Thursday's Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: Trent Grisham, Lawrence Butler and Three Streaming Pitchers

Let's go over a fourth fantasy baseball waiver wire story for the week!

We won't cover anyone who appeared in waiver stories on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

More waiver wire options can also be found on FantasySP.

Should You Add Trent Grisham?

Grisham is ever so slightly trending up today. He's rostered in 64% of leagues.

He homered twice on Wednesday night, and also homered on Tuesday during another two-hit performance. He has seven RBIs, four runs scored, no walks and one strikeout over the past two nights.

Grisham was hitless in the four games before that, but three homers over two games is always going to appeal to fantasy owners.

The outfielder is sitting with a .240 average and .348 on-base percentage across 134 games and 541 plate appearances this season. Grisham has 111 total hits, including 33 home runs, nine doubles and a triple - those numbers don't even seem possible. He also has 71 RBIs, 80 runs scored, three stolen bases, 73 walks and 122 strikeouts.

He's been hitting leadoff when a right-handed pitcher has started against the Yankees. Grisham started on the bench the last time a lefty was on the hill.

A note before we go any further: New York faces a lefty on Thursday, so Grisham might not get the chance to continue his home run streak.

Anyways, with big power numbers, Grisham is a pretty good fantasy hitter. His lower average and big strikeout numbers are what holds his own percentage down. Grisham being an outfielder also doesn't help his cause.

He should be rostered in all deeper leagues, at the very least. He's worth streaming in standard leagues when he's hot at the plate, like he is now.

You can probably wait to see if Grisham is in the starting lineup before picking him up today, if you are interested in streaming him. If he doesn't start, then keep in mind for a possible pickup on Friday.

I think he's worth starting/streaming until his hot streak at the plate runs out, and that goes for standard leagues too.

Should You Add Randy Vasquez?

Vasquez is up 4.13% as he prepares for a Thursday start. He's owned in 12.08% of leagues.

He will take the ball for the Padres in a matchup against the Mets. Vasquez has not faced them yet this season.

Vasquez has made 25 appearances, going 5-6 and covering 123 1/3 innings. He has a 3.72 earned run average, along with just 71 strikeouts. Vasquez has allowed 53 runs (51 earned) on 117 hits and 49 walks.

He's been good over his past three appearances, allowing five runs (four earned) over 15 2/3 innings. Vasquez has 16 strikeouts over that streak, while giving up 15 hits and one walks.

Vasquez started two games against the Rockies in that stretch, so things will toughen up going forward, starting with this matchup. The Mets might look like a somewhat favorable matchup on paper, but they are always capable of going off.

Vasquez has a nice ERA, but his strikeout work over the course of the season has lacked. Sure, he's pitched well of late, but this matchup isn't nearly as favorable. 

I wouldn't mind using Vasquez in a deeper league today, but I wouldn't call him a must-start pitcher in those leagues. I'd look elsewhere for standard league help.

Should You Add Lawrence Butler?

Butler is up 3.31% and sits at 78.81% overall.

He's been in a pretty good groove at the plate of late. Dating back to August 25, which is 19 games and 75 plate appearances, Butler has a .313 average and .387 OBP.

He has 21 hits in that stretch, including three home runs and a double. Butler also has nine RBIs, 11 runs scored, three stolen bases, eight walks and 22 strikeouts over that span.

It's been a disappointing fantasy season overall for Butler though. Over 144 games and 598 plate appearances, he has a .237 average and .310 OBP - he was at a .262 average and .317 OBP last season. Butler has 29 doubles, 20 homers and two triples among his 128 hits this year, along with 60 RBIs, 80 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 57 walks and 173 strikeouts.

A lower average and a big increase in strikeouts doesn't have him owned in any leagues. He's been trending in the right direction for a few weeks now, and that makes him a good fantasy asset in all setups.

The outfielder is worth adding and utilizing down the stretch, at least as long as he's producing a bit at the plate. I have to think he's outperforming an outfielder or hitter or two of yours of late. Give him an add for the last bit of the regular season.

Should You Add Stephen Kolek?

Kolek has been added in 1.98% of leagues as he prepares for a start on Thursday. He's rostered in 21.19% of leagues overall.

Kolek will start for the Royals against the Mariners. He faced Seattle while with the Padres on May 16 - Kolek took a loss after surrendering five runs on eight hits and a walk over five innings, while striking out four. Kolek allowed three homers in that one.

Kolek has been good in three appearances since joining the Royals. He has a 1-0 record and 1.83 ERA over 19 2/3 innings. Kolek has allowed four runs on 13 hits and two walks, while striking out 11 batters.

He's faced some weaker-hitting teams (Tigers, Twins, Guardians) in those three appearances, so don't let his numbers fool you too much. The matchup against Seattle is a bit tougher on paper.

Kolek has been a sneaky good fantasy asset of late though, so I understand wanting to stream him, and I'd be fine doing that. I'd only want to stream him in a deeper league though, as there's probably safer options available in a standard league.

Should You Add Tanner Gordon?

Gordon is another pitcher making a start on Thursday. He's sitting at 11% owned right now.

He will make a start against the Marlins today. That's the kind of fantasy matchup to take advantage of. Gordon hasn't faced them yet this season.

Gordon has made 13 appearances on the season, covering 66 innings along the way. He is 6-6 with a 6.14 ERA though. Gordon has allowed 49 runs (45 earned) on 83 hits and 16 walks, while striking out 55 batters.

While he has decent strikeout totals and wins in nearly half of his outings, his ERA and WHIP is rough, so he's not a very good fantasy asset, even in a good matchup like this. Of course, the really good matchup for a pitcher is the worst fantasy asset of the bunch…

Anyways, there's no chance that I'd be starting Gordon in a standard league. Take either of the two guys I mentioned already over him if you need a standard league streamer today.

Gordon can make some deep-league starts today, but I wouldn't feel super confident in him turning in a good score. The only glimmer of hope is based on his last appearance.

Gordon worked six innings and struck out nine Padres to get a win his last time out. He allowed just one run on two hits and a walk.

That was arguably his best start of the season, but with an ERA still that high after the outing, it shows how bad he's been otherwise. Starting him today is a risk. He has a low floor, and the chances of reaching his fantasy ceiling are pretty slim.