Jon Gray is the only ‘must’ this week, if he’s even available to you.
• 1 min read
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 no more 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 14: Sleeper hitters | Two-start pitchers
Check back Sunday for the latest updates.
Sleeper pitchers for Week 14 (July 4-10)
 TEX Texas • #22 • Age: 30 The popular breakout pick seemingly put it all together in June, to the point it no longer matters so much what the matchup is. With a 2.39 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 10.5 K/9 in his past six starts, Gray is perfectly advisable against the Twins. |
 TB Tampa Bay • #59 • Age: 29 After missing his last turn due to a family medical emergency, Springs returns Tuesday for a plush matchup against a Reds lineup that had trouble just making contact against the Braves over the weekend. His changeup still features plenty of swing-and-miss. |
 MIL Milwaukee • #26 • Age: 24 Ashby’s return from a mild forearm injury this weekend doesn’t go as hoped — and against the same Pirates lineup he’s scheduled to face this week. We’ll chalk it up to rust, though, given his penchant for both strikeouts and ground balls. |
 CIN Cincinnati • #21 • Age: 22 Greene’s past three starts have been terrible, and my confidence in him has worn thin. The fact I’m including him here should indicate how uninspiring this week’s crop of sleeper pitchers is, but he’s still capable of contributing 15-plus strikeouts in a two-start week. |
 SF San Francisco • #57 • Age: 31 Wood has been a head-scratcher all year, with the underlying numbers (in particular his 3.36 xFIP) suggesting he should be far more successful than he’s been. It’s the justification for using him in a two-start week, especially since one of them is against the 21st-ranked Diamondbacks offense. |
 CLE Cleveland • #34 • Age: 27 Plesac is riding a stretch of six straight quality starts, and his whiff rate has actually been respectable in the past two, possibly because of increased slider usage. You’re still playing with fire by using him, but having two starts against bottom-five offenses (Royals and Tigers) makes him potentially just as rewarding. |
 HOU Houston • #65 • Age: 27 Urquidy seems to be settling in as a league-average pitcher after being hyped as more early in career, but he’s currently enjoying his best stretch of the season with three straight quality starts. The Royals always make for a decent matchup. |
 KC Kansas City • #23 • Age: 38 Greinke’s fastball velocity was up nearly 2 mph in each of his first two starts back from a flexor strain, and they were arguably his best starts of the season. He still makes for a big roll of the dice in a two-start week, but his lengthy track record of success earns him some benefit of the doubt. |
 CHC Chi. Cubs • #28 • Age: 32 Three of Hendricks’ past four starts have been strong and one has been a disaster, which kind of sums his past two seasons. When things go wrong for him, they go really wrong, and seeing as one of his two matchups this week is the Dodgers, the chance for disaster is heightened. Still, if you’re a sucker for volume, you might be tempted to try it. |
|
TB Tampa Bay • #57 • Age: 26 My original choice to round out my sleeper pitchers for Week 14 was Michael Lorenzen, but after his latest disastrous outing this weekend, I knew I needed to find someone, anyone, to replace him. So, uh … Drew Rasmussen came back from the IL over the weekend and looked decent over 4 2/3 innings. He still has a 3.30 ERA on the year, and his matchup against the Reds is favorable. Good enough? |
