You'll find more strikeout sources than volume plays on the waiver wire this week
By Scott White Apr 17, 2026 at 9:42 am ET • 1 min read 
Streaming pitchers isn't for the faint of heart, but if you find yourself without enough reliable options in a given scoring period, it may be what you need to stay afloat. Scott White has 10 recommendations for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. Generally, only the top two or three are full-throated endorsements, while the rest are more about making the best of a bad situation.
Be sure to check back Sunday for the latest updates.
Sleeper pitchers for Week 5 (April 20-26)
Mick Abel P MIN Minnesota • #20 • Age: 24 Matchups at NYM, at TB Rostered 63% Mick Abel struck out 10 over seven shutout innings in his last start, and while a week will have passed by the time he takes the mound again Tuesday, it puts him in line for two turns. His fastball is one of the best in the game at generating whiffs, so as long as he keeps the walks under control, he could be in for a breakout season. 
Reid Detmers SP LAA L.A. Angels • #48 • Age: 26 Matchup at KC Rostered 52% Unlike Abel, Reid Detmers will get a chance to follow up his seven-inning gem over the weekend, but provided that goes well, his next turn lines up against a Royals team that ranks near the bottom of the league in runs scored. Detmers has long been a Fantasy tease, but he's added a changeup this year that's quickly become his best pitch and is learning to lean on it more and more. 
Ryne Nelson SP ARI Arizona • #19 • Age: 28 Matchup vs. SD Rostered 78% The Padres matchup is nothing special, but the bottom line is that Ryne Nelson shouldn't be available enough to qualify for this list. He's been a WHIP standout since the second half of 2024 and, for the leagues where that matters, is one of the best starting pitchers with relief pitcher eligibility. Now that he's bounced back from a bumpy start, you should probably be using him. 
Bryce Elder SP ATL Atlanta • #55 • Age: 26 Matchups at WAS, vs. PHI Rostered 77% Some tweaks to his slider have made it a more effective pitch and positioned Bryce Elder as a competent bat-misser to go along with his existing ground-ball skills. He's sporting a 0.77 ERA going into a two-start week, which should be good enough for you to overlook the difficult matchup against the Phillies. 
Kodai Senga SP NYM N.Y. Mets • #34 • Age: 33 Matchup vs. MIN Rostered 76% A jump in velocity has helped Kodai Senga recapture his former bat-missing glory, but walks and home runs remain an issue. The reward would seem to outweigh the risk, though, against an unimpressive Twins lineup that's due for a downturn. 
Spencer Arrighetti P HOU Houston • #41 • Age: 26 Matchup at CLE Rostered 53% Spencer Arrighetti's return to the majors Wednesday came with an acknowledgment that his secondary offerings are the key to his success. Heavy curveball usage led to him striking out 10 against the Rockies (albeit with four walks and two hit batters), and the Guardians lineup that he'll be facing this week is similarly vulnerable. 
Reynaldo Lopez RP ATL Atlanta • #40 • Age: 32 Matchups at WAS, vs. PHI Rostered 74% Reynaldo Lopez's latest start against the Marlins was his worst one, but it only raised his ERA to 2.18. He's come back from an injury-marred season with less velocity and is allowing more contact than anyone would like to see, but so far, that contact has been weak enough to make him a success. Here's hoping it'll continue for another week. 
Eduardo Rodriguez SP ARI Arizona • #57 • Age: 33 Matchup vs. CHW Rostered 47% After sporting a 0.50 ERA through three turns, Eduardo Rodriguez came back to earth in his latest one due to his changeup, an early standout, reverting to its earlier shape. It's worth holding out hope in him regaining that changeup, though, against a bottom-feeder White Sox lineup. 
Rhett Lowder SP CIN Cincinnati • #25 • Age: 24 Matchups at TB, vs. DET Rostered 49% While lacking in strikeout ability, Rhett Lowder has the look of a competent innings-eater who generally throws strikes and limits damage. He's exactly the sort of pitcher worth streaming in points leagues whenever he's in line for two starts. 
Max Meyer SP MIA Miami • #23 • Age: 27 Matchups vs. STL, at SF Rostered 53% Max Meyer has yet to deliver a start of much significance in Fantasy, but his slider, which he's featuring more than any other pitch, has been a nightmare for opposing hitters, generating a 56 percent whiff rate. He'll get two chances to make good on it this week, and the matchups are pretty favorable. Join the Conversation comments 
