Thursday Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Best Pitching Pickups for August 6

Let's go over some fantasy baseball waiver wire options to kick off Thursday! Here, we will look at some pitchers on the rise.

Check back in a bit for an article on waiver wire hitters!

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Martin Perez - Atlanta Braves

Perez has been added in 3.99% of fantasy baseball leagues so far today. He sits at 21.2% overall now.

Perez will make a start against the Marlins on Thursday evening. It's a solid matchup on paper, especially after Miami sold a bit at the trade deadline.

He's pitched well since returning from an injury, allowing three runs over three starts and 16 innings. Perez has 13 strikeouts in that stretch. He's 7-6 with a 3.24 earned run average over 21 appearances and 97 1/3 innings this season - he's struck out 75 batters.

Perez has been a pretty good fantasy asset this season, but remains a streaming option because of lower strikeout totals, and the missed time for the injury. I like the idea of streaming him in deeper leagues today for sure, and think he's also a solid standard league option on a short day of MLB action overall.

Yennier Cano - Baltimore Orioles

Cano is rostered in 9.68% of leagues, after being held in 4.63% two days ago.

He picked up a save on August 4, then got a hold after working the eighth inning in yesterday's game. He's 2-2 with two saves, two blown saves and 10 holds this season.

Across 39 2/3 innings pitched, Cano has 36 strikeouts and a 2.04 ERA, so he's pitched well enough to be worth some fantasy utilization, even though he hasn't earned a ton of saves.

With Cano getting occasional saves, he could see his own percentage rise a bit. Unless he's getting every save chance though, he's just a deep-league option. He's a guy to keep tabs on down the stretch though.

David Peterson - Chicago Cubs

Peterson is owned in 27.19% of leagues as he prepares to make a start.

He will make a start against the Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon. That's a pretty good matchup on paper, as Toronto's offense has struggled most of the season.

Peterson has fared a bit better since joining the Cubs. He's 3-1 and has a 4.36 ERA over six starts and 33 innings - Peterson has struck out 22 batters, so again, we have a low-strikeout pitcher.

With his so-so results on the mound, I'd only stream him in deeper leagues today, even in a solid matchup and on a short day. I just don't trust Peterson enough to try him in standard leagues.

Steven Cruz - Kansas City Royals

Cruz is up to 3.69% rostered, after being at 2.33% earlier this week.

He earned his third save of the season on Wednesday. Cruz has all those saves since July 22, and has pitched in the eighth or ninth innings in those outings.

Cruz has worked in 40 games overall this season. He's 2-3 with the three saves, one blown save and three holds. Cruz has pitched 42 innings, striking out 48 batters and posting a 4.29 ERA along the way.

He's getting a slight bump in fantasy value with some saves of late, but not completely locked into the closer role, Cruz is just a deep, deep fantasy league option. Keep tabs on him, but I don't see him being anything more than that the rest of the season.

Dustin May - Milwaukee Brewers

May has been scooped up in 3.97% of leagues, which brings his overall mark to 43.78%.

He will get his first Brewers' start on Thursday against the Pirates. It's a pretty solid matchup on paper.

May opened the year with St. Louis, making 21 starts and posting a 5-7 record with a 4.38 ERA. He has 106 strikeouts over 109 innings pitched. May has made two starts against the Pirates this season, combining for 11 1/3 innings in those appearances - he's allowed six runs on 13 hits and four walks, while striking out nine.

On a better team now, I like May a bit more, but he's still probably a better deep-league fantasy asset for the time being. On a short day, you can consider him in standard leagues, but I'd only feel really confident trying him in standard leagues.

Brandon Young - Baltimore Orioles

Young is up 3.92%, and is now rostered in 54.38% of leagues overall.

Let's end with another Oriole, this time, the starting pitcher for today's game against the Angels. That's a very good matchup on paper, and Young has pitched pretty well overall.

Across 18 starts, Young is 8-2 with a 3.31 ERA - that's more impressive when you factor in the Orioles' performance otherwise this season. Young has 85 strikeouts over 103 1/3 innings, or he'd be owned in way more leagues.

I like Young the most of any starting pitcher we've covered today. He's pitched well this season and has a good matchup, so he could shine today.