Fantasy Baseball Hitter Waiver Wire: ‘Take a flyer on Bolte — because it could hit big’

We persistently need to assault Rockies, Nationals, Angels, White Sox, Cardinals and Athletics pitchers, given they’ve among the worst underlying metrics. The White Sox and Nationals have been lucky in permitting a decrease BABIP in 2026. Besides the Angels’ pitchers permitting a decrease barrel charge, most of those groups with fantasy-friendly hitter matchups counsel we need to goal them and their beginning pitchers.

On the flip facet, we’ve recurrently discovered the Dodgers, Brewers, Phillies, Yankees, Padres, Astros and Rays rating as the highest pitching groups. That suggests opposing offenses will wrestle in opposition to these groups. The pink flags come up by way of the Astros’ Okay-BB%, WHIP and different luck components. Meanwhile, the Phillies have been talked about a few instances, given they permit a brutal WHIP, BABIP and strand charge.

Almost half the league will play seven video games in Week 9, so quantity ought to be favorable throughout the board, primarily based on the matchups.

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Teams With Seven Games in Week 9

• Diamondbacks (3 vs. SF, 4 vs. COL)

  • The Diamondbacks face 5 out of seven right-handed beginning pitchers, together with one lefty in every sequence.

• Athletics (4 at LAA, 3 at SDP)

• Braves (4 at MIA, 3 vs. WSH)

  • The Braves have 5 out of seven right-handed beginning pitchers projected for Week 9. We ought to see a good offensive week for the Braves’ hitters.

• Guardians (4 at DET, 3 at PHI)

  • The Guardians venture to face 5 right-handed starters in Week 9. Framber Valdez and Cristopher Sánchez are the one lefties on the slate for the Guardians, which means we’ll see loads of groundballs in opposition to them.

• Rockies (3 vs. TEX, 4 at ARI)

  • There are 5 of seven righties on the slate for the Rockies’ hitters.

• Tigers (4 vs. CLE, 3 at BAL)

  • The Tigers will face 5 right-handed beginning pitchers in Week 9. Parker Messick and Trevor Rogers venture to face the Tigers, each being stable pitchers.

• Angels (4 vs. ATH, 3 vs. TEX)

  • The Angels are one other staff with 5 right-handed starters on the projected grid. Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi are the most effective pitchers they’ll face in Week 9.

• Marlins (4 vs. ATL, 3 vs. NYM)

  • The Marlins will face two lefties to start the week within the sequence in opposition to the Braves (Martín Pérez and Chris Sale). It could be a good week to stream pitchers in opposition to the Marlins’ hitters with all seven video games at house.

• Mets (4 at WSH, 3 at MIA)

  • The Mets have been one of many worst offenses in 2026, final in wRC+ (85) on the season, tying them with the Red Sox. However, the Mets’ hitters have been barely higher in May, with a 93 wRC+. This will likely be a good week to stream Mets’ hitters, particularly in opposition to the Nationals and their weak beginning pitchers. The Mets venture to face 5 right-handed beginning pitchers in Week 9.

• Yankees (4 vs. TOR, 3 vs. TB)

• Blue Jays (4 at NYY, 3 vs. PIT)

  • The Blue Jays venture to face six right-handed beginning pitchers in Week 9. Gerrit Cole expects to return of their sequence in opposition to the Blue Jays. It seems to be like a good offensive week for the Blue Jays’ hitters, with an elite pitcher in every sequence (Cam Schlittler and Paul Skenes). Yohendrick Piñango, Jesús Sánchez and Andrés Giménez appear to be the largest beneficiaries as strong-side platoon choices.

• Nationals (4 vs. NYM, 3 at ATL)

  • It seems to be like an offensive-friendly week for the Nationals’ hitters, with Christian Scott, Nolan McLean and Bryce Elder being their high projected matchups. That’s six of seven right-handed beginning pitchers projected to face the Nationals in Week 9.

Shallow- and Medium-Size League Waiver Pickups

Luis García Jr., Nationals (44% Rostered)

With the Nationals going through six right-handed beginning pitchers, it ought to be a good week for Luis García Jr. He began in 5 video games in opposition to left-handed beginning pitchers out of 15 video games. García has proven sturdy contact expertise, with an 84.8% contact charge, round 10 proportion factors above the league norm. That helps García have a excessive ground, although he might be aggressive, given his 42.6% chase charge and 55.6% swing charge. For context, García’s chase and swing charges sit 8-9 proportion factors greater than the league common.

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García’s bat pace (73.2 mph) and barrel charge per plate appearances (5.7%) have been barely above common, each being much like current seasons. After having a 21% stolen base alternative charge in 2024 and 18% in 2025, García’s dropped to 10% in 2026. It’s the primary season for supervisor Blake Butera, although the Nationals have ranked fifth in stolen bases, primarily from Nasim Nuñez, CJ Abrams and James Wood. That’s notable because García won’t be a lot of a stolen base asset in 2026.

Volume ought to be in García’s favor as a supply of batting common and a few energy whereas he hits within the high third of the Nationals’ lineup.

Ezequiel Duran, Rangers (30% Rostered)

Ezequiel Duran has been incomes extra enjoying time, partly because he has been hitting effectively just lately and Josh Smith has been on the injured listing since early May. Since May 5, Duran has a .261 BA, 2 HR and one stolen base. Duran’s .333 BABIP has been fueling his batting common spike, so he has been barely lucky primarily based on the profession averages.

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We’ve seen slight fluctuations in Duran’s profile, together with extra walks and higher bat pace. That’s evident by Duran’s career-best 9.3% stroll charge, primarily from being extra affected person by way of his career-low chase charge (33.6%) and swing charge (46.3%). Furthermore, Duran’s 73.2 mph bat pace is barely above his profession common (72.6 mph). However, Duran’s heavy groundball charge (46.5%) hinders his barrel charge per plate look to 4% in 2026.

The Rangers play three video games in Colorado and three in Los Angeles in opposition to the Angels in Week 9. Duran profiles as a compiler, although we’ll need to trip the manufacturing as a multi-position-eligible participant, who might be worthwhile in shallower codecs with day by day strikes.

Deep-League Waiver Pickups (Under 20% Rostered)

Henry Bolte, Athletics (18% Rostered)

We had Carlos Cortes right here, however the Athletics referred to as up outfielder Henry Bolte, who appears to have stolen enjoying time. Since Lawrence Butler has been struggling on the plate, it was logical for him to lose enjoying time over Cortes, however the Athletics could worth Butler’s protection over Cortes.

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Bolte has the instruments we dream about, with 80-grade pace and above-average energy, which we’ve seen within the small pattern. He boasts a 77.5 mph bat pace and 93.9 mph common exit velocity, although groundballs (54.5%) will influence the ability potential.

Take a flyer on Bolte — because it could hit huge.

Zack Gelof, Athletics (17% Rostered)

After sporadic enjoying time in April, Zack Gelof has been enjoying almost day by day in May. Gelof supplied energy and pace prior to now, which we’re seeing once more in 2026. The essential ability change includes Gelof making extra contact, with a career-best 74.8% contact charge in 2026. That coincides with Gelof’s career-low chase (19.7%) and swing charge (47.2%). Usually, we don’t see hitters enhance their plate self-discipline. However, if Gelof maintains his career-high contact charge, we can have a fantasy-viable hitter within the batting common and OBP classes.

Besides Gelof making extra contact, his bat pace elevated to 73.7 mph, up over two mph from his profession common. Furthermore, Gelof maintained his pull-heavy (50%), flyball (42.9%) method, with the pull charge being three factors above his profession norm. That ought to proceed translating into extra house runs.

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Target Gelof for energy and a few pace in Week 9.

Carson Benge, Mets (19% Rostered)

The Mets have 5 vital hitters on the injured listing, together with Francisco Lindor, Luis Robert Jr., Jorge Polanco, Ronny Mauricio and Francisco Alvarez. In case you missed it, Carson Benge has been hitting leadoff recurrently over the previous week. After Benge sat in opposition to eight out of 9 left-handed beginning pitchers, he performed in opposition to three since May 10, giving him common enjoying time atop of the Mets’ lineup.

Benge exhibits sturdy plate self-discipline, with an 81.9% contact charge, a 27.7% chase charge and an 8.7% swinging-strike charge. Though he has common energy, evidenced by his 71.3 mph bat pace and 4.7% barrel charge per plate look, goal him for stolen bases. Benge has an Eighty fifth-percentile Sprint Speed, sturdy defensive metrics and a 24% stolen-base alternative charge (changing 88% of his probabilities).

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That suggests Benge will run typically, making him a waiver wire pickup for pace and quantity, particularly since he appears to be incomes common plate appearances at leadoff.

Austin Martin, Twins (8% Rostered)

Byron Buxton missed the previous few video games with a hip situation. That means Austin Martin was moved into the leadoff spot. Martin has been enjoying day by day since May 10, after having sporadic enjoying time. He might be worthwhile in deeper OBP, batting common and factors leagues. That’s primarily evident by way of his career-best 16.2% stroll charge and .372 BABIP fueling the batting common, although he typically had greater BABIPs. Martin lacks energy, however he boasts elite plate self-discipline, evidenced by his 84.7% contact charge and 15.5% chase charge. For context, Martin’s chase charge ranks second-best amongst hitters with 100 plate appearances, behind Taylor Ward and forward of Trent Grisham.

The matchups for the Twins look juicy, going through Tatsuya Imai, Lance McCullers Jr. and Mike Burrows for the Astros. Then the Twins venture to face Payton Tolle, Brayan Bello and Sonny Gray. Target Martin for quantity within the leadoff spot if Buxton continues to overlook time, notably for batting common and OBP.