Are Colin Rea and Matthew Liberatore Waiver Wire Adds in Standard Fantasy Baseball Leagues Now?

After checking in on some fantasy baseball waiver wire hitters to possibly add, let's now go over some pitchers.

We won't cover any pitchers who were part of the daily streaming article.

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

Should You Add Colin Rea?

Rea is the top fantasy baseball waiver wire add at the time of publication. He's up 8.84% today, bringing his overall mark to 58.84%.

Rea has been really good across six starts and nine total appearances in 2025. He's 3-0 with a 2.48 earned run average. Rea has allowed 11 runs (10 earned) on 35 hits and nine walks over 36 1/3 innings, while striking out 29 batters along the way.

He has made his six starts over his last six appearances. Rea is 3-0 with a 2.90 ERA over that span. He's struck out 27 batters over 31 innings.

Rea has had solid MLB results in the past. He has a career 4.42 ERA across 82 starts and 103 appearances overall. Rea averages 7.4 strikeouts and 2.2 walks per nine innings, and sits with a career 1.27 WHIP.

He's likely to regress as the season moves along, but the Cubs are in a stretch where they face a lot of weaker offenses, meaning Rea's fantasy value is way up for the foreseeable future.

Rea's next two starts are likely to come against the White Sox and Reds. Chicago has the Rockies, Reds and Nationals after that, before things get a bit tougher against the Tigers and Phillies in early June.

Rea has pitched well enough this season to roster in most deeper redraft leagues. At the very least, he needs to be starting in deeper leagues when he's got favorable matchups, which he does for a bit.

Rea has also pitched well enough to stream in standard leagues for the next few turns through the rotation. I wouldn't be opposed to adding and holding him for the next few weeks because of all the favorable matchups.

He is unlikely to remain a standard league keeper all season, but is definitely trending up for now.

Should You Add Matthew Liberatore?

Liberatore is up another 5.05% today and is now rostered in 78.03% of leagues. 

He's been great across eight starts so far. Liberatore is 3-3, but has a strong 3.11 ERA across 46 1/3 innings. He's allowed 17 runs (16 earned) on 40 hits and seven walks, while punching out 42 batters.

This is his first true test as a full-time starting pitcher, and he's passing with flying colors so far. He's made starts against the Angels, Pirates (twice), Phillies (twice), Mets, Brewers and Reds so far, so it's not like he's taken advantage of super favorable matchups all year.

We've discussed him in these waiver articles before, and Liberatore just keeps posting good starts. He's definitely rosterable and deployable in deeper redraft formats right now. With the way he's pitched, Liberatore can be streamed in standard leagues at least against weaker-hitting teams too.

He's now crept into rosterable territory in standard leagues, and depending on my pitching situation, I wouldn't be opposed to adding Liberatore. His next two starts are likely to come against the Royals and Diamondbacks, but Liberatore has shown enough this season to trust in either matchup (at this point).

With no real history to go on, I wouldn't mind taking a gamble on Liberatore in case he's a season-long fantasy asset.

Should You Add Drew Pomeranz?

Pomeranz is barely owned in any fantasy leagues synced here at FantasySP. That's likely to change soon.

Pomeranz was traded from the Mainers to the Cubs on April 21, and he was called up by Chicago on April 23. Since then, Pomeranz has covered 7 2/3 innings, not allowing a run along the way. He has allowed just two hits and two walks, while striking out eight batters.

With his strong pitching, Pomeranz has worked his way into higher leverage situations. He earned a hold on May 10, then got a save on May 12.

Ryan Pressly has been serving as the team's closer, but is 2-2 with a 7.07 ERA this season. He's only struck out six batters over 14 innings, so he wasn't looking like a closer even. He gave up nine runs against the Giants on May 6, then worked the sixth inning in his next appearance against the Mets on May 9.

Porter Hodge had been functioning as the setup man most of the season for Chicago. He earned a save on May 10, but then allowed three runs in just 1/3 of an inning on May 11.

The struggles of Pressly and Hodge have opened the door for Pomeranz to maybe snag the closer role. Pomeranz is an MLB veteran, playing for seven teams over 12 years. 

Before this season, Pomeranz hadn't pitched in the big leagues since 2021. He was injured in 2022 and hasn't made it back to the MLB since. Pomeranz has a career 3.88 ERA across 297 appearances, which includes 140 starts.

Pomeranz averages 9.3 strikeouts and 3.9 walks over nine innings for his career, but could improve both those marks in a relief role. He's pitched well in relief this season, and might solidify himself as the team's closer with continued success.

The Cubs are a strong team this season, and as I mentioned above, they play a lot of bad teams over the next couple weeks. Chicago should do a lot of winning, so saves could come fast and furious.

If Pomeranz has taken over the closer role, he could quickly become a really good fantasy asset. Those of you in really deep leagues need to heavily consider adding Pomeranz after he earned his first save with the Cubs.

If he earns another save, a lot more of you deep-league owners should be adding Pomeranz. If he sticks in the closer role for a week or two, then standard league owners should consider adding him.

Things could come together quickly for Pomeranz and his fantasy outlook, so don't wait, otherwise you'll miss out on him. 

Should You Add Jordan Romano?

We'll wrap up with another reliever in Romano. He's up 2.77% and is owned in 24.23% of leagues overall.

Romano also earned a save in his most recent outing, so that's why he's on the rise too. Overall this season, Romano has three saves, two blown saves, four holds and an 0-1 record across 16 appearances and 14 1/3 innings.

Romano has allowed 15 runs (14 earned) for a 8.79 ERA, and he has 14 strikeouts. He's given up 18 hits and six walks.

His ERA is in rough shape, but he's unscored upon in five straight appearances. Romano has two saves and a hold over that span, while giving up just three hits and no walks. He's struck out five over five innings.

Philly hasn't had a locked-in closer all year. Jose Alvarado leads the team with six saves, but he doesn't have one across his past three appearances. He worked the eighth inning in his most recent appearance.

Matt Strahm has two saves on the season, but his last one came in extra innings. He worked the seventh inning in his last outing.

Romano has closing experience in the past, and was expected to lead the Phillies in that role this season. He hadn't pitched well enough to earn that role early on, but seems to have settled in now.

He's worth adding in some deeper redraft leagues in case he becomes the go-to closer. I personally think the Phillies will keep mixing and matching in save situations all season, so I think Romano will top out as a deep-league option. He's worth keeping tabs on, and we'll do so in each closer report we do here at FantasySP.