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Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another edition of Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers for H2H Points Leagues.
Looking ahead to Week 23, these pitchers have what it takes to produce many points in your head-to-head leagues. At most, every listed player is rostered in around half of ESPN and/or Yahoo leagues.
There's an article for points leagues like this every week here at RotoBaller. In the head-t0-head format, player values often vary from website to website platform, so we highlight players who are fit to succeed regardless of the format.
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Best Waiver Wire Choices
Nestor Cortes, New York Yankees
Yahoo: 72%; ESPN: 44%
Cortes is a no-brainer this week. Each of his last two starts has resulted in seven shutout innings of three-hit, no-walk baseball. In Week 23, his matchups are extremely enticing. He'll face the Nationals and Cardinals, who rank 26th and 27th in all of MLB against left-handed pitchers in 2024. If he's on the waivers in your league, add him ASAP.
Nestor Cortes Jr., Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón have combined for 19 straight scoreless innings from Yankees starting pitchers pic.twitter.com/EuoNWguhfi
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 24, 2024
Robbie Ray, San Francisco Giants
Yahoo: 63%; ESPN: 32%
Ray has been inconsistent since returning from the injured list. His highs have been really high, and his lows have been really low. For example, after a dreadful start against the Braves on August 14, he was outstanding against the White Sox on the 20th, allowing just three hits and one run in 6 2/3 IP.
Now, you might be saying, "Sure, Ray's most recent start was pretty great, but it was against the White Sox, and they're last in MLB with a .615 OPS against left-handed pitchers in 2024." That's a fair point, but do you know who he'll face in Week 23? The Marlins, who are second-to-last in MLB with a .644 OPS versus lefties.
He'll also face the Brewers, who've gone 8-2 over their last 10 games. Still, when it comes to Ray's upside, the benefits of facing the Marlins outweigh the dangers of facing the Brewers.
Robbie Ray, Dirty 88mph Slider. 😨 pic.twitter.com/MCczw0xeUC
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 21, 2024
Next-Best Waiver Wire Choice
Andrew Heaney, Texas Rangers
Yahoo: 16%; ESPN: 10%
Heaney is having a relatively normal year, by his standards (4.04 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 131:36 K/BB). As for Week 23, he's someone to target heavily if Nestor Cortes isn't available. Heaney will face the White Sox on the road (whom we've already established as the team with MLB's worst OPS against lefties), and the A's (who rank 18th in road OPS) at home. With matchups like these, Heaney is worth a shot.
Andrew Heaney, Nasty 84mph Back Foot Slider. 😨 pic.twitter.com/1gN34w87aN
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 21, 2024
Tobias Myers, Milwaukee Brewers
Yahoo: 55%; ESPN: 19%
Myers has been outstanding with the Brew Crew so far this season, posting a 2.87 ERA (3.99 FIP), 1.14 WHIP, and 90:27 K/BB through 103 1/3 innings. He likely can't carry your team to a win in Week 23 (due to low strikeout potential), but he's got what it takes to produce. His matchups aren't great, but they also aren't cause for concern. Myers will face the Giants at home and the Reds on the road.
Lowest ERA since May 11th (min 15 starts):
2.16 — Paul Skenes
2.40 — Tobias Myers
2.42 — Michael Wacha
2.47 — Hunter Brown
2.49 — Chris Sale
2.57 — Hunter Greene
2.59 — Jack Flaherty
2.72 — Tarik Skubal pic.twitter.com/oRNF4WShDj— StatMuse Baseball (@statmusemlb) August 24, 2024
Deeper Waiver Wire Choice
Nick Pivetta, Boston Red Sox
Yahoo: 68%; ESPN: 64%
There's no questioning the fact that Pivetta has struggled in the second half. Through six starts (30 IP), he's got a 6.00 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 37:7 K/BB. Despite this, he's got two pretty favorable matchups this week -- Toronto at home and Detroit on the road.
It's hard to imagine Pivetta's woes continue for much longer. Though his numbers since the All-Star Game have been rough, he's still done a decent job of limiting baserunners. If things are going to turn around for him in 2024, Week 23 is a promising starting point.
Nick Pivetta's 10th K pic.twitter.com/DqKU4lzPbu
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 30, 2024
More Waiver Wire Options
- Spencer Schwellenbach, ATL
- Walker Buehler, LAD
- Kyle Gibson, STL
- Cal Quantrill, COL
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