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Mike's starting pitcher (SP) fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 7 of 2026 (May 11 - May 17). These are his top free-agent pitchers to add and stream.
Welcome, everyone, to our starting pitcher fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 7 of the 2026 season (May 11 - May 17). In this weekly piece, we search for starting pitchers rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. For deeper leagues, we try to find pitchers rostered in less than 30 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
We are now fully six weeks into the baseball season, and our fantasy teams have shown us what they are through this early part of the season. If your teams look anything like mine, you probably need help with your rotation. This weekly piece looks at helpful arms that are on the waiver wire who can help you win now, and also, moving forward.
There is always help on the waiver wire. This week, it is another mix of young guys getting runway and boring veterans who could help you. At the end of the article, you will see players rostered in less than 15% of leagues who could help your squad.
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Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Shallow Leagues
Recommendations for leagues of any size rostered between 30-50% on Yahoo!
Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks (41% rostered)
You probably are thinking, "Mike, really?" Yes, I am a fan of Kelly and think he is going to figure it out. On Saturday night, Kelly pitched seven strong innings, earning the win with six strikeouts over the New York Mets. It was his best start of the year. Could more be coming?
Chase Dollander, Colorado Rockies (41% rostered)
Dollander has surprised many people so far this year. Many people in fantasy baseball circles will suggest never rostering a Colorado pitcher. Yet Dollander is making a case that a pitcher can be successful in Denver. He's 3-2 with a 3.35 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 43 innings.
You can see his Statcast data below and check out what is happening. The fastball velocity is elite, his strikeout percentage is above average, and he gets a ton of groundballs. The recipe for continued success is there for Dollander.
Noah Schultz, Chicago White Sox (37% rostered)
Schultz had a tough outing this week, but should rebound with his next start, when he gets the Kansas City Royals. He coughed up seven runs, five in a tough second inning. Previously, he had gone at least five innings and earned two wins in his last three starts.
Schultz offers upside, which is something fantasy players should always be searching for in their waiver wire acquisitions. Schultz has a 4.68 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, with 23 strikeouts in his first 25 major league innings. Good opportunity to buy low.
Sean Burke, Chicago White Sox (33% rostered)
Burke had a poor outing at home against the Seattle Mariners on Friday night. Despite that tough night, Burke has been good to start the season; he has two wins in his first six starts, with a 3.68 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Like Schultz, he gets the Kansas City Royals this coming week. I like that matchup for him.
Robby Snelling, Miami Marlins (30% rostered)
Snelling is a bit of a speculative pick here, but he will likely be rostered far more in the coming weeks. It feels like we have been waiting for the arrival of Snelling for years, doesn't it? He made his first start for the Miami Marlins last week and was mediocre: five innings, two strikeouts, three earned runs, and four walks.
Snelling should improve with his pedigree once he gets his legs underneath him. It looks like the team will give him some runway and figure it out at the game's highest level. Snelling was added in over 20% of leagues yesterday, and is someone you should consider for your rotation.
Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Deeper Leagues
Recommendations for leagues of any size rostered in less than 30% on Yahoo!
Logan Henderson, Milwaukee Brewers (29% rostered)
Henderson seems to have a clear shot at a rotation spot in Milwaukee, and it is a mystery to many folks as to why he was not in the rotation at the beginning of the season. In his first start since his call-up, Henderson went six strong innings and struck out eight hitters, giving up only two runs.
I will point out that there is no reason he should not stick in the rotation this time. He has now made seven career starts for the Brewers, and he has a 2.43 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts in 33 innings. This is the last time to get Henderson this cheaply.
Michael McGreevy, St. Louis Cardinals (29% rostered)
McGreevy uses a seven-pitch mix to keep hitters off-balance despite lacking high velocity. He pitched well against the San Diego Padres on Friday night, striking out nine over six innings and surrendering only one hit. He is now 3-2 with a paltry 2.18 ERA and 0.86 WHIP.
You can see an illustration of his pitch mix below. McGreevy is worth rostering, especially for those who have lost starting pitchers to injury. He is assured of a spot on a competitive St. Louis Cardinals roster. Consider adding him this week.
Aaron Civale, Athletics (21% rostered)
Civale often outpitches his peripherals, and he is doing that right now for the Athletics. The veteran has four wins in eight starts, posting a 2.59 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts in 41 innings. He has gone at least five innings in four consecutive starts, giving up one run or fewer in three of those.
Do I think Civale can continue the mastery with wins and a great ERA despite the high WHIP? It seems unlikely based on his peripherals. But even if he regresses, he will still be an average starter in deeper leagues. Take a look at Civale this weekend.
Keider Montero, Detroit Tigers (13% rostered)
Montero has served several roles on the Detroit staff over the last few years, but right now, he is in the rotation and pitching well consistently. Through six starts, Montero has two wins. a 3.18 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts in 39 innings.
Montero is not going to get many strikeouts, but he is providing ratio help, which is a dire need for many fantasy teams right now. Consider Montero, who has been giving the Tigers worry-free innings in 2026 thus far.
Connor Prielipp, Minnesota Twins (12% rostered)
Prielipp finds himself in the middle of a Minnesota rotation facing several injuries, and he is making the most of his time there, aiming to keep his job. He pitched another strong five innings on Friday, getting six strikeouts in the process. He has now allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his last four outings.
You can see his data since his call-up below. Prielipp is very usable right now in deeper leagues and will be rostered more often if he continues his trend of solid performance.
Other Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Options
Every week, we will give you four or five other lower-rostered pitchers you could also consider adding from the waiver wire in your league. League context matters, obviously.
- Mike Burrows, Houston Astros (17% rostered)
- Carmen Mlodzinski, Pittsburgh Pirates (13% rostered)
- Christian Scott, New York Mets (10% rostered)
- Ben Brown, Chicago Cubs (9% rostered)
- Jake Irvin, Washington Nationals (4% 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!
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
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