🖥 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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 13 Waiver Wire - Starting Pitchers

Nick Mariano's starting pitcher (SP) fantasy baseball waiver wire targets and adds. Free agent pickups and starting pitcher sleepers for Week 13 of the 2018 MLB season.

Holy guacamole, Batman, we’re almost halfway through the season! I hope those of you that could scoop Freddy Peralta and Shane Bieber after last week’s notes didn’t hesitate. We're back to name names, 10 in fact, and I hope we can satisfy those in shallower formats as well as the multitude who make me feel guilty over each player being owned already.

If you want to chat more about additional arms/bats/whatever, you can find me on Twitter @NMariano53 and ask any follow-up questions.

We're using Yahoo ownership levels and cutting things off around 30% this week. Here are my starting pitcher waiver wire targets for Week 13.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:

 

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Targets

Ivan Nova (PIT - SP): 29% owned

Nova was battered over five May starts before hitting the DL, allowing 20 earned runs over just 23 ⅔ innings, but has risen from the ashes in June. Across 19 ⅔ IP, the 31-year-old righty has allowed two runs on 12 hits and five walks with 19 K's over his three starts. Never underestimate the power of getting a mental break from the action, especially when you’re in a funk. Not to mention that Nova’s not the overpowering type and really needs his command to be on point. Well, it’s on point now as he cruises toward a date with the Mets.

Joey Lucchesi (SD - SP): 28% owned

Lucchesi’s ownership continues to slowly decline despite a solid start against the Rangers on Monday. It was just his second start back from the DL as he spun four scoreless frames despite spotty command. He hit 70 pitches early and was promptly lifted, presumably not to tax him fresh off of injury. This should assuage some doubt after he only recorded five outs in his first start back as he heads toward July with a 3.57 ERA, 3.64 xFIP and 3.81 SIERA across 11 starts. I remain impressed and hope you’ll benefit from an impatient owner who just wants to see a clean win and big K’s, but I understand waiting until he throws more than 41-of-70 pitches for strikes.

Jonathan Loaisiga (NYY - SP): 24% owned

Rare is the pitcher who shows immunity to real volatility, and rarer still is the rookie pitcher who can make such a claim. Loaisiga was likely cast aside in several leagues after failing to go four innings on June 20 against Seattle, but he rebounded in a major way by taking a no-hitter into the sixth against Philly on Monday. He turned in a career-high eight strikeouts and now has 18 punchouts in 14 innings and has held opponents scoreless in two of his three starts.

The eight walks are rough but his Minor League profile shows excellent command, so perhaps it’s an intentional effort to work corners more against MLB competition? Regardless, he has a 1.93 ERA, 2.25 FIP, 2.71 xFIP and 3.58 SIERA alongside a 58.1% groundball rate in the (very) early going, so let’s see what else he can do before Masahiro Tanaka returns and likely forces Loaisiga out of the rotation. It’s possible German goes instead, but I doubt it at this point.

Marco Estrada (TOR - SP): 22% owned

Guess what? Estrada did keep it going against the Los Angeles Mike Trouts of Anaheim. Now with four consecutive quality starts under his belt, the soon-to-be 35-year-old righty looks like the arm who befuddled sabermetricians and was an original suppressor of hard contact. His 20.3% hard-hit rate in June is the lowest mark of any qualified starter (there are 91 of them) and the trade rumors are starting to rumble. Two things are immediately concerning, though. One is that his next game is against Houston. The second and bigger issue is that he’s gone on record saying that trade rumors have stressed him before and hurt his sleep cycle, which spiraled his stats into oblivion last season. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen again.

Ervin Santana (MIN - SP): 16% owned

We’ve talked about Santana before and he’s had his rehab stall, but for now...he’s set for an outing at High-A on Saturday. He made it through a live bullpen session on Monday without any issues, so his finger has progressed since last he attempted this. He should be able to squeeze in 2-3 rehab appearances before the All-Star break is up.

Mike Minor (TEX - SP/RP): 8% owned

Minor had some preseason buzz going if he could keep his bullpen gains from 2017 going in Texas’ rotation. It hasn’t been that simple, but the 2009 seventh-overall pick has built up momentum with quality starts against Houston, Colorado and Minnesota in his last three starts for a 2.84 ERA in June. He’s kept the ball in the park his last two starts after giving up at least one in seven straight (10 total), though I hesitate to call that a turnaround. The best news I can give you here is that he owns a 3.94 ERA at home (6.82 ERA on the road) and faces the Padres -- a bottom-three offense -- at home next.

Dereck Rodriguez (SF - SP/RP): 7% owned

Rodriguez’s first appearance in the bigs was an iffy relief spot at Coors Field, but since then he’s posted three quality starts in five outings with a solid 24-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio. I’d be remiss not to say how he’s faced San Diego and Miami twice over his last three trips to the hill, but we’ve often seen favorable matchups go awry. I see the age-26 arm as capable of staying below a 4.00 ERA for you with an assist from spacious AT&T Park.

Nathan Eovaldi (TB - SP): 6% owned

Eovaldi eviscerated the Nationals with nine strikeouts and just one hit surrendered (with two walks) over six shutout innings. Joke all you want about the state of the Nationals, but this was a stellar performance all the same. The score also means Nasty Nate didn’t surrender a homer after yielding eight of them over his last four outings. He won’t ride a .178 BABIP forever, but he’s issued just five walks in 35 ⅓ IP and his 3.72 xFIP paints him as a useful deep-league arm.

Wilmer Font (TB - SP/RP): 1% owned

Rays manager Kevin Cash named Font as his starter on Thursday against the Astros (yikes) and has a spot in Tampa Bay’s fluid rotation. I actually drafted Font in The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational and obviously, that didn’t go so well in LA (or Oakland). But since debuting for Tampa on May 30, Font has cobbled together a 1.64 ERA with 17 strikeouts over 22 innings (four “starts”), highlighted by his first victory on Saturday over the Yankees. His 4.11 FIP/4.85 xFIP over that span should be noted, but a weak 12.9% line-drive rate and 15.4% pop-up rate does help generate some luck. He’s started against the Yankees twice, the Mariners and the Blue Jays, so if he conquers the Astros then I’ll really want to dive in on the how’s and why’s.

Edwin Jackson (OAK - SP): 1% owned

Excuse me while I scroll down Jackson’s stats page...ahem...doo-doo-doo...ah, here we go. Pitching for his 13th team, Jackson tossed six innings of one-run ball in his A’s debut against the Tigers. He gave up six hits but walked none, though I wouldn’t get attached to that command given his career 9% walk rate. The Tigers are simply a good matchup for a right-handed pitcher and as a result, E-Jax now has another chance to prove himself on June 30 in a much tougher matchup against the Indians. Even at home, starting him there is ill-advised, but if he shines again then he’ll enter the streaming circle of trust.

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers




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

Darius Garland

Exits Early Wednesday With Foot Injury
Jalen Suggs

to Miss Sixth Straight Game Thursday
Wendell Carter Jr.

Cleared to Play in Berlin
Myles Turner

Available Thursday
Deni Avdija

Likely to Remain Out Thursday
Jaylen Brown

Ready to Face Heat Thursday
Bruce Brown

Spencer Jones, Bruce Brown Available Wednesday
Aaron Gordon

Cleared for Wednesday Night
Jamal Murray

Active Wednesday Night
Cade Cunningham

Ready to End Two-Game Absence
Devin Booker

Questionable for Thursday Night
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Probable to Face Spurs
Brandon Williams

Available Wednesday
Max Christie

Out Wednesday
P.J. Washington

Returns to Action Wednesday
Scotty Pippen Jr.

Season Debut Delayed for at Least Four More Weeks
Brandon Clarke

to Miss 4-6 More Weeks
Josh Giddey

Starting Ramp-Up Period, Could Return Soon
Ja Morant

Unavailable Thursday
Julian Phillips

Out Wednesday
Coby White

to Be Limited to 28-30 Minutes Wednesday
Mackenzie Blackwood

Activated From Injured Reserve
Ben Griffin

Looks To Stay Hot In 2026
Tom Wilson

Cleared for Contact, Could Return Thursday
Neal Pionk

Lands on Injured Reserve, Out Week-to-Week
Jamie Drysdale

Activated From Injured Reserve
Corey Perry

Unavailable Wednesday
Teuvo Teravainen

to Miss at Least One Game
Connor Bedard

Returns to Practice
Alexandre Texier

Canadiens Sign Alexandre Texier to Two-Year Extension
New York Giants

Giants Making "Massive Push" to Hire John Harbaugh on Wednesday
Ranger Suárez

Ranger Suarez Agrees to Five-Year Deal With Red Sox
CFB

Dante Moore Not Entering 2026 NFL Draft, Will Return to Oregon
NFL

Mike Tomlin Doesn't Plan to Coach in 2026
Travis Hunter

Expected to Play More Defense in 2026
CFB

FBS Coaches Unanimously Vote to Expand Redshirt Eligibility to Nine Games
CFB

Ohio State Transfer Mylan Graham Signs with Notre Dame
CFB

Caden Durham Withdraws from Transfer Portal, Will Stay at LSU
Leon Draisaitl

Has Three Points in Tuesday's Loss
Joel Hofer

Controls Hurricanes Tuesday
Jordan Spieth

Perhaps the Most Intriguing Player at Sony Open
Jeremy Swayman

Posts First Shutout of the Season
Zach Werenski

Totals Three Points in Tuesday's Win
Chandler Stephenson

Available Wednesday
Aaron Rai

Looking For Putting Confidence at Waialae Country Club
Jonathan Marchessault

Moved to Injured Reserve
Brayden Point

Labeled Week-to-Week
Collin Morikawa

Isn't The Safe Play He Used to Be Ahead of Sony Open
Kurt Kitayama

Needs His Putting to Turn Around For Success at Year's First Event
Ryan Weathers

Yankees Add Rotation Depth, Acquire Ryan Weathers in Four-Player Deal
Robert Thomas

Out Tuesday
Jake Walman

Available Against Predators
Troy Terry

a Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Justin Sourdif

Won't Play Tuesday
Jakob Chychrun

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Morgan Geekie

Available Tuesday
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Fire Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman
Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Tomlin Stepping Down as Steelers Head Coach
CFB

Georgia Tech the Favorite to Land Justice Haynes?
Nolan Arenado

Cardinals Trade Nolan Arenado to Diamondbacks
Tom Kim

Desperately Needs a Solid Week at Sony Open
Billy Horschel

Hoping For a Fast Start to New Season at Sony Open
Corey Conners

Looks to Have a Return to Form in 2026
PGA

Chris Gotterup a Decent Play at Sony Open
Gary Woodland

Could Prosper at the Sony Open
Keith Mitchell

Unlikely to Contend at Sony Open
Robert MacIntyre

Looking for a Good Performance at the Sony Open
Michael Kim

Hopes to Start Sony Open Better This Week
Tom Hoge

Tries to Erase Poor 2025 Second Half in Hawaii
Brian Harman

Seeks Fresh Start in Hawaii
Eric Cole

Looks to Last Year for Success at Sony Open
Daniel Berger

Starts Off 2026 at Sony Open
Nico Collins

Suffers Concussion Against Steelers
Nico Collins

Carted to Locker Room for Concussion Evaluation
Kyle Tucker

Mets Meet With Kyle Tucker
Dalton Kincaid

"Should be Fine" for Divisional Round
Brooks Koepka

Officially Returning To PGA Tour
Tucker Kraft

Hopes to be Ready for Week 1 of Next Season
CFB

Georgia Lands Kentucky Transfer Dante Dowdell
Matthew Stafford

has "Little Sprain," Should be "Good to Go"
CFB

Sam Leavitt Expected to Sign with LSU
Green Bay Packers

Packers Expected to Work Out New Deal With Matt LaFleur in the "Coming Days"
CFB

Dylan Raiola Commits to Oregon
CFB

Isaiah Horton Landing with Texas A&M
George Kittle

Suffers Torn Achilles on Sunday
Omarion Hampton

Active for Wild-Card Round Against Patriots
George Kittle

Ruled Out After Non-Contact Achilles Injury
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Request Interview With Ejiro Evero
Los Angeles Rams

Mike LaFleur to Interview With Raiders and Cardinals
Aaron Rodgers

Steelers Open to Re-Signing Aaron Rodgers?
Matthew Stafford

X-Rays Come Back Negative
MacKenzie Gore

Yankees Pursuing Trade for MacKenzie Gore
Alex Bregman

Cubs Sign Alex Bregman to Five-Year, $175 Millon Contract
Freddie Freeman

Withdraws from World Baseball Classic
Max Kepler

Receives 80-Game PED Suspension
CFB

Cam Coleman Visiting Alabama on Friday
Omarion Hampton

Expects to Play Sunday Night
CFB

Eric Singleton Jr. Enters Transfer Portal, Trending to Land at Florida
CFB

NCAA Denies Trinidad Chambliss a Sixth Year of Eligibility
Omarion Hampton

Questionable for Wild-Card Weekend
Kyle Tucker

Mets Remain in Mix for Kyle Tucker
Ketel Marte

Will Remain With Diamondbacks
Rashee Rice

to be Reviewed Under League's Conduct Policy

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP