Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The waiver wire can be a gold mine for fantasy players who are looking to boost their pitching statistics. On just about any day, there is sure to be a starter or three just waiting to be scooped up who can help lead a fantasy team to the promised land. In today’s slice of fantasy baseball advice, let’s take a look at some hurlers who should be in for a solid day on the hill on May 26 and are quite possibly available on a waiver wire near you.
Now hurry up and grab one of these pitchers before some other cagey owner gets to them first. (Ownership percentages based off ESPN standard leagues)
Tyson Ross, San Diego Padres (80.1 percent): 80 percent owned is a pretty high number to call a guy a streamer, but a lot of people unsurprisingly flooded the waiver wire to grab this guy yesterday. That has resulted in a big spike in his ownership, but there is still a chance of grabbing him today if you’re lucky.
Ross has been bringing his “A” game to the park in his last four starts, as his ERA sits at a tidy 1.29 in that span. He’s also struck out 29 hitters in those four contests, making him an even more valuable asset. Look for continued success today against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who not only rank 26th in baseball with 3.73 runs scored per game, but have managed just 11 runs in their past six contests.
Tanner Roark, Washington Nationals (15.9 percent): Even including his seven-run stinker against the Philadelphia Phillies, Roark has been great in his past six starts with a 2.60 ERA. In fact, his ERA at home this season is a dazzling 1.01, and it just so happens that Nationals Park is where he’ll be pitching today.
He faces off against the Miami Marlins this afternoon, and though they have far exceeded expectations as a team, they have really struggled on the road. Their record is an abysmal 6-17 away from Marlins Park, which isn’t surprising when you consider that they score just 3.43 runs per game on the road as compared to 5.57 at home. Roark makes for a very strong option today, and it might be a good idea to make him a cup of coffee and keep him on your roster for a while going forward.
Brandon McCarthy, Arizona Diamondbacks (2.7 percent): We have seen some really awful performances from this Arizona hurler, but we’ve also seen brilliance out of his arm. In his 10 starts to this point, McCarthy has allowed five earned runs or more four times, yet has given up two earned runs or less on five occasions. Considering the opponent today, another notch in the ‘good start” column seems likely.
He gets the San Diego Padres at home this evening, and they rank dead last in baseball at 3.14 runs scored per game. They’ve also struck out the 10th-most times as a team in road games, and with McCarthy’s strong 8.03 K/9, that could be a recipe for a big statistical day. There’s always a chance for another blow-up, but my money is on a strong start for McCarthy tonight.
Brian Davis is a fantasy sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @SportsGuyBrian, ”Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
