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With precious weeks remaining in the fantasy baseball season, roster management is even more critical than usual. Spring rankings are out the window; now it’s all about who can get your team to the finish line. And while everyone loves swinging a big trade to plug holes, but sometimes you just need a player who will give you a solid week of production — which is where our weekly pitcher streaming recommendations come in. Here are three guys we recommend targeting on the waiver wire.
Fantasy baseball waiver wire: Week 26
Pitchers to stream
Emmet Sheehan, Los Angeles Dodgers — Sheehan had a bumpy go of it last time out, coughing up five runs on six hits over 4.1 innings in a no-decision against the Nationals, but given all the turmoil in L.A.’s rotation right now his place is pretty secure — and his schedule this week is a dream. The rookie will match up against the Tigers and Giants, two of the worst offenses in baseball of late against right-handed pitching, both of them at home. Sheehan had allowed just three runs and 12 baserunners over 13 innings across his prior three appearances, and he’s a must-add for teams needing to add wins down the stretch.
Javier Assad, Chicago Cubs — After lasting at least five innings in six consecutive starts, Assad was roughed up against the Pirates in his most recent outing to the tune of four runs on five hits and four walks in just 3.1 innings of work. Prior to that, though, the righty had been a surprisingly reliable piece of Chicago’s patchwork rotation, with a 2.09 ERA over his previous six starts. With home matchups against Pittsburgh and the Rockies on tap, Assad stands a great chance of a bounce-back week.
JP Sears, Oakland Athletics — Sears conquered the fearsome Astros at Minute Maid Park over the weekend, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over six innings of work while picking up the win. That’s now two quality starts and three combined runs over his last three starts, and again, the schedule isn’t too daunting — with home dates (at the pitcher-friendly Oakland Coliseum) against the Mariners and Tigers, Sears could very well keep things rolling and notch a pair of quality starts.