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Nick Mariano's starting pitcher (SP) fantasy baseball waiver wire targets and adds. Free agent pickups and starting pitcher sleepers for Week 22 of the 2018 MLB season.
I'm going to level with you all. It's very late and I want to go to bed, so no snappy intros for you this week. Let's close the book on August strong!
If you want to chat more about additional arms/bats/whatever, you can find me on Twitter @NMariano53 and ask any follow-up questions.
We're using Yahoo ownership levels and cutting things off around 30% this week. Here are my starting pitcher waiver-wire targets for Week 22.
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Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Targets
Derek Holland (SF - SP): 25% owned
I’m setting sail on the Dutch East India Company and heading back to Holland here, as he’s rebounded from two “poor” starts to post two strong starts in late August. With one earned in each of his two starts, he now has a 2.77 ERA (2.99 FIP, 3.35 xFIP) with a 26.6% strikeout rate since moving from the third-base side of the pitcher rubber to the first-base side (observable here). The southpaw has only worked six innings three times in his last seven tilts, but those ratios and the K’s are well worth the roster spot. He faces the Mets at home on Sept. 1, in case you needed an extra nudge.
Tyler Glasnow (TB - SP/RP): 25% owned
Maybe Glasnow had a bit of birthday hangover for his start against the Royals, because who walks three Royals? The good news is that he struck out eight and yielded just three runs over five frames, making for a 32/9 K/BB ratio over his 23 ⅓ innings as a Ray. The electric righty owns a 3.24 FIP and 3.05 xFIP and his 9.9% walk rate in August is still under half of his 20.8% rate from July. I don't think anyone else here is going to offer the same kind of strikeout upside as Glasnow, and I know some of you could use a boost to your K/9 in roto leagues as innings caps approach.
Alex Cobb (BAL – SP): 27% owned
This isn’t quite Edwin Jackson levels of voodoo, as Cobb has ripped off six straight quality starts against stour American League competition lately. I’d argue he’s posted eight straight QS because five innings of one-run ball against Toronto on July 21 is quality enough. He’s struck out at least six in three of his last five and could wind up going to a contender now that he’s cleared revocable waivers. For now, he’ll look to make it seven consecutive QS against Toronto at home on Wednesday.
Anthony DeSclafani (CIN – SP): 26% owned
I say you should hold onto Tony Disco despite two non-quality starts in a row, as the man still has a stellar 27/4 K/BB ratio in 34 ⅓ IP alongside three wins in August -- a month in which he upped his soft-contact rate to nearly 20% from below 15% in July. I don’t love his facing the Cardinals in St. Louis next, but he’s someone you need to at least monitor for plus matchups down the September stretch.
Lucas Giolito (CWS - SP): 23% owned
You don’t need to grab Giolito just yet, as the former top prospect is slated to face the Red Sox next, but then he’s set for games against the Tigers and the Royals after that. These are the same Tigers that he’s shut down in two of his last three starts, with the third being a quality-start win against the Twins. That’s right, it’s been three wins and three QS in a row for Giolito, who’s also struck out at least six in each of his last five starts. Do note that all three W/QSs have come on the road and that next Tigers start is at home, where he’s been hot garbage (8.18 ERA, 4.27 ERA on the road), but the Royals start is in KC at least!
Austin Gomber (STL – SP/RP): 22% owned
I thought that Coors Field would undoubtedly turn Gomber back into a pumpkin, but then the guy goes and allows one measly run over six solid innings for the win! Still, Gomber has a somber 4.76 SIERA and 4.83 xFIP underneath the sparkly 2.79 ERA. His 1.30 WHIP isn’t helping anyone and is just evidence of a fuse that’s ticking down. Look out for the 11.7% walk rate rearing its head! I respect riding the wave, but the walks will become a real problem once his low 6.1% HR/FB rate crawls back toward the 11% mark posted throughout his last ~200 innings in the minors.
Mike Minor (TEX – SP/RP): 19% owned
Minor’s pushed through a stiff back to manage 29 ⅔ innings since the All-Star break, in which he’s allowed opposing hitters to triple slash a paltry .181/.211/.327 with 25 strikeouts against four walks. And that’s coming against the lineups of Oakland (x2), Houston, the Yankees and the Orioles! Let’s see if he can collect his fifth win in a row against the Dodgers on Wednesday.
Wei-Yin Chen (MIA - SP): 4% owned
Would you have honestly guessed that Chen has a 2.86 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over the last month? Believe it, buster. His 10-strikeout outing against the Braves has been in the works for a while now thanks to his fastball now sitting in the 92-93 mph range starting on June 27. In 10 starts since then, he’s posted eight fantasy-viable starts (only six are “true” QS) and two crummy ones. I never thought Chen would be giving me 80% hope ever again! I know it’s the Marlins, but this is the point we’re at in the season.
Framber Valdez (HOU – RP): 3% owned
Valdez is slated to start again on Friday against the Angels after scoring good marks on his first test in Houston’s rotation. His first major-league start yielded five innings of one-run ball against said Halos, and this came just five days after 4 ⅓ innings of scoreless relief (and the win) against the Mariners. His raw stuff is worth tuning in for and the strikeouts should come up soon, but his command isn’t quite there yet -- that pretty first start’s stat line saw him dance around three walks and three wild pitches -- and his current .160 BABIP is laughable. Just be aware is all, but pitching for Houston automatically checks off several boxes.
David Hess (BAL - SP): 2% owned
Would you believe that Hess has delivered three straight quality starts and gets to face the Royals in pitcher-friendly Kauffman Stadium next? Well, believe it! Now, Hess put together a similar three-start stretch back in late May, only to fall apart with at least five earned surrendered in each of his next four starts, so please believe this is risky. But also...Kansas City. The longball is his major undoing (1.85 HR/9) and KC is one of five teams with fewer than 120 homers hit this season -- let’s hope it’s a match made in heaven.
Erasmo Ramirez (SEA - SP/RP): 2% owned
Since rejoining Seattle’s rotation on Aug. 12, Ramirez has allowed two earned runs over 16 innings across three starts. He’s still not a big strikeout guy -- he’s rung up 12 in those 16 frames -- but he hasn’t allowed a homer in any of these August tilts. For context, he had surrendered seven moonshots in his first, and only other two, starts of 2018. He faces the power-light Padres on Wednesday and then would line up to face Baltimore at home after that. That’s not bad at all.
