The air is starting to get a bit crisper (well, in the north at least). The real-life and fantasy trade deadlines have come and gone. September is almost upon us. The marathon of the 2023 MLB season has become a sprint to the finish, and right now is winning time for those of you lucky enough to still be in contention in your fantasy baseball leagues. With precious few weeks to shore up holes and make up ground in the standings, smart adds become even more important: Hit on an under-the-radar free agent, and fantasy hardware awaits; miss, and you’ll spend the winter wondering what if.
Luckily, our weekly waiver wire recommendations are here to help, with position-by-position looks are players you should consider snagging off the waiver wire. Next up: starting pitcher.
Fantasy baseball waiver wire: Week 25 starting pitcher targets
Ryan Pepiot, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Roster percentage: 20.1%
It’s safe to say that Pepiot’s spot in the Dodgers rotation moving forward is secure. As if Julio Urias’ absence and the news that Walker Buehler wouldn’t be returning this year hadn’t cinched that already, Pepiot went out and flirted with a perfect game in a win over the Marlins late last week, continuing to show much improved command from the guy we saw flash big-time potential back in 2022 (3.47 ERA in nine appearances/seven starts). The young righty has now allowed a 0.86 ERA and minuscule 0.52 WHIP over four appearances — two starts, and one as a bulk man following an opener — since coming off the IL back in August. When he’s commanding his fastball and changeup like this, he’s awfully tough to hit, and you know the Dodgers will give him every chance to rack up wins.
Edward Cabrera, SP, Miami Marlins
Roster percentage: 7.7%
Michael King, SP/RP, New York Yankees
Roster percentage: 7.2%
King had operated exclusively out of the bullpen in his New York career, but he was so good in the opener role — and the Yankees were so desperate for healthy, effective pitching — that the team has started stretching him out into a full-blown starter over the last few weeks. The righty has repaid that confidence big-time, throwing four shutout innings with five Ks against the Tigers and then following that up with five innings of one-run ball against the fearsome Astros last week. At this point, he’s stretched out enough to go five or six frames every time out, and we know from his success as a reliever just how effective his sinker/slider/changeup combo can be (especially when he commands his sweeper, which is always an opener question). Given how few compelling options the Yankees have for the No. 5 spot right now, they’re likely to ride this for the rest of the yaer, making King a sneaky add over the season’s final weeks.
Tylor Megill, SP, New York Mets
Roster percentage: 4.0%
Mets fans will likely categorize this under “too little, too late” given how dreadful Megill was to start the season, but the righty has turned it on over the last couple weeks, striking out eight in six one-run innings against the Rangers before holding his own against a red-hot Mariners crew a few days ago (5.1 innings, three runs, five hits, six Ks). His slider is cooking with gas once again, and if he retains the 95-96 mph fastball velocity he’s shown of late, this can work — especially with a tissue-soft schedule (Twins, Reds, Marlins twice) schedule ahead.
