Nick Pollack from Pitcher List here for a weekly segment at FantasyPros where I’ll be looking at the deeper options available in your leagues, highlighting my 10 favorite pitchers each week that could quickly return value despite hanging out on your waiver wire. We’ve set the threshold to under 15% owned according to ESPN, leaving a vast majority of leagues to take advantage of these arms that will cost you nothing and possibly return plenty.
Get free start/sit and waiver wire advice for your fantasy team
10. Matt Andriese (TB): 2.0% owned
It wasn’t a promising first outing for Andriese over the weekend, as the few owners who did have shares elected to relieve him from their staff. That shouldn’t matter to you as one start shouldn’t define Andriese. His solid K/BB numbers from 2016 (7.68 K/9, 1.76 BB/9) mixed with a 3.78 FIP tell a different story. A story of a pitcher who could produce a sub 4.00 ERA and sub 1.25 WHIP for your fantasy team, and there’s plenty of value in that for deeper leagues.
9. Adam Conley (MIA): 4.6% owned
While it’s tough to expect a major breakout from Conley this season, there’s little denying that he flexed his muscles last week against the Mets – 5 innings, 1 ER, 6 Ks, four baserunners – and like Foltynewicz, it’s very possible Conley continues to take advantage of a poor division, with starts against the Mets, Phillies, and Rays in his near future.
8. Andrew Triggs (OAK): 3.6% owned
For his first start of 2017, Triggs didn’t seem too remarkable, fanning just one batter and walking three across 5.2 frames. However, he put up a goose egg in the ER column and continued to use his lively sinker to earn a fantastic 50% groundball rate. Now, the K/BB isn’t what we expected, though the potential is still there for Triggs to average five strikeouts a game and hint at a quality start each time out. Considering that his next start is against the weak Royals, now’s the time to take the leap.
7. Wily Peralta (MIL): 4.8% owned
I, for one, have been greatly skeptical of Peralta’s ability in the past, though he may be worth a look given his recent performances. Peralta’s final 10 starts of 2016 rendered an impressive 2.92 ERA, 51.1% groundball rate, 7.44 K/9, and 2.34 BB/9 – numbers that equate to pitchers well owned above the 50% mark. His first two outings of 2017 suggest that there is some validity to his 2nd half outburst (3 ER and 12 Ks across 11 innings), making him an intriguing flier that could pay dividends at the back end of your staff.
6. Brett Anderson (CHC): 3.5% owned
Few managers want to go near Anderson given his lack of dazzle, but it would be unwise to ignore his ability to generate groundballs at a massive rate (career 58.1% rate) with one of the best defenses you’ll find waiting to gobble them up. Pair that with the phenomenal Cubs offense and you have a pitcher who has one of the highest chances to steal a win on your waiver wire.
5. Shelby Miller (ARI): 6.8% owned
Miller might be most famous for being the overpriced piece in the Swanson/Inciarte deal, but don’t let his label as a bust deter you from taking a closer look. Miller earned seven strikeouts in just 5.1 frames during his first outing of the season, which may be the product of a fastball velocity that was nearly two ticks higher than he’s showcased across any season prior. The end result was a 11.4% whiff rate across the start, a stat that in itself warrants a pickup in deep leagues. As with all of these, Miller may not pan out as hoped, but that bump in velocity with the appropriate results makes him a smart add in deep leagues.
4. Hyun-Jin Ryu (LAD): 11.0% owned
If you’re looking for a long-term solution, Ryu clearly is not the top choice here. Prior to the 2017 season, Ryu had pitched just one game since 2014, which was sandwiched by a pair of DL stints across 2016. Still, if you’re looking for cheap quality innings, there’s no reason not to take a chance on Ryu given that his price is most likely free in your league. Across the 353.1 innings in his career, Ryu has held a 3.29 ERA, 7.69 K/9 and just a 2.06 BB/9. While it’s hard to expect that level of production three years removed from his last full season, if Ryu comes even close to that level of production, it would be a steal and a sizeable impact for your squad.
3. Charlie Morton (HOU): 11.1% owned
Morton has had a pair of starts – both against the Mariners – and while he hasn’t blown away the field, it’s hard to deny his decent strikeout production of five per start and the upside to improve upon his five ER allowed thus far. He heads to Oakland on Sunday, which is a far better matchup than the hefty bats of Seattle, and his velocity has maintained the boost we saw in his brief time on the hill in 2016. If you’re looking for a short-term solution, you won’t find better on the wire than Morton.
2. Mike Foltynewicz (ATL): 13.7% owned
It has been rough of out the gate for Foltynewicz, who only survived 3.2 innings against Pittsburgh and now will have his next start pushed back. That opens the door for owners needing that extra strikeout production on their staff as Foltynewicz earned himself a solid 8.10 K/9 in 2016. The strikeouts should stick around this season with his 94/95mph heater that can touch near triple digits, and pitching out of the NL East will have its benefits moving through the year, facing weak offenses like the Marlins, Phillies, and Mets often.
1. Daniel Norris (DET): 11.6% owned
There are going to be some repeat offenders on this list, and that’s the nature of doing a weekly ranking. Still, for many leagues there’s little reason why Norris should be vastly rejected. While struggling a little early on in his sole start of 2017, Norris cruised through his final innings, earning a quality start against the Red Sox – one of the premier offenses in the game. It might not get easier right away with Norris as he faces the mighty Indians next, though his massive upside of a 9.00 K/9 starter without a suffocating WHIP is hard to resist.
Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud | Google Play | TuneIn | RSS
Nick Pollack is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Nick, find his work at PitcherList.com follow him @ThePitcherList.