Shane Bieber (SP, CLE) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 35% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber came out of his start in Boston on August 21 as a winner and is a hot name on the waiver wire. Bieber has allowed three earned runs or less in four consecutive starts and has struck out at least five batters in five straight appearances (seven of the last eight, too).

Bieber is 7-2 with a 4.36 ERA this season, but his ERA does not tell the whole story. A 3.02 FIP says a whole lot more, as he has struck out 76 batters and walked just 15 in 74 1/3 innings with the Tribe. He has a .364 BABIP and 70.8% strand rate this season, showing that he is pitching more like a SP3 than a streamer. 

Bieber will start on Sunday in Kansas City against the Royals (a great close to Week 21) and then will likely face the Rays in Cleveland next weekend. While this article is meant to plan for Week 22, Bieber is nearly a must-add for a start against the woeful Royals in Kansas City to close Week 22. As for his start in Week 22, a matchup at home against the Rays is enough to make him a solid streamer in deeper leagues.