Top 5 Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for the Week

April 21, 2014

Matthew Vazin recommends some starting pitcher (SP) sleepers on the waiver wire for Week 4 of the fantasy baseball & MLB season. These pitchers are solid pickups.

Starting Pitchers Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 4

Every week we’ll be bringing you a some starting pitchers to target and pickup off the fantasy baseball waiver wire. Some of these pitchers may be sleepers, based on your league size and format. Whether they are off to a hot start, or are two-start pitchers, these SPs may be able to help you off the waiver wire.

Editor’s Note: RotoBaller's fantasy baseball Waiver Wire Pickups List is updated every day with analysis on hot players at different positions. Bookmark it now and check back daily. And if you haven't already done so, be sure to also download our free waiver wire iPhone app for your Apple devices.

Wily Peralta (31% Owned) 

Peralta is under-owned considering his 2nd half in 2013 (3.99 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 59 K in 70 IP) and his first three starts of 2013 (13.1 IP, 1.96 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 13 K in 18.1 IP), which came @BOS, vs. PIT and vs. STL.  Peralta has allowed just 4 ER vs. those three high caliber offenses. More importantly, his highly touted skills are coming to fruition, as seen mostly with his elite 61% ground ball rate.  He is not going to be a high strikeout pitcher as long as his swinging strike rate (6.6%) stays well below league average (9.4%), but Peralta has shown dominating strike out rates in the minors, so it's not out of the question to see a rise in his K-rate as the season goes along.  Peralta should be owned in any 12 team league and you should be excited for his start today vs. the inept San Diego offense.

Jason Vargas (30% Owned)

Not many pitchers have had a more surprising start to the season than Jason Vargas. After struggling last year with the Angels (9-8 with a 4.02 ERA), Vargas has dominated in the early going with the Kansas City Royals. He’s had a quality start in all 4 of his outings and has only given up 4 earned runs in 29 innings. The lack of strikeouts (4.97 K/9) have been overshadowed by the number of innings Vargas has been able to pitch. In all 4 starts, Vargas has gone at least 7 innings. If Vargas is a free agent in your league, make sure to go pick him up if you need a solid starter to rack up the IP.

Robbie Ross (18% Owned)

Robbie Ross took a big step backward Sunday getting blown up by the White Sox, but he has secured a starting rotation spot on the Texas Rangers with his otherwise excellent start to the season. Coming into Sunday, Ross was sporting a 1-0 record with an impressive 1.00 ERA. His 6.50 K/9 ratio is lower than the past two years, but this is due to the transition from relief pitcher to starting pitcher. The Texas Rangers have an elite offense and will likely give Ross plenty of run support all year, which is a major reason as to why Ross should be considered in all formats. He may not strike out a lot of batters, but for those who are looking for wins and quality starts, Ross is a solid pitcher to look at.

Tom Koehler (4% Owned)

When someone out-pitches Stephen Strasburg, they deserve consideration on fantasy rosters. Tom Koehler has not only dominated the Washington Nationals this year, but he has also had a quality start in every outing. The 27-year old righty has a 1.89 ERA in 19 innings pitched this season. He has improved in nearly every category from last season. Significantly, Koehler’s LOB% has been a remarkable 86.7% in the early going this year, which means eventually he's going to regress a little bit.  The Marlins have an inconsistent but much improved offense, and Koehler pitches in an enormous ball park, so he's worth a pickup in very deep leagues for those looking for quality starts.

Roberto Hernandez (3% Owned)

Roberto Hernandez has begun his tenure with the Phillies strongly. After posting a 6-13 record with a 4.89 ERA with the Rays last year, Hernandez started 2014 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA. His 9.37 K/9 is higher than any rate he has had in his career. High pitch counts have prevented him from pitching past 6 innings thus far, but fantasy owners must like the high strikeout games. Hernandez should be monitored in fantasy leagues that are deep in pitching for the time being. He has only had one winning season since his spectacular 19-8 record in 2007, so it will be interesting to see if he can go back t the winning ways of his past.

Colby Lewis (3% Owned )

Colby Lewis has finally been given the opportunity to get his starting rotation spot back with the Texas Rangers. After battling injuries and spending 2013 in the minor league system, Lewis is back for the Rangers and is coming off a great start against the White Sox where he went 5.1 innings and only gave up 1 earned run while picking up a win. For the immediate future, Lewis should only be monitored by owners who are desperate for a starting pitcher. In both outings, Lewis failed to pitch 6 innings, but also posted a solid 6.75 K/9. Another positive aspect of Lewis’ first 2 starts is his lack of walks. In 10.2 innings pitcher, Lewis has only surrendered 1 walk. Pitching for the Rangers will allow Lewis to pick up many wins, but we will see if he can stay consistent and hold on to a starting spot.