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To help you dominate all of your 2018 fantasy baseball leagues, below are some 2018 fantasy baseball starting pitcher (SP) draft sleepers & waiver wire pickups to consider adding to your fantasy baseball teams. Be sure to also use our other draft resources and tools shown in the icons below.
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2018 Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers by MLB Position
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Zach Eflin (SP, PHI) - Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin has allowed two earned runs or less in each of the last three games, registering a quality start in two of those appearances. He has also won each of those three starts and has struck out at least five batters in four of his last five starts. A 4-2 record and 3.43 ERA are both solid for Eflin, as are the 46 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings for the 24-year-old. While...continue reading
Jeremy Hellickson (SP, WSH) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 26% of leagues ANALYSIS: Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson may not be on the Braves and, he might be on the DL, but he still pitches in the NL East and has already shown a form capable of an ERA in the low threes and a WHIP that can sniff 1.00. He is not dealing big strikeouts, but his ratios should be useful in an age where you can find strikeouts more readily. While you should not buy him as...continue reading
Kyle Gibson (SP, MIN) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson has shown us an intriguing ceiling ever since the end of August 2017, but some command issues and inconsistencies have held him out of the circle of trust in ‘18. However, the bottom line is that he’s floating a 0.95 WHIP despite iffy walk rates thanks to some smarter locating and a 17.6% pop-up rate. Fantasy owners can handle the 13.2% K-BB% if he can continue to sharpen his command, but the .198...continue reading
Domingo German (SP, NYY) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 26% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Yankees starting pitcher Domingo German has been dynamic over the last few outings and, if you are going to pick up just one guy, then this is it. German entered Tuesday’s start with an incredible 15.6% swinging-strike rate that ranked within the top five out of arms with >50 IP, and a mission to shut down the surging Mariners. He did that and more, yielding just one earned run on two hits and zero walks...continue reading
Mike Montgomery (SP/RP, CHC) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs pitcher Mike Montgomery has been very effective for the Cubbies this season, carving out a role for the 2016 World Champions. It is unfortunate for Montgomery that Tyler Chatwood once again skirted huge damage despite walking everyone on the planet because we are really counting on the Cubbies handing Montgomery that rotation spot once Yu Darvish returns. Regardless, Darvish is still a ways away and Montgomery did his part on Tuesday night by...continue reading
Jonathan Loaisiga (SP, NYY) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Yankees starting pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga appears to be the next of a wave of young power pitchers in the Bronx. Hopefully, you were in on Loaisiga before he delivered five scoreless frames for the win in his MLB debut. Still, this ownership rate is too low for an arm with Loaisiga’s blend of control and putaway stuff. He had 17 swinging strikes on just 91 pitches (with at least five whiffs on each of his...continue reading
Freddy Peralta (SP, MIL) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of leagues ANALYSIS: Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta got the call for a spot start on Tuesday night against the Pirates and was devastating once again. Yes, the electric 21-year-old continued his MLB career the same way he started it, with a freakin’ gem. He would throw 78 fastballs out of 99 pitches over six shutout frames, allowing just two Pirates to reach base. He will be starting again on Sunday against the Cardinals. The zero walks is eye-catching...continue reading
Marco Estrada (SP, TOR) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada had a truly awful start to the season. While we realize that watching Estrada suck through April and May could have given some owners a sense of vindication after years of defying his sabermetrics, Estrada is (sort of) back. There is no denying how bad he has been, leaving us left wondering whether he picked up poor sleeping habits again, but three starts in June have seen him trample the Yankees,...continue reading
Shane Bieber (SP, CLE) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber should get some extended looks in Cleveland’s rotation for as long as Carlos Carrasco is out, and may very well push for playing time down the line. While neither of his first two starts (both against the Twins) will inspire any romance novels, he does have a 3.20 xFIP and SIERA behind the 3.97 ERA. These numbers are due in large part to the ungodly .471 BABIP that Minnesota has saddled him with -- more...continue reading
Jose Urena (SP, MIA) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Urena has come out of nowhere to actually be a decent fantasy option. While it is surprising to say the least, the man has a 3.48 ERA and 1.03 WHIP over the last month of play. He also heads into pitcher-friendly AT&T Park for a Wednesday start, so there is a good chance that he is in a good spot to throw well in this start. Beyond the month, his last 10...continue reading
Matt Strahm (SP/RP, SD) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 1% of leagues ANALYSIS: While San Diego deals with a myriad of arm injuries, San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Strahm has gotten the chance to act as their “opener” in three bullpen games now. In these three games, he has allowed one run and three hits in eight innings, striking out 11 batters. He also has not walked a batter in any of his last five appearances now, a stretch that includes three appearances against the NL East-leading Braves. While...continue reading
Zach Eflin (SP, PHI) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin has allowed two earned runs or less in each of the last three games, registering a quality start in two of those appearances. He has also won each of those three starts and has struck out at least five batters in four of his last five starts. While Eflin has looked good of late, remember that Eflin had a three start streak to close May where he did not last five...continue reading
Joey Lucchesi (SP, SD) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi (hip) is nearing his return to the rotation, and it seems that many fantasy owners cut bait with him as he has been sidelined since May 15th with a right hip strain. Now is absolutely the time to scoop the young pitcher back up, as he just obliterated the opposition in his latest High-A rehab start (four innings pitched, no hits allowed, six strikeouts, hit 96 MPH with...continue reading
Anibal Sanchez (SP, ATL) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his six starts this season, throwing seven scoreless innings in two of his last three starts. Sanchez has also won each of his last two starts and is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA this season, striking out 32 batters in 37 1/3 innings. While his numbers look good, this does come with a 90.3% strand rate and .206 BABIP, two concerning numbers...continue reading
Jhoulys Chacin (SP, MIL) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin has been particularly hot as of late and the city of Chicago is happy not to see him this week. In two of his last three starts, Chacin pitched a combined 11 2/3 innings of shutout baseball, with 12 strikeouts, against both the Cubs and White Sox.
The Pirates, one of the two teams that Chacin will face this week, saw Chacin on May 5th of this year
...continue readingCarlos Rodon (SP, CHW) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 33% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Carlos Rodon has made two starts since rejoining the team and is looking to inject some life into their poor staff. White Sox starters have a team ERA of 5.18 (27th in baseball) and Rodon will likely be the most valuable pitcher for Chicago for the remainder of the season. Rodon recently recovered from shoulder surgery and is back to flashing his strikeout potential. In both starts, he has allowed at...continue reading
Dylan Covey (SP, CWS) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Covey will surprise you when you look at his game log, especially after his struggles last season. This season, Covey has allowed two earned runs, or less, in five consecutive starts and he has tallied at least five strikeouts in four of those contests. A 2.29 ERA looks very nice and a 2.15 FIP in 35 1/3 innings shows that he has not been particularly lucky (illustrated by his 71.7% strand...continue reading
Domingo German (SP, NYY) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 14% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Yankees starting pitcher Domingo German might be one of the best pitchers to stream for this week. He is striking out batters at a furious pace recently, as he has struck out at least nine batters in back-to-back games.
German started against Tampa Bay in his last time out, pitching six innings, allowing three earned runs, and punching out 10 Rays. While he has a 5.23 ERA this season, he has a 3.69
...continue readingNick Pivetta (SP, PHI) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 10+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 47% of leagues ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Nick Pivetta has allowed 10 runs in his last two appearances, but is still one of the top waiver wire picks this week. He is a two-start streamer this week and there are a lot of reasons to start him against the Cardinals at home and the Nationals in Washington.
Pivetta did have a poor outing against the Nationals earlier this season (1 IP, 6 ER), but he will get
...continue readingCaleb Smith (SP, MIA) - Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 38% of leagues ANALYSIS: Miami Marlins starting pitcher Caleb Smith is a top streamer for Week 12, but one that could get into trouble. He will throw on the road twice this week, first against the Giants and then against the Rockies.
First, the good news. Smith has started against both of these teams already this season and performed well. In his last appearance, Smith pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs, while striking out four batters,
...continue readingJonathan Loasigia (SP, NYY) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 0% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Yankees starting pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga is so much of an outlier that we are not sure if his name is even spelled correctly in our database (it is, don't worry). The Yankees are in need of a starter with Masahiro Tanaka on the DL for the foreseeable future and it was confirmed on Tuesday night that Loaisiga, who is still not in Yahoo's player pool, would be getting at least one turn in...continue reading
Dylan Covey (SP/RP, CHW) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: If you remember anything about Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Covey from 2017 then you probably want nothing to do with him. No one can blame you either: the man had a 7.71 ERA and 5.64 SIERA with a poor 13.3% strikeout rate in 70 innings. That makes for one terrible cup o’ coffee. However, Covey looks very different this season to those watching carefully because now he is throwing 95 mph and suddenly has command....continue reading
Paul Blackburn (SP, OAK) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 3% of leagues ANALYSIS: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Paul Blackburn allowed just one run on three hits over six strong innings in his 2018 debut, but he has his fantasy fleas. Namely, the three strikeouts in those six frames gives him a higher strikeout rate (15%) than his awful 9.2% K rate through 10 starts (58 ⅔ IP) last season. He has barely broken the 6.0 K/9 mark even in the low Minors, but he sports solid command and suppresses the...continue reading
Mike Montgomery (SP, CHC) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Mike Montgomery only has 25 strikeouts in 43 innings thus far, which may leave you looking elsewhere for SP options. However, a 3.56 ERA and 1.16 WHIP are very solid, particularly on a team like the Cubs that will help with wins. The southpaw has always been good at inducing low-quality contact and has a career .268 BABIP for this reason, but his 28.5% soft-contact rate is on another level right now. Not...continue reading
Mike Leake (SP, SEA) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Mike Leake only made one mistake on Tuesday night, which was spotting a great pitch on the outer corner at the knees of Mike Trout. Outside of Trout’s solo homer, Leake was effective against the Halos and has now held opponents to two runs or fewer in each of his last five starts. The three walks were uncharacteristic given how he had walked just two batters over his last six starts...continue reading
Lance Lynn (SP, MIN) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Lance Lynn has turned things around with four consecutive quality starts after forgetting that he was supposed to get batters out to open 2018. That being the case, you still cannot buy that his command woes are truly gone. He has still totaled 11 walks alongside the 21 strikeouts over 24 ⅔ innings during this “resurgent” stretch and has issued four or more free passes in half of his 12 outings this season....continue reading
Clayton Richard (SP, SD) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres starting pitcher Clayton Richard ended his 2017 season by posting a 3.52 ERA (3.69 SIERA) and being rather useful over his final 10 starts. Well, after a rocky April, Richard is back to mowing down opposing hitters with his groundball ways and now has a 3.04 ERA (3.15 SIERA) over his last seven starts. Richards has won each of his last two starts (and four of his last five decisions), pitching seven innings in...continue reading
Seth Lugo (SP/RP, NYM) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 10+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 42% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Mets starting pitcher Seth Lugo is coming off of his best start of the season, creating a waiver rush like no other. Lugo dismantled the Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball, as he allowed a mere two singles and struck out eight with zero walks over six scoreless frames to end the Mets’ losing streak at eight. The key is not only his velocity jump found in the bullpen, much like what we saw from ...continue reading
Frankie Montas (SP/RP, OAK) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: Write off Oakland Athletics pitcher Frankie Montas at your own risk. The young, hard-throwing right-hander has been traded three times before the age of 25, and the consensus seemed to be that he didn't have what it takes to stick in an MLB starting rotation. Montas made 23 appearances (all in relief) for the Athletics in 2017, posting a horrific 7.03 ERA and 1.84 WHIP across 32 innings. Though he also sported an abysmal 7.17...continue reading
Steven Wright (SP/RP, BOS) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of leagues ANALYSIS: Red Sox starting pitcher Steven Wright is a bit of a lone ranger in today's MLB landscape - he is the only active pitcher still fooling professional hitters throwing a pitch that averages just 74.2 MPH. That pitch, of course, is the famous knuckleball. Wright is throwing the knuckleball 84.9% of the time in 2018, and to say that the pitch is currently "on" is just a bit of an understatement. He has thrown a...continue reading
Joey Lucchesi (SP, SDP) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of leagues ANALYSIS: One of April's trendiest waiver wire adds, Joey Lucchesi appears to have been the victim of injury-related roster crunches for many fantasy owners. The Padres' left-hander, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Wednesday, recently faced live hitters for the first time since landing on the disabled list about a month ago. He's on track to return in mid-June, so fantasy owners in need of a boost to their pitching staff should consider stashing him now if they're in...continue reading
Clay Buchholz (SP, ARI) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Clay Buchholz has now had four consecutive strong outings. He has yet to allow more than two earned runs in a start and has compiled 21 punch outs in 24 innings of work. This could be your final chance to add him to your lineup.
If we see two more successful performances from Buchholz, he will no longer be a streamer; he will be a keeper in all formats. There are many
Nick Kingham (SP, PIT) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Nick Kingham has allowed at least three earned runs in each of his last four starts and has lost two of his last three as well. Kingham has also pitched six innings or fewer in three of the four starts and has an unsustainable .256 BABIP. That being said, there are a lot of positives with the 26-year-old. A lot of his positives begin with the fact that he has 30 strikeouts against...continue reading
Trevor Cahill (SP, OAK) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 35% of leagues ANALYSIS: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Trevor Cahill appears to be back to his old tricks. In 2017, before getting shelled after a trade to the Royals, he had a 3.69 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 61 innings for the Padres. Since moving to the Athletics this season, Cahill has a 2.77 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings pitched. He has allowed just 37 hits and has reinvented himself as a strikeout pitcher over the last few seasons....continue reading
Kyle Gibson (SP, MIN) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson has allowed two runs or fewer in three of his last five starts, registering seven scoreless innings against the Royals on May 29. For the season, Gibson has 73 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings, posting a solid 3.54 ERA and allowing just 53 hits. While Gibson's numbers are very solid, he is only 1-3 this season, not winning since March 31. He has a solid 47.8% ground ball rate this season,...continue reading
Marco Gonzales (SP, SEA) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Marco Gonzales has made three straight starts without allowing an earned run and now has a 2.41 ERA/1.26 WHIP over the last 30 days. This has rejuvenated his ownership lately, but he has also been extremely lucky over that time period. Gonzales has a 12-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio with a 4.53 SIERA over the last 30 days. After being all too hittable and opening the season with a .405 BABIP, he has posted a...continue reading
Chris Stratton (SP, SF) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 15% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Chris Stratton has had a strong stretch of games recently. He has allowed three runs, or less, in four consecutive games. He is 7-3 with a 4.63 ERA this season, posting a 1.44 WHIP in 68 innings, winning each of his last four outings.
That run could continue as he has road matchups against the Marlins and Dodgers this week. The Marlins are 30th in runs scored this season (215
Chase Anderson (SP, MIL) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 46% of leagues ANALYSIS: Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Chase Anderson has not been striking out as many batters as in the past, but that has not hindered him in regards to run prevention. Anderson has allowed three earned runs, or less, in three of the last four games. However, as previously mentioned, Anderson only struck out 13 batters during that 19 2/3 inning stretch. While he is 4-5 with an 4.58 ERA this season (and has a 5.81 FIP), Anderson did have...continue reading
Andrew Heaney (SP, LAA) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 48% of leagues ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney has been on a hot streak and should be able to take advantage of an injury. With Shohei Ohtani sidelined, Heaney is likely to see two starts in Week 11, making him one of the better waiver wire moves. Heaney dominated his last outing against the Royals, allowing just one hit in a complete game shutout while striking out four batters. He has a 3.12 ERA this season (supported by...continue reading
Zach Eflin (SP, PHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 11% of leagues ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin has had back-to-back rough outings. He has allowed five earned runs in two straight starts (@ LAD, vs. TOR). On the bright side, he struck out 12 batters during those 8 2/3 innings of action.
He has had some bad starts this season, 4.50 ERA and 1.31 WHIP, but also has 29 strikeouts and just eight walks allowed in 26 innings pitched this season. Eflin will also make
...continue readingVince Velasquez (SP, PHI) - Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 40% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Phillies have hit a rough patch of late, but the team's larger performance doesn't reflect the individual effort of Vince Velasquez. After a middling April that added more fuel to the fire for the argument that Velasquez belongs in the bullpen, the hard-throwing righty has pitched to a 2.14 ERA in his past six starts, striking out 45 batters in 34 innings and adding nearly 10 points to his ground ball rate. That last metric has helped him...continue reading
Clayton Richard (SP, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres starting pitcher Clayton Richard may have a 4.74 ERA, but he has allowed only two earned runs in three of his last four starts. His latest outing was against a team Richard will face in Week 10, the Marlins.
He pitched seven innings and struck out five Fish last week, while allowing two earned runs on four hits. As for his first opponent this week, the Braves, Richard will have the
...continue readingJunior Guerra (SP, MIL) - Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 34% of leagues ANALYSIS: Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Junior Guerra is coming off of back-to-back quality starts and has a 2.65 ERA in 54 1/3 innings this season. Guerra has also struck out 51 batters this season and has 10 strikeouts without a walk in his last two starts. While Guerra has a great ERA this season, his .252 BABIP and 82.5% strand rate have his FIP at 3.71 and his xFIP at 4.33. He also has a 40.8% hard hit...continue reading
Kyle Gibson (SP, MIN) - Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson has four quality starts in his last five starts, allowing five hits in seven scoreless innings against the Royals on May 29. Gibson has 66 strikeouts in 63 innings this season, posting 36 strikeouts in 36 innings in six May starts while walking 14 batters. While Gibson's numbers are very solid, he is only 1-3 this season, losing his two decisions in May. He has a solid 46.1% ground ball rate...continue reading
Nick Kingham (SP, PIT) - Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Nick Kingham stumbled in his return to the bigs on Tuesday, allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out just four Cubs in the eventual 8-6 defeat. This came after he had two quality starts in his first three starts, including seven innings of shutout ball in his big league debut. He still has an awesome 25 punchouts to just four walks through four starts in the bigs and...continue reading
Shane Bieber (SP, CLE) - Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber and his freakishly-good 61-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio from the Minors will get a chance at big-league hitters on Thursday in Minnesota, which will also be his 23rd birthday! Ever the equal-opportunity dominator, Bieber has shut down Double- and Triple-A opponents with an ERA below 1.25 with five starts at each respective level this season. While this season has seen Bieber dominate the minors, he also had a 10-5 record and 2.86 ERA...continue reading
Nathan Eovaldi (SP, TB) - Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 1% of leagues ANALYSIS: Those desperate for an AL-only arm may want to see what the once-useful Nathan Eovaldi has left in the tank after two elbow surgeries have sidelined him in recent years. Those who bought Eovaldi for yesterday's start against the Athletics must be happy as well, as he pitched six no-hit innings and struck out four batters while walking one. His most recent 2016 campaign was marred by homers while pitching at Yankee Stadium, as he suddenly gave...continue reading
Vince Velasquez (SP, PHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Vince Velasquez rebounded from a rough outing last week by taking a shutout into the sixth inning on Monday, though his bullpen would blow the lead and his win. Still, we have to respect how VV has 70 strikeouts in just 57 ⅓ innings alongside some lovely peripherals. His 3.50 SIERA is rooted in the 11.2% swinging-strike rate and Velasquez bringing his walk rate down from 10.8% in ‘17 to 8.5% thus far. He...continue reading
Vince Velasquez (SP, PHI) - Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of leagues ANALYSIS: Some waiver wire players are more frustrating than others. The worst are those that get your hopes up for an add, only to underperform as soon as you claim them. You drop them out of frustration, and the carousel continues. Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Vince Velasquez is one of those players. He has shown both great strikeout upside but also a lack of control and the inability to make it past the fifth inning...continue reading
Tyson Ross (SP, SD) - Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 49% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres starting pitcher Tyson Ross has surprisingly low ownership this far into the regular season. He has not allowed more than two earned runs in four of the last five starts. Ross has also recorded at least six strikeouts in six of the last seven appearances. In five starts this month, Ross is 2-1 with a 2.93 ERA, inducing 40.7% ground balls and striking out 33 batters in 30 2/3 innings. He has walked 13...continue reading
