Robby Snelling leads this week's fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, showcasing impressive stats with a 1.86 ERA and 44 strikeouts. Managers should consider him and other promising pitchers for immediate and long-term value.
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Robby Snelling (61) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at Clover Park. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Starting pitching depth can disappear quickly in fantasy baseball, making the waiver wire a critical tool for managers chasing wins, strikeouts, and ratio help. Robby Snelling headlines this week's top pitching pickups, joined by several upside arms who could provide immediate value or long-term stash appeal.
Snelling has been dominant in three of his six minor league starts this season, allowing zero runs over 16.0 innings with 30 strikeouts in those outings. On the year, he's 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA, 0.897 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts, numbers that align with an exceptional AAA track record: 9-3 with a 1.46 ERA, 0.983 WHIP, and 132 strikeouts over 98.2 innings across 18 career starts at that level.
He capped his last minor league stint in style, tossing five no-hit shutout innings with just a walk and nine strikeouts. The Marlins called him up today (5/8) for a Friday night start in Miami, which means fantasy managers in quick-add leagues should pick him up before he takes the mound tonight. His performance there will go a long way toward determining his value in leagues where he can't be added until Sunday.
Robby Snelling has a 1.86 ERA, 0.897 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts in six minor league starts this season.
In his minor league career, Robby Snelling has recorded 132 strikeouts over 98.2 innings across 18 starts.
The waiver wire is crucial for fantasy baseball managers to acquire players who can help improve their team's performance, especially in pitching depth.
Robby Snelling is currently rostered in 61% of fantasy baseball leagues.
The Knicks are on a six-game winning streak and lead the 76ers 3-0, eyeing the NBA Finals!
Mark Vientos shines with a homer and double as Mets top Diamondbacks 3-1!
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Didier Fuentes (72) pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the sixth inning at Truist Park. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
After working out of the Braves' bullpen over the past 10 days, Fuentes had found his way into the free agent pool in many shallow leagues. Over his last four appearances, he allowed one run, two hits, and two walks over 5.2 innings with five strikeouts and a win. His ERA (4.26) with Atlanta still needs some work, but Fuentes had a winning WHIP (1.184) and plenty of strikeouts (16) over 12.2 innings.
As a swingman in the seventh starting pitching slot on a fantasy roster, he has the skill set to post winning stats, especially if Atlanta lengthens out some of his appearances. The goal with Fuentes is to pick up a vulture win every two weeks, while hoping he snags a dozen or so starts over the back half of the year. I see an asset, but I live on a fantasy island.
Next week, Rea lines up for double starts on the road against the Braves and White Sox, which won't scream must play in shallow formats. Other than his poor showing against the Dodgers on the road (six runs, six hits, a home run, and four walks over 3.1 innings with four strikeouts), he has pitched well since returning to Chicago's starting rotation (4-0 with a 2.56 ERA, 1.200 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts over 31.2 innings).
For fantasy teams looking to make up wins and some strikeouts, Rea will be there for the taken in most 12-team leagues this week.
For fantasy managers willing to take an upside flier on a buy-and-hold arm, Rodriguez is worth a look. He's expected back in the majors within the next couple of weeks to fill the rotation spot vacated by Yusei Kikuchi, who is out for the season.
His most recent signs are encouraging. In a rookie ball start Tuesday (5/5), Rodriguez looked like the ace he was once projected to become, allowing one run on five hits over five innings with no walks and seven strikeouts on 72 pitches (50 strikes). His major league resume has always been a mixed bag, a strong 20-8 record and 259 strikeouts over 238.2 innings across 43 starts, but an ERA of 4.11 and WHIP of 1.291 that fell short of expectations. If the command shown Tuesday carries over, there's real upside to chase here if Rodriguez can stay healthy.
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joe Boyle (36) pitches during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. | Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images
Any pitcher with command issues, paired with a shoulder injury, brings risk when returning to the mound. Boyle pitched well over his first two starts for Tampa (3.18 ERA, 0.882 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts over 11.1 innings) before getting lit up by the Cubs (five runs, four hits, one home run, and three walks over 4.1 innings with three strikeouts) and landing on the injured list.
Boyle returned to a AAA mound on Wednesday, leading to two shutout innings with no hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. He threw 31 pitches with 20 going for strikes. His average fastball (98.1 mph) aligned with his first appearance with Tampa. His ceiling remains high if Boyle continues to show better command.
He is worth a flier for the pitching-challenged teams. The Rays ruled out Ryan Pepiot for the season, and they placed Steven Matz on the injured list this week with what appeared to be a minor left elbow issue.
The Padres called Canning up to start last Sunday, and he delivered a solid debut (one run, three hits, a home run allowed, and three walks over five innings with seven strikeouts). He takes the mound again tonight (5/8) against the Cardinals at home, with a road matchup against the Brewers to follow next week. Fantasy managers should use tonight's start as a gauge before committing to him in 12-team leagues.
His minor league track record offers both promise and pause. Over five AAA appearances, Canning went 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.667 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts over 15.0 innings, but walks were a persistent problem (12 free passes), and his pitch counts peaked at just 68 in the minors before bumping up to 73 in his first MLB start.
His final AAA outing was his best (no runs, four baserunners, and four strikeouts over five innings). The walk issue isn't a new issue; in 2025, he posted a solid 3.77 ERA over 76.1 innings but surrendered 4.1 walks per nine, which dragged his WHIP to 1.376. Until the command tightens, that remains the central risk.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Robby Snelling & 5 More Waiver Wire Pitchers to Target in Fantasy Baseball.