Waiver Wire Week 16: 10 SP Targets

Each week I look at the collection of starting pitchers owned in under 30% of leagues (consensus Yahoo/ESPN ownership from Fantasy pros) with a few extra sub 10% discount options at the end, pointing out the options to consider if you need an extra arm or two at the end of your staff.

Let’s highlight my ten favorite starting pitcher options that may be available on your waiver wires, roughly ordered from top to bottom:

Under 30% Owned

Nathan Eovaldi (Boston Red Sox) – Eovaldi’s 8 ER outing against the Twins is sure to explain his lowered usage rate, though if you look past it, you’ll see his other four starts in his last five games returning just 3 ER while collecting 31 strikeouts. A move to Boston will boost the win total while preventing Eovaldi from regularly facing one of the best offenses around. This is an add that you can roll with through the rest of the season.

Zack Wheeler (New York Mets) – His 4.33 ERA and 14.1% K-BB% aren’t all too impressive, though Wheeler has looked plenty better in the past month, returning multiple starts of at least seven strikeouts, while holding a 3.03 ERA across his last five starts. He’s upped his velocity to a consistent 96mph, and while there is still work to be done with his secondary stuff, his elevated heater is making him a solid play against all but the strongest opponents.

Nick Kingham (Pittsburgh Pirates) – Kingham has been on a roll, boasting a 17.8% K-BB rate with a 2.89 ERA and 0.91 WHIP across his last three starts. His slider and changeup each feature whiff rates above the 20% mark, while he can feature fastballs on both sides of the plate with ease. These are the makings of a high impact starter and is worth heavy consideration for your squad.

Joey Lucchesi (San Diego Padres) – It seems that owners have elected to move on from Lucchesi after his hip injury took him out for over a month, yet his last six starts have each returned 2 ER or fewer. His strikeout marks haven’t kept up since his electric 7/8/9 K numbers from the start of the year, but 5-6 frames with a strikeout per inning is very possible each time out, with serviceable WHIP marks as he’s allowed more than two walks just once in his last eight starts.

Trevor Cahill (Oakland Athletics) – Did you realize that Cahill has a 13% whiff rate? Or that he wields a changeup with an O-Swing over 50%? He’s back from his DL stint, is missing bats again and still holds his marvelous sub 3.00 ERA and sparkling 1.02 WHIP. Sure, this could bottom out as we get deeper into the second half, but he’s easily worth a roster spot to at least chase his Top 40 upside.

Dereck Rodriguez (San Francisco Giants) – I still have questions about Rodriguez’s sub 20% strikeout rate that is derived from secondary stuff that isn’t meant to miss bats. However, his curveball’s 60%+ groundball rate in concert with a solid changeup and a heater that he elevates effectively outline an arm that can maintain solid ratios and a tinge of strikeout upside. Easily worth the add if you’re looking for SP support.

Joe Musgrove (Pittsburgh Pirates) – Dispersed with three disappointing outings that tallied 16 ER are moments of brilliance from Musgrove, including two 7 IP, 0 ER performances and 80% of his starts coming with at least five strikeouts. He’s going deep into games (6.0 IPS), carries a whiff rate over 10%, and reduces free passes to just a 6.5% rate. It won’t win you your weeks, but there’s value in stability.

Carlos Rodon (Chicago White Sox) – Rodon’s last three starts have combined for 4 ER, 21 strikeouts, and 10 hits in 21 frames. Sure, his walks are still an issue with a glaring six mark against the Astros, though he’s definitely worth a look when chasing strikeout upside. It’s possible his final two months of the year feature some of the double-digit K performances he’s flexed in previous seasons.

Under 10% Owned

Felix Pena (Los Angeles Angels) – I wouldn’t call myself a fan of Pena’s overall approach, however his slider is making me consider him as a decent late option. The pitch holds a fantastic 23.7% whiff rate with a .111 BAA through 177 pitches thrown, making him a considerable strikeout option in a sea of underperformers. His heater and changeup leave plenty to be desired, but his slide piece alone could return production on a given night.

Derek Holland (San Francisco Giants) – Here’s something wild. Holland has a 2.72 ERA, 29.8% K rate, 7.3% BB rate, and 1.21 WHIP across his last 49.2 IP – eight starts and four relief appearances. That alone should be enough to take a chance on Holland as he may get more starts with Jeff Samardzija on the DL.