Welcome to the playoffs. It's a nerve-racking time when one disastrous pitching outing can be fatal. This week (and hence forth) I'm going to mix it up with my waiver wire material and focus on not only good pitching options, but also good pitching matchups for that particular week. All that matters at this point is getting you production to advance to the next week.

As always, included are options for both shallow and deeper leagues. I also add my list of pitchers discussed previously at the end of the article with ownership levels to boot. Make sure to check them out, and grab any that are still out there.

Editor's Note: To read about even more waiver wire options for starting pitchers, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. And don’t forget to check out our Starting Pitcher Matchups & Streaming Tool for expert guidance during the week too, including what pitchers to start/sit for seasonal and DFS leagues.

Starting Pitchers Waiver Wire - Shallow Leagues

Josh Tomlin (CLE, SP)

OWNED IN: 34% of Fleaflicker Leagues

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues

Perhaps it's the fact the Indians are not in contention, but Tomlin's ownership level seems too low as we enter the playoff portion of fantasy baseball. This is a pitcher who, since joining the Indians rotation, has been a fantasy stud. Tomlin owns a 2.85 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and 38/3 K/BB ratio over 41 innings. He's mixed in good pitching with some luck, as opponents have a .167 BABIP and his LOB is 100%. Yes, you read that right. He hasn't left a runner on base.

Tomlin is in line for a two-start week, facing Kansas City and the Chicago White Sox at home. He's only had two home outing this year and owns a 4.15 ERA, but that comes with a 15/0 K/BB ratio. I would start Tomlin in weekly leagues with full confidence.

 

Patrick Corbin (ARI, SP)

OWNED IN: 34% of Fleaflicker Leagues

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues

Patrick Corbin was a curious add when he returned from Tommy John surgery, mainly due to the fact there was uncertainty pertaining his workload in 2015. Well now is not the time to worry about such things, because the Diamondbacks are letting him pitch and so should you.

Corbin has a quality start in eight of his past ten starts, accruing a 3.29 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with a 65/13 K/BB ratio over 68.1 innings. He's averaged just six innings a start and still has his pitch count on watch by the coaching staff, but that's more than enough for fantasy owners looking for safe ratio plays in this critical week. Corbin only has one outing in week 24, a road outing at San Francisco. In his last appearance versus Giants, Corbin shut them out over six innings with four strikeouts and no walks, and I expect more of the same against an injured Giants squad.

 

J.A. Happ (PIT, SP)

OWNED IN: 40% of Fleaflicker Leagues

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues

Happ has been featured here before but since he can't stop dealing and he's still available in 60% of leagues, he has to mentioned. He now has a 1.79 ERA in seven starts for the Pirates with a 42/7 K/BB ratio. Those are numbers you expect from Clayton Kershaw, not a player who owned a 4.64 ERA for the Seattle Mariners.

Speaking of Kershaw, only Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, and Jake Arrieta have been more valuable in the past month in fantasy baseball leagues for starting pitchers. Safe to say that trio was not sitting on your free agent wire. Happ has a 1.00 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in that span to go along with five wins.

To be honest with you, if Happ is still sitting around in your league you should consider finding tougher opponents. He only has one start this week, the day cap of a double header with the Cubs on Tuesday. The Cubs are the only team to have scored more than two runs off Happ since joining the Pirates (4.1 IP, 4 ER), but that's not enough to scare me off the hot hand. The one downside is Happ faces the Rockies in Coors for his week 25 appearance, but if he's available in your league I'd worry about that matchup after you advance to the next round.

 

Starting Pitchers Waiver Wire - Deeper Leagues

Anthony DeSclafani (CIN, SP)

OWNED IN: 21% of Fleaflicker Leagues

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues

Here's another hot hand that is inexplicably available in over 79% of leagues. That's insane! DeSclafani has taken the torch from Rasiel Iglesias as the hottest rookie pitcher for the Reds, compiling a 2.37 ERA with a 23/3 K/BB ratio in September. He's been dominating hitters and limiting them to the tune of a .216 wOBA in the month.

DeSclafani has the been the #9 starting pitcher in September for fantasy leagues (along with fellow recommendations Josh Tomlin and J.A. Happ). His last outing was masterful, allowing just one run in six innings with ten strikeouts versus the Cardinals. In week 24 he gets a road outing at Milwaukee, but at this point I would be comfortable using DeSclafani in any situation. Grab a share and let him guide you to week 25.

 

Other Pitchers Previously Highlighted to Consider

In Order of Ownership %

Noah Syndergaard (NYM, SP / 85% ; up 1%)
Jaime Garcia (STL, SP / 77% ; up 3%)
Yordano Ventura: Fantasy Baseball Player News & Analysis" href="http://www.rotoballer.com/fantasy-baseball-mlb-player-news/Yordano+Ventura" target="blank">Yordano Ventura (KC, SP / 68%)
Taijuan Walker (SEA, SP / 60% ; down 2%)
Mike Leake (CIN, SP / 60% ; up 4%)
Wei-Yin Chen (BAL, SP / 59% ; no change)
Luis Severino (NYY, SP / 56% ; up 4%)
Taylor Jungmann (MIL, SP / 51% ; down 6%)
R.a. Dickey (TOR, SP / 47% ; down 7%)
Yovani Gallardo (TEX, SP / 47% ; up 1%)
Chris Tillman (BAL, SP / 44% ; down 6%)
Carlos Rodon (CHW, SP / 36% ; up 3%)
Erasmo Ramirez (TB, SP / 33% ; down 3%)
Kris Medlen (KC, SP / 32%)
Jon Niese (NYM, SP / 28% ; no change)
Aaron Nola: Fantasy Baseball Player News & Analysis" href="http://www.rotoballer.com/fantasy-baseball-mlb-player-news/Aaron+Nola" target="blank">Aaron Nola (PHI, SP / 26% ; up 6%)
Eduardo Rodriguez (BOS, SP / 23% ; down 2%)
Kyle Hendricks (CHC, SP / 21% ; down 2%)
Brett Anderson (LAD, SP / 19% ; no change)
Jake Peavy (SF, SP / 10% ; down 2%)
Tom Koehler (MIA, SP / 10% ; no change)

 

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