Nick Martinez and Stephen Kolek Among Friday's Top Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitcher Adds

After checking out some fantasy baseball waiver wire hitting options, let's now look into some waiver wire pitchers.

We won't cover anyone who appeared in waiver stories on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, and will also avoid discussing anyone who was in the daily streaming article.

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

Should You Add Nick Martinez?

Martinez is up 7.07% today, bringing his overall mark to 55.05%.

He started on Thursday against the White Sox, working seven scoreless innings on his way to a win. He allowed two hits and no walks, while striking out three batters.

The strong start lowered his season earned run average to 3.66. He's 2-4 across nine starts. Martinez has worked 51 2/3 innings now, allowing 22 runs (21 earned) on 49 hits and 11 walks, while striking out 40 batters.

Martinez has been pitching better of late. He hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his past five starts. Martinez is 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA in that span, and he's struck out 21 batters over 30 2/3 innings.

Martinez has a career 4.06 ERA, but has been under 3.50 the past three years, including a career best 3.10 mark in 2024. His strikeouts are slightly up, while he's shaved nearly a walk off per nine innings. Martinez's WHIP this season is 1.16, which is below his 1.31 career mark, but higher than his 1.03 mark from last season.

You can make the argument either way for Martinez - he could improve his numbers as the season moves along, or he could slightly regress.

He was a good fantasy asset last season, and I'm betting on him performing at a similar level the rest of this season. I'd be fine adding and holding Martinez in deeper leagues, then streaming him in standard leagues when the matchups are right. If he keeps pitching well, he'll become a hold option in standard leagues too.

Martinez has upcoming starts against the Pirates and Royals most likely, and those are favorable enough to start him in standard leagues, especially that start against Pittsburgh. Keep a very close eye on Martinez, because his own percentage could take off with a couple more strong showings on the mound.

Should You Add Stephen Kolek?

Kolek is a streaming option on Friday. He's up to 42.24% owned after a 5.88% increase today.

Kolek has started two games this season, and has yet to allow a run over 14 1/3 innings. He's earned two wins and struck out 11 batters along the way. Kolek has surrendered nine hits and four walks.

Kolek's first start came against the Pirates. He worked 5 1/3 innings, giving up four hits and two walks, while striking out four. Kolek tossed a complete game shutout against the Rockies last week, giving up five hits and two walks, and striking out seven.

This time around, Kolek will face the Mariners, who are another pretty solid matchup on paper. I wouldn't expect another shutout, but with how Kolek is pitching, I'd consider him in all fantasy leagues.

I'd definitely start him in deeper leagues in hopes that he can deliver another strong start. Kolek is a standard league streaming option too, and depending on your current matchup and team makeup, it might make sense to add Kolek.

He could start against the Blue Jays after this, so this might be a chance for a two-for-one streaming pickup in all leagues. We'll see if Kolek can keep things rolling.

Should You Add AJ Smith-Shawver?

Smith-Shawver is up 5.05% today and is now rostered in 75% of leagues overall.

He started on Thursday against the Nationals. Smith-Shawver allowed an unearned run on two hits and two walks over six innings, while striking out six.

Smith-Shawver hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his seven starts this season. The only thing holding him back as a fantasy asset was a lack of deep starts, and after covering five or more innings in five straight appearances, Smith-Shawver is emerging as a good fantasy asset.

He's mostly taken on weaker-hitting teams so far, so that's something to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to add him. He'll likely face the Nationals again in his next start, so he can at least be added and started in that start in all leagues.

After that, he could face the Phillies, which would be his toughest challenge yet. If Smith-Shawver excels in that start, he might be universally owned and kept for the remainder of the season.

So far, Smith-Shawver has a 3-2 record and 2.33 ERA across his seven starts and 38 2/3 innings. He's allowed 11 runs (10 earned) on 31 hits and 17 walks, while striking out 40 batters.

He only made six career MLB starts coming into this season, so we don't have much history to go back on. He's a highly-regarded prospect though, so this is at least a good sign for his career.

Smith-Shawver needs to be rostered in all deeper leagues, and most standard leagues too, especially considering his next start. He could be 100% owned in a hurry, so don't wait too long if you are interested in acquiring him.

Should You Add Matt Sauer?

Sauer is rostered in just 6.82% of leagues, but he was added in 4.04% of leagues, so let's discuss him quickly.

Sauer has made one start across five appearances so far for the Dodgers. He's 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA across 15 2/3 innings. Sauer has allowed five runs (four earned) on 11 hits and three walks, while striking out 10 batters.

LA has some injuries to its rotation, so several guys are getting chances to log some innings, and Sauer is one of them. His most recent appearance was a start against the Athletics on Thursday, and he worked out of the pen the four games before that.

Sauer allowed two runs on two hits and two walks on Thursday, while striking out two as well. He threw 68 pitches.

Two more of his outings went more than a couple innings. He tossed four frames against the Marlins on May 7, allowing an unearned run on a hit and walk, while striking out four. Sauer struck out four over five innings against Miami on April 29 - he allowed a run on five hits and no walks.

The Dodgers are expected to get Clayton Kershaw back soon, so Sauer's time as a starter might be running out. He's worth keeping tabs on in case he sticks in the rotation though - or even just functions as a long reliever once or twice a week.

Only add him in the deepest leagues, but he could be streamed against weaker-hitting teams if the dates of his appearances are known.

Should You Add Chris Paddack?

Paddack made a start against the Orioles on Thursday and tossed seven scoreless innings. He's up 5.2% and sits at 19.85% overall as a result.

Paddack allowed three hits and a walk over his seven innings against Baltimore. He struck out three along the way and picked up the win.

Across nine starts this season, Paddack is 2-3 with a 4.05 ERA. He's allowed 23 runs (21 earned) on 38 hits and 17 walks, while striking out 33 batters over 46 2/3 innings.

Since being tagged for 13 runs over his first two starts, Paddack has allowed just 10 runs in the seven starts since. That works out to a 2.06 ERA, and he has 29 punchouts over 39 1/3 innings in that span.

He's trending up as a fantasy asset, and is a deep-league keeper option now. Upcoming starts against Cleveland and Tampa Bay should allow Paddack to keep things rolling.

He can be streamed in deeper leagues for those starts, and he might even get some standard league attention for those starts. Paddack is definitely on the rise as a fantasy asset, so you might have to act pretty quickly if you want to add him to your team.