With few days remaining in the regular season, streaming starters in fantasy baseball is the wise move in most situations. After all, it’s hard to predict the hitters who will thrive off a short time span, but there are several starters who have pitched well of late or have favorable matchups in the final days of the regular season.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups
Trey Yesavage, SP, Blue Jays, 23%: Yesavage enjoyed one of the most memorable debuts of the 2025 season when he struck out nine Rays across five-plus innings of one-run ball on Monday. The right-hander racked up a ridiculous 160 strikeouts in 98 minor-league innings this season, to go along with a 0.97 WHIP. Manager John Schneider has already committed to starting Yesavage on Sunday, and he will likely face the Rays next week. He should be added everywhere.
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Brandon Sproat, SP, Mets, 38%: Although Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong received more fanfare, Sproat deserves credit for his own successful arrival to the Majors. The right-hander has allowed three runs while striking out 10 across 12 innings in his initial two starts, and faced two teams (Reds, Rangers) who are highly motivated to claw their way into postseason berths. Sproat takes on the lowly Nats on Friday and will face a Cubs team next week that ranks 25th in runs scored since the All-Star break.
Connelly Early, SP, Red Sox, 29%: Early is yet another in a long line of youngsters who have enjoyed successful debuts of late, having posted a 0.87 ERA and 18:1 K:BB ratio across his initial two Major League starts. The youngster can be started in all leagues for a matchup against the Rays on Sunday, and next weekend, he may benefit from facing the Tigers at a time when they have nothing to play for.
Justin Verlander, SP, Giants, 43%: Verlander is a sneaky and nostalgic option for the final week of the season. After all, the 42-year-old could be making his final Major League starts and is scheduled for two favorable home matchups against the Cardinals and Rockies. St. Louis has scored the fewest runs of any team since the All-Star break and Colorado ranks last in runs scored on the road this season. Verlander has allowed one run in his past four starts and will surely want to go out with a bang before evaluating his options this offseason.
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Andrew Kittredge, RP, Cubs, 28%: Kittredge has primarily been deployed as the Cubs closer since Danny Palencia went on the injured list, earning saves in three of his past four appearances. He has also been effective of late, throwing 8.2 scoreless innings while logging a 12:2 K:BB ratio since August 29. Kittredge should continue to work the ninth inning during the final days of the season, making him one of several lesser-named closers who are sitting on the waiver wire. That list includes Jose Ferrer (36%), Shawn Armstrong (28%) and Jordan Leasure (13%).
Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants, 7%: The Giants lack power hitters in their lineup, which prompted them to call up Eldridge for their final push towards an unlikely postseason berth. The 2023 first-round pick is just 20 years old, but he already has enough power to have gone deep 25 times in 102 games across three minor-league levels this season. Eldridge struck out often in the minors and could have a bumpy road as he adjusts to Major League pitchers, but is still worth a look for those in deeper formats who could use a homer or two during the final days. It helps that the Giants have a favorable hitting schedule in the final week that includes matchups against plenty of ineffective starters on the Cardinals and Rockies.
Jung Hoo Lee, OF, Giants, 37%: Managers who are looking for a more reliable hitter than Eldridge — or those who need runs scored, steals and batting average — should instead target Lee. He will bat leadoff in five of the team’s six games next week, and should reach base often against a collection of mediocre hurlers. Since the beginning of August, Lee has hit .295 with 22 runs scored in 39 games.
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Jake Meyers, OF, Astros, 6%: A calf strain that sidelined Meyers for almost two months interrupted a breakout season that has included a .303 average and 16 steals across 327 at-bats. He should find himself in center field for every remaining game, as the Astros push their way into the postseason. He will also benefit from a favorable schedule in the final week that includes matchups weak pitching staffs on the Angels and Athletics.
Dominic Canzone, OF, Mariners, 3%: Managers in deep leagues should consider Canzone for the outset of next week, as the Mariners will play three games against a beleaguered Rockies pitching staff. Sure, the contests won’t come at Coors Field, but Colorado hurlers have also logged a 5.42 ERA on the road. All three games will be started by righties, against whom the lefty hitting Canzone has logged an .873 OPS this season.
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