Week 5 Waiver Wire Targets
A weekly look at players widely available on waivers that deserve some attention
Pitchers - Shallow
Max Meyer, Miami Marlins (47%)
I think we’ve seen enough to say that Meyer should be 90%+ owned. But he’s still under 50%, so he goes on this post.
Matthew Liberatore, St. Louis Cardinals (15%)
One of the most surprising developments of the young season is how much Liberatore has improved. He has an above-average 12.7% SwStr% with a great 32.5% Ball%. He has retooled a bit, and he’s reclaiming some of that young lefty hype he had when he was coming up through the minors.
Landen Roupp, San Francisco Giants (27%)
He’s had some bad luck, and I really have trouble predicting what he’ll do from here on with the unique pitch he has, but I cannot deny the 31% K% he’s put up so far. And the walk rate is under 9% now, so that is a deadly combo.
Tylor Megill, New York Mets (54%)
Most leagues have added him by now, but he might be out there for some of you. He has pitched to an elite 1.09 ERA with a much worse (but still fine) WHIP at 1.26. He has not allowed a homer yet and has 30 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.
It’s going well for Megil. I don’t like the walk rate (10.2%), and he has a history of not being all that great at home run suppression, so there’s major regression coming - but maybe he’ll stay around a 3.25 ERA guy with a bunch of strikeouts. That would play.
Jack Leiter, Texas Rangers (55%)
He should be returning very soon, and we were very intrigued by the 25% K-BB% and 15.1% SwStr% he posted in his first two outings before that blister sent him to the IL. The upside is worth a pickup if he’s still available.
Hayden Wesneski, Houston Astros (43%)
The K% sits at 28%, and the walk rate is phenomenal (under 5%). He is still holding up with the 13.5% SwStr% and 33.9% Ball%, and I think he should be owned in most 12-teamers.
Andrew Heaney, Pittsburgh Pirates (25%)
He is top 20 in the league in SIERA with a 21% K-BB%. It’s tougher to believe in since we have seen Heaney be mediocre for so long, but he is pitching in a contract year, in an improved home ballpark, and he’s made a ton of improvement in the categories we like the most.
Gavin Williams, Cleveland Guardians (41%)
He showed us some of the upside we know he has early this week. There’s still too much talent to be left on the waiver wire in 60% of leagues.