With Week 21 of the 2026 fantasy baseball season starting up on August 24, it’s time for another set of pitchers to target on the waiver wire. Among the players on our list are a hard-throwing closer, and several starters to target for own for both this week and beyond.
Best Week 21 pitchers to target
- SP Kade Anderson (Mariners)
- SP Andrew Alvarez (Nationals)
- SP Shane Bieber (Blue Jays)
- SP Joey Cantillo (Guardians)
- RP Ben Joyce (Angels)
This is a tough week, as far as matchups are concerned. Some of the more readily available pitchers who would normally look good, like Bryce Elder and Will Warren, will face stiff competition at home this week. Elder will get the Dodgers on August 25, while Warren faces the Astros on that same date.
So, a more nuanced approach is correct here, for those who need pitchers to log innings.
We’ll start with Kade Anderson, who pitched well overall in his MLB debut on August 22. While Anderson conceded two home runs, one was able to see why the Mariners left-hander was so dominant in Double-A. He can throw strikes, command his stuff, and make it tough on hitters with his angle and pitch mix.
Assuming Anderson stays with Seattle for the remainder of the season, you should grab him.
Andrew Alvarez will face the Rockies at home on August 25. Alvarez’s pitched well this year, as the left-hander went five or more innings and allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last four outings.
Shane Bieber will get a softer matchup at home against the Royals this upcoming week. Joey Cantillo, who has struggled to go long in starts this year, will face the Angels in a road matchup.
Lastly, power reliever Ben Joyce is the man in the Angels’ bullpen. He did blow a save on August 22 against the Rangers. But with three saves since August 11, Joyce is among the league leaders in that category since that date and should be considered a must-own in all formats.
Overview of Week 20
Eric Lauer, on our Week 20 list, picked up yet another win against the Rockies this past week in Colorado. It wasn’t the cleanest game for Lauer and the Dodgers. But nonetheless, it was another hit.
Brandon Young didn’t pick up a win against the Rays this past week. However, he did pitch well on August 22 after he went just four innings against Tampa Bay to start the week.
Check out more of our fantasy baseball coverage, including our Week 21 hitters to target.