Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 5

"It's April" is a common response to many questions at this juncture of the season. This is the last week we can say that, of course, but patience remains a virtue even as we cross the calendar into May.

That doesn't mean you can't tinker on the edges, which is precisely what this column is designed to help you do. Whatever the reason - injury, ineffectiveness, speculation - every week in this space we'll discuss some of the best arms on the waiver wire.

As a reminder, this column focuses on players who are below 50% owned in Yahoo leagues, and standard 5x5 scoring. Your mileage may vary, in terms of availability or league settings. Using that cutoff point for ownership rate, however, these are your starting pitcher waiver wire targets and adds for Week 5 of the 2019 fantasy baseball season.

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Pickups for Shallow Leagues

Matt Strahm (SP, SD) — 49% Owned

Strahm got rocked in his 2019 debut, but he's righted the ship since. The lefty's last four starts have yielded sparkling ratios (1.50 ERA, 0.71 WHIP) and a 19:2 K/BB in 24 innings. With 13 of those strikeouts coming in his last 14 innings, it appears as though Strahm is headed in the right direction.

Yonny Chirinos (SP, TAM) — 45% Owned

Chirinos' overall numbers already look good (3-0, 3.55 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 22 strikeouts against just five walks) before you consider that over half of his runs allowed came in one disastrous relief outing against the Blue Jays. Strip that game out, and the 25-year-old has given up just four runs across 23 innings. He'll draw the Royals for the second straight time in his next appearance after logging a quality start against them last week.

Mike Soroka (SP, ATL) — 37% Owned

While Soroka had some control issues in his first two starts of the season, he's also done a good job missing bats (26.5 K%) and keeping the ball down (55.2 GB%). The 21-year-old has only started 14 games above Double-A (seven each at Triple-A and in the majors) in his career, but he may already be the most talented of the Braves' seemingly inexhaustible supply of young pitchers.

Tyler Skaggs (SP, LAA) — 35% Owned

Skaggs returned from a two-week stint on the injured list on Friday, spinning five scoreless frames in a win over the Royals. In four starts this season, he's 2-2 with a 3.15 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts in 20 innings.  Skaggs looked to be breaking out last year before a late-summer injury derailed things; the former top prospect could prove a sneaky value.

Vince Velasquez (SP, PHI) — 29% Owned

Velasquez finally got in the win column in his last start, pitching five shutout innings and striking out six against the Mets. In four starts and one relief appearance, the 26-year-old has posted a 1.99 ERA and 1.01 WHIP while striking out 22 batters in 22.2 innings. He's also allowed just three home runs and seven walks, potentially a major development as both of those outcomes have been problem areas for him in the past.

Pickups for Deeper Leagues

Jeff Samardzija (SP, SF) — 18% Owned

Shark has alternated good and bad starts thus far in 2019, and with the Dodgers next on the docket, that may well continue. The veteran is still worth picking up in plenty of formats, though, as he's 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in five starts.

Griffin Canning (SP, LAA) — 16% Owned

Canning is the latest top prospect to receive a promotion, as the Angels have announced that he'll make his MLB debut against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. His ownership rate has spiked as a result, but he remains available in the vast majority of leagues at the moment. The 22-year-old was the Angels' second-round pick in 2017 and has dominated Triple-A this year, posting miniscule ratios (0.56 ERA, 0.94 WHIP) and striking out 17 batters over 16 innings.

For Your Radar

Pablo Lopez (SP, MIA) — 9% Owned

Fantasy owners seem to have cooled on Lopez of late, but there's plenty to recommend here. The 23-year-old has struck out more than a batter per inning while limiting both walks (1.71 BB/9) and home runs (0.68 HR/9). With a SIERA a full run lower than his 4.44 ERA, Lopez offers considerable profit potential to owners willing to be patient. You may want to skip his start on Sunday at Philadelphia, though.

Adam Wainwright (SP, STL) — 9% Owned
Felix Hernandez (SP, SEA) — 7% Owned

What is this, 2011? These former fantasy stalwarts haven't been of much value in recent times, but both have shown they might not be completely cooked yet with a pair of quality starts in their last three outings. They each have tough matchups next time out - Wainwright at Washington, Hernandez versus the Cubs - but are worth monitoring for hints of a late-career renaissance.

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