Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 22

Just over a month remains of the 2019 season. Playoffs have already begun in some fantasy baseball leagues, but most of us are still fighting for position regardless of scoring format.

Pitching has been a bugbear for many owners in 2019. Hopefully, this column has helped you navigate the waters thus far and will continue to do so as we finish out the year.

A reminder before we begin: Our focus is on players who are below 50% owned in Yahoo leagues, and standard 5x5 scoring. Your mileage may vary, in terms of availability or league settings. Using that cutoff point for ownership rate, however, these are your starting pitcher waiver wire targets and adds for Week 22 of the 2019 fantasy baseball season.

Pickups for Shallow Leagues

Ivan Nova (SP, CHW) — 42% Owned

Nova's been on a hell of a run lately. Since getting blasted for six runs by the Royals on July 17, the veteran has made seven starts and allowed just five runs in 48 innings. That stretch includes complete game shutouts against the Marlins (that tracks) and Astros (BWAH?!), as well as a pair of wins over the Twins. This despite the fact that Nova has only struck out 25 batters. The worm is bound to turn eventually (perhaps as soon as Friday, when he takes on Atlanta), but Nova has earned the right to be featured in this space at this point.

Dinelson Lamet (SP, SD) — 35% Owned

Though his start against the Red Sox on Saturday was underwhelming, Lamet has mostly looked good since returning from Tommy John surgery. The 27-year-old has struck out 60 batters in just 46 innings, and allowed only two home runs in his last six starts after giving up four in his first three outings. He'll have a much easier assignment next time out - a road date with the Giants.

Adrian Houser (SP/RP, MIL) — 34% Owned

Houser has been one of the most popular adds on the Yahoo platform this week, after giving up just three runs and striking out 20 batters in his last 18 innings of work. Since rejoining the rotation, he's run a 26% strikeout rate and posted sparkling ratios (2.54 ERA, 1.06 WHIP). The 26-year-old will next toe the rubber on Tuesday against the Cardinals in a pivotal game for the Brewers, who are chasing St. Louis in the Central and multiple other teams in the wild-card race.

Pickups for Deeper Leagues

Jordan Lyles (SP, MIL) — 20% Owned

Lyles has been a bit of a roller coaster ride this season, but the journeyman has been mostly good since joining Milwaukee. After tossing six shutout innings against the Diamondbacks on Friday, he's allowed one or zero earned runs in four of his five outings with the Brew Crew and won three of those games. He'll follow Houser in the series against St. Louis.

Tony Gonsolin (SP, LAD) — 15% Owned

Gonsolin has made two starts since being promoted to the majors a week ago, and allowed just two runs in nine innings of work against the Braves and Yankees. He also threw six scoreless in a win over the Cardinals on August 5 and allowed one run in a four-inning save at Coors Field on July 30 (a game at which yours truly happened to be in attendance). His only other appearance in MLB this season came back on June 26, when he gave up four runs in a loss to the Diamondbacks. His performance against the Yankees on Saturday likely ensured that he'll get another start, which will give him the chance at a rematch with the Snakes in Arizona.

Homer Bailey (SP, OAK) — 12% Owned

Since imploding against the Astros in his first start after the A's acquired him from Kansas City, Bailey has logged quality starts in three of five outings (and fallen one out shy of a fourth). While the veteran's overall numbers still look rather ugly, he has allowed just one run while striking out 15 batters in his last 13 innings. That includes a dominant effort against the loaded Yankees. He's in line for two starts this coming week, the first of which is against his hapless former team on Monday.

For Your Radar

Jacob Waguespack (SP/RP, TOR) — 4% Owned

Who is this guy? Not many can say they know, but after tossing seven shutout innings against the Dodgers, he's a bit less anonymous. Turns out that effort was the 25-year-old's fourth consecutive start allowing two runs or fewer, and he's won three of those.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers