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Nicho's H2H points fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for pitchers in Week 5 (2025) -- April 28 - May 4. Free-agent pitchers to add in points leagues.
Entering Week 5, we will be a little over one month into the MLB season, which is wild! It's a good time for fantasy managers to diagnose where their roster stands, identify areas to improve it, and bolster it with high-upside players who can bring value down the stretch. We have sufficient data available at this point in the season, so we don't need to rely on spring training results or 2024 production. To check out our previous weeks' recommendations, check out last week's column to see how we did, and check their availability in your leagues, as most are still rostered in less than 50 percent of leagues and had great outings last week!
In this weekly column, we discuss pitchers owned in less than 50 percent of leagues with strong Week 5 matchups and have the upside to stay on your roster in the long run. This article will discuss a handful of southpaws who deserve a deeper look. We have provided some good recommendations over the past four weeks and hope you've been following along to reap the benefits! In the fantasy world, things are constantly evolving, and it's on us at RotoBaller to provide you with the information you need to keep that competitive edge over your league mates.
Keep following @RotoBallerMLB and me, @NichoRoessler, on X for more league-winning content. Best of luck this week, and let's keep swinging for the fences!
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Andrew Abbott, SP, Cincinnati Reds
49% Rostered
The Cincinnati Reds left-hander has been solid since being activated off the injured list with a shoulder injury. He has quickly seen his roster percentage reflect that (plus 30 percent since last week). Grab him now if he is still on your waiver wire, and here's why.
The Reds' 2021 second-round pick out of Virginia was fast-tracked to MLB. In 2022, he had a 3.81 ERA in MiLB and a 2.50 ERA in 2023, which prompted the Reds to call him up later in the 2023 season, where he pitched 109 1/3 innings and had a respectable 3.87 ERA in 21 starts at the MLB level. In 2024, he logged 138 IP over 25 starts and backed up his rookie season with a 3.72 ERA.
A shoulder injury slowed down the start to his 2025 season, but he seems to be forgotten about as he's rostered in less than 50 percent of leagues. In his first two starts, he threw 10 innings with a stellar 13.09 K/9, 1.64 ERA, and a 2.45 BB/9. In his outing on April 25 (written at the time of this article), he had a tough outing in Coors, which raised his ERA to 3.60 and dropped his K/9 to 12.00. But I am willing to put that aside, as most baseball minds know that pitching in Coors can be viewed as an anomaly at times.
In his outing on April 18, he dominated the Baltimore Orioles, pitching six innings while allowing one earned run with 11 strikeouts.
Andrew Abbott, Filthy 80mph Curveball. 😷
11th K pic.twitter.com/PfmuMx0NlI
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 19, 2025
His changeup is the key pitch here; not only is he throwing it more, but he's been dominant with it. Before his start on April 25 against the Colorado Rockies in Coors, he had not allowed a hit on his changeup while throwing it 43 times through his first two starts. He is throwing his changeup more this year than in 2024 (21.3 percent in 2025 compared to 16.3 percent in 2024), while generating more whiffs (41.4 percent in 2025 compared to 27.3 percent in 2024) with it as well.
His start in Week 5 is tentatively at home against the St. Louis Cardinals, who are performing well thus far, but I believe in Abbott to bring his A-game after having a tough outing in Coors against the Rockies on April 25. More importantly, Abbott provides season-long value.
I am willing to buy what Abbott is selling and would recommend a top waiver wire bid or 15-20 percent of your FAAB.
Mitchell Parker, SP, Washington Nationals
41% Rostered
Washington Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker has been one of the best pitchers in MLB thus far with a 1.39 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP, yet is rostered in less than half of the leagues. Why is that? Well, his advanced stats are far worse than his actuals, as he owns a 3.36 ERA, has a very low 15.6 percent strikeout percentage, and most of his advanced stats are average.
This is a classic case of "at what point do we throw advanced stats, strikeouts, and velocity out the window and turn on our baseball brains?" Parker has been dominant, getting guys out while providing consistent quality starts. If you are rostering him, I would advise selling high and shopping him around, but he should no longer be on your waiver wire, which is our focus here.
He has thrown 32 1/3 IP on the season, owns a 1.39 ERA, and gets the job done weekly. In his last outing, he threw eight shutout innings against the Baltimore Orioles and has given the Nationals a quality start in all five of his outings so far in 2025.
He ranks in the 81st percentile in extension, a key advantage I have discussed extensively in my previous pitcher articles. From an arsenal perspective, he is throwing his slider more this year than he did in 2024, by 4.9 percent, which is giving him another deceptive pitch that moves east-to-west instead of north-to-south.
He is minimizing loud contact and missing barrels at a high rate, and although I expect a bit of regression, Parker deserves more respect and attention.
Mitchell Parker, White Castle Special. 🤮🍔🍔🍔 pic.twitter.com/uKu8pGMCeK
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 23, 2025
In Week 5, he is tentatively lined up to start over the weekend in Cincinnati, which ranks middle of the pack in MLB in terms of average and slugging percentage. I'll take a chance with Parker and ride the hot streak. I recommend spending a waiver wire bid or about 10-15 percent of your FAAB to add him to your roster.
David Peterson, SP, New York Mets
34% Rostered
Like our southpaw above, Parker, New York Mets left-hander David Peterson had a strong start to his 2025 campaign. Over 27 1/3 IP, he owns an impressive 3.29 ERA with a 9.22 K/9 and a 3.02 FIP. His xERA is 4.36, so advanced stats suggest regression, but I have some reasons for progression, and below I will discuss why.
The 2017 first-rounder has been in MLB with the Mets since 2020 and has a career 4.04 ERA in 481 1/3 innings pitched. So far this season, he is generating an incredible ground-ball rate (56.3 percent). He ranks in the 93rd percentile in extension while limiting free passes and barrel percentage at an above-average rate.
The reason for his success is that Peterson has relied on his entire five-pitch arsenal to keep hitters on their toes, throwing no pitch less than 12 percent of the time. This year, he has primarily relied on his sinker (27.8 percent), four-seamer (23.2 percent), and changeup (18.6 percent) to produce a good ground-ball rate while maintaining a good strikeout percentage (23.5 percent).
David Peterson, K'ing the Side in the 3rd. pic.twitter.com/V0kHbMiQbb
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 18, 2025
In addition, he is backed by an offense led by a handful of All-Stars, including Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Pete Alonso, giving him ample opportunities to rack up wins in points leagues.
In Week 5, Peterson is tentatively lined up to face the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have worse splits against left-handed pitchers (.234/.235/.332) than they do with right-handed pitchers (.251/.341/.373). I'll take a chance with Peterson for next week and the long haul, and would recommend spending a waiver wire bid or 10-15 percent of my FAAB.
Landen Roupp, SP, San Francisco Giants
32% Rostered
San Francisco Giants right-hander Landen Roupp earned the No. 5 spot in the Giants rotation coming into the year, and had a respectable start to the season with a 4.56 ERA, 10.87 K/9, and a 3.41 FIP; however, his advanced stats are much better, which makes him a strong waiver wire pickup heading into Week 5.
Roupp had an unfortunate outing against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 24, but when we dive deeper into his numbers, he has a 3.22 xERA, 3.23 xFIP, and a 3.47 SIERA. He ranks well in his MLB percentile rankings across the board, specifically in his ability to generate whiffs, chase, and limit hard-hit percentage.
In addition to his advanced stats showing signs of progression, he pitches in one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in MLB, Oracle Park, which ranks in the top three, according to Baseball Savant.
Roupp still has much to prove at the MLB level, but the Giants are giving him an extended look as a starter, and his advanced numbers showcase progression, making him a great pickup if he is available in your leagues. He has a tough matchup in Week 5 on the road against the San Diego Padres. That said, they have been hit hard by the injury bug, losing Jackson Merrill, Luis Arraez, Jason Heyward, and Jake Cronenworth, all of whom are currently on the IL, making their lineup more vulnerable.
I recommend spending a waiver wire bid or 10-15 percent of your FAAB to roster Roupp for next week. I also like his outlook for the season as long as he stays healthy and doesn't lose his starting spot to Hayden Birdsong.
Honorable Mentions - Others To Prioritize
I understand that deeper leagues may not have the players listed above available, so check out the list below for pitchers to add to your watch list or stream this week based on their matchups (Tier 2).
Tier 1: Team Streamers
Pitchers Who Could Stick Around, But We Need To See More Consistency From
- Jose Quintana, MIL
- Brayan Bello, BOS
- Tobias Myers, MIL
- Erick Fedde, STL
- Merrill Kelly, ARI
- Jameson Taillon, CHC (four quality starts in a row)
- Matthew Boyd, CHC (gauntlet of a schedule, and he has performed well)
- Tyler Anderson, LAA
- Luis Severino, ATH
- Matthew Liberatore, STL
- Michael Lorenzen, KC
Tier 2: Plus Matchup Only
One And Done
- Colin Rea, CHC (faces Pirates)
- Randy Vasquez, SD (faces Pirates)
- Osvaldo Bido, ATH (faces Miami)
- JP Sears, ATH (faces Miami)
- Edward Cabrera, MIA (two-start week with Athletics on Sunday at home, would not advise Monday against Dodgers)
- Chad Patrick, MIL (faces White Sox)
Tier 3: Desperation Tier
You've Probably Made Some Bad Choices Already
- Chris Paddack, MIN
- Chase Dollander, COL
- Michael Wacha, KC
- Steven Matz, STL
- Andre Pallante, STL
- Miles Mikolas, STL
- Ben Brown, CHC
- Emerson Hancock, SEA
- Taijuan Walker, PHI
- Simeon Woods Richardson, MIN
- Zack Littell, TB
- Patrick Corbin, TEX
Tier 4: The Stashbox
Pitchers With Eventual Return Dates Who Are Better To Be Early Than Late On. If you can stash on your IL, I would do so.
- Bubba Chandler, PIT
- Zebby Matthews, MIN
- Lance McCullers Jr., HOU (tentatively starting on May 4, so get him now as he faces the White Sox)
- Sean Manaea, NYM
- Hayden Birdsong, SF (reliever right now, but could be in line for a big starting spot in the Giants rotation with an injury or performance issues)
- Spencer Arrighetti , PHI
- Lucas Giolito, BOS
- Kutter Crawford, BOS
- Yu Darvish, SD
- Clayton Kershaw, LAD
- Cody Bradford, TEX
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