Every year, fantasy managers drool over early-round superstars, but the truth? Championships are won on the margins, with smart waiver wire pickups and late-round steals. These bargain bin pickups can build out any pitching staff if spotted early. While aces and closers steal the spotlight, savvy managers are able to fill out the rosters with under-the-radar starting pitchers. These players don’t come out and dominate every outing, but identifying the early streamers from the free agents to stash makes all the difference.
These are your 2025 pitching MVPs… that nobody saw coming.
Bargain Bin Pitchers in 2025 Fantasy Baseball
Nathan Eovaldi – Texas Rangers
• Must Roster
The 35-year-old vet is having the best season of his career. Eovaldi leads the AL with a 0.787 WHIP and a 1.60 earned run average, thanks in large part to a jaw-dropping 7.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He’s the rock in Texas’ rotation and a locked-in fantasy ace.
Kris Bubic – Kansas City Royals
• Buy & Hold
Bubic’s 1.45 ERA seems unreal considering his last full season in 2022 ended with a 5.58 ERA and a 3-13 record. His 36 percent hard-hit rate shows the improvement is legit. He’s become a midseason star for anyone who stashed him.
Carlos Rodon – New York Yankees
• Must Roster
After battling injuries through 2023, Rodon is back with a vengeance. He leads the AL with 5.1 hits per nine innings and his .161 opponent average is jaw-dropping. Add in his 31 percent strikeout rate, and you’ve got yourself a fantasy ace that went in later rounds in most redraft leagues.
Jesus Luzardo – Philadelphia Phillies
• Sell High
The move from Miami to Philly this offseason has done wonders for Luzardo. He’s cut his ERA from 5.00 to 2.15, with a 3.0 WAR that leads all NL pitchers. Luzardo is struggling to keep hitters off base, as shown by his .239 BAA. Some regression is likely, and now is the time to cash out.
Bryan Woo – Seattle Mariners
• Must Roster
Woo doesn’t overpower, he outsmarts. His 3.2 percent walk rate is elite, and he’s kept batters honest with a solid 8.5 K/9. At just 25, he looks like a long-term rotation anchor for fantasy squads. The pitcher-friendly confines of T-Mobile Park make him a priority for redraft and dynasty leagues alike.
MacKenzie Gore – Washington Nationals
• Wild Card
Gore’s 3.47 ERA is fine, but his 13.4 K/9 and 36.2 percent strikeout rate are elite. The downside is a dangerously high 48.5 percent hard-hit rate leading to that swollen ERA. He’s flashy and explosive, but volatile. Roster at your own risk.
Nick Pivetta – San Diego Padres
• Sell High
Very little has changed with Pivetta, yet his ERA has dropped to a career-best 2.72. His average against has dropped to a strong .192, but with rising walk rates and declining K rates, he is due for a second-half regression. Sell while you still can.
Matthew Liberatore – St Louis Cardinals
• Must Roster
Liberatore isn’t going to light up the radar gun, but what he lacks in flash, he makes up for in finesse. His 7.7 K/9 is serviceable, but his pinpoint command sets him apart. He leads the NL with a sparkling 1.2 BB/9 and an elite 6.38 K/BB ratio. His consistency has shown with his ability to deliver quality starts in 70% of his outings this year. This makes Liberatore a sneaky reliable four-category pitcher. Liberatore won’t win you a week single-handedly, but he will bring the consistency to keep you in it every week.
These players may have slipped under the radar on draft day, but they’re showing up as early-season contenders. Now is the time to distinguish the value from the fool’s gold. It’s never too late to check the bargain bin. Hit the waiver wire and find the next rising pitcher in 2025.
Who’s been your biggest bargain pickup in 2025? Drop a name in the comments or hit me up on X.
Main Image:Â Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
