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Mike looks at five sneaky fantasy baseball waiver-wire pickups for starting pitchers in Week 25 (2024) who are on hot streaks and sees if they can sustain their success.
The MLB regular season is rapidly coming to a close. Fantasy managers who are in the hunt for a championship need to make the most out of every one of their starts down the stretch. With so many injuries across the league, that can be difficult.
For those who need starting pitching reinforcements, streaming the right players could be key. Are Andrew Heaney, Luis L. Ortiz, Reid Detmers, Dean Kremer, and DJ Herz just viable streaming options, or could any of them be worth rostering for the remainder of the season?
Let’s dig into the stats for these five starters and discuss if they can sustain their current level of success. All roster percentages are via Yahoo.
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Andrew Heaney, Texas Rangers (37% rostered)
Heaney’s 5-13 record doesn’t accurately reflect his performance this season. He has a 3.84 ERA supported by a 3.82 FIP. His 1.2 HR/9 allowed is his lowest mark since 2020, and his WHIP is a respectable 1.20. Over his last seven starts, he has a 3.00 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP.
Is that Bob Ross or Andrew Heaney? 🎨 pic.twitter.com/BGz0RXWieS
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) September 4, 2024
The downside with Heaney for fantasy purposes is that he usually doesn’t provide much length. He has logged at least six innings just two times over his last 12 outings. Still, he has posted at least eight strikeouts in four of his last five starts.
With his next projected start expected to be against a Mariners team that has struck out the most times in baseball, Heaney is worth adding now and maybe holding onto down the stretch.
Luis L. Ortiz, Pittsburgh Pirates (29% rostered)
Ortiz has logged at least six innings in six of his last 11 starts. During that 11-start span, he posted a 3.25 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. Following his disappointing 5.57 FIP and 1.70 WHIP last year, Ortiz has a 4.25 FIP and a 1.11 WHIP this year. One of his main improvements has been lowering his walk rate from 12.0% to 7.6%.
Even with his improved command, Ortiz doesn’t carry much fantasy upside with his 18.5% strikeout rate. He has also been a bit lucky, with opponents only having a .243 BABIP against him despite his 9.1% barrel rate allowed. Ortiz is a viable streaming option when he has a favorable matchup, but be careful rolling him out against dangerous lineups.
Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels (22% rostered)
After getting off to a bad start this season, Detmers was sent down to the minors. The Angels have since given him another opportunity, calling him up for September. In his first start back, he allowed two runs and recorded 10 strikeouts over six innings against the Dodgers. In his second outing, he allowed two runs and recorded eight strikeouts over six innings versus the Twins.
Reid Detmers, Gorgeous 73mph Curveball. 😍 pic.twitter.com/RHEPQK06hY
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 10, 2024
It’s encouraging that Detmers pitched well against two tough lineups. His ERA sits at 5.64 for the season, but his 4.06 FIP indicates that he hasn’t exactly been terrible.
The Angels rolling with a six-man rotation will limit Detmers’ opportunities down the stretch, but he is at least worth streaming for his next projected start against a White Sox team that has scored the fewest runs in baseball.
Dean Kremer, Baltimore Orioles (20% rostered)
Kremer dominated the Rays in his last outing, allowing two hits and three walks over six shutout innings. He also recorded seven strikeouts. That marked the third time over his last five starts that Kremer pitched at least six innings and allowed one or no runs.
Even with Kremer pitching well lately, he has a 4.27 ERA and a 4.37 FIP for the season. His 22.0% strikeout rate is nothing to write home about and his 1.27 WHIP isn’t helping fantasy managers. He can exploit favorable matchups, but he’s firmly in the streamer category.
DJ Herz, Washington Nationals (16% rostered)
Herz needed 87 pitches to get through five innings in his last start against the Pirates. He issued three walks, but he didn’t give up a hit in his scoreless outing. Since the All-Star break, Herz has given up more than two earned runs in just one of his nine starts. That has left him with a 3.82 ERA and a 3.71 FIP for the season.
Strikeouts are not always easy to come by on waivers, so Herz stands out with his 28.9% strikeout rate. His next start is scheduled to come against the Marlins, who have scored the second-fewest runs in baseball. Add him for that outing, and consider holding onto him for the remainder of the regular season.
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