It’s June, so the waiver is lacking the top-tier strikeout pitcher we all desire in our fantasy baseball lineups.
However, don’t be too concerned with those high strikeout, low ERA guys. Now’s the time to pad your roster with pitchers still languishing on the waiver wire who can contribute in a couple of categories for your fantasy baseball team.
Here are three pitchers currently on the majority of waivers wires who can produce for your fantasy baseball team. Be careful with these pitchers, though. It may be a bumpy ride.
Jimmy Nelson, Milwaukee, SP
Nelson is still owned in less than 50 percent of fantasy baseball leagues on ESPN.com, so don’t delay in adding him to your fantasy baseball roster.
He’s logging innings, ranking 12th in MLB with 72 innings so far this season. During those innings, he’s producing. He owns a 2.88 ERA, has 59 strikeouts and five wins to his name. His WHIP isn’t extraordinary, but it’s still good at 1.17.
The biggest knock against Nelson is his 28 walks, which ranks 11th worst among starting pitchers.
However, the other numbers are enough evidence that should excite you about his prospects. What makes it even better, is that Nelson’s numbers aren’t terrible in his short career.
He has averaged a 7.45 strikeout-per-nine-inning average to go along with a career ERA of 3.92. Last year, in his first extended season as a starter, he managed a WHIP of 1.29 and tallied 11 wins.
He’s still young and he’s improving. He’s an easy pickup with solid upside.
Michael Fulmer, Detroit, SP
Is this the real Michael Fulmer? If it is, then fantasy baseball owners snatching him off the waiver wire will feature a stronger starting staff in the coming weeks.
Fulmer has dominated in his last two outings, going for 14.2 innings with 14 strikeouts compared to only two walks. He’s issued only seven hits and one earned run in that time period.
That’s the kind of production the Tigers expected when they brought up the rookie this season as a starter. During his Minor League career, he managed almost nine strikeouts per nine innings to go along with an ERA of 3.27, which was even better against future Major Leaguers in Double-A.
If this is the Fulmer we can expect for the rest of the season, then he will be a major coup for any fantasy baseball owner. However, he’s still a rookie, and the beginning of his season left a lot to be desired.
In his previous four starts, he never got out of the fifth inning, and allowed three or more earned runs in three of those starts. The one bright spot, though, is that he was still striking out hitters, going for six strikeouts apiece in three of four of those games.
Temper your expectations with Fulmer, but his ceiling is higher than most still on the waiver wire.
Matt Wisler, Atlanta, SP
I’ve talked about Wisler before, so I can’t believe I still see him on the waiver wire. More than 70 percent of leagues on ESPN.com don’t have Wisler on a fantasy baseball roster.
That’s incredible to me. He’s been about the only good thing about the Braves so far this season.
He’s a solid add for any fantasy baseball roster, because he’s been logging plenty of innings and keeping his ERA down in the process.
In the month of May, he started six games. Never once did he go less than six innings, and he went for seven innings or more in four of those games.
His record is awful, but that’s because the Braves’ offense is atrocious. He’s only 2-5 on the season, but his ERA is a solid 3.16 and his WHIP is in the top-tier level at 1.01.
His strikeouts aren’t going to “wow” you, but he did muster seven strikeouts apiece in three of his last four starts. More importantly, though, is that he’s surrendered two or fewer walks in six straight starts.
He’s not elite, but he’s definitely good enough to take up a spot on your fantasy baseball roster. Pick him up now before the rest of your league figures that out.
