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Fantasy baseball owners are always looking for the next sleeper or big player from the waiver wire to help improve their teams. Every year there are starting pitchers who come out of nowhere to make a huge splash, and then there are guys who take a little bit longer to develop or round into form as the season progresses.
Below I will be discussing three starting pitchers who may be sleepers for your team and may still be available on your league's waiver wire, depending on the league format, including NL-Only and AL-Only leagues. The focus here is on deeper options to consider, to try and stay ahead of the curve and your fantasy competition. Good luck, RotoBallers.
Starting Pitcher Options for Fantasy Baseball
For some rookie pitchers to snag off the waiver wire, check out this awesome piece by Harris Yudin as well.
Danny Duffy - SP, KC (49% Owned in Yahoo)
![By Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://dev.rotoballer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Danny-Duffy-Kansas-City-Royals-MLB-News-150x150.jpg)
There has been no team in all of baseball that has been playing better than the Kansas City Royals over the last two weeks. Their surge into playoff contention can be attributed to their starting pitchers, and Danny Duffy has been a major bright spot for the team.
The Royals have given Duffy poor run support throughout the season, which is why he only has a 7-10 record despite having an impressive 2.57 ERA. Since July 19th, Duffy has given up more than one earned run in a start just once.
The most impressive aspect of Duffy’s season has been his dominance on the road. Over his last 30.1 innings on the road, he has allowed only nine earned runs, which equates to a 2.69 ERA over the stretch. Duffy is still available in roughly half of Yahoo fantasy leagues, and he should be picked up in all formats.
Mike Leake - SP, CIN (48% Owned in Yahoo)
After three straight mediocre starts in July, Mike Leake has turned it around, and he'll look to help the Reds make a push for a playoff start. From July 12th through the 23rd, Leake allowed 12 earned runs in just three starts. Since that stretch, he has gone 20.2 innings while only allowing three earned runs, which equates to a 1.33 ERA.
His strikeout total during those three mediocre starts was 11, while his strikeout total over his last three starts is an impressive 20. Besides allowing a few more walks, he has improved in all statistics and can be relied upon in all formats. Leake will look to further lower his 3.42 ERA on Wednesday against the Red Sox.
Roberto Hernandez - SP, LAD (7% Owned in Yahoo)
If fantasy owners are looking for a deep sleeper to earn a few wins, Roberto Hernandez may be the best option available. He made his Dodgers debut on Friday and registered a quality start. Although he ended up receiving a no-decision, fantasy owners can expect Hernandez to start notching up wins as he now plays for a team that has one of the best offenses in baseball.
In his last five starts (four of which were for the Phillies), Hernandez has allowed more than two runs once. He has not lost a decision since July 4th. He is still available in over 90% of Yahoo leagues, and at worst, he's a solid spot starter for fantasy rosters in all formats.
