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Three Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Sleepers
Editor’s Note: RotoBaller's famous fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups list is another great resource for your fantasy baseball teams, and is updated every single day. Our awesome writers bring you analysis on hot or emerging starting pitchers, and also all other fantasy positions. You can download our waiver wire iPhone app as well for free, and easily stay updated on the run.
Wade Miley, ARI - 27% Owned in Yahoo! 28 % Owned in Fleaflicker
A starting pitcher who is playing for a team that is 11.5 games out of first usually will lose a lot of starts he does not deserve to lose, but that is not the case with Wade Miley. He has gone 8 straight starts without a loss and is 3-0 during that span. The most impressive aspect of Miley’s run is his dominance against playoff contenders on the road. In 3 consecutive road starts against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants, Miley went 2-0 while pitching 21.2 innings and only allowing 13 hits and 3 earned runs. In that span, he struck out an impressive 22 batters. Fantasy owners of Miley are getting much more than they expected from him in the strikeout department as he is on pace to shatter his previous career high of 147 Ks in a season. There is no reason for him to be a free agent in 73% of leagues, so if he is available, stash him on your staff since he has arguably been a Top 30 SP this season in fantasy and we feel good about his chances to continue this type of production in the second half.
Brandon McCarthy, NYY - 8% Owned in Yahoo!, 11% Owned in Fleaflicker
Since joining the New York Yankees rotation on July 9th, Brandon McCarthy has proven that he can help lead this team to the postseason. The Yankees lost Masahiro Tanaka to injury and seemed like they were destined to collapse since they have also lost CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda indefinitely, but McCarthy has given the team a spark. In his 2 starts, he has gone 12 .2 innings and only allowed 2 earned runs (1.47 ERA). The most impressive part of McCarthy’s two quality starts has been the strikeouts. His first start in Yankee stadium consisted of 9 strikeouts in 6 innings, which is a great sign for fantasy owners going forward. The Yankees should produce much more run support for McCarthy than the Dbacks did, making him a great option in deep-leagues. Expect his ownership to climb fast, and you should consider jumping on McCarthy before others do.
Josh Collmenter, ARI - 9% Owned in Yahoo! 11% Owned in Fleaflicker
Although Josh Collmenter has struggled for the most part on the road this season, his home starts have been quite impressive. Since April 15th, Collmenter has only lost one start at home. In his past 5 home starts, he has gone 35 innings, given up just 25 hits and only 6 earned runs (1.54 ERA). His strikeout total has been low for the most part throughout this season, but he is one of the most reliable pitchers when at home. Collmenter should be avoided in all road starts until he can become more consistent, but he is an excellent spot-start streamer when having a start at home in Arizona. Deep-leagues should give him a look for the time being and if he can fix his drastic home-away splits, he may be a desirable option in all deep leagues towards the end of the season.
