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Mike looks at five sneaky fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for starting pitchers in Week 21 (2024) who are on hot streaks and sees if they can sustain their success.
We’ve seen some star starting pitchers catch fire down the stretch, including Blake Snell and George Kirby. However, not every fantasy baseball manager is lucky enough to have one of them on their roster.
For those who need starting pitching help, streaming the right players could be key. Are Spencer Arrighetti, Ryne Nelson, Nick Martinez, Edward Cabrera, and DJ Herz just viable streaming options, or could any of them be worth rostering for the remainder of the season?
Let’s dig into the stats for these five starters and discuss if they can sustain their current level of success. All roster percentages are via Yahoo.
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Spencer Arrighetti, Houston Astros (42% rostered)
Arrighetti has provided the Astros with a boost lately, recording a 3.25 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP over his last six starts. For fantasy managers, the most notable stat for him during that stretch was that he posted 49 strikeouts across 36 innings. In his last two starts against the Rays and Red Sox, he struck out a total of 25 batters.
Spencer Arrighetti in his past two starts for the @astros:
Aug. 4: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 12 K
Saturday: 7 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 13 K pic.twitter.com/5OGFLax1OY— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 10, 2024
Arrighetti has a 5.14 ERA for the season, but his 4.18 FIP indicates that he probably hasn’t pitched that poorly. The big plus for him is his 27.9% strikeout rate. Strikeouts aren’t usually readily available on the waiver wire. However, Justin Verlander (neck) is nearing a return, so the best-case scenario for Arrighetti might be the team moving to a six-man rotation so he can still keep his spot. He’s not a must-add in 12-team leagues, but those who need strikeouts should consider picking him up.
Ryne Nelson, Arizona Diamondbacks (27% rostered)
As the Diamondbacks make their playoff push, Nelson has recorded a 2.90 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP over his last eight starts. Across 49.2 innings during that span, he only allowed two total home runs. After recording a 5.31 ERA and a 5.07 FIP last year, he has improved significantly this year with his 4.51 ERA and 3.65 FIP.
The concern with Nelson is that the Diamondbacks rotation is finally getting healthy. Both Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez are back from the injured list. Zac Gallen left his last start with cramps, but he is not expected to miss any time. If the Diamondbacks go with a six-man rotation, then Nelson should be a part of it. However, he could also find himself in the bullpen soon. He might not even be a viable streaming option for much longer.
Nick Martinez, Cincinnati Reds (24% rostered)
Martinez has served as a starter and a reliever for the Reds this season. His last two outings have been starts, and he combined to log 12 strikeouts over 12 scoreless innings. He allowed only five hits and didn’t walk a single batter. One matchup came against a favorable foe in the Marlins, but the other one wasn’t easy against the Brewers in Milwaukee.
Nick Martinez has a 0.91 ERA over his last 11 appearances.
He's allowed three earned runs over 29 2/3 innings, with 27 strikeouts‼️ 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/znysx7KGgi
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) August 11, 2024
Martinez looks primed to serve as the Reds’ fifth starter down the stretch. He has a 1.03 WHIP for the season and has limited hitters to a 4.0% barrel rate, which is encouraging for his prospects moving forward. However, he has just a 20.4% strikeout rate this season. He’s worth adding in 15-team or deeper leagues, but his limited strikeout upside should leave him in the streamer category for shallower formats.
Edward Cabrera, Miami Marlins (19% rostered)
Cabrera has faced some difficult lineups lately, including the Mets, Orioles, and Braves. Still, he has given up just seven runs (six earned) over 27 innings in his last five starts. The scary part was that he walked 16 batters during that span. He helped make up for it, though, by giving up just 18 hits and recording 26 strikeouts.
Cabrera has a 13.7% walk rate for his career, so his lack of command is nothing new. It’s also one of the main reasons why he has a 1.43 WHIP this season. The good news for fantasy managers is that he has a 28.1% strikeout rate. With that in mind, he’s worth streaming when he has a favorable matchup. However, with the way he racks up walks, he’s not a must-roster player.
DJ Herz, Washington Nationals (6% rostered)
Herz has not allowed more than two runs in any of his last four outings. The downside is that he didn’t log more than five innings in any of those outings. However, he did post 22 strikeouts over 17.2 innings. That has been his calling card since the Nationals brought him up. Over his 11 starts, he has a 29.0% strikeout rate.
A significant concern with Herz is that he has allowed 1.7 HR/9. After posting a 1.42 WHIP at Triple-A, he has a 1.35 WHIP in the majors. Still, his spot in the Nationals’ starting rotation is likely secure. Trevor Williams (elbow) hasn’t even started to throw off a mound again. He can provide plenty of strikeouts, but his pedestrian ERA and WHIP make Herz someone who should be firmly planted in the streamer category rather than someone who can be relied upon regularly.
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