Fantasy Baseball: Waiver Wire Pitching Pickups, 5/14/13

One of several good fantasy baseball starting pitchers from the waiver wire is Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jeff Locke (49) who here delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

As we look ahead to Tuesday, May 14, there are some very nice fantasy baseball options if you are looking for a starting pitcher from the waiver wire. The whole league is back in action after a light Monday, and there are five starters worth taking a look at if you need to bolster your pitching staff. These starters are available in over half of ESPN leagues but can help you take home wins this week. Here’s the five to consider:

Possible Pickups

Apr 27, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman (30) prepares to deliver a pitch against the Oakland Athletics in the sixth inning at O.Co Coliseum. The Orioles defeated the Athletics 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Tillman-Baltimore Orioles: (10.4%) Tillman and the Orioles host San Diego who is starting to hit a little better but is coming off a getting swept in Tampa. Tillman has four quality starts in a row allowing a total of six runs in 26 2/3 innings during that span. during that time he dominated solid lineups like the Jays and Angels, so he should be in for another good start on Tuesday. He’ll be opposed by Andrew Cashner who is also a popular pickup, but I’d rather face the San Diego bats at home by picking Tillman. His strikeout numbers haven’t been amazing but he’s won his last three starts to improve to 3-1 with a 3.76 ERA.

Jeff Locke-Pittsburgh Pirates: (5.1%) The Pirates’ lefty draws the Brewers at home in PNC Park coming off four starts in a row allowing three hits or fewer. Last time out he held the Mets to three hits and a run but received a no-decision as he lowered his ERA to 2.95. He has some rocky starts earlier this season, but Milwaukee has been mired in a slump and Locke has been gathering momentum making him a solid option for Tuesday. He’s also scheduled to bounce back for a second start this week.

Scott Kazmir-Cleveland Indians: (9.0%) Another left-hander, Kazmir looks to continue his renaissance with the Tribe as Cleveland faces off with the Phillies. Kazmir has allowed five runs in 17 innings in his last three starts and is coming off his best of the year. Last time out, he limited the Athletics to a run on five hits while striking out ten. He got his second win in a row for that performance and is 2-1 coming into Tuesday’s start. Amazingly, he’s still just 29 and may be worth a look in fantasy if he can keep producing.

Carlos Villanueva-Chicago Cubs: (20.6%) Villanueva has been a bit down over his last few starts after looking like he was on the path to universal ownership. Many owners have given up on him over his last three starts as he allowed three earned runs or more in each as his ERA rose to 3.02. Villanueva faces the Rockies on Tuesday, but gets them at Wrigley not Coors and will be opposed by the Rockis Jeff Francis who is just 1-3 with a 6.90 ERA. Villanueva should be able to return to his earlier form and limit Colorado making him worth a look if you need innings and possibly a win.

Feb 24, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher John Gast (76) pitches against the Boston Red Sox at Roger Dean Stadium. The Red Sox defeated the Cardinals, 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

John Gast-St. Louis Cardinals: (0.0%) My longshot pick that is universally available and won’t count against my total stats is John Gast who will make his MLB debut Tuesday against the Mets. Gast has been dominant at Triple-A starting the year with 32 straight scoreless innings and going 3-1 with a 1.16 ERA in his six starts. He has struggled with command in the past so nerves may limit him in this start but the was the Cardinals pitching staff is rolling this could be a case of the rich getting richer. Gast will be opposed by Dillon Gee of the Mets who is 2-4 with a 5.55 ERA.

Past Performance