Is Griffin Canning or JP Sears the Better Long-Term Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Add?

After looking at some fantasy baseball waiver wire hitters, it's time to take a look at some waiver wire pitchers.

We won't cover any pitchers we discussed yesterday, and won't include streaming options from our daily story.

Check out the top fantasy baseball waiver wire options everyday on FantasySP. 

Should You Add Griffin Canning?

Canning was added in 9.52% of fantasy leagues today, bringing his overall mark to 52.3%.

Canning made a start on Monday against the Nationals, working five scoreless innings. He allowed four hits and three walks, but struck out five to work out of trouble.

That was Canning's sixth start of the season. He's now 4-1 with a 2.61 earned run average over 31 total innings. He's allowed nine runs on 29 hits and 14 walks, while striking out 31 batters.

Canning's ERA and WHIP (1.39) don't match up, and he's likely to regress as the season rolls along. However, he's pitching well enough to hold in deeper leagues, and that's what his own percentage suggests.

Canning has a career 1.34 WHIP, but a 4.66 ERA. In time, Canning's ERA is going to worsen if his WHIP stays around its current mark. His strikeouts are only slightly higher than his career mark, so those should pretty much stay the same moving forward.

I would be fine adding Canning in deeper leagues, but he's not a must-add player in my eyes. He's going to regress as the season rolls along, and will top out as a better deep-league option most of the season.

He can be started against weaker-hitting teams in all fantasy setups for the time being, but I'd be wary of starting him against better lineups. His next start should come against the Cardinals, and he'd be a good deep-league option for that start - I'd also be OK starting him in standard leagues.

Should You Add JP Sears?

Sears is up 7.62% today, bringing his overall mark to 48.23%.

Sears also started on Monday, working 5 2/3 innings against the Rangers. He allowed a run on five hits and no walks, while punching out seven.

He's also made six starts on the season. Sears is 4-2 with a 2.94 ERA. Sears has allowed 11 runs on 30 hits and six walks, while striking out 30 batters over 33 2/3 innings.

Sears has earned decisions in every start, which continues a trend from 2024. He went 11-13 across 32 starts, but also had a 4.38 ERA. His WHIP was 1.22 last season and is down to 1.07 this season.

In time, Sears is likely to regress a little, most notably in the ERA department. He's still striking out enough batters (and just more than his career mark) to remain a fantasy asset despite a little regression.

He's another good deep-league keeper at the moment - Sears could be a streaming option in standard leagues when he's facing weaker-hitting teams.

Sears is probably about at his peak level as a fantasy asset. I don't think he'll ever be worth holding in standard leagues, unless he's got several favorable starts in a row.

His next start should be against the Marlins, which sets up very favorably for Sears. He can be utilized in all fantasy leagues for that outing. Sears might start against the Yankees in the start after that, and he'd just be a deep-league option in that one.

Play matchups with Sears for as long as he's pitching well. Regression is coming, so be wary of starts against good opposing lineups.

Should You Add Andrew Heaney?

Heaney is up 5.14% at the time of publication, bringing his overall mark to 75.77%. He will make a start on Monday against the Cubs.

While that might not be a very favorable matchup for Heaney, his work so far this season is why fantasy owners are utilizing him. In five starts, Heaney is 2-1 with a 1.72 ERA across 31 1/3 innings. He's allowed six runs on 18 hits and six walks, while striking out 31 batters.

You don't need me to tell you regression is coming. His 0.77 WHIP is way below his career 1.25 mark. He has a career 4.37 ERA as well.

Heaney has been especially good of late, not allowing a run across 13 1/3 innings against the Nationals and Angels in his last two starts. He's allowed five hits and two walks, while punching out 13 in those games.

The Cubs aren't the Nats or Angels though, so Heaney will have a bit tougher test tonight. He's pitched well enough this season to be trusted with starts in deeper leagues, but I wouldn't be too excited to start him in standard leagues.

If you are all about playing surging players, then Heaney is a guy to utilize tonight. I'd temper my expectations a bit, especially because he's opposing Shota Imanaga on the mound.

Should You Add Ryan Gusto?

Gusto is another streaming option on Tuesday. He's up 4.26% and is sitting at 16.92% overall. He'll start against the Tigers.

Gusto is getting his first taste of the big leagues this year. He's made three starts across seven total appearances. Gusto is 3-1 with a 2.78 ERA, allowing seven runs on 21 hits and four walks over 22 2/3 innings, while striking out 23 batters.

He's made starts against the Angels, Padres and Blue Jays over his last three appearances. He went four innings against LA, then five frames against San Diego and 5 2/3 innings against Toronto.

Gusto has allowed three, two and then one runs in those starts, allowing 16 hits and just two walks along the way. He struck out six batters in two games and just two in another.

Detroit is a pretty solid matchup for a fantasy starting pitcher, but Gusto is a bit below-average streaming option at this point. He's got a decent fantasy floor, but a lower fantasy ceiling.

He's done enough in his last three outings to utilize in some deep fantasy leagues, but I'm not as crazy about starting him as some fantasy owners seem to be. There might not be better options in those leagues, so I get it at least.

I'd sum it up best probably by saying to only use Gusto in a pinch.

Should You Add Emilio Pagan?

Pagan appears to have emerged as the closer for the Reds. He's up 4.17% today and is now rostered in 53.79% of fantasy leagues.

On the season, Pagan is 0-1 with a 2.51 ERA. He's collected eight saves and one hold, while blowing one save. Pagan has allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks over 14 1/3 innings, while striking out 14 batters.

It looked like maybe Pagan had lost the closer role when he blew a save on April 17, then was used in the eighth inning of his next appearance on April 21. Alexis Diaz, the Reds' closer coming into the season, also returned on April 15, but Pagan has bounced back in his last four games.

Pagan has earned saves in each outing, while allowing just one run on a hit and a walk. He's struck out five over that short span.

For the time being, Pagan appears to be the favorite to earn saves in Cincinnati. He's worthy of a roster spot in deeper redraft leagues, but there's probably better options available in standard leagues.

The Reds aren't that good of a team, and aren't going to keep producing save chances for Pagan. His last four saves have come against the Marlins, Rockies and Cardinals, not exactly imposing opponents.

In time, Diaz could also win back the closer role, so that's another reason why I'd only want to roster Pagan in deeper leagues. I'd only add him in standard leagues if I had a roster spot to play with and needed some saves.