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 20 Waiver Wire: Starting Pitchers

And just like that, there are only seven weeks left in the regular season. What a time to be alive. Many of you are locked into dogfights for those precious playoff spots, and others are trying to fight through the rotisserie category jungle as the dog days of summer really hit. There are more "dog" phrases than I realized existed.

Anyway, we're here to check in on plenty of names that should be available in many leagues, as we try to lower the bar here to hone in on names that are probably either getting streamed (and thus available for stealing) or ignored entirely. Let's get to the good stuff.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including Draft Kit + DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through October. Premium DFS lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more - seven days a week. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Targets:

Tom Koehler (MIA, SP) – 37% Owned – He’s had an up and down season, but is currently in the midst of an “up”. He’s 3-0 with four straight quality starts since July 21, and will face the White Sox on Aug. 14 before a road start against the Pirates.

Dan Straily (CIN, SP) – 37% Owned – Straily saw his streak of seven straight quality starts end on Aug. 13 after he only lasted 5 1/3 innings against the Brewers, though he still got the victory. He hasn’t lost since July 8, going 4-0 in the meantime and will take on the Marlins at home on Aug. 18 next. He’s shown his range of outcomes to be a lot safer than once thought.

James Paxton (SEA, SP) –26% Owned – Paxton felt good after a bullpen session on Aug. 13 and will hopefully be able to make his next scheduled start on Aug. 16 against the Angels. The issue here is some swelling in his elbow, the result of taking a comebacker to the arm which spoiled his bid for a complete-game shutout in his last start (also against the Angels). Even if he doesn’t end up facing the Angels again, he makes for a high-upside start.

Luis Severino (NYY, SP) – 23% Owned – Severino was yo-yoed down to the Minors briefly, but was recalled on Aug. 12 and will make an Aug. 14 start against the Rays at home before his next turn sees him take on the Angels on the road. His latest start against Boston did not go so well, but that is a terrible matchup for any pitcher and should not have been leaned on by fantasy owners. The Rays and Angels make for much nicer draws, and hopefully he’ll look like the pitcher who struck out 10 in his 8 1/3 innings of work prior to the Boston start.

Robbie Ray (ARI, SP) – 16% Owned – Hilariously enough, one of Ray’s best starts comes with his lowest strikeout total. He tossed seven scoreless innings against the Mets, but only struck out four after ringing up 30(!) in his previous three starts. While he has yet to show any real semblance of consistency, his upside is fantastic for a rematch against the Mets on Aug. 15.

Homer Bailey (CIN, SP) – 12% Owned – He won his first start, got blown up in his second start, and then threw a gem in his most recent outing. On Aug. 12 he struck out 11 Brewers as he twirled six shutout innings, showing fantasy owners that his tremendous upside is still present in that arm of his. He’ll face the Marlins at home on Aug. 17 next, making for a decent option in his first home start since returning.

Brett Anderson (LAD, SP) – 11% Owned – At the time of this writing, Anderson is poised to make his first start of 2016 on Aug. 14. Assuming all goes well, he’ll then line up to face the Reds in Cincinnati later in the week in a plus-matchup. He posted a solid 11:1 K/BB ratio across three rehab starts, which is a great signal that he’s ready to perform again with his control under him. Deep leaguers can fire him up, but most will want to bench him for his first start back and go from there.

Ryan Vogelsong (PIT, SP) – 11% Owned – Okay, don’t get too excited here, but Vogey has posted a solid 0.75 ERA and 0.67 WHIP in two quality starts since being reactivated on Aug. 4. His opponents have been the Braves and the Padres so he hasn’t been tested that much yet, but at least he has performed well in outings where he had favorable matchups. His 1.80 FIP across the two starts backs this up as he heads into battle with former team, the Giants, on Aug. 15 in San Francisco. Stream at your own risk, but at least he looks sharp right now.

Sean Manaea (OAK, SP) – 10% Owned – Manaea turned in his first victory since June 29 in a start against the Mariners on Aug. 12, as the rookie went nearly a month and a half without a notch in the victory column. That’s not to say he hasn’t been improved though, as he’s posted a 2.84 ERA across his last seven outings with five quality starts nestled in there. He’ll face a tough Rangers team on the road on Aug. 17 next.

Bud Norris (LAD, SP) – 10% Owned – Remember him? The hope here for LA is that he can come back at some point during the week of Aug. 15 after an ideally successful rehab start on Aug. 14, especially with Brandon McCarthy likely heading to the DL. Since he returned to being a starter on June 4 for Atlanta, he has posted a stellar 3.24 ERA (3.03 FIP, 3.43 SIERA) alongside a stellar 61:16 K/BB ratio. If he was dropped in your league, consider scooping the 31-year-old.

Jake Thompson (PHI, SP) – 7% Owned – It isn’t the most glamorous decision, relying on a rookie who plays for a team that doesn’t win a lot, but that’s what 7% ownership usually gets you. Thompson sealed his first Major League victory by allowing only two hits and three walks alongside six strikeouts in five innings against the Rockies. This is encouraging after a rough first start, but the 22-year-old did post a 2.50 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 129 2/3 Triple-A innings before the promotion, so deep-league streamers could do worse. He’ll face the Dodgers at home next on Aug. 17.

Matt Boyd (DET, SP) – 5% Owned - Boyd deserves more love, plain and simple. Now that Miguel Gonzalez is on the shelf, he is officially my favorite <10% owned option. Boyd just dominated the Rangers on Aug. 13, tossing seven scoreless innings to improve to 4-0 in his six starts since being recalled on July 9. While he’s not a recommended start for his next outing (vs. BOS on Aug. 18), he’s certainly done more than enough to earn a roster spot in deep formats. Those in 12-team mixed leagues should consider him for streaming down the stretch.

Braden Shipley (ARI, SP) – 5% Owned – Shipley had a rough first start, but has gone 2-0 in his three starts since (all of which were quality). He just destroyed the Mets with seven shutout frames on Aug. 11, striking out seven along the way. He’ll do battle with the Mets again on Aug. 16 at home, making him a nice streamer yet again. Fantasy owners should be aware that Arizona isn’t going to let the rookie go near 100 pitches though.

Miguel Gonzalez (CWS, SP) – 3% Owned – Don’t you, forget about me. He struck out two in a scoreless first inning before having to be removed with a right groin strain, rudely snapping his quality start streak at seven. Hopefully he can come back for the fantasy playoffs and finally get some recognition for his efforts!

 

Live Expert Q&A Chats - Every Weekday @ 1 PM and 6 PM EST (DFS)

Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-55" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]

 


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




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

Brandon Marsh18 mins ago

Remains Sidelined On Saturday
Ryan Mountcastle24 mins ago

Not In Saturday's Lineup
Chandler Simpson35 mins ago

Batting Leadoff In MLB Debut
John Brebbia43 mins ago

Placed On 15-Day Injured List
Julio Rodríguez50 mins ago

Julio Rodriguez Sitting On Saturday
Irv Smith53 mins ago

Houston Re-Signs Irv Smith Jr.
George Soriano1 hour ago

Patrick Monteverde Promoted To Major Leagues, George Soriano Optioned
MJ Melendez1 hour ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Mark Canha1 hour ago

Activated Off Injured List
Jake Cronenworth5 hours ago

Targeting Earlier Return
Liam Hendriks5 hours ago

Set To Return On Saturday
Jackson Merrill5 hours ago

Not Expected To Return Next Week
Martín Pérez5 hours ago

Martin Perez Will Undergo MRI On Saturday
Casey Schmitt5 hours ago

Expected To Hit Injured List
Brock Stewart5 hours ago

Expected To Return On Sunday
Luke Keaschall6 hours ago

Busy In MLB Debut
Jose Fleury6 hours ago

Continues Strong Start On Friday
AJ Smith-Shawver6 hours ago

Strikes Out Eight In Defeat
Marcelo Mayer6 hours ago

Tallies Seven RBI On Friday
Zyhir Hope6 hours ago

Hits Two Home Runs On Friday
Andrew Painter7 hours ago

Sharp In Second Rehab Outing
Tyler Anderson12 hours ago

Keeps Hot Streak Rolling Friday
Ja Morant16 hours ago

Cleared To Play Friday
Brandon Williams16 hours ago

Available Against Grizzlies
Anthony Davis17 hours ago

Will Play Friday Night
Gary Trent Jr.17 hours ago

Available For Game 1 Against Pacers
Taurean Prince17 hours ago

Returns To Bucks Lineup Saturday
NFL17 hours ago

Justin Hardee Sr. Waived With Non-Football Injury
Isaiah Stewart17 hours ago

To Return For Game 1
Ausar Thompson17 hours ago

Available For Game 1
Rui Hachimura17 hours ago

On Track To Play Saturday
Austin Reaves17 hours ago

Ready To Go For Game 1
NFL17 hours ago

Bills Release Armani Rogers, Branson Deen
Luka Dončić17 hours ago

Luka Doncic Removed From Injury Report
LeBron James17 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Game 1
Ben Sheppard18 hours ago

Probable For Saturday's Game 1
NFL18 hours ago

Kolton Miller Absent From Raiders' Voluntary Offseason Program
Kevin Durant18 hours ago

To Houston Already Losing Steam
Lauri Markkanen18 hours ago

Wants To Stay With The Jazz
NFL18 hours ago

Ross Blacklock Let Go By New York
Bennedict Mathurin18 hours ago

Expected To Play In Game 1 Saturday
Pascal Siakam18 hours ago

Available For Playoff Opener
Tyrese Haliburton18 hours ago

Returning From Two-Game Absence Saturday
Cade Cunningham18 hours ago

Available For Game 1 Against Knicks
Josh Hart19 hours ago

Back In Knicks Lineup Saturday
OG Anunoby19 hours ago

Good To Go For Game 1
Jalen Brunson19 hours ago

Available For Saturday's Game 1
NFL19 hours ago

Raiders Considering Drafting A Quarterback
Irv Smith20 hours ago

Sticking With Texans
Ryan Lindgren20 hours ago

Set To Return Saturday
NFL20 hours ago

Texans Expected To Draft Wide Receivers
Greg Dortch20 hours ago

Returning To Cardinals
Josh Manson20 hours ago

Available For Game 1
Mark Andrews20 hours ago

Could Be Traded Soon
Ondrej Palat20 hours ago

To Return For Start Of Playoffs
David Savard20 hours ago

Will Retire After Playoffs
NFL20 hours ago

Raiders, Falcons Could Have Interest In Jalen Ramsey
Robert Thomas20 hours ago

Good To Go Saturday
Matthew Tkachuk20 hours ago

Expected To Return For Game 1
21 hours ago

Raiders Are High On Ashton Jeanty
Jason Robertson21 hours ago

Considered Week-To-Week
Rome Odunze21 hours ago

To Hopefully Get More Involved
NFL21 hours ago

Dolphins Could Draft A Quarterback
James Cook21 hours ago

Could Stay Away From Voluntary Workouts
Leon Draisaitl1 day ago

Wins First Rocket Richard Trophy
Nikita Kucherov1 day ago

Bags Third Art Ross Trophy
Bryan Rust1 day ago

Scores Twice In Season-Ending Win
Igor Shesterkin1 day ago

Shuts Out Lightning With 27 Saves
Dylan Cozens1 day ago

Picks Up Three Points In Regular-Season Finale
Matvei Michkov1 day ago

Caps Off Rookie Campaign With Three-Point Effort
Brady Tkachuk1 day ago

Makes Early Exit For Precautionary Reasons
Jake Tonges2 days ago

Signs Exclusive-Rights Tender
Denver Broncos2 days ago

Broncos To Focus On RB Position In Next Week's Draft
Drew Lock2 days ago

Sam Howell, Drew Lock Expected To Compete For Backup Job
New York Giants2 days ago

Giants Leaning Toward Taking Best Player Available At No. 3
New Orleans Saints2 days ago

Ryan Ramczyk Announces His Retirement
Buffalo Bills2 days ago

Tre'Davious White Reunites With Buffalo
Jakob Chychrun2 days ago

Returns Against Penguins
Rasmus Andersson2 days ago

Out Against Kings
Jonathan Huberdeau2 days ago

Sits Out Regular-Season Finale
Ryan Pulock2 days ago

Out On Thursday
Jake Sanderson2 days ago

Back In Action Thursday
Thomas Chabot2 days ago

To Be Rested Against Hurricanes
Claude Giroux2 days ago

Active On Thursday
Lucas Glover3 days ago

Looks To Rebound After Poor Performance
Daniel Berger3 days ago

Looking To Continue Solid Play At RBC
Sepp Straka3 days ago

Looking To Bounce Back At RBC
Justin Thomas3 days ago

Looking To Shake Off Poor Masters At RBC Heritage
Xander Schauffele3 days ago

Still Looking For Year's First Win At RBC Heritage
Maverick McNealy3 days ago

Is An Intriguing Play At RBC Heritage
Shane Lowry3 days ago

Looks To Shake Off Poor Masters Sunday At RBC Heritage
Will Zalatoris3 days ago

Eyes A Bounce-Back At RBC Heritage
Gary Woodland3 days ago

Could Add Some Surprise At Hilton Head
Sam Burns3 days ago

Hoping For Better Times At RBC Heritage
Sahith Theegala3 days ago

Still Trying To Put It All Together
Aaron Rai3 days ago

Might Be That Guy For Hilton Head
Robert MacIntyre3 days ago

All Or Nothing At RBC Heritage
Tom Hoge3 days ago

Still Playing Solid Heading To Hilton Head
Nick Dunlap3 days ago

Continues To Have Rough Stretch
Keegan Bradley3 days ago

Looks To Move On From Masters Performance
Matt Fitzpatrick3 days ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Option At RBC Heritage
Patrick Cantlay3 days ago

A Strong Play At RBC Heritage
Jordan Spieth4 days ago

Targets Another Strong RBC Heritage Showing
Collin Morikawa4 days ago

Eyeing Victory At RBC Heritage
Max Homa4 days ago

Breaks Through At The Masters
Alexander Volkanovski4 days ago

Reclaims Featherweight Title
Diego Lopes4 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC 314
Paddy Pimblett4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Michael Chandler4 days ago

Suffers TKO Loss
MMA4 days ago

Patricio Freire Gets Dominated In His UFC Debut
Yair Rodriguez4 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Bryce Mitchell4 days ago

Gets Submitted At UFC 314
Jean Silva4 days ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC 314
Dominick Reyes4 days ago

Wins Third Fight In A Row
5 days ago

Austin Dillon Nabs His First Top-10 Finish Of The 2025 Season At Bristol
5 days ago

Ryan Blaney's Bold Strategies Fall Flat, Still Musters A Top-Five Finish At Bristol
5 days ago

Christopher Bell Finishes In The Top 10 After Falling Back Midway At Bristol
5 days ago

Ty Gibbs Earns His First Top-Five Finish Of The 2025 Season At Bristol
5 days ago

Chase Briscoe Quietly Scores First Career Top-Five Finish At Bristol
5 days ago

Denny Hamlin Cuts Into William Byron's Points Lead
5 days ago

William Byron Makes Best Of His Mediocre Qualifying Run With Sixth-Place Finish
5 days ago

Despite Engine Failure, Alex Bowman's Improved Speed Looks Promising
NASCAR5 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Enters Playoff Picture With Surprise Bristol Top-10 Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF