Whether the beginning or end of the season, every MLB team can never have too much pitching. The same is true in fantasy baseball.
The stars will be the stars and are must plays whenever they're on the mound. But finding value off of the waiver wire can be crucial to finding fantasy baseball success. While there won't be many Cy Young candidates, there are still pitchers in prime positions to succeed. The key is evaluating those pitchers and deciding who is worth a pickup.
Week 6's list features three pitchers and an outfielder worthy of fantasy baseball attention. Adding them now ensures they're on your roster before any of your league mates. And that timing could be crucial come playoffs.
Every player on this list is owned in 20 percent or less of ESPN fantasy baseball leagues.
Bryce Elder, Braves
The Atlanta Braves were hit with a devastating blow when Spencer Strider was ruled out for the season. Atlanta is counting on players such as Bryce Elder to help fill his production in the rotation.
In his first start of the 2024 season, Elder looked more than capable of picking up the slack. Facing the Miami Marlins, the left-hander threw 6.2 innings of scoreless baseball with four strikeouts and no walks. While he allowed eight hits, Elder still found a way to stop any Marlin from crossing the plate.
Elder is coming off an All-Star season in 2023. Over 31 games, he held a 12-4 record with a 3.81 ERA and a 128/63 K/BB ratio. Over his 42 games with the Braves, Elder has pitched to a 15-8 record with a 3.56 ERA and a 179/86 K/BB ratio.
With the Braves in sudden need of pitching, Elder has a fast track to remaining in the rotation for the remainder of the season. If that's the case, he makes for a premium addition on the Week 6 waiver wire.
Albert Suarez, Orioles
While Elder is the new kid on the block, Albert Suarez is the elder statesman. His rise may not have been as expected, but Suarez is proving to be a valuable starter for the Baltimore Orioles.
Through his first two starts – encompassing 11.1 innings – Suarez has thrown to a perfect 0.00 ERA with a 9/2 K/BB ratio. The Orioles won both games.
Prior to 2024, Suarez hadn't pitched in the major leagues since 2017. Back then, he held a 4.51 ERA over 40 appearances with the San Francisco Giants. However, the right-hander reinvented himself overseas. Playing in the KBO during the 2022 season, Suarez held a 2.49 ERA and a 159/50 K/BB ratio over 30 games.
Suarez will be one of the riskier additions on the waiver wire in terms of long-term success. There's no telling how long his momentum will stay positive. But fantasy baseball is all about taking gambles. Suarez makes for a fine one off the Week 6 waiver wire.
Wilyer Abreu, Red Sox
Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu is the only non-pitcher on Week 6's list. However, his performance thus far has certainly warranted some waiver wire intrigue.
Through 22 games, Abreu is hitting .309 with two home runs, 11 RBI and four stolen bases. With seven doubles, the outfielder holds an impressive .500 slugging percentage to go alongside a .885 on base percentage. With just four more RBI, Abreu will already surpass his output from 2023, in which he appeared in 28 games.
Aiding his offensive numbers is the fact that Boston has been slotting Abreu at the cleanup spot in their lineup. Over the Red Sox's last six games, Abreu has hit cleanup five times. The only time he didn't was when Rafael Devers was in the lineup.
Devers' injury, alongside Trevor Story's has elevated Abreu's importance in Boston's lineup. As long as he keeps producing, Abreu is a strong fantasy baseball addition.
Hector Neris, Cubs
When it comes to rostering closers, draft day is usually your best day. Teams usually know who will be handling the ninth inning, and therefore fantasy baseball players have an easier decision on which ones to draft. But when a closing situation changes, the waiver wire is your best friend. If the new closer holds the role all season, he could provide high value without costing a precious draft pick.
Hector Neris now has that opportunity with the Chicago Cubs. Adbert Alzolay opened the year as Chicago's closer. However, he has already blown four saves. Craig Counsell decided it was time to take Alzolay out of the ninth inning.
Neris has now seemingly taken over the closing job for the Cubs. He holds three saves overall on the season, including on back-to-back days on April 24 and 25. It's a clear sign that Neris has control over Chicago's bullpen.
He will need to limit his walks, that has been a problem for Neris in 2024. But he has a strong track record from his time with the Houston Astros and his new opportunity with the Cubs points to Neris being a strong waiver wire addition entering Week 6.
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