RADIO
Welcome, RotoBallers, to our Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers for Points Leagues for Week 14 -- June 24 through June 30. The players on this list can bolster your squad in your head-to-head ("H2H") points leagues. Each recommendation is rostered in around half of ESPN and/or Yahoo leagues.
Every week, we have a weekly points-league roundup here at RotoBaller. In this format, player values are often drastically different depending on the platform. Because of that, we highlight players who are fit to succeed regardless of the format.
Most of the pitchers on this list are expected to make two starts in Week 14. If you're looking for hitters, check out our other fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups articles. Now, let's get into this week's top options.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and weekly lineup resources:- Fantasy baseball injury reports
- Fantasy baseball trade analyzer
- Daily MLB starting lineups for fantasy baseball
- Fantasy baseball BvP matchups data (Batter vs. Pitcher)
- Fantasy baseball PvB matchups data (Pitcher vs. Batter)
- Who should I start? Fantasy baseball player comparisons
- Fantasy baseball closer depth charts, bullpens, saves
- Fantasy Baseball live scoreboard, daily leaderboards
Points League Waiver Wire - Best Choices
Taj Bradley, Tampa Bay Rays
Yahoo: 50%; ESPN: 18%
Besides one blow-up start against the Orioles (3 1/3 IP, 9 H, 9 ER, 3 BB, 3 K), Bradley has been exceptional this year. He didn't make his season debut until May 10, due to a pectoral injury. He's made up for lost time, posting a 4.06 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 53:14 K/BB ratio through his first eight outings.
Taj Bradley with a career-high 11 K’s.
Topped out at 98.4, got 17 whiffs, zero earned runs, seven innings pitched, three hits allowed — all singles.
Absolute gem from the young man last night. pic.twitter.com/h8eDBfeWpY
— Taylor Jenkins (@TJenkinsTampa) June 14, 2024
Bradley is expected to make two starts at home in Week 14, and both are incredibly favorable matchups. He'll first pitch against the Mariners, who have a combined .671 OPS against right-handed pitching (tied for 24th in MLB) and a .703 OPS on the road (12th). Then, he'll face the Nationals, who have a combined .683 OPS against righties (19th) and a .671 OPS on the road (20th).
Over his last three starts, Bradley is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 21:5 K/BB. If he can keep it up in Week 14 (and the matchups are certainly favorable), he'll provide a ton of value.
Matt Waldron, San Diego Padres
Yahoo: 55%; ESPN: 28%
Waldron has been a pleasant surprise for the Padres, posting a 3.46 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 76:25 K/BB. The 27-year-old knuckleballer has been especially effective lately, only allowing five runs in his 33 1/3 innings.
Waldron also has two solid matchups on tap. Like Taj Bradley, he'll face the Nationals at home. After that, he'll take on the Red Sox at Fenway Park, whose .743 OPS against righties ranks 13th in MLB. Overall, if Waldron's hot streak continues, he's a fantastic option for Week 14.
Is Matt Waldron's knuckleball the nastiest pitch in baseball?
Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Nick Gordon think so. pic.twitter.com/KLaxlbJIcL
— MLB (@MLB) June 18, 2024
Points League Waiver Wire - Next Choices
James Paxton, Los Angeles Dodgers
Yahoo: 37%; ESPN: 14%
Paxton may not be the strikeout artist he once was, but he's still an effective pitcher. The 35-year-old lefty has a 3.65 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 43:33 K/BB. On top of that, pitching for the Dodgers has resulted in a 7-1 record thus far.
Two enticing matchups next week make Paxton especially intriguing for Week 14. Any pitcher facing the White Sox in Chicago always has the potential for a strong outing. The Sox are dead last in home OPS (.624 - the second-worst is .650) and 26th in OPS against lefties (.641). Paxton's second start will come against the Giants in San Francisco. Their .688 OPS at home is 20th overall, but their .756 OPS against lefties does is the eighth-best. Overall, the benefits of facing the White Sox should substantially outweigh any concerns over facing the Giants (pun intended).
James Paxton had it going on tonight pic.twitter.com/syjjaA07sH
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 18, 2024
Cade Povich, Baltimore Orioles
Yahoo: 9%; ESPN: 3%
Since making his MLB debut on June 6, Povich has been relatively successful. In 16 innings, he's posted a 3.94 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 9:9 K/BB. Still looking to find his stride in Baltimore's rotation, he's a promising young lefty with tons of potential.
Cade Povich, Filthy 83mph Sweeper. 😷 pic.twitter.com/t18qyjSHCq
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 12, 2024
If Povich's matchups were better in Week 14, there's a chance he'd be a more desirable option. While he's set to make two starts at home, his first outing will come against the Guardians, who are 10th in MLB with a .740 OPS against lefties, and 9th in road OPS (.718). He'll then square off against the defending champion Rangers, who have a .658 OPS both against lefties and on the road. Overall, Povich is a bit more risky than James Paxton, but he's certainly a fun and intriguing choice. Perhaps most importantly, he's available in almost every league.
Side note: Another lefty with the same matchups as Povich is Cole Irvin. While he's struggled lately, consider him alongside Povich this week.
Points League Waiver Wire - Deeper Choices
Griffin Canning, Los Angeles Angels
Yahoo: 9%; ESPN: 5%
Canning's season numbers may not be great (5.02 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 54:29 K/BB), but he's got two favorable matchups at home coming up. The Athletics are in the bottom five of the league in OPS against righties (.668) and road OPS (.645). The Tigers aren't much better; they're in the bottom nine for each. On top of that, Canning has a 4.85 ERA at home, which is higher than his 5.21 ERA on the road. While he's not a flashy or fun pick, he could have a sneaky-good week.
Griffin Canning, Dirty 89mph Changeup...and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/TY5MHQhNAa
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 2, 2024
Points League Waiver Wire - More Options
- Luis Medina, NYY
- Casey Mize, DET
- Kyle Gibson, STL
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
