After focusing primarily on hitters in recent weeks, this article is full of exciting, young starters who could make a big difference down the stretch in fantasy baseball. It is unlikely that we will see an influx of pitching help in September, which means that wise managers will invest heavily in the hurlers listed below. There are also a few hitters who can provide immediate assistance.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups
Jonah Tong, SP, New York Mets, 40%: Tong is set to debut on Friday, which is a big deal considering that some analysts view him as the most talented starter who has yet to make his major league debut. The 22-year-old spent most of the season in Double-A but recently made a pair of Triple-A starts. Across 113.2 innings, his remarkable stat line includes a 1.43 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 179 strikeouts. Yes, you read that strikeout total correctly. Tong should have enough innings remaining in his projected workload to take a regular return in the Mets rotation down the stretch. And this is a team that needs a spark with a 17-20 record since the All-Star break. Tong should be rostered in virtually every league by the end of the day.
Parker Messick, SP, Cleveland Guardians, 19%: The list of young starters who are impressing down the stretch needs to include Messick, who has logged a 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 12:1 K:BB ratio across his initial two starts. In fact, the lefty is just the second pitcher ever to allow one or fewer walks and one or fewer runs while throwing at least six innings each of his initial two MLB starts. And if his memorable debut isn’t enough of a reason to add Messick right away, he is also expected to be a two-start pitcher this week. The combination of immediate help and long-term upside is too great to ignore.
Ian Seymour, SP, Tampa Bay Rays, 5%: After 12 relief outings, Seymour was dazzling in his first career start when he struck out eight Guardians while allowing one hit across five scoreless innings. I’ll rank him behind Tong and Messick for a couple reasons. First, Seymour may struggle to get to five innings in future starts, as he has not had a 70-pitch appearance this summer. Second, he struggled in a pair of long relief outings on August 15 and 19. Still, those who can’t land Tong or Messick can be happy with Seymour as a consolation prize with plenty of upside.
Shane Smith, SP, Chicago White Sox, 11%: Smith got off to a terrific start this season with a 2.37 ERA on June 10. He started to run out of steam and scuffled in his next five starts before getting a two-week break on the injured list due to a sprained ankle. Since returning, Smith has looked much more like the early-season version, posting a 2.63 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 24 strikeouts in 27.1 innings. I don’t see Smith as having the same upside as the less-proven players who precede him in this article, but he is still worth consideration in deeper formats.
Abner Uribe, RP, Milwaukee Brewers, 42%: The Brewers placed closer Trevor Megill on the IL on Wednesday, which should open ninth-inning opportunities for Uribe. There is a chance that a few relievers will share save chances, but Uribe will be at the front of the line and could get all of the opportunities. After all, the right-hander leads the Majors with 35 holds and has logged eye-popping statistics that include a 1.71 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 78 strikeouts across 63.1 innings. If treated as the full-time closer, Uribe would be a top-five reliever for the rest of the season.
Matt Shaw, 2B/3B/SS, Chicago Cubs, 44%: The Cubs chose to live with the growing pains of using Shaw as their everyday third baseman when he hit .198 with a .556 OPS in the first half. The move has paid off handsomely in the second half, with the rookie hitting .288 with 9 homers and a .984 OPS in 37 games. Shaw also has a helpful speed component to his game, having collected 15 steals this year. This is a great time to boost his roster rate above 50%, as the Cubs are in Coors Field this weekend before facing two teams next week (Braves, Nats) who rank 28th and 29th, respectively, in second-half ERA.
Carson Williams, SS, Tampa Bay Rays, 11%: Williams has shown the full range of his skill set by hitting .316 with a homer and steal in his initial 19 at-bats. And as someone who was prone to strikeouts in the minors, he has done well to collect just six whiffs thus far. There remains a chance that Williams strikes out too often to remain a fantasy asset, but he has tantalizing upside after collecting 23 homers and 22 steals in 111 Triple-A games this year. This is a good time to give Williams a chance, as he will face a weak Nats’ pitching staff this weekend before enjoying a seven-game week.
Matt Wallner, OF, Minnesota Twins, 9%: Wallner has swung a hot bat of late, having ripped four round-trippers in his past four games. The hot streak is no surprise, as the Twins have recently faced many right-handed starters and Wallner has a lofty career OPS of .911 against righties. The favorable schedule will continue, as beginning Saturday the Twins will face righties eight times over nine days. Wallner is an obvious add for those who need help in the power categories.
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