RADIO
A flock of demotions and injuries - both of the serious and nagging variety - have given a clear path to the starting rotation to a lot of studly young pitchers in the National League this season. Plucking one of the aforementioned studs can give you a serious leg up in the competition for the rest of this season, and who knows, you may even find a keeper along the way that can give your squad a boost for seasons to come.
Consider the following starting pitchers if you have a glaring need for more starts, wins and strikeouts. These guys might not be the most ERA and WHIP friendly in the early going, but they possess a good amount of potential.
Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options for second base and shortstop, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.
Deep League Waiver Wire Pickups
Matt Wisler - SP - Braves
The Braves' top pitching prospect and a consensus Top 100 prospect overall was called up yesterday. He could provide an immediate boost to fantasy teams in NL-only leagues and deep mixed leagues. The 22-year-old right-hander has performed well in the minors. He has a bulldog mentality on the mound with the potential to be a strong middle of the rotation starter. He has a four pitch repertoire with good command of all four pitches. His fastball (low 90s) and late-breaking slider are his best pitches.
He's especially dominant against right-handed hitters and posts incredible K:BB ratios when battling that side, but loses a little of his glow when throwing to lefties. Overall, he's a low risk guy and he should receive a good deal of starts as Mike Foltynewicz has been optioned to Triple-A. In other words, the rotation job right now is his to lose, and he's available in nearly every fantasy league.
Jon Gray - SP - Rockies
When a 23-year-old pitcher that grades as a potential above-average regular to All-Star is available on your waiver wire, you have to grab him in an NL-only league. Even if he hasn't technically received his call up to the majors.
Such is the case with Rockies' stud Jon Gray. He has corrected some minor issues and is now pitching very well at Triple-A, just waiting for a call from Walt Weiss. Gray has a plus fastball and plus slider, a solid changeup and while the command isn't stellar, he seems to miss enough bats to get away with it. Since May 21st, over a span of six starts (with one complete game), Gray posted a 2.01 ERA and 25 strikeouts. If you're against adding him to the roster before the call-up, monitor MLB transactions over the next few days, as he should be getting the call any day now. After all, the Rockies really have nothing to lose with their abysmal starting rotation.
Steven Matz - SP - Mets
With the Mets' decision to (finally) demote Dillon Gee, opportunity arises for Steven Matz, one of the organizations best pitching prospects. We're seeing Matz at the major league level a year earlier than he was projected, but that doesn't mean he can't assist your struggling fantasy rotation. Matz relies on three pitches - fastball, slider, changeup - with his fastball grading as a plus pitch and the changeup above-average. At the Triple-A level this season, he has had some issues with command, but he's posted a strong ERA (2.11) and FIP (3.47) despite it. He should benefit from playing in a pitching friendly park and at the back of an already strong rotation.
Kevin Siegrist - RP - Cardinals
Another pitcher to consider adding is the Cardinals' Kevin Siegrist. We don't quite know the extent of Trevor Rosenthal's lingering injuries and soreness. However, Siegrist has already been solid in the closers role while Rosenthal has been sidelined. It's hard to imagine Rosenthal would ever lose the job permanently, but Siegrist certainly has the qualities of a closer and has pitched very well this season. He's notched three saves while posting a 1.78 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, BAA of .204 and is striking out batters at a very high rate, as told by his 33.3% K rate. He's worth an add if you're in the hunt for saves and/or want to take a flier on a guy that could remain in the closers role if Rosenthal's injury is serious.
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