If you’re into streaming pitchers or simply have a hole to fill in your lineup, Scott White has 10 recommendations for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. They’re no substitute for some of the universally rostered pitchers, of course, but these are the best you’ll be able to do off the waiver wire.
- Week 19: Sleeper hitters | Two-start pitchers
All information is up to date as of Sunday evening.
Sleeper pitchers for Week 19 (Aug. 8-14)
OAK Oakland • #19 • Age: 28 A trip to Minute Maid Park to end the week may expose Irvin’s fly-ball tendencies, but he begins the week against a bad Angels offense at home, where he’s been money. It’s also worth pointing out he has a 2.03 ERA in six starts since the beginning of July. |
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MIA Miami • #60 • Age: 25 After four mostly excellent starts against weak opponents (Pittsburgh twice and Cincinnati twice), Garrett’s recent breakthrough will be put to the test against the Phillies and Braves this week. At this point, you almost have to use him with two starts, even if the matchups are challenging. |
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KC Kansas City • #51 • Age: 26
The strikeouts came back down for Singer last time after back-to-back double-digit efforts, but he still has an impressive 3.25 xFIP for the year. A two-start week is difficult to pass up, even if one is against the Dodgers. |
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Take out the one start that preceded his IL stint for shoulder inflammation and Stroman has a 2.97 ERA for the year. He’s been money since returning, allowing two earned runs across 20 1/3 innings, and faces the Juan Soto-less Nationals this week. |
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CIN Cincinnati • #40 • Age: 24 The injury-ridden prospect appeared to be coming into his own with back-to-back dominant efforts against the Marlins and Orioles, but then hit a speed bump Brewers over the weekend. The Cubs offense rates more like the first two, giving Lodolo another chance to pile up whiffs with his breaking ball. |
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SF San Francisco • #57 • Age: 31 Wood is coming off a disastrous start against the Dodgers, but the Dodgers have a way of doing that. He had a 1.65 ERA in July, has a 3.29 xFIP for the year, and will be facing the Pirates among his two starts this week. |
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TOR Toronto • #16 • Age: 31 The Blue Jays have severely limited Kikuchi’s pitch count in his first two outings back from a neck strain, but the results have been great, with him allowing two earned runs while striking out 10 over nine innings. We can hope for more of the same with favorable matchups against the Orioles and Guardians this week. |
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PHI Philadelphia • #44 • Age: 34 Most anyone is a favorable play against the Marlins right now, but particularly someone with the capacity to work deep into games like Gibson. He faced the Marlins a couple turns ago and allowed one earned run in six innings. |
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CHW Chi. White Sox • #47 • Age: 36 Though Cueto gave up 11 hits last time, he also went eight innings and still has only once allowed more than three earned runs all year. No clue how he’s doing it, but it’s gone on long enough that I’d expect it to continue against a team like the Royals. |
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WAS Washington • #40 • Age: 24 Gray has fallen victim to home runs more recently, but he remains an excellent swing-and-miss pitcher who’ll be facing off against a strikeout-prone Cubs lineup this week. Expect a rebound performance. |