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Mike's starting pitcher (SP) fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 13 of 2025 (June 23 - June 29). These are his top free-agent pitchers to add and stream.
Welcome, everyone, to our starting pitcher fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 13 of the 2025 season (June 23 - June 29). In this weekly piece, we search for starting pitchers rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues. For deeper leagues, we try to find pitchers rostered in less than 30 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
As mentioned last week, most fantasy players do daily data analysis on an almost daily basis. That certainly makes sense, as there is more data to examine than ever. However, at the end of the day, you must find the best fit for your roster. That might mean that if you have three big arms that get strikeouts for you, you may require a ratio stabilizer at the back of your rotation. You might have great ratios, but you need wins. That's why the fantasy industry has these articles: to help you find that correct balance for your team amid a rash of injuries and ineffective performance.
Let's see what is on the waiver wire this week. There are options for any league here. Keep in mind that players in your league are always seeking to improve their squads as well. You need to be as proactive as possible and add players before your league wakes up to them. At the end of the article, you will see players rostered in less than 15% of leagues who could help your squad.
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Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues
Recommendations for leagues of any size rostered between 30-50% on Yahoo!
Zack Littell, Tampa Bay Rays (48% rostered)
He makes this list almost every weekend, and I feel like I am his biggest supporter. Littell doesn't do anything fancy except keep his team in the game every time he takes the mound.
The veteran has 12 consecutive starts with at least five innings pitched, even though his numbers do not wow you; his high-water mark for strikeouts is six over that time. But what Littell will do is manufacture mostly worry-free innings for you. The veteran carries six wins, a 3.88 ERA, and a tidy 1.11 WHIP into his next start against Detroit. Littell is an excellent pitcher to fill the back end of your rotation.
Quinn Priester, Milwaukee Brewers (40% rostered)
Priester was picked up as a rotation depth option for the Brewers, and he has become a vital cog in their team. The veteran right-hander was inserted into the rotation in early April and has quietly built a nice season: five wins, a 3.46 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts in 67 innings.
He does it by keeping the ball on the ground; check out his 94th percentile ground-ball percentage below. The lack of strikeouts is what keeps him on the waiver wire, but he is helping in wins and ratios. One danger is that reinforcements are lurking, so Priester is pitching for his spot each time he takes the mound.
Yet, he has four wins in his last five starts and has given up just six runs in his last five outings. If you have strikeouts rostered and need some wins and ratio help, Priester is a guy to look at this weekend.
Brandon Walter, Houston Astros (31% rostered)
Walter has been excellent since his recall, starting three games and going at least five innings in each one. In his last start against Minnesota, Walter pitched into the seventh inning and struck out nine while allowing no runs.
He has been a sigh of relief for Houston, a team that is starving for healthy starting pitching right now. Walter may not last long-term in the rotation, but he is worthy of a roster spot in deeper leagues right now. See his small sample size work below.
Cade Horton, Chicago Cubs (30% rostered)
Horton faced the Pittsburgh Pirates last weekend and was quite good, pitching into the sixth inning and giving up no runs while striking out four. He has a 3.47 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts in 36 innings.
I think the lack of big strikeout numbers gives some fantasy players pause, but Horton is a usable commodity on many teams, especially those besieged by injuries. Horton has gone at least five innings in six consecutive starts now. His results have largely been supported by his Statcast data.
Max Scherzer, Toronto Blue Jays (25% rostered)
Scherzer is my spec pick this week, as it looks like he will be activated to make his season debut in the coming days. Do not expect vintage Scherzer, but he can still be a useful piece on the right roster. He is not an ace anymore, but he can provide solid depth to your team as a streamer at the very least.
Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Deeper Leagues
Recommendations for leagues of any size rostered in less than 30% on Yahoo!
Brayan Bello, Boston Red Sox (24% rostered)
Bello is another pitcher who receives a bad rap because people perceive him as inconsistent and believe he should be reaching another level. My point is that this level is fine right now if your expectations are in check. Bello has three wins, a 3.49 ERA, a slightly high 1.47 WHIP, and only 45 strikeouts in 59 innings.
Yet in his last start against the New York Yankees, Bello fired seven shutout innings, earning a win while striking out eight batters. That made three quality starts in a row for him. With pitching being scant in many leagues, take a chance on Bello.
Landen Roupp, San Francisco Giants (23% rostered)
Roupp has been rostered more than this during the season, but I still like what he offers to fantasy teams. His peripherals are holding on, with a 3.99 ERA and slightly bloated 1.46 WHIP. He is not a zero in strikeouts, either, with 63 in 70 innings.
Lots of fantasy players dropped him after his disastrous outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers last weekend, but that could represent a buying opportunity for you this weekend. Roupp slots in well as your fifth starter.
Charlie Morton, Baltimore Orioles (20% rostered)
Being an old guy, I love it when they do well in the major leagues. Morton has found new life in Baltimore since returning from the bullpen this month. On Friday night, he was excellent again, going six strong innings against the Tampa Bay Rays, surrendering one run while striking out seven hitters.
Morton now has three wins in four starts this month to go with a 2.25 WHIP, a 1.45 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts in 20 innings. Do not be scared off by the age or the season-long numbers. He is using his curveball (see below) far more these days, leading to better results. Roster Morton this weekend.
Kumar Rocker, Texas Rangers (17% rostered)
Ok, listen a minute, please. I know Rocker has been wildly inconsistent as he tries to stick in the Texas rotation. But he was quite good in his last start, albeit against the Chicago White Sox, with five shutout innings pitched, earning a win and six strikeouts. Rocker should have some runway filling in for the injured Tyler Mahle over the next few weeks.
When you look at his Statcast data, it seems like he is searching for the most effective pitch mix for himself; he seems to have had far too much reliance on his cutter and slider, and needs to diversify more. He did that against the White Sox last weekend. See below; when he's throwing his pitches more equally, he will have a better chance of sustained success.
Other Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Options
- Mitch Spence, Athletics (9% rostered)
- Emerson Hancock, Seattle Mariners (9% rostered)
- Colton Gordon, Houston Astros (7% rostered)
- Ryan Gusto, Houston Astros (8% rostered)
Happy hunting for starting pitchers this weekend! If you have questions, you can always message me on X @mdrc0508. You can even tell me you hate these picks. Remember that fantasy baseball is supposed to be fun above everything. Enjoy it!
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
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