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Mike's starting pitcher (SP) fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 21 of 2026 (August 17 - August 23). These are his top free-agent pitchers to add and stream.
Welcome, everyone, to our starting pitcher fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 21 of the 2026 season (August 17 - August 23). In this piece, we search for starting pitchers rostered in less than 40 percent of Yahoo leagues. For deeper leagues, we find pitchers rostered in less than 30 percent of Yahoo leagues.
We are officially in the so-called dog days of August. Kids are back in school all over the country, and we have been distracted by those preparations, but our fantasy leagues never stop, and neither do we, trying to find that perfect mix for our starting rotations.
The guys mentioned here are not aces, but that does not mean that they cannot help your team. Take a look at these pitchers if you need help. 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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Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues
Recommendations for leagues of any size rostered between 30-40% on Yahoo
Clay Holmes, Chicago Cubs (41% rostered)
Holmes is worth rostering in most leagues, especially those that are deeper. Writing about him last week here, he did not have a great outing in his Chicago Cubs debut. Holmes went into the seventh inning on Friday against the Cardinals, getting a win and three strikeouts.
Look, Holmes is not going to strike out a ton of guys, but he can post solid ratios and help your team's rotation in the dwindling weeks of the baseball season.
Brandon Pfaadt, Arizona Diamondbacks (39% rostered)
It's been great to see Pfaadt find his niche in Arizona again. Against Atlanta on Friday night, Pfaadt went seven shutout innings, striking out seven hitters and earning a win. That is four straight outings in which Pfaadt has pitched seven innings, while allowing no earned runs. Why is he unrostered?
You can see below how he has drastically improved his groundball rate even while his strikeout rate is reducing. It's been effective for Pfaadt, and the Diamondbacks look like they may have found a fixture for their rotation. Pfaadt should be rostered in most leagues moving forward.
J.T. Ginn, Athletics (38% rostered)
Ginn was ok on Saturday night, covering six innings and striking out seven while surrendering four runs. Over the last month, Ginn has a 2.96 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts in 24 innings. Add in a favorable matchup this coming week against Kansas City, and I am intrigued to add him.
Dustin May, Milwaukee Brewers (38% rostered)
May gets passed over often in many leagues, and I understand that, but he is a usable fifth starter in most leagues. Granted, he may lose some of his luster based on being in a six-man rotation, but that doesn't bother me as much.
In his last four starts, he has gone at least five innings, totaling 24 innings, and striking out 22 hitters. Unfortunately, he only has one win over that span. But he will not hurt you usually, and he gets the Seattle Mariners next week. He has six wins, a 4.13 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and 117 strikeouts in 122 innings.
Sean Manaea, New York Mets (31% rostered)
Manaea has been excellent in the second half, but his good form goes back to June. Check out his splits below, and look at each month's improvement. In the second half, he has been the most consistent pitcher for the Mets. Manaea could help the back end of your rotation as well.
Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Deeper Leagues
Recommendations for leagues of any size rostered in less than 30% on Yahoo
Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals (30% rostered)
Lugo is the pitcher that no one ever admits they have on their roster, yet he is rosterable in most formats, even if you choose not to use him in certain matchups. He almost always keeps his team in the game.
Yes, you may get a five-run clunker you did on Friday night, but Lugo usually will give you worry-free innings that won't kill your carefully manicured ratios at this point of the season. You could do worse than having Lugo on your roster.
Tyler Mahle, Atlanta Braves (27% rostered)
Mahle has been a revelation since his trade from San Francisco to Atlanta, which has needed the boost he gave them in their decimated rotation. You can see in the box below that Mahle has slowly improved each month and is rosterable in many formats, yet rostered in very few.
In two starts with Atlanta since he was traded, Mahle has pitched six innings in both, striking out nine and seven batters, respectively. Terrific command has been the hallmark here; a two-start week next week awaits with Minnesota and Milwaukee, and he should be an attractive FAAB target this weekend.
Gage Jump, Athletics (22% rostered)
I know people will hesitate on Jump, having been burned once or twice with him this season. But I am here for the strikeout potential. Yes, he has had some clunkerous outings, but he also struck out 11 hitters in his last start, a win against Boston.
Jump followed that up by pitching into the sixth inning against rival Texas...and earning one strikeout. The lefty has 85 strikeouts in 78 innings, but his ratios are a tad scary at 4.50 and 1.45. Yet, he has an enticing start next week against Kansas City. I am rostering Jump.
Hayden Wesneski, Houston Astros (22% rostered)
Wesneski has been earmarked in many leagues as a pitcher who may be able to help you in the season's second half, and here we are. In his August 10th start, his third of the season, Wesneski went seven strong innings, striking out four Giants while giving up three runs.
On Saturday, he pulled back from that start, going only four innings and coughing up five runs, but he also struck out six hitters. I am willing to take some risk with Wesneski because he should get a long runway in Houston as they need healthy starters.
Jacob Lopez, Athletics (18% rostered)
Lopez caught my eye again this past week with a seven-inning start against Tampa Bay in which he struck out five hitters while giving up only two runs. That is four good starts in a row for the lefty, who has been dogged by inconsistency but is in a good stretch now.
This is another great example where looking at his season-long statistics draws you away: five wins, a 5.38 ERA, and a 1,56 WHIP. Over the last month, he has posted only one win, but has a sparkling 2.36 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 32 strikeouts in 26 innings. Yes, please.
Anthony Kay, Chicago White Sox (16% rostered)
Raise your hand if you knew that Kay leads the first-place Chicago White Sox with nine wins. He pitched another good game on Saturday, pitching into the sixth inning against the second-place Detroit Tigers, giving up three runs and striking out four while not factoring in the decision.
You can see below how Kay chooses to go about getting hitters out. Interestingly, he uses his sweeper the most against both-sided hitters. But note the big difference in sinker usage between the two sides, and the use of the four-seamer and the cutter against righties.
Guys with six-pitch mixes generally keep hitters off-balance. He is clearly the third starter on a first-place team right now, and should be rostered in far more leagues.
Other Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Options
Every week, we will give you four or five (in this case, eight) other lower-rostered pitchers you could also consider adding from the waiver wire in your league. League context matters, obviously.
- Andrew Painter, Philadelphia Phillies (13% rostered)
- Mitch Bratt, Arizona Diamondbacks (11% rostered)
- Cody Bradford, Texas Rangers (10% rostered)
- Max Scherzer, Toronto Blue Jays (8% rostered)
- Connor Prielipp, Minnesota Twins (8% rostered)
- Andrew Alvarez, Washington Nationals (6% rostered)
- Tyler Phillips, Miami Marlins (6% rostered)
- Kyle Freeland, Colorado Rockies (4% 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, and never give up on your teams. Keep grinding!
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
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