X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Orioles Rotation and Matt Wisler: Week 12 Starting Pitcher Pickups and Analysis

What's up readers. I'm back with another edition of scouring the waiver wire to help you make that next step with your fantasy roster.  If you've been following along with this series all season, you know the drill. If not, this article is to help you uncover starting pitcher options that may have been overlooked in your league or dropped after a poor start.

As always I include options for shallow and deeper leagues. I also add my list of pitchers discussed previously in at the end of the article with ownership levels to boot. Make sure to check them out, and grab any that are still out there.

Don’t forget to check out our Starting Pitcher Matchups & Streaming Tool for expert guidance during the week too, including what pitchers to start/sit for seasonal and DFS leagues. Let’s get to it.

Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options for starting pitchers, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.

 

Starting Pitchers Waiver Wire - Shallow Leagues

Wei-Yin Chen (BAL, SP)

OWNED IN: 46% of Fleaflicker Leagues

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10 + team leagues

I had no intentions to discuss Chen in this segment. That was until the Orioles decided to demote Chen to the minors after his eight-inning shutout vs the Phillies. Video can be seen here. The move allows the team to skip his next start at Toronto and keep him on regular rest, but safe to say Chen wasn't pleased.

Chen voiced his opinion on Twitter, displeased with the underlying assumption he is injured. Considering most injured players go to the DL, the consensus behind the move is the Orioles gamed the system, a move that allows Chen to miss 10 days instead of 15.

For fantasy terms, the hope here is that unaware or impatient owners see the N/A slapped next to Chen and make a foolish drop. His ownership has already lost a few ticks. If he becomes available in your league, I recommend making a move.

Chen has been arguably the best pitcher in the Orioles rotation, posting a 2.89 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with a 71/19 K/BB ratio. In June he has a 1.89 ERA with 23/4 BB/K ratio, although the road hasn't been very treacherous (@ HOU, vs BOS, vs PHI). His advanced numbers are similar to his 2014 campaign, although the strikeouts and walks are both up and his BABIP is .274, down from .296 in 2014. I do expect some regression from Chen, but it won't be enough to make him not worthy of mixed team consideration. Make the move and wait it out till he returns to the rotation.

 

Mark Buehrle (TOR, SP)

OWNED IN: 27% of Fleaflicker Leagues

BALLER MOVE: Stream Worthy / Add in 12+ team leagues

BuerhleBuerhle doesn't get much love in fantasy circles and rightfully so; his WHIP is usually in the 1.30s and he doesn't strikeout many guys. But his latest string of performances warrants some attention for fantasy purposes. In Buerhle's three June starts he's compiled a 1.23 ERA in 22 innings, all vs NL East opponents (@ WAS, vs MIA, @ NYM). The Marlins and Mets have been scuffling lately making it difficult to place any emphasis on those performances, but he pitched well nonetheless.

History shows Buerhle typically starts off rough (4.12 ERA in April) and then starts to settle down (3.58 ERA from May-July). He was excellent in his last outing vs Baltimore, completing seven innings of two run ball with five strikouts and one walk.

His BB/9 rate is sitting at 1.79, which if he can maintain will be key to controlling his WHIP. In five of the previous six seasons in which Buerhle has had a BB/9 rate below 2.00, his WHIP has been at or below 1.26. The hard-hit contact rate is at a career-high 35.6% which leads me to believe the fun won't last forever here.

The data also shows Buerhle tends to regress in the dog days of summer, so my advice is to grab Buerhle now for streaming purposes in mixed leagues and as a rotation option in deep leagues. That said, his inability to rack up Ks limits his potential so don't grow attached to his recent string of performances. Ride the wave and then be ready for the next one.

 

Starting Pitchers Waiver Wire - Deeper Leagues

Matt Wisler (ATL, SP)

OWNED IN: 3% of Fleaflicker Leagues

BALLER MOVER: Stream Watch / Add in 14+ team leagues / NL-Only

The Braves decided to continue adding young pitching to the rotation by bringing up Matt Wisler for a home outing vs the Mets. And boy did he bring it. Wisler was superb on Friday, hurling eight innings of one run ball on just 88 pitches. He walked none and struck out two.

As you may know, Wisler was a Padres prospect until the Opening Day deal for Craig Kimbrel. He's never been envisioned as a MLB ace (even after Friday's outing), but he does project as a solid middle-rotation piece. Check out his minor league track record here.

He doesn't have an overpowering arsenal, but he does have command of all five pitches (four-seam, two-seam, curve, slider, change). He wasn't dominating in the minors by any means (4.29 ERA with AAA-Gwinnett), but his ability to limit free passes is a key asset to surviving in the bigs. The issue is the high-K potential we saw before 2014 is gone. While he mowed down the inexperienced bats in High-A and Double-A (9.09 K/9), the hitters in Triple-A weren't falling for it (7.28 K/9).

Wisler projects more as a better real-life pitcher than as a fantasy pitcher. The lack of Ks hurts his chances of being a staple in shallow leagues, but I see him as a streaming option in order to avoid tough match-ups and pick your spots, like the Mets on Friday. I am not advising you start Wisler for his next outing at Washington, but keep your eye on the rookie as the story develops.

 

Kevin Gausman (BAL, SP)

OWNED IN: 8% of Fleaflicker Leagues

BALLER MOVE: Stream Worthy / Add in 14+ team leagues

The Gasman finally got a crack in the rotation this weekend. His first assignment: Toronto. Yeesh. He ended up holding his own, going five innings with two runs earned and a strikeout. He also gave up four hits and a walk. His fastball was pumping in around 95-98 and he was locating it effectively. All in all it was a solid performance versus the high powered Jays.

If Gausman can control his slider and keep it in the zone his fastball will only improve, as hitters will see the need to respect his off-speed selection. A big problem for Gausman has been the lack of support; since 2013 his 3.13 run support per game is the worst of any MLB pitcher in that time frame. That's a trend that isn't likely to continue, but it's not a sign you want to see.

It'll be interesting to see how the Orioles handle their clogged rotation. The most effective rotation would be Ubaldo Jimenez, Wei-Yin Chen, Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez, and Kevin Gausman, but that's not the likely scenario to play out. I expect the team to relegate Gausman back to the pen when Chen returns, enabling Bud Norris to remain in the rotation.

It's too early to see how this problem will play out, but Gausman needs to remain on fantasy owners watch. If Gausman finds himself as a regular in the rotation he has shallow league value and in deeper leagues he's worth stashing until further news is discovered.

 

Other Pitchers Previously Highlighted to Consider (In Order of Ownership %)

Noah Syndergaard (NYM, SP / 63% ; up 2%); Eduardo Rodriguez (BOS, SP / 60% ; down 10%); Jaime Garcia (STL, SP / 54% ; up 19%); Ubaldo Jimenez (BAL, SP / 51% ; down 1%); Jesse Chavez (OAK, SP / 50% ; up 2%); Tim Lincecum (SF, SP / 47% ; no change); Taijuan Walker (SEA, SP; 53% ; up 9%);  Charlie Morton (PIT, SP / 41% ; up 27%); James Paxton (DL) (SEA, SP / 41% ; down 1%); Jesse Hahn (OAK, SP / 34%); Mike Leake (CIN, SP / 30% ; down 2%); Chase Anderson (ARI, SP / 20% ; up 4%); Matt Moore (DL) (TB, SP / 18% ; up 1%); Williams Perez (ATL, SP / 11%); Roenis Elias (SEA, SP / 12% ; down 4%); Wandy Rodriguez (TEX, SP / 10% ; down 1%); Tsuyoshi Wada (SP, CHC / 4% ; down 2%)

 

MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nick Senzel8 hours ago

Expected To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jon Gray8 hours ago

To Start On Sunday
Justin Steele8 hours ago

Likely To Go On Injured List
Anfernee Simons10 hours ago

Out Against The Heat
Max Kepler11 hours ago

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Max Kepler
Keldon Johnson11 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Justin Steele11 hours ago

Has Left-Hamstring Tightness
Matisse Thybulle11 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Davis Bertans11 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Friday
Jusuf Nurkic11 hours ago

Questionable Against Oklahoma City
Dario Saric11 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Noah Clowney11 hours ago

Probable For Nets Friday
Jonathan Kuminga11 hours ago

Questionable For Warriors Friday
Jerami Grant11 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Friday
Dennis Smith11 hours ago

Jr. Probable For Friday
Lauri Markkanen11 hours ago

Questionable Against Houston
Toumani Camara11 hours ago

Will Not Play Friday
Justin Steele11 hours ago

Exits Thursday's Start
Richaun Holmes12 hours ago

Out Versus Pistons
Cameron Johnson12 hours ago

Out Against Chicago On Friday
Luka Doncic12 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Friday
David Bednar12 hours ago

Still Dealing With Lat Injury
Deandre Ayton12 hours ago

Is Questionable For Friday
Rudy Gobert12 hours ago

Might Miss Friday's Game
Tyus Jones12 hours ago

Unavailable For Friday
Zeke Nnaji12 hours ago

Ruled Out Against Minnesota
Jaden Ivey12 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Rhys McKee12 hours ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Anthony Edwards12 hours ago

Uncertain For Friday Night
Chidi Njokuani12 hours ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson12 hours ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Bill Algeo12 hours ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley12 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Vicente Luque12 hours ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Eduardo Rodriguez13 hours ago

Could Throw Off Mound In 5-7 Days
Max Kepler13 hours ago

Leaves On Opening Day With Injury
Nick Senzel13 hours ago

Suffers Broken Thumb
Jason Foley14 hours ago

Earns The Save For Tigers
Tarik Skubal14 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes15 hours ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis15 hours ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer16 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw17 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler17 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager17 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz17 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Bryan Reynolds19 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jordan Romano20 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Aaron Ekblad21 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov22 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto22 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin22 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard22 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins22 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist22 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear22 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Mark Hubbard2 days ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson2 days ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia2 days ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen2 days ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers2 days ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers2 days ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers2 days ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers2 days ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels2 days ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby2 days ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds2 days ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA2 days ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry2 days ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox2 days ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan2 days ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg2 days ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn2 days ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby2 days ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord2 days ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins3 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams3 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT3 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn3 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield3 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR3 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras3 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen3 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb3 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift3 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson3 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell3 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans3 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott3 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley3 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs3 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad3 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson3 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas4 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas4 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan4 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson4 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla4 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo4 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron4 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo5 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal5 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman5 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott5 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa5 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams5 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala5 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Marvin Harrison Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Mock Draft: First-Rounder With Trades

The 2024 NFL Draft is less than a month away. Yet, that isn’t soon enough for football fans. While everyone wants to discuss the quarterback class and the first few picks, the NFL Draft doesn’t end after the first round. Teams will find starters and star players on the second and third days of the... Read More


Kyren Williams - Fantasy Football, Waiver Wire Pickups

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact- Part III

Throughout the NFL's offseason, many players see their fantasy football values fluctuate based on their movement and personnel decisions by their respective teams. Throughout this series, we have identified 12 players who have seen their fantasy football value increase over the free-agency period. The final big fantasy football value movement will come after the NFL... Read More


UFL DFS PICKS, FANTASY FOOTBALL, DRAFTKINGS, FANDUEL

UFL DFS Value Plays: Week 1 Bargain Bin for DraftKings Including E.J. Perry, CJ Marable, Jace Sternberger, more

Welcome to the Week 1 edition of RotoBaller's UFL DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to touch on some potentially mispriced players in DraftKings' Week 1 UFL contests. Each week during the UFL 2024 season and postseason, I’ll give you my thoughts on where there may be some value spots to exploit for DraftKings'... Read More


2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More