Fantasy Baseball: Waiver Wire Pitching Pickups, 5/13/13

Fantasy baseball owners who need help for the upcoming week need to know about Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Hector Santiago. He’s one of our four pickup options highlighted in this post. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Monday has 11 games on the MLB schedule as the Indians and Yankees play a pair and only 10 teams get travel days. That means plenty of opportunity for fantasy baseball owners looking to add a starting pitcher. Most starters pitching Monday are two-start options as they wrap around and get second start later in the week. If you’re looking to give your fantasy pitching staff a boost, here’s the top four options who are widely available for Monday:

Possible Pickups

Hector Santiago-Chicago White Sox: (3.5%) Santiago has been steller in his first two starts this season. He’s allowed just two runs in 12 1/3 innings on six hits while striking out 14. He was dominant his last time out throwing seven shutout innings against the Mets but had the misfortune of opposing Matt Harvey in his near-perfecto. Santiago gets the Twins this Monday as he matches up with Pedro Hernandez. The White Sox offense has been questionable making a win hard to be sure of, but Santiago has the potential to start your week out right as he faces Minnesota.

May 2, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Travis Wood (37) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Reid Compton-USA TODAY Sports

Travis Wood-Chicago Cubs: (45.0%) Wood has been consistently solid allowing three earned runs only once in his seven starts and holding opponents to two earned runs or less in his other six outings. Since he plays for the Cubs, those starts have not all translated into wins and he enters this start with a 3-2 record. He faces the Rockies Monday which aren’t an ideal matchup but he is at home not in Coors Field. Wood has a solid track record against the Rox, so I think he’ll have a good start and could get a W if he gets some run support

Justin Grimm-Texas Rangers: (28.2%) Grimm has struggled a bit his last two outings allowing eight runs in 11 2/3 innings. In his last start, he settled down after giving up five in the first inning, and he’ll try to continue that form, without the bumpy first, as he and the Rangers visit Oakland. He’ll be opposed by A.J. Griffin who is also very available but has also struggled lately. The upside with Grimm over Griffin is his strikeouts. Even while struggling, Grimm has been able to contribute K’s with 31 in his 28 2/3 innings so far this season.

May 1, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (47) throws a pitch during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during the game at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric P. Mull-USA TODAY Sports

Trevor Bauer-Cleveland Indians: (0.6%) Bauer is my “long-shot” pick meaning he won’t count against my stats but he’s the best option under 1% owned. He comes up for Cleveland to start the second game of the double-header with the Yankees. He’s made two starts for the Tribe this year with his most recent a solid one-hit, five-inning outing in Philadelphia. Bauer needs to cut down his walks as he comes into this start with 13 walks in 10 MLB innings but only three hits allowed. Walks could prove costly against the Yankees, but he’s worth a shot based on the way Cleveland’s been hitting and the way he threw his last start in the Bigs.

Past Performance