With fantasy baseball playoffs right around the corner — or for some players, starting right now — it’s a critical time, to say the least. For Week 22, our fantasy baseball waiver wire target list includes a rising closer, two multi-start options, and two starting pitchers with increasing value.

Best Week 22 pitchers to target

• SP Bryce Elder (Braves)
• SP Clay Holmes (Cubs)
• SP Jacob Lopez (Athletics)
• RP Mason Montgomery (Pirates)
• SP Cal Quantrill (Rangers)

Bryce Elder starts off the list. Elder will get the Giants on August 31, a makeup game for both San Francisco and Atlanta. He’ll then line up against the Phillies on the road later this weekend.

Elder is one of two two-start options on this list, which also includes Clay Holmes. Holmes will have a tough assignment against the Brewers, lining up against Kyle Harrison on the 31st. He’ll likely face the Marlins on the road this season.

It’s a toss-up between which pitcher is the better option. Elder, on paper, will have the easier assignment on the 31st. But nothing is guaranteed, especially for two pitchers who lean towards pitching to contact.

Jacob Lopez, quietly, has been one of baseball’s best starters over the second half thus far. Through eight starts, Lopez struck out 53 over 43.2 IP and went at least five innings in all of his starts in that span, sans one. The left-hander will get the Rangers on September 2.

Speaking of the Rangers, Cal Quantrill continues to quietly eat innings for Texas. Quantrill, as of August 30, is up to three straight quality starts, and now has a tidy 3.01 ERA this season. He won’t strike out a ton of batters (he has 68 over 89.2 IP) but still has value.

Lastly, the Pirates’ late-inning spinner wheel has now landed on Mason Montgomery. The hard-throwing lefty has earned high-leverage spots this season, thanks in large part to his ability to net strikeouts and avoid significant damage. Montgomery is now up to six saves on the season, with his most recent coming on August 30.

Overview of Week 21

Another weird week for Joey Cantillo, who was on our Week 21 list.

Cantillo had a high WHIP this week, and he only struck out one batter against the Angels on the 26th. However, he only gave up two earned runs in a no-decision.

Shane Bieber went on the IL, so that was a wash. Ben Joyce‘s ERA took a hit this past weekend when Sammy Peralta surrendered a grand slam to Edmundo Sosa against the Phillies, after the left-hander inherited runners from Joyce. Given how things have gone for the Angels this season,

Joyce, despite the plus stuff, is just not one of those high-demand relievers in fantasy right now.

Andreas Alvarez did not net a win in two starts. However, he struck out six over six scoreless innings on the 30th, good enough to win. Alas, that did not happen.

Check out more of our fantasy baseball coverage, including our Week 22 hitters to target.