Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups - Week 25

Three weeks to go! If your playoffs haven't already started, I bet they're about to! That or you're in the heat of the final couple weeks of deciding the champion in roto. Regardless, good luck to you over the last three weeks here!

It's been a fun time writing this piece every week, and I hope I can drill home a few more good picks to help some people win their championships.

Let's talk about another handful of arms to consider for the season's last 20 games.

Pickups for Shallow Leagues

Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers (33% Rostered)

The lefty will finish the year feeling pretty good about his 2021 campaign. Although it lacked consistency, he definitely established himself as a Major League arm with big upside. He posted strong K:BB ratios all year long and had some really excellent stretches.

He may be wearing down a bit right now, as he has looked pretty bad in his last two outings. He gave up six earned runs to the Athletics and then lasted only three innings against the Pirates, giving up four hits and two earned runs. This might be the plan going forward, to just not let him get very deep into games, but we can't say for sure.

What we do know is that Skubal is a very solid arm that has upside in any start. He will face the Rays coming up this week, which could work out very well for his strong 26.5% K% and 7.7% BB%.

Ranger Suarez, Philadelphia Phillies (55% Rostered)

He has seen his ownership climb wildly in the last week, going up by more than 15 percentage points. That is because he's allowed just seven runs over his last 32 innings (six starts). He has struck out 31 batters over that time, so he's not even hurting your team's strikeout total (or rate).

He is probably the top guy to look at here, as he sets up great for a start against the Cubs next week. Give him a serious look, because Suarez is looking like a well above average starter in the league right now.

Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox (17% Rostered)

A 30.2% K% and a 5.4% BB% would be stuff you would expect from like Max Scherzer or Walker Buehler, but Houck has been doing that all year long. He's looked incredible at times. He recently through five scoreless innings against the Indians while striking out seven and giving up just three hits.

The problem with Houck is that the Red Sox are likely to keep his pitch count down. After two starts where the count exceed 90, they yanked him before even getting to 70 pitches in that Cleveland start. That's pretty alarming stuff. If you can't even throw 80 pitches, you're not going to be in line for many wins or quality starts - and those matter in most leagues. There is the chance that he gets to push over 90 pitches again, and that would make him a fantastic option for this start coming up against the Mariners.

Pickups for Deeper Leagues

Carlos Hernandez, Kansas City Royals (45% Rostered)

Six shutout innings against the Orioles on Thursday made his 2021 season look even better. He now has a 3.29 ERA over his 76.2 innings with 70 strikeouts and 34 walks.

He does not have the best "stuff", as evidenced by his lower than average 11.7% SwStr% and 10.5% BB%. That makes him a less than safe bet in any given start. He also has a below-average matchup next week against the Athletics. I would much rather have a guy like Suarez, but Hernandez is a fine option if you're really hurting.

Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers (24% Rostered)

It was a bad start for Boyd last time out against the Reds, giving up five earned runs in our innings. However, for the year he has a strong K:BB ratio of 67:23. He has also limited homers to a much greater extent than he did over the last couple of seasons. He's given up just nine homers in his 78.2 innings, which is very encouraging.

The matchup next week lines up to be the Rays, who have struggled quite a bit against lefties this year. They are certainly a better offense against lefties with Nelson Cruz and Wander Franco joining the team mid-season, but they are still very much beatable. I don't love Boyd, I don't think I ever will again, but he's a useful arm if you're really needing someone.

Josiah Gray, Washington Nationals (18% Rostered)

He gave up 12 earned runs in two starts to the Phillies and Mets, but for the year his swing-and-miss stuff has been great. He has an elite 15.4% SwStr% for the year with a lower than expected 25.8% K%. His ground-ball rate is an issue, however, at 33%. He's given up a ton of homers.

The good news is that he will face the Marlins next week, and that is a lineup that doesn't hit too many home runs. I think he's a great bet to get you some strikeouts next week if that's what you really need. He is especially useful in leagues that use a strikeout rate category like K/9.

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