X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Week 9 Waiver Wire - Starting Pitchers

Two months are (basically) in the books and we are officially off of the rails here. Mike Trout is injured, Bryce Harper’s suspended and every single pitcher is just one sneeze away from a DL stint. One thing I notice with pieces like these are that the same arms seem to hover around the ownership cutoff, but it’s a waste of everyone’s time for me to just drone on about the same guys over and over with updated stats, so let’s see if we can pare this down just a tad.

Here are the bottom-five teams in wOBA over the last 14 days: Phillies (.252), Padres (.270), Mariners (.271), Giants (.273) and Cardinals (.282). Happy streaming, y'all.

For our purposes, we’re going to use Yahoo ownership levels and try to cut things off around 35%.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Targets

Trevor Bauer - (CLE, SP/RP): 36% owned

Bauer went up against an Oakland team that was tied for the league lead over the past two weeks with a 27.5 percent strikeout rate and promptly struck out the side in the first, fifth, sixth and seventh innings en route to a career-high 14 K’s. In true Bauer fashion, he still tumbled a bit in between those frames and allowed three earned runs, but his 6.00 ERA now houses a 3.97 FIP and 3.03 xFIP thanks to a ridiculous 11.53 K/9. His inconsistency with command is what leads to such ridiculous discrepancies in his metrics -- think Michael Pineda last season -- but he’s worth grabbing with a start against the Royals in pitcher-friendly Kauffman Stadium on tap next.

Brad Peacock - (HOU, SP/RP): 34% owned

Peacock’s overall line from his most recent start wasn’t great -- four earned over 4 2/3 innings -- but to those that didn’t a chance to watch the game we say this: He actually held Minnesota scoreless through four innings and threw 54-of-78 pitches for strikes in a well-deserved eight-strikeout affair. He should be good for roughly 90 pitches and a full start his next time on the hill against the Rangers on June 4, with 10-K potential given Texas’ spot in the top 10 with whiffs over the last two weeks (22.7 percent).

Junior Guerra - (MIL, SP): 30% owned

Guerra returned from the disabled list and allowed just one run -- a Jake Lamb homer -- over 5 2/3 solid innings against a strong D-backs lineup on May 26. He’ll face the Mets in New York today (May 31) before a home start against the Giants, and while chasing his 2016 stats will only end in heartbreak, the 32-year-old is more than capable of being above-average here. I realize (and actively participate in) the narrative of Guerra being so overrated due to his 2016 stats can turn into "don't even bother" but that would be a mistake -- just don't expect a sub-3.00 ERA.

German Marquez - (COL, SP): 25% owned

Marquez over his last four starts: 24 2/3 IP, 4-0 record, 1.46 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 22 K’s. His next opponent is San Diego, whose last two weeks has yielded a sad .215/.285/.322 slash line with the second-worst wOBA (.270) in the Majors. Honestly, you don’t need to know more than that. This is the same reason that Tyler Anderson (who, sadly, got shelled last night) and Tyler Chatwood are both strong plays in the upcoming days.

Dinelson Lamet - (SD, SP): 17% owned

So, directly after crapping on the Padres’ ability to provide run support…let’s talk a Padre pitcher! Lamet has definitely translated his swing-and-miss stuff from the Minors (10.1 career K/9) into big-league action, as he rung up eight Cubbies in just five innings, which mirrored his Major League debut on May 25 against the Mets. With 16 K’s and a 2-0 record in just 10 innings of work, this 24-year-old will be worth watching in his next start on June 6 at Arizona.

Jimmy Nelson - (MIL, SP): 13% owned

Nelson has been here but he deserves more love than this. I realize his inconsistency over the years has made him difficult to trust, but he allegedly tweaked something in the delivery of his curveball that has made it much more effective lately. Given that his strikeout rate has risen from 18.3 percent in April to 27.4 percent in May, I’m going to believe him. He’ll be tested against the Dodgers at home in his next time out before a home start against the Giants.

Robert Gsellman - (NYM, SP): 7% owned

Gsellman is a bit of an odd study right now, as he’s fared better as a starter in his last two outings but will likely be on the outside looking in when Steven Matz and Seth Lugo return. The New York Post recently cited a Mets’ official as saying Gsellman could be like Jeurys Familia with his sinker and that the organization believes that the 23-year-old has what it takes to close. While there are many hurdles to this actually coming to fruition, it may be enough to consider adding him over some other low-owned player. For now, just buy him for his June 3 start against Pittsburgh due to the seven innings of one-run ball that he just twirled on May 29 against Milwaukee.

Eric Skoglund - (KC, SP): 3% owned

Skoglund outdueled some guy named Justin Verlander to win his Major League debut on Tuesday night, scattering two hits and a walk while striking out five over 6 1/3 scoreless frames. The 24-year-old southpaw had rung up 40 Triple-A hitters alongside an unimpressive 4.53 ERA (4.19 FIP) over 43 2/3 innings (eight starts) there, but the appeal here is that he’s a grounder-heavy portsider who can miss bats at a useful rate. His next start will be a challenge -- he gets Houston at home on June 5 -- but those looking for cheap injury replacements with some real upside, here you go.

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Adds

 

Premium Tools & DFS Research

Get a free trial of our powerful MLB Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Optimizer & Lineup Generator, daily Matchup Ratings, expert DFS Lineups/Cheat Sheets, and more.

Sign Up Now!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Francisco Alvarez

Needs Thumb Surgery, May Play Through Injury
Willy Adames

Out With Side Soreness on Tuesday
A.J. Brown

on Track to Play in Week 1
Jacob deGrom

Being Skipped in Rotation Due to Shoulder Fatigue
Adley Rutschman

Scratched on Tuesday With Abdominal Discomfort
CBJ

Brendan Smith Joins Blue Jackets on Tryout Deal
STL

Milan Lucic Joins Blues for Tryout
DET

Red Wings Pick Up Travis Hamonic
Austin Riley

Doesn't Appear Ready to Return Any Time Soon
Aaron Judge

Unikely to Throw Normally Again This Year
Jalen McMillan

Could be Out Through Week 9 Bye
Indiana Pacers

Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Agrees to a Multiyear Contract Extension on Tuesday
Washington Wizards

John Wall Retires After 11 NBA Seasons
Daniel Jones

Named as Colts Starting Quarterback
Jalen McMillan

Will Not Be Ready for Season Opener
Collin Sexton

Hornets Have High Hopes for Collin Sexton
Rui Hachimura

Likely to Start Season Without Contract Extension
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Hopes to Bounce Back in 2025-26
Stephen Curry

Ready to Go for New Season
Orlando Magic

Lester Quinones Agrees to Deal With Magic
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Cleared to Play on Tuesday Night
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Pulled With Hamstring Tightness
MLB

Game 2 of Brewers-Cubs on Monday Postponed
Bryce Miller

to be Activated on Tuesday
Kyle Tucker

to Get Multiple Days Off
Shane Bieber

to Make Season Debut on Friday
Joe Mixon

Could Start Season on NFI List
Zack Wheeler

has Surgery to Remove Blood Clot
De'Von Achane

Unlikely to Practice This Week
Justin Jefferson

Returning to Practice
Chris Godwin

Bucs Chris Godwin Likely to Start Season on PUP List
Joe Flacco

Browns Name Joe Flacco as Their Week 1 Starter
Jalen McDaniels

Inks Deal With New Orleans
N'Faly Dante

Signs Deal With Hawks
Matthew Stafford

Practicing on Monday
Dru Smith

Agrees to Deal With Heat
Austin Dillon

Scores an Upset Victory at Richmond
William Byron

Clinches the Regular Season Championship Title at Richmond
Denny Hamlin

Pit-Road Struggles Impede Denny Hamlin's Chances of a Top Finish at Richmond
Joey Logano

Earns A Fourth-Place Finish at Richmond
Kyle Larson

Rallies to A Top-10 Finish at Richmond
Malik Nabers

Dealing With Back Injury
Khamzat Chimaev

Is The New UFC Middleweight Champion
Dricus Du Plessis

Gets Dominated At UFC 319
Aaron Pico

Suffers Knockout Loss In His UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Scores Stunning First-Round Knockout
Leodalis De Vries

Earns Promotion to Double-A
Nathaniel Lowe

Finalizing Deal with Boston
Geoff Neal

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Ketel Marte

Arizona Could Trade Ketel Marte in the Offseason
Carlos Prates

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Page

Dominates At UFC 319
Jared Cannonier

Gets Outclassed
Tim Elliott

Gets Submission Win
Kai Asakura

Still Winless In The UFC
Austin Cindric

has Arguably his Best Run of the Season at Richmond
Ryan Blaney

Contends for First Richmond Win but Comes Up Short
Alex Bowman

Finishes Second but Loses Ground in Playoffs
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Sets Personal Laps-Led Record at Richmond
Chris Buescher

Falls Out of Playoffs After Miserable Richmond Run
Coby White

Bulls Not Interested in Trading Coby White
Dereck Lively II

Expected to be Ready for Camp
Brian Robinson Jr.

Commanders "Shopping" Brian Robinson Jr.
John Metchie III

Texans Trade John Metchie III to Eagles
Victor Scott II

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Listening to Trade Offers for Trey Hendrickson
Marcelo Mayer

to Have Season-Ending Wrist Surgery
Samuel Basallo

Called Up From Triple-A Norfolk
J.K. Dobbins

Expected to Win Starting RB Job?
Quentin Johnston

Suffers Concussion in Preseason Loss
Jaxson Dart

Plays Well on Saturday Night
Marcus Semien

Avoids Serious Injury
Kyle Stowers

Heads to Injured List With Left-Side Strain
Zack Wheeler

Placed on Injured List With Blood Clot in Shoulder
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Optimistic Terry McLaurin Deal Can Get Done Soon
De'Von Achane

De’Von Achane Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Likely Avoids Serious Injury
Denny Hamlin

the Heavy Favorite to Win at Richmond
Christopher Bell

Has Been Great at Richmond
Tyrese Haliburton

No Longer Using a Scooter, Crutches
Ryan Blaney

Can Ryan Blaney Finally Break Through at Richmond?
Joey Logano

Will Start Last at Richmond After Practice Trouble
Chase Elliott

Lack of Top-Line Speed Hurts his DFS Potential
Kyle Larson

Recent String of Crashes Make Him a Big Risk at Richmond
William Byron

Probably Slightly Too Inconsistent at Richmond to Start for DFS
Ryan Preece

on Pole at Richmond as Playoff Deadline Looms Closer
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best RFK Racing DFS Option at Richmond
Chase Briscoe

Still Figuring Out Richmond
Chris Buescher

a Solid Choice for DFS Play, but Teammates Look Faster
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Activate Terry McLaurin From PUP List
Rashee Rice

NFL Could Reach Settlement Before Hearing
Haywood Highsmith

Dealt to Brooklyn on Friday
Amir Coffey

Signs One-Year Deal With Bucks
Khamzat Chimaev

A Favorite At UFC 319
Dricus Du Plessis

Set For His Third Title Defense
Aaron Pico

Set For UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Geoff Neal

Looks For His Second Win In A Row
Michael Page

Set For His Second Middleweight Bout
Jared Cannonier

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kai Asakura

Looks For His First UFC Win
Tim Elliott

Set To Open Up UFC 309 Main Card
CBJ

Mikael Pyyhtia Re-Signs With Blue Jackets for One Year
UTA

Caleb Desnoyers Expected to Miss 12 Weeks After Wrist Procedure
Tyson Foerster

on Track to Be Healthy for Season Opener
NHL

Olivier Rodrigue Signs KHL Deal
NHL

Emil Bemstrom to Join Swiss Team
Payton Pritchard

Reportedly Moving Into Starting Lineup
Kevin Durant

Rockets Not Interested in Keeping Kevin Durant with Max Extension
NBA

Isaiah Mobley Joins Turkish Team
NBA

Cole Swider Links Up with EuroLeague Powerhouse

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP