineups but the rest of the Rangers belong on the bench.

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Seeking Saves

Randy Rodríguez, Giants (48% rostered on Yahoo)

I nearly fell off my chair when I noticed that Rodriguez still isn’t rostered in over half of all leagues. The right-hander is one of the best relievers in baseball (1.51 ERA, 0.86 WHIP) and has been the Giants closer since Camilo Doval was traded to the Yankees a week ago. Rodríguez should earn a save when the Giants face the lowly Nats this weekend, and should be a top-10 closer for the remainder of the season.

Seeking Steals

Eli White, Braves (1% rostered)

Although many managers won’t think of White, he has an excellent chance to swipe a base while playing four games over three days. The outfielder has become a full-time player in a depleted lineup and has seven steals in 213 at-bats. He will enjoy facing Miami, which has allowed 17 more steals than any team.