X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

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
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Week 3 Waiver Wire - Starting Pitchers

Nick Mariano's starting pitcher (SP) fantasy baseball waiver wire targets and adds. Free agent pickups and starting pitcher sleepers for Week 3 of the 2018 MLB season.

We’re over halfway through April and while nearly all data points are far from settled, they’re all we’ve got. Trends in plate discipline metrics can start to surface around this time, but please don’t go blindly extrapolating hot or cold starts into full-season lines.

Let’s look at some arms performing well at various magnitudes throughout baseball and what they’ve done lately, then you can decide just how actionable the information is to you. I'll try to focus on upside this week. As always, you can find me on Twitter @NMariano53 and ask any follow-up questions or about other pitchers not touched on here.

For our purposes, we’re going to use Yahoo ownership levels and try to cut things off around 30%. With that said, here are my starting pitcher waiver wire targets for Week 3.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Targets

Zack Wheeler (NYM - SP): 27% owned

After crushing the Marlins in his first Major League start of 2018, Wheeler was tasked with handling a much tougher Nationals lineup on Tuesday. While his overall line (6 IP, 7H, 3ER, 3BB, 2K) does count as a quality start, anyone who started him is likely disappointed. I think there’s plenty to be happy about, though. While the whiffs weren’t there (only eight swinging strikes on 99 pitches), he was very tough for Washington to square up, resulting in a meager 79.9 MPH average exit velocity on balls in play.

It's possible that Jason Vargas' eventual return bumps him from the rotation, though Wheeler could force Matt Harvey onto the chopping block with a string of quality starts. Mets' skipper Mickey Callaway also floated the idea of a six-man rotation this offseason, so that route to relevance does exist. For now, Wheeler lines up for a road start against the Braves on April 22. Another tough test, but his upside is worth holding onto in many leagues in case he puts this soft-contact stuff together with putaway jazz.

Sean Newcomb (ATL - SP): 25% owned

Newcomb was robbed of his second victory in ‘18 on April 14 as Atlanta blew a 10-2 lead in epic fashion, but the southpaw still racked up seven strikeouts despite turning in just 10 swinging strikes. That’ll happen when you can nibble 20 called strikes with your fastball alone. So what if he walked another four batters and now has eight walks in just 15 ⅔ IP, because the 2.87 xFIP, 51.2 percent groundball rate and 12.64 K/9 are simply too good to ignore! And he hasn’t been beating up on scrub teams either, with matchups against the Nationals, Rockies (at Coors) and Cubbies to his name. Buy the potential.

Eduardo Rodriguez (BOS - SP): 25% owned

Despite dealing with a .409 BABIP through his first two starts of 2018, Rodriguez has limited the damage by making it difficult for hitters to put the ball in play, resulting in 15 Ks in just 9 ⅔ innings. That profile has also led to a 2.69 SIERA underneath the early 3.72 ERA, but hopefully, that lofty BABIP helps dissuade you from glossing over E-Rod just because of that 1.45 WHIP. He’s never had a BABIP above .300 in any of his three big-league seasons and his whiffs have trended upward each year (7.25 K/9 in ‘15, 8.41 in ‘16 and 9.83 in ‘17). Those of you who value wins may have noticed Boston is good for those as well, so buy into his 200-K potential now before his numbers explode.

Michael Kopech (CWS - SP): 11% owned

The flamethrowing Kopech has pitched 10 innings in 2018, allowing a lone run with 11 strikeouts against four walks. The four free passes are what we’re going to care about because we know the whiffs are going to be there no matter where he pitches. The youngster has shaved his walk rate down as he advances through professional ball, from over a 5.0 BB/9 at Class A Advanced in ‘16 to the current 3.6 BB/9 right now. I think anything below 4.0 will give him a real chance to make it in the bigs, but above that is playing with fire and potentially asking for Tyler Glasnow Part 2: Electric Boogaloo.

Luiz Gohara (ATL - SP): 9% owned

Gohara's first rehab start wasn't all that pretty, as he struck out four against three walks over 3 1/3 innings with one earned (five total runs) allowed. I expected some rust, but also a better focus on just throwing strikes (35-of-62) and ideally better bite on his stuff. Two of those four strikeouts were the opposing pitcher. Still, that's one rusty start and doesn't overshadow any part of his ridiculous body of work. He's got the talent to be a top-30 SP when on the mound this year, though I will want to see improved control in his future rehab outings. The good news for you is that this won't drive up his free-agent price.

Tyson Ross (SD - SP): 6% owned

The last time Ross beasted for our fantasy teams was 2015, when he struck out 212 hitters in 196 frames with a beautiful 61.5 percent groundball rate and paltry 0.41 HR/9 rate to boot. The whiffs were awesome, but you can see that the foundation was generating grounders and not allowing the big fly. In three starts this year, the 31-year-old has a 3.50 ERA (3.52 SIERA) with a 54.5 percent groundball rate and two homers allowed and 14 strikeouts in 18 innings. Do not go seeking “old” Ross here, but he’s still capable of being a top-50 fantasy starter in ‘18 if he can limit walks while keeping that downward movement on the fastball strong.

Daniel Mengden (OAK - SP): 3% owned

I’m willing to accept that we’ve hit a proverbial ownership wall on Andrew Triggs (15 percent owned), if I couldn’t get you on board the past two weeks then I should probably wait a few segments to revisit him. Instead, let’s have a deep-league discussion about his uber-mustachio’d teammate Daniel Mengden. The 25-year-old enjoyed a 3.14 ERA/1.05 WHIP in seven starts last season, though the 4.69 SIERA said don’t bite. Mengden appears to be favoring his curve a bit more in ‘18 and it’s got about two more inches of drop this year compared to ‘16 and ‘17 per Brooks Baseball. I know it’s early and he doesn’t have huge K upside, but he’s issued just three walks in 24 innings and is likely better than you think. Oh, and he shut down the White Sox with eight innings of one-run ball on Monday night. Choo choo?

Freddy Peralta (MIL - SP): N/A on Yahoo

That’s right, this guy isn’t in the Yahoo player pool yet but you’ll want to have his name stashed somewhere in your memory banks. Peralta, who turns 22 in June, has won all three of his starts this year for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, posting a healthy 1.13 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 20 strikeouts in 16 innings. He’s posted BB/9 marks around 4.5 through most of his Minor League career thus far, but an early 2.81 BB/9 in ‘18 could signal a huge step forward. Oh, and he hasn’t allowed a homer or even a line drive yet. And he’s made two starts in Colorado Springs! You know, the Minor League Cooooors. File him away, folks.

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Salvador Perez

Homers Twice, Plates Four Tuesday
Michael Toglia

Homers Twice, Plates Three Tuesday
Javier Báez

Javier Baez Collects Three Hits, Homers Twice Tuesday
Las Vegas Raiders

Jeremy Chinn Will Continue to Play Multiple Roles With Raiders
Christian Wilkins

Absent at Minicamp
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders to Add Cornerback Help?
Rafael Devers

Expected to Play First Base in San Francisco
Will Warren

Strikes Out 11 in Quality Start
Los Angeles Chargers

Elijah Ellis Signs with Chargers
Jashaun Corbin

Heading to Atlanta
Kyren Williams

Rams Progressing Toward Extension
Jaxson Dart

Showing Well Early
Max Scherzer

Could Rejoin Blue Jays Next Week
John Klingberg

Rejoins Oilers Lineup Tuesday
Tylor Megill

Placed on 15-Day Injured List, Out 4-5 Weeks With Elbow Sprain
Kasperi Kapanen

Returns to Oilers Lineup for Game 6
Stuart Skinner

Back in Oilers Crease Tuesday
Gabriel Moreno

Scratched on Tuesday With Sore Hand
Rory McIlroy

a Good Course Horse at TPC River Highlands
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Defend Title at Travelers Championship
Viktor Hovland

a Strong Play at Travelers Championship
Deebo Samuel Sr.

Dan Quinn Says Deebo Samuel Sr. Still Has Plenty of Speed
Sam Burns

' Near Miss at Oakmont May Not Mean Big Things at Travelers
Jalen Coker

Not a Roster Lock?
Ludvig Aberg

Looks to Rebound at Travelers Championship
Ryan Fitzgerald

Favored to Win Panthers Kicking Job?
Efton Chism III

Mixing in with First-Team Offense
Jurickson Profar

Starting Rehab Assignment on Tuesday
Derion Kendrick

Rams Bring Back Derion Kendrick
Jalin Hyatt

Leaves Tuesday's Practice Early with Leg Injury
Will Vest

Likely to Avoid Injured List
Travis Kelce

Expected to Attend Mandatory Minicamp
Travis Hunter

Jaguars Think Travis Hunter Can Play Both Ways in Full Games
Rafael Devers

Expected to Make Giants Debut on Tuesday
Aaron Rodgers

a Perfect Fit for Steelers?
Sam Howell

Could be Front-Runner for No. 2 QB Job
J.J. McCarthy

has Shown Plenty of Arm Strength
Chet Holmgren

Has Tough Shooting Night in Game 5 Against Pacers
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Outstanding at Both Ends Monday
Jalen Williams

Erupts for 40 Points in Game 5 Win
Pascal Siakam

Has Best Game of Finals Monday
Tyrese Haliburton

Determined to Battle Through Calf Injury
LeBron James

Progressing Well From Knee Injury
Lucas Giolito

Strikes Out Season-High 10 in Monday's Win
Logan Gilbert

Fans 10 in Return on Monday
Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers, DeShon Elliott Agree to Two-Year Extension
Ryan Pepiot

Strikes Out 11 in Win
Hunter Goodman

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Stephen Curry

"Not Even Close" to Retirement
Jonathan Kuminga

Linked to Bulls, Heat
Kevin Durant

Has "No Desire" to be Traded to Minnesota
Isaac Paredes

Returns as DH on Monday
New York Giants

Mike Kafka Expected to Reclaim Play-Calling Duties
Jon Runyan

Limited During Minicamp
Jarace Walker

Remains Sidelined for Game 5
Justin Verlander

Returning to the Rotation on Wednesday
Tony Finau

Finishes Tied For 38th at U.S. Open
Bud Cauley

Misses The Cut at U.S. Open
Cameron Young

Finishes Tied For Fourth at U.S. Open
J.J. Spaun

Wins U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 12th at U.S. Open
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Second at U.S. Open
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 42nd at U.S. Open
Luke Clanton

Misses The Cut at RBC Canadian Open
Giancarlo Stanton

to Make Season Debut on Monday
Kamaru Usman

Gets Back In The Win Column
Joaquin Buckley

Winning Streak Comes To An End
Miranda Maverick

Drops Decision At UFC Atlanta
Rose Namajunas

Wins Decision At UFC Atlanta
Andre Petroski

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Edmen Shahbazyan

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Raoni Barcelos

Wins Third Fight In A Row
Chase Elliott

Ends Mexico City with A Great Finish of Third
Christopher Bell

has A Strong Runner-Up Performance At Mexico City
Chase Briscoe

Wild Day Ends with A Top-10 Finish
Michael McDowell

Leaves Mexico City with A Top-Five Finish
Cody Garbrandt

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Brundage

Defeated After Accidental Clash Of Heads
Cody Brundage

Mansur Abdul-Malik Defeats Cody Brundage By Technical Decision
Oumar Sy

Suffers His First Loss
Alonzo Menifield

Scores Upset Win
Alex Bowman

Delivers Bravura Performance After Michigan Injury
Tyler Reddick

Inexplicably Mediocre on his Once-Best Track Type
John Hunter Nemechek

Canny Strategy Gives John Hunter Nemechek Best Career Road-Course Finish
Cole Custer

Earns Best Finish Since Cup-Series Comeback at Mexico City
Grant Holmes

Punches Out 15 in Loss
Elly De La Cruz

Goes Yard in Fourth Straight Game
Will Vest

Dealing With Finger Injury
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

on the Move to Memphis
Cole Anthony

Dealt to the Grizzlies
Desmond Bane

Traded to Orlando
Steven Adams

Rockets Agree to Three-Year Contract Extension
Ty Dillon

Is a Respectable Cap Flexiblity-Focused DFS Option For Mexico City
Corey Perry

Produces 10th Postseason Goal
Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in the Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front-Row Start
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong of a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014
Erik Jones

Mexico City Will Likely be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports' Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Worst Track Type
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF