2024 Fantasy Baseball: Pitchers to Target on the Waiver Wire (Week 22)

Can you believe it? The 22nd week of the 2024 fantasy baseball season has arrived. We’re just four weeks away from the conclusion of the MLB season. It’s a pivotal time for fantasy baseball players, as we’re into the home stretch for H2H and roto formats. So, which pitchers are worth a grab? Here’s a look at our recommended pitchers to target on the waiver wire for Week 22 of the 2024 fantasy baseball campaign.

Best pitchers to target for Week 22 of 2024 Fantasy Baseball

Here’s a look at the best waiver wire targets for Week 22 of the 2024 fantasy baseball season, based on availability (>= 50% availability in Yahoo! leagues):

We’ll start with Cody Bradford, who finished in the top 30 of the league in strikeouts during August. Bradford posted a strong 3.12 ERA over 34.2 IP last month and recorded quality starts in each of his last four outings.

The left-hander has a very nice arsenal, including a low-90s fastball — which plays up thanks to plus extension — and low-80s changeup, both of which he can play off of and control. His BB% rate of 3.7% on the season is pristine. We’ll see what happens over the final month with the Rangers rotation, as Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer could come back in September. But for now, Bradford is worth monitoring on a start-by-start basis.

Next up is Jeffrey Springs. Springs has rounded into form after a couple of rough outings. The lefty now sports an above-average 31.5% Whiff rate and in his last start against Seattle, he struck out nine over five innings. The changeup and slider have been excellent for Springs: both pitches are crucial, given his lack of velocity. He’s worth streaming in all formats.

Lastly, don’t ignore David Peterson. Yes, Peterson — who’s leveraged his sinker more than ever in 2024 — will pound the zone; his 48.3% Zone% is above the league average. And yes, his K% (17.9%) is a career low. But, very few pitchers have been better than the lefty over the last two months. Over his last 11 starts, just one saw him give up more than two runs. And among starters who threw at least 10 IP in August, his 1.86 ERA was 15th-best.

Peterson gets ground balls and limits damage. It’s as simple as that. He should be a good option over the final month.

As for the best relievers to target, Aroldis Chapman and Calvin Faucher have become solid options. We’ll start with Chapman, who grabbed a save for Pittsburgh on August 31, his fifth of the season. Chapman’s save is notable, given he nabbed the first one after David Bednar was removed from the closer’s role. Bednar, a two-time NL All-Star, owns a 6.32 ERA on the season.

Chapman himself isn’t a stable option. While the lefty has struck out 84 over 51.2 IP this year, he’s also walked 36 (6.3 BB/9), which has been par for the course for Chapman over the last three seasons. Still, it’s very difficult for hitters to make contact against Chapman, so long as he’s close to the zone.

Next up is Calvin Faucher, who’s stepped up after the Tanner Scott trade to the Padres. Faucher, who can mix it up with a hard sinker, cutter, and curveball, grabbed five saves in August and a sixth on September 1. He’s only owned in about 10% of Yahoo! leagues, and while the Marlins may not be a strong team, any saves can be meaningful down the stretch,

Porter Hodge is also another good option. Jorge Lopez, who we recommended last week, had a groin issue this past week and didn’t get into game action until August 31. That paved the way for Hodge to finish three games over the last week, a stretch that saw the 23-year-old notch a win and save. While Lopez looked like a strong option a week ago, Hodge might be a stronger one.

Be sure to check out which hitters we recommend targeting for Week 22.