Fantasy Baseball: Week 6 Waiver Wire Starting Pitchers

For fantasy teams looking to build pitching depth, multiple arms are positioned to increase in value by moving into the starting rotation soon.

Los Angeles Dodgers Starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

For fantasy teams looking to build pitching depth, multiple arms are positioned to increase in value by moving into the starting rotation soon.

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Starting Pitchers

Tony Gonsolin, Los Angeles Dodgers

After tracking Gonsolin's progress for multiple weeks, the Dodgers finally called him up. He allowed three runs over six innings with six hits, no walks, and nine strikeouts against Miami, putting his name front and center in the starting pitching pool this week.

Tony Gonsolin, Nasty 88mph Slider. 😼 pic.twitter.com/aJEB1vUnah

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 30, 2025

When at his best in 2022, Gonsolin went 16-1 over 24 starts with a 2.14 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 119 strikeouts over 130.1 innings. His fastball (93.0 mph) remains about league average while relying on a plus split-finger pitch, followed by a slider and curveball.

With Blake Snell having a setback with his left shoulder issue and Los Angeles losing Tyler Glasnow to a similar problem, Gonsolin will have some length to his starting chances, even when Clayton Kershaw returns from the injured list.

Lucas Giolito, Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox gave Giolito five rehab appearances between AA and AAA in April, but his right arm didn’t look major league ready (10 runs, 18 hits, 13 walks, and 17 strikeouts over 17.1 innings). In his 2025 major league debut on the road against the Blue Jays, he served up a pair of home runs, but Giolito looked improved (three runs, five hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts over six innings).

Boston has him lined up for double starts next week (TEX and @LAA). I expect him to be up and down out of the gate, and his fastball (93.2 mph) came in below his best year (2020 – 94.4) with the White Sox.

Gunnar Hoglund, Athletics

Over 40 starts in 2022 and 2023, Hoglund underachieved in ERA (4.27) compared to his success in WHIP (1.14) over 191.1 innings with 165 strikeouts. His second ride at AAA this year led to an uptick in success (2.43 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts over 29.2 innings). In his major league debut on Friday night, he allowed a run over six innings with six hits, no walks, and seven strikeouts.

Gunnar Hoglund's 3Ks in the 4th.

6Ks thru 4 pic.twitter.com/lAGSH3AYSL

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 3, 2025

His fastball is about league average while relying on a slider, changeup, and sinker as his secondary pitches. The Blue Jays drafted Hoglund 19th overall in the 2021 June Amateur Draft. Improving arm with winning command, but Hoglund isn’t a slam dunk to be an edge for fantasy teams.

Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox

Since his disastrous start (11 runs, 12 baserunners, and two home runs over 2.1 innings with one strikeout), Houck has been a winning fantasy pitcher. He posted a 3.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over 18.0 innings with 19 strikeouts. On the downside, Houck still doesn’t have a win. His ugly ERA (6.38) and WHIP (1.47) will keep more fantasy teams away, leading to lower free agent bids.

Steven Matz, St. Louis Cardinals

The sharps in the 15-team high-stakes market have been on Matz for a couple of weeks, but he remains in the free-agent pool in 99.0% of 12-team leagues. In his last outing, Matz threw a season-high 73 pitches over four innings with six hits, no walks, and six strikeouts. His shutout streak stands at 7.1 innings with eight baserunners and nine strikeouts. He continues to use the same rotation of pitches – four-seamer, changeup, and curveball, followed by a show-me slider.

Matz doesn’t have a clear path to start, putting him in the buy-and-hold category in shallow leagues. From 2017 to 2024, he made 165 appearances in the majors with a losing ERA (4.54) and WHIP (1.351). Lefties tend to have nine pitching lives, so ride him with care and foresight.

Joe Boyle, Tampa Bay Rays

Stash List Monitor

Joe Boyle
6’8” RHP
AAA TBR

5.2 v Jacksonville
6 IP 3H 0R 0BB 10K
21 whiffs!
Leaning on 99 FF, 92 SL w sharp 3” break
Amazing display of command, 76% strike rate.

Littell pitched a solid game 5.3 to save his spot but Boyle is showing his best self pic.twitter.com/gRt17O4AGE

— YGM Fantasy Baseball (@YGMfantasy) May 4, 2025

The impressive development of Joe Boyle continued in his last start at AAA. He tossed six shutout innings with three hits, no walks, and 10 strikeouts. Six games (all levels) into his career with the Rays, Boyle has a 1.45 ERA, 0.774 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts over 31.0 innings. I would keep his number on speed dial in shallow leagues, as Tampa has fixed his command issues.

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