Jack Leiter and David Festa Among Thursday's Top Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitching Adds

Thursday has arrived, which means it's time to go over our fourth set of fantasy baseball waiver wire stories of the week.

We'll check out pitchers first again today, but not cover anyone who appeared in stories on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Check back later for a waiver story on hitters.

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

Should You Add Jack Leiter?

Leiter is rostered in 50% of leagues as of the time this article was published. That's likely to grow on Thursday, and he's the probable pitcher for the Rangers against the Rays.

Leiter will be making his 10th start of the season in that contest. Through his first nine starts, Leiter is 4-2 with a 3.66 earned run average over 46 2/3 innings. He's allowed 19 runs on 33 hits and 23 walks, while striking out 36 batters.

He pitched pretty well in his final four starts in May. Leiter covered 23 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on 14 hits and 12 walks, while striking out 18 batters. He's coming off his second scoreless outing of the season.

The Rays are a solid team to target when looking at streaming pitchers. Leiter has pitched pretty well this season, so that makes him one of the better options, especially on a light day of MLB action. 

I think Leiter should be rostered, or at least streamed, in all deeper redraft leagues for his Thursday start. He faces the Twins in his next probable start after that, and he could probably be utilized the same way for that start, as long as today goes well for him.

I wouldn't mind streaming Leiter in a standard redraft league today. It comes down to how your matchup is going, but I think Leiter is a pretty safe option, with pretty good upside. 

Should You Add David Festa?

Festa is up 3.02% today, bringing his overall mark to 10.38%.

He was scratched from his Triple-A start on Wednesday and it now seems likely that he's going to start for the Twins soon, maybe as early as Thursday against the Athletics. He would be taking the place of Pablo Lopez, who suffered a lat injury.

Lopez is expected to miss 8-12 weeks with that injury, so this is a chance for Festa to shine and stick in the big leagues.

Festa made three big league starts earlier this season. Minnesota went 2-1 in those games, but Festa didn't earn a win or loss. He topped out at 4 2/3 innings, while at least reaching four innings in each start.

Festa allowed three runs (two earned) on 12 hits and five walks over 13 innings. He struck out 15 batters along the way.

Festa might be limited a bit because he's usually pulled well before he reaches 100 pitches, but his strikeout upside still makes him a good fantasy option. The Athletics aren't a bottom dweller on offense, but they also aren't elite, so that makes Festa a streaming option today.

I'd have no issues starting Festa in a deeper redraft league, but by no means am I calling him a must-start deep leaguer. Only utilize him if there's no other options available, or if you are trailing in your fantasy matchup and need to take a gamble on someone.

I'd expect another shorter start, maybe topping out at five innings. Festa will need to limit runs and rack up some strikeouts to post a good fantasy score if he only makes it five frames.

He could start against Texas in his start after this, so that's another favorable matchup Festa could be deployed in. He's a pitcher to keep very close tabs on, because he could stick in the rotation for several weeks, and maybe become a fantasy starting option every turn through the rotation.

Should You Add Grant Holmes?

Holmes will start for the Braves against the Diamondbacks on Thursday. He's up 2.64% today and is sitting at 58.2% overall.

He has appeared in 12 games this season, making 11 starts. Holmes is 3-4 with a 3.78 ERA over 64 1/3 innings. He's allowed 27 runs on 48 hits and 27 walks, while striking out 64 batters.

There's a lot to like in those numbers, and Holmes has been a steady fantasy asset of late. Over his past four starts, Holmes is 1-1, but with a 2.52 ERA over 25 innings. He's allowed seven runs on 19 hits and seven walks in that span, while punching out 24.

The matchup against the Diamondbacks is not a very favorable one, but on a light day of MLB games, Holmes is a streaming option. Holmes faced Arizona back on April 26, taking a no decision despite allowing six runs on five hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings. He allowed three home runs and struck out four batters.

I do not like this matchup for Holmes, even though he's pitched pretty well of late. I'd only consider starting Holmes in deeper redraft leagues on Thursday, and honestly would do my best to try to avoid him completely. If there's no better options available, and you are desperate for some fantasy help, then you could turn to Holmes, but that's a very risky proposition given the matchup.

Things get a touch easier in his next start against Milwaukee, but Arizona is not a team I'd want to try in fantasy.

Should You Add Landon Knack?

Knack is another streaming option on Thursday. He's rostered in 11.65% of leagues after a 4.04% increase today.

Knack has made six starts over his eight MLB appearances this season. He's covered 35 1/3 innings overall, allowing 20 runs (18 earned) on 35 hits and 13 walks, while striking out 34 batters. His 4.58 ERA is not great, but he has a 3-2 record and a good amount of punchouts.

The Mets are not the best team to utilize a streaming option against, but Knack has already turned in a good start against them this season. On May 25, Knack held New York to three runs (one earned) on four hits and no walks over six innings - he struck out five batters in that start.

Knack then held the Yankees to a run over six innings in his next start, so he's a bit more trustworthy than he looks. I'm honestly surprised he isn't owned in any more fantasy leagues after those two outings.

I'm still not a huge fan of starting Knack today, but I'd at least be willing to give him some streaming starts in deeper redraft leagues. Things still don't get easier in his next probable start, as he's lined up to face the Padres.

Tread carefully with Knack today, but if he turns in another good start, he could be heavily added, so he's a player to keep tabs on at least.

Should You Add Daniel Palencia?

Palencia is now rostered in 58.54% of leagues after a 1.63% increase today. He was under 5% rostered on May 21, so it's been a steady and quick rise for the Cubs' reliever.

He took over as the Cubs' closer on May 19, and although he blew the first chance he got, the team stuck with him. Palencia has five saves in his five appearances yet. He's been dominant too, allowing just one hit and no walks over five innings, while striking out six batters.

Over 19 appearances and 20 2/3 innings covered this season, Palencia is 0-1 with the five saves and blown save. He's recorded five holds and has 22 strikeouts. Palencia has allowed four runs on nine hits and seven walks.

Palencia has solidified himself as the team's closer since earning the role, and the team has no reason to take the job away from him with how he's been performing. 

Ryan Pressly was the closer to start the season, and while he's working high-leverage innings, it's Palencia that's getting all the save chances.

Porter Hodge is still on the injured list, and his return could complicate things for Palencia. I think the Cubs will stick with Palencia until his numbers fade though.

I'm in favor of adding Palencia in all redraft leagues. It's a bit risky to add him in standard leagues given we don't know if he'll hold the closer role all season, but the Cubs are a good team and are winning plenty, which makes Palencia a great fantasy option.

Scoop him up if you are in need of a fantasy reliever, or some saves. Even if it's just a short-term stint that Palencia is on your fantasy team, he should be a positive pickup for you.

Use FantasySP's improved AI Waiver Advice inside the Fantasy Assistant to see which waiver wire targets might fit your team best.