Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Top Starting Pitcher Streamers for Thursday
Breaking down the best pitcher pickups and streaming options based on matchups and early-season performance.
Instead of one fantasy baseball waiver wire story today, I'm going to do two. The first one here will be focused on pitchers only.
Check back in a bit for the hitter waiver wire article. Also be sure to check out our waiver stories from Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Fantasy baseball waiver wire options can be found all season on FantasySP!
Steven Matz - Tampa Bay Rays
Matz is up 10.88% today as he prepares for a start. He's owned in 44.41% of leagues overall.
Matz will be making a start against the White Sox today - enough said. Seriously though, that's a very good matchup, so it shouldn't surprise you to see him on the rise.
In his first three starts, he's been stellar. Matz is 3-0 with a 3.94 earned run average, allowing seven runs over 16 innings. He's given up 10 hits and five walks, while striking out 17 batters.
He's done well enough early on to try in most deeper leagues, and if you add in that great matchup, I'd be happy to fire up Matz today. He's a standard league streaming option as well, but not a must-add pitcher because of the so-so ERA.
Keider Montero - Detroit Tigers
Montero has been added in 6.6% of leagues so far, which brings his overall mark to 15.27%.
Montero will get the ball against the Royals on Thursday afternoon. That's a solid matchup on paper.
Across his first two starts, Montero is 1-1, but with a 1.74 ERA. He's allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks. Montero has struck out 10 batters over 10 1/3 innings.
His upside might not be crazy high, but he's posted some solid fantasy numbers overall. In a solid matchup, he's worth trying in some fantasy leagues. I like him only in deeper leagues though. Montero just hasn't shown enough to trust in standard leagues, unless you are truly desperate today.
Foster Griffin - Washington Nationals
Griffin has been picked up in 4.28% of leagues, and he sits at 19.31% overall.
Griffin will make a start on Thursday against the Pirates. That's an OK matchup on paper, but Griffin has delivered early on to be worth consideration.
Across three starts, he's 2-0 with a 1.76 ERA. Griffin has allowed three runs on 11 hits and six walks over 15 1/3 innings. He's struck out 12 batters along the way.
He's another guy who I really only like in deeper leagues today. If Griffin keeps delivering though, he could eventually be worth some more standard leagues starts. He just needs to prove himself a bit more first.
Braxton Ashcraft - Pittsburgh Pirates
Ashcraft is up 4.56% today, and sits at 75.37% overall now.
Asshcraft is the other half of the pitching matchup in the Nationals-Pirates game today. Washington is another pretty favorable matchup on paper.
Ashcraft has been good across his first three starts. He's 1-1, but with a 2.12 ERA over 17 innings. Ashcraft has allowed four runs on 12 hits and five walks, while striking out 20.
You should be able to see why he's rostered in more leagues than the other pitchers we've covered so far. His upside is a bit higher, so he's the best option we've covered, so far.
Landen Roupp - San Francisco Giants
Roupp has been added in 4.12% of leagues, which brings his overall mark to 36.58%.
Roupp will make a start on Thursday against the Reds. That's another solid matchup to target.
In his first three starts, Roupp is 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA. He's allowed eight runs (six earned) on 14 hits and five walks over 16 2/3 innings. Roupp has struck out 18 batters so far.
There's numbers to like in there, but also some ones that should scare you. I think that says he's a better deep-league option.
Parker Messick - Cleveland Guardians
Messick is also on the rise as he prepares to make a start. He's up to 84% or so right now, which is way higher than the 30% mark he started the season at.
Messick will face off against the Orioles on Thursday night. Baltimore is another OK streaming target.
Messick has been great to open 2026. In three starts and over 17 2/3 innings, he's allowed one run on 11 hits and five walks, while striking out 16 batters. He's 2-0 with a 0.51 ERA.
Messick is worth starting today more so because of what he's done, not because his matchup is stellar. He needs to be starting in all deeper leagues, and most standard leagues. Hold him until his numbers significantly drop off.
