Finding pitching help on the fantasy baseball waiver wire gets tougher as the season progresses, but there are still a few intriguing arms available in a surprising number of fantasy leagues. Whether you’re chasing strikeouts, looking for saves, or simply trying to survive the constant wave of pitching injuries, these four pitchers deserve attention.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: Christian Scott, Gage Jump, Yoendrys Gomez & Eric Lauer
Here are the top fantasy baseball waiver wire pitching targets highlighted in this week’s discussion.
Christian Scott (SP – NYM)
Christian Scott continues to build momentum every time he takes the mound.
Through seven starts, Scott has posted a 2.97 ERA with 38 strikeouts in just 30 innings. The biggest takeaway is the steady growth in confidence and command. According to the discussion, Scott appears more comfortable with his fastball and overall pitch mix each outing.
Fantasy managers should view him primarily as a strikeout source. While he’s unlikely to consistently work deep into games, the swing-and-miss ability is already showing up. Recent starts featuring six strikeouts in five innings and eight strikeouts in five innings demonstrate the upside.
There is some concern that limited innings could occasionally impact his ratios, especially because he’s currently more of a five-inning starter than a workhorse. Still, the strikeout production makes him worth adding in a wide range of league formats.
The outlook remains positive even with rotation reinforcements potentially returning. The belief is that Scott has done enough to maintain a role moving forward.
Gage Jump (SP – ATH)
Gage Jump may be one of the more interesting speculative adds available right now.
After allowing four earned runs in his major league debut against Seattle, Jump responded with a dominant performance against the Cubs, tossing seven innings while allowing just one earned run.
The underlying indicators discussed on the podcast are particularly encouraging. Jump has shown strong command, issuing very few walks, while generating weak contact. Through his first two starts, hitters have struggled to barrel the baseball against him.
The strikeout totals haven’t been overwhelming yet, but the combination of low walks, decent strikeout ability, and poor quality of contact from opposing hitters creates a profile fantasy managers should monitor closely.
Another encouraging sign is opportunity. The Athletics appear willing to keep him in the rotation and let him continue developing at the major league level. That gives fantasy managers a chance to add him now and evaluate over the next several starts.
For managers searching for upside, Jump looks like a worthwhile stash who could become more than just a streaming option if the early results continue.
Yoendrys Gomez (SP, RP – MIN)
Saves are one of the hardest categories to find on waivers, which makes Yoendrys Gomez an intriguing target in deeper leagues.
Gomez has recently begun collecting save opportunities and already has four saves on the season. More importantly, he appears to be earning trust in those high-leverage situations.
His production with Minnesota has been impressive. Across 12.2 innings, Gomez has allowed only two runs, with just one of them earned. He has also recorded 16 strikeouts while allowing only six hits.
Fantasy managers searching for relief help don’t necessarily need a guaranteed season-long closer. Sometimes all it takes is a reliever getting a few successful opportunities to secure the role for an extended period.
That possibility makes Gomez a worthwhile speculative add, especially for teams needing saves. Even if the role isn’t permanently locked in, the combination of saves and strikeouts gives him immediate fantasy relevance.
Eric Lauer (SP, RP – LAD)
Eric Lauer is the deepest sleeper of this group, but there are reasons for optimism.
His overall season numbers may not stand out, yet his early work with Los Angeles has shown meaningful changes. In two starts with the Dodgers, Lauer has delivered solid results while displaying increased velocity and a modified pitch mix.
The discussion highlighted noticeable gains in fastball and cutter velocity, along with adjustments to how frequently he uses certain pitches. Those changes suggest the Dodgers have already identified areas where they believe he can be more effective.
The fantasy appeal here comes from the possibility that these adjustments lead to improved run prevention and deeper outings. He may never become a major strikeout arm, but if he can limit contact and work efficiently, he could provide short-term value.
There are legitimate concerns about long-term rotation security, especially as other pitchers eventually return. However, fantasy managers dealing with injuries don’t necessarily need months of production. A useful three-to-five-start stretch can be valuable in its own right.
For now, Lauer looks like a worthwhile short-term pickup while these changes continue to play out.
Fantasy Baseball Takeaways
- Christian Scott (SP – NYM) offers the most appealing strikeout upside of the group and continues to gain confidence with each start.
- Gage Jump (SP – ATH) is an upside play with strong command, weak-contact metrics, and a likely runway to remain in the rotation.
- Yoendrys Gomez (SP, RP – MIN) is one of the better speculative saves targets available, with four saves and strong recent performance.
- Eric Lauer (SP, RP – LAD) is a short-term streaming candidate whose velocity and pitch-mix changes make him worth monitoring.
- Managers needing strikeouts should prioritize Scott.
- Managers looking for upside and potential staying power should consider Jump.
Managers chasing saves should target Gomez.
Managers needing immediate rotation depth can take a chance on Lauer.
What are pitching streamers?
Streaming pitchers is a strategy where fantasy owners target short-term rentals on the waiver wire that will provide the a boost in production for a given week. By targeting matchups and pitchers who have more than one start in a week, fantasy owners can improve their weekly or daily output from the starting pitcher position.
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