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Mike looks at three sneaky fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for starting pitchers in Week 13 (2024) who are off to hot starts and sees if they can sustain their success.
We are still without plenty of prominent starting pitchers because of injuries. One of the most noteworthy names to hit the injured list lately is Yoshinobu Yamamoto (shoulder).
Streaming pitchers with favorable matchups is a good way to help offset injuries to your fantasy squad. Are Miles Mikolas, Tylor Megill, and Mitchell Parker just viable streaming options, or could any of them be worth rostering for the long haul?
Let’s dig into the stats for these three starters and discuss if they can sustain their current level of success.
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Miles Mikolas, St. Louis Cardinals
Mikolas has allowed just one run and five hits across 13.1 innings over his last two starts. Going back even further, he has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his last seven starts. During that span, he has recorded a 2.76 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP.
Even with the hot streak that Mikolas is on, he has a 4.59 ERA and a 4.12 FIP for the season. That comes on the heels of his 4.78 ERA and 4.27 FIP last year. What complicates matters for his fantasy value is his inability to record strikeouts. He has an 18.7 percent strikeout rate this season and a 17.7 percent strikeout rate for his career.
Miles Mikolas, 2Ks in the 6th. pic.twitter.com/5b2lTq6V6b
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 16, 2024
As good as Mikolas has been lately, his lack of strikeout upside doesn’t make him a must-roster player. However, he has very good control, sporting a 4.8 percent walk rate for his career. He’s worth rostering in 15-team leagues but would be best used as a streamer during favorable matchups in shallower formats.
Tylor Megill, New York Mets
Entering this season, Megill had recorded an ERA of at least 4.52 in each of his first three seasons in the majors. Supporting that lackluster stat has been his career 4.44 FIP. Last season, he posted a 10.2 percent walk rate that contributed to his 1.58 WHIP.
While Megill has had similar control issues this season, his WHIP is more manageable at 1.30. His ERA sits at 3.52, while his FIP is even better at 2.63. After allowing 18 home runs over 126.1 innings last season, Megill has only been taken deep one time over 30.2 innings this year.
One of the main reasons for his improved success this season has been his 27.8 percent strikeout rate, which is five percentage points higher than his career mark. He has introduced a cutter to his arsenal, a pitch that he has registered a 26.4 percent whiff rate. Even though his command issues make him risky, he has the potential to be more than just a streaming option in 12-team and deeper leagues.
Mitchell Parker, Washington Nationals
With injuries impacting their starting rotation, Parker has stepped up and made 12 starts for the Nationals. Prior to that, he had only made four career starts at Triple-A. Amazingly, Parker has allowed three or fewer earned runs in all 12 of his starts in the majors.
Not only does Mitchell have a sparkling 3.06 ERA, but it is supported by his 3.54 FIP. He has given up just 0.8 HR/9 while using his 5.5 percent walk rate to produce a 1.08 WHIP. The downside is that he has just an 18.2 percent strikeout rate. It’s a bit odd that Parker has struggled to produce strikeouts, given that he had a 27.2 percent strikeout rate at Double-A in 2023.
Mitchell Parker, Nasty 81mph Curveball. 😨 pic.twitter.com/YYSq186Egq
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 6, 2024
Parker’s lack of strikeouts hurt his fantasy value. However, he has shown that he can perform well, even against difficult lineups. He has already faced the Dodgers, Orioles, and Braves (twice) this season. For fantasy managers that don’t need strikeouts, Parker can help in terms of ERA and WHIP.
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