Fantasy Baseball: Waiver Wire Pitching Pickups, 4/19/13

If you’re looking for starting pitching help from the waiver wire, check out these five options including Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday’s a full day of Major League Baseball action with a jam-packed schedule from coast-to-coast and from 1:00 ET all the way through midnight. With every team in the league playing, fantasy baseball owners can take advantage of some solid starting pitching options. If you need a strong push to the end of the weekly scoring period, check out these options scheduled to start on Saturday.

All the pitchers listed are available on more than half of ESPN leagues’ waiver wires.

Starting Pitchers to Pickup

Apr 14, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa (29) throws during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. . Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Jorge De La Rosa-Colorado Rockies: (0.8%) Da La Rosa is coming off his strongest start of the season as he held the Padres scoreless for six two-hit innings. He struck out seven and hast 13 strikeouts in 16 innings so far this season. This will be his first home start of the season as he faces Trevor Cahill who pitched well in his last start for Arizona. De La Rosa is a solid pickup option even though the D-Backs have been hitting well this season.

Wei-Yin Chen-Balktimore Orioles: (8.6%) Chen has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his first three starts lasting a total of 18 innings. He’s 0-2, however, since the O’s can’t get the runs to back him up. He isn’t a big time strikeout pitcher but faces the struggling Dodgers in Camden Yards Saturday for his first home start of the season. Josh Beckett takes the ball for LA who is 0-2 with a 3.26 ERA.

Philip Humber-Houston Astros: (0.2%) Humber has been killed by lack of run support and has an 0-3 record despite a 2.89 ERA. He faces Cleveland Saturday who has killed him in the past, but hasn’t been able to score hardly at all lately. Humber will be opposed by Scott Kazmir who will be making his first start of the season for the Tribe. Humber won’t get you K’s is worth a look but if you need ERA help and a solid chance at a win.

Apr 9, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nick Tepesch (45) throws during the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Tepesch-Texas Rangers: (4.6%) Tepesch faces the Mariners for the second straight start, but this time he’ll be at home where he pitched 7 1/3 one-run innings in his first start of the season. The Mariners will send Brandon Maurer to the mound against him once again, but Maurer hasn’t been very good except for that last outing. Since this games in Texas, I think the Ranger flip the script making Tepesch the rookie you want in this one.

Rick Porcello-Detroit Tigers: (8.2%) Porcello hasn’t been great in his two starts but threw two perfect innings of relief in his last outing. He’ll face the Angels potent lineup which has struggled this season and will be opposed by Garrett Richards who struggled in his first start and will continue to fill in for the injured Jered Weaver. With Trout, Pujols, Trumbo, and Hamilton in the lineup he’s facing, Porcelo is a high-risk add, but he could pay off and get you a W if the Tigers hitting continues to produce.

Results of Past Picks

Here’s how my picks have gone the last week.