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Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our starting pitcher fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 26 (September 16- September 22). In this weekly piece, we search for starting pitchers rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo! leagues. As we head into September, it's crunch time. What stats are you casing at this time?
This is an interesting piece each week because you never know what you will find in your research. What are we looking at this week on the waiver wire? Do you need a veteran presence to eat innings and allay your fears? Take a look at Matt Boyd and Frankie Montas. Looking for a young arm with strikeout upside? Let's talk about DJ Herz and Kumar Rocker. This article serves all players here.
Your team context matters here. What do you need? Take a look at these deeper plays and see if you can find what you are looking for.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues
Recommendations for leagues of any size rostered between 30-50% on Yahoo!
Matt Boyd, Cleveland Guardians (50% rostered)
Boyd has been better than expected for the Cleveland Guardians, with two wins in six starts and a 2.18 ERA and .91 WHIP with 35 strikeouts in 33 innings. In his last three starts, he has eight, six, and nine strikeouts. Boyd looks like he can be counted on to provide quality innings to your rotation as we near the end of most fantasy seasons.
Nick Martinez, Cincinnati Reds (34% rostered)
Martinez will often provide you with worry-free innings and is nearly free in most leagues at this point. He has been strong in September, with two wins and 12 strikeouts in 12 innings, having a 0.71 ERA and 0.95 WHIP.
Kyle Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals (34% rostered)
Gibson is a veteran who goes on streaks of good and bad. In each of his last three starts, he pitched into the sixth inning and nabbed 16 strikeouts in the process. He gets the Pittsburgh Pirates next week. Gibson has eight wins, a 4.11 ERA, and a 1.33 WHIP with 144 strikeouts in 159 innings. It was a quietly average season and one that could help you in many of your leagues.
Frankie Montas, Milwaukee Brewers (30% rostered)
Montas has been hit-or-miss since his trade to Milwaukee, but I also think he's a good guy to roster down the stretch. Both of his September starts have been good ones: both six innings, one with 10 strikeouts and one with eight strikeouts. The best news? A combined four hits and only three runs. Montas looks like a guy who can help you in your playoff races. Montas since joining Milwaukee:
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Deeper Leagues
Recommendations for leagues of any size rostered less than 30% on Yahoo!
DJ Herz, Washington Nationals (29% rostered)
Herz is a high-risk, high-reward type of guy this season. But he's been very good in August and September. The wins aren't there, but everything else is; in his last 39 innings, Herz has 45 strikeouts and a 2.53 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP.
Those are very usable numbers in a playoff stretch, and he's rostered in so few leagues. Change that this weekend. If you need more information, look at the box below and see all the pretty blood-red colors.
Kumar Rocker, Texas Rangers (29% rostered)
Rocker looked the part in his debut with the Rangers and should get a couple more starts as the season winds down. He might be limited with his innings, but he could be worth the risk especially if you need strikeouts.
In his first game, the rookie went four innings and struck out seven hitters, surrendering only a home run in that start. If you are looking for some upside, even in limited innings, Rocker could be a guy for you.
Dean Kremer, Baltimore Orioles (27% rostered)
Kremer is almost perpetually on the waiver wire, and I always wonder if he should be. It seems like every time I look at him, he is pitching well. In his last two starts, Kremer has thrown a combined 13 innings and given up only one earned run. He has 14 strikeouts in those innings and is looking like a guy Baltimore can count on as it fights for a playoff berth.
If the Orioles trust him, maybe you should, too. I feel like Kremer is perpetually underrated and could provide value for you down the stretch.
Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels (22% rostered)
Detmers has been toiling in the minors most of the year but is back in the major leagues and has pitched well for Los Angeles. People are going to look at the entire body of work for the season, which is a mistake at this point. Since being recalled, Detmers has a win in two starts, with 18 strikeouts in 12 innings and a 3.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP.
Overall, for the season, those ratio numbers are 5.64 and 1.40. We do not care about that now; our only care is putting the best product together that gets us closer to that elusive championship. Detmers offers three above-average major league offerings; see below.
Other Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Options
- Kyle Freeland, Colorado Rockies (10% rostered)
- Jacob Junis, Milwaukee Brewers (9% rostered)
- Casey Mize, Detroit Tigers (7% rostered)
- Brandon Williamson, Cincinnati Reds (5% 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!
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