Fantasy Baseball 2018: 3 Pitchers to add off waivers

With just six weeks left to the fantasy baseball season, here are three pitchers worth adding to your playoff-bound team.

The fantasy baseball season is winding down. There are just six weeks left. As teams are looking to make a push for the playoffs, streaming pitchers is more prevalent. Owners are even adding middle relief pitchers to bolster their ratios and strikeout totals. Which three pitchers should you look to add?

The MLB roster expansion starts on September 1. With teams looking to build deeper bullpens and shorten the outings of their starting pitchers, you may not see many pitchers going deep into games. Playoff teams may even start using six-man rotations to keep everyone healthy.

However, there are a couple of starting pitchers that have a role with their current team that are not owned in many leagues. There is even one closer with no competition getting the saves for his team that deserves to be owned as well.

Honorable Mention: Edwin Jackson, German Marquez, Trevor Hildenberger

Mike Fiers, OAK

Fiers got a huge value boost when he was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He joins a competing team and a very pitcher-friendly park in the Oakland Coliseum. Fiers has pitched well in his first two starts so far.

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In 11.1 innings, he has a 2.38 ERA, 0.882 WHIP, 13:0 K:BB and a 2-0 record. Fiers has had good control all season, allowing just 26 walks compared to 100 strikeouts. He’s recorded seven quality starts in his last nine appearances.

Fiers will make his next start on August 20 against the Texas Rangers. This lines Fiers up for another good outing with a few strikeouts, a quality start and possible win. He’s owned in 31.4 percent of ESPN leagues.

Anthony DeSclafani, CIN

DeSclafani doesn’t have the best season-long numbers but you’re not adding him for that. Those numbers are in the past. You are looking towards the future and DeSclafani’s potential.

Now, let me talk about his past performances. In his last three starts, he has three straight quality starts and pitched at least seven innings in each one. DeSclafani has a 16:2 K:BB ratio and 0.83 ERA in that span.

DeSclafani isn’t a big strikeout guy, a career 7.5 K/9 but does limit free passes with a 2.4 BB/9. The Cincinnati Reds offense is hitting .258 with 14 home runs and 55 runs scored. DeSclafani may not get you a win (he has two in his last three starts) but the quality starts are more likely.

DeSclafani makes his next start on August 23 against the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs offense looks a bit stifled.

Jose Leclerc, TEX

I mentioned Leclerc earlier in the month after the Rangers traded Jake Diekman and Keone Kela. He is the clear-cut ninth-inning pitcher. If you are in need of saves, Leclerc is racking them up and is widely available.

Since the trade deadline, Leclerc has four saves, 0.00 ERA, 0.53 opposing batting average and an 11:1 K:BB ratio. The Rangers have one of the worst records in baseball, but Leclerc is still getting appearances.

He won’t get consistent saves like some of the league’s stop closers but he will add another two or three per week which could make a difference is any head-to-head or roto league.

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All three pitchers have had recent success with a high potential for the rest of the season. It’s good to build depth for the final weeks of the season instead of having to find a good matchup for streaming every day. Leclerc is one of the few true closers available on the waivers. All three pithcers can help owners in the final month.

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