FantasyPros Staff | Fri, Jun 26th 2026, 5:02am EDT

4 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers to Add Now (Week 13)

Finding reliable pitching on the fantasy baseball waiver wire gets tougher as the season moves along.

By this point, most obvious breakouts have already been scooped up, leaving fantasy managers to dig a little deeper for rotation help. That makes identifying pitchers who are showing meaningful improvement before the rest of your league notices even more important.

4 Fantasy Baseball Pitchers to Add Before the Waiver Wire Catches Up

In a recent FantasyPros discussion, Joey P and The Welsh highlighted a handful of widely available arms who deserve attention, whether you’re looking for an immediate streamer or a stash with second-half upside.

Here are four pitchers worth considering this week.

Jake Bennett (SP – BOS)

Jake Bennett may not be producing eye-popping headlines, but he’s quietly giving fantasy managers exactly what they want from a waiver wire starter: competitive innings.

Joey P pointed to Bennett’s consistency through his first five major league starts. Over 26 innings, Bennett has posted a 3.71 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and a strong 22-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

His most recent outing was especially encouraging.

Bennett fired his best start of the season, tossing a scoreless performance while striking out a career-high nine hitters. That performance reinforced the idea that he can do more than simply survive at the major league level.

The long-term rotation picture remains uncertain, but Joey P emphasized that Boston continues to develop quality left-handed pitching, and Bennett has earned the opportunity to keep taking the ball.

For fantasy managers in need of innings, he’s a practical short-term addition with the potential to stick longer if he continues pitching well.

Brandon Sproat (SP – MIL)

At first glance, Brandon Sproat‘s season-long numbers don’t inspire much confidence.

A bloated ERA and only two wins through 13 starts are enough to send many fantasy managers elsewhere.

The Welsh believes that would be a mistake.

The biggest reason is what has happened during June.

Sproat has lowered his ERA to 3.48 for the month while showing tangible improvements in the area that had held him back all season: command.

Earlier in the year, walks were a constant issue. His walk rate sat above 10 percent, putting unnecessary traffic on the bases despite quality strikeout numbers.

That has changed.

According to The Welsh, Sproat has cut his walk rate to roughly six or seven percent during June, and the improved command has allowed the rest of his arsenal to play up.

The underlying trend is encouraging.

Rather than focusing on the inflated season ERA, fantasy managers should pay attention to a pitcher who appears to be making meaningful adjustments.

Mitch Bratt (LHP – ARI)

Mitch Bratt isn’t an immediate pickup in standard leagues.

He’s a stash.

After making a brief major league debut, Bratt was sent back to the minors, but Joey P made it clear he doesn’t believe that move will last.

The debut itself was solid enough. Bratt worked three innings, struck out three hitters, allowed two hits, and showed enough to suggest he belongs in the conversation for future starts.

The real appeal comes from what he accomplished before reaching Arizona.

At Triple-A Reno, Bratt posted a 2.84 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and struck out 44 batters while walking only 12 across 44 innings.

He also recently returned from a back injury, meaning the organization may simply be managing his workload before giving him another opportunity.

For fantasy managers in deeper redraft leagues or dynasty formats, Bratt profiles as the type of stash who could become much more valuable after the trade deadline if additional rotation opportunities emerge.

Javier Assad (SP, RP – CHC)

Javier Assad has quietly worked his way back into Chicago’s rotation.

That’s enough reason to pay attention.

After initially serving in a bulk relief role, Assad has made three consecutive starts, throwing at least five innings in each outing while allowing no more than three earned runs.

The Welsh acknowledged that strikeouts aren’t the main attraction.

Instead, Assad’s value comes from limiting damage.

He’s throwing strikes, keeping his walk rate low, and consistently working deep enough into games to qualify for wins. During June, he has posted a 1.96 ERA while picking up three victories.

There is still uncertainty surrounding Chicago’s rotation as the roster evolves, but Assad has made a compelling case to remain involved.

Even if he settles in as more of a streaming option than a permanent roster piece, fantasy managers should be taking advantage while the results continue.

Don’t Ignore Pitchers Trending in the Right Direction

One of the biggest themes throughout the discussion was looking beyond season-long statistics.

Bennett has already shown he can compete at the major league level.

Sproat’s command has taken a significant step forward.

Bratt may have only needed a brief tune-up before returning later this season.

Assad has quietly become one of the more reliable streaming options available.

None of these pitchers carry ace expectations.

But fantasy championships are often won by managers who recognize positive trends before everyone else does.

Fantasy Baseball Takeaways

Jake Bennett (SP – BOS) has delivered quality innings through his first five starts and is coming off the strongest outing of his young career.
Brandon Sproat (SP – MIL) is showing meaningful improvement thanks to a significant reduction in his walk rate.
Mitch Bratt (LHP – ARI) is a strong stash candidate in deeper leagues despite returning to the minors after his debut.
Javier Assad (SP, RP – CHC) has quietly become a dependable streaming option since rejoining Chicago’s rotation.
Bennett offers immediate help for managers seeking rotation depth.
Sproat’s improving command makes him one of the more intriguing upside additions discussed.
Bratt is best viewed as a second-half stash in deeper formats.
Assad’s recent run of quality starts makes him a worthwhile target while he’s still widely available.

NFL

MLB

NBA

NHL