Full Breakdown
Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Advice for the Week of May 18 – 24, 2026
5/18/2026, 12:44:55 AM
Core Start/Sit Guidance (May 18 – 24)
RotoBaller columnist Nick Mariano publishes a weekly “Starting Pitcher Starts and Sits” table that lists every MLB starter, the opponent, and a confidence/startability score on a 0-100 scale. The table categorises each pitcher as Start, Lean Start, Coin Flip, Lean Sit, or Sit. Scores in the 40-60 range indicate a close decision that managers must resolve based on league settings (wins, strikeouts, depth, etc.). The column has been produced for 14 years and is intended to give fantasy owners a straightforward resource for weekly roster moves.
Waiver-Wire Targets for Shallow and Deep Leagues
Mike, the waiver-wire analyst, identifies free-agent starters that are rostered in less than 50 % of Yahoo leagues (shallow-league targets) and those in less than 30 % (deep-league targets).
*Shallow-league picks* – Connelly Early (Boston Red Sox, 48 % rostered) threw seven strong innings with eight strikeouts and no runs versus Tampa Bay, then five innings with six strikeouts against Kansas City. McGreevy has logged at least five innings in seven consecutive starts, posting a 2.10 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over 51 IP.
*Deep-league picks* – Kelly earned wins in his last two starts (seven and nine innings) against the Mets and Rockies; his 2025 line was 184 IP, 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 167 K. Ober (Milwaukee) is 4-0 with a 3.46 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 39 K in 52 IP and recorded a complete-game shutout versus Miami. Civale (Los Angeles Angels) is 5-0 with a 2.70 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, allowing two runs in five innings against San Francisco. Henderson (Milwaukee) captured his first 2026 win with five innings and seven strikeouts versus Minnesota after earlier success versus New York. May (St. Louis Cardinals) has pitched six or more innings in six of his last seven starts, posting a 2.83 ERA and 1.19 WHIP.
Additional options include Brown (Chicago Cubs) – four innings, ten strikeouts, zero earned runs; Garrett (debut, five runs in less than two innings, first MLB appearance since early 2024); Ginn – eight innings with eight strikeouts versus Philadelphia and six innings with three strikeouts versus St. Louis; and Matthews – seven innings, a win and five strikeouts versus Miami, now facing Houston.
Key Metrics and Performance Data
- Confidence/startability scores: 0-100 scale, with 40-60 indicating marginal calls.
- Rostered percentages: Early 48 %; other targets range from <15 % to <30 % in deep leagues.
- Recent ERA/WHIP examples: McGreevy 2.10 ERA/0.88 WHIP; Kelly 3.52 ERA/1.11 WHIP (2025); Ober 3.46 ERA/1.02 WHIP; Civale 2.70 ERA/1.39 WHIP; May 2.83 ERA/1.19 WHIP.
Official Statements & Responses
Mariano notes that the column “provides readers with who is pitching, the opponent, and a confidence/startability score based on an array of proven and established metrics.” He also emphasizes the expanded “Lean Start,” “Lean Sit,” and “Coin Flip” designations to reflect varied league needs. Mike states that “pitcher injuries and ineffectiveness have plagued just about every roster in 2026,” prompting the weekly search for starters rostered in less than 50 % of Yahoo leagues.
Criticism & Opposition
The supplied excerpts contain no explicit criticism of the start/sit methodology or waiver-wire recommendations.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The start/sit excerpt does not disclose individual pitcher grades, and the waiver-wire sections list only selected pitchers without a complete roster of all eligible starters, leaving gaps in the full weekly recommendation set.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This column provides readers with who is pitching, the opponent, and a confidence/startability score based on an array of proven and established metrics.” — Nick Mariano, RotoBaller columnist
- “For 14 years running, we have been writing this Starting Pitcher Starts and Sits series weekly here at RotoBaller.” — Nick Mariano
- “In this weekly piece, we search for starting pitchers rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.” — Mike, RotoBaller analyst
- “Pitcher injuries and ineffectiveness have plagued just about every roster in 2026.” — Mike
- “The "starts" category includes pitchers you'd likely start in every league.” — Nick Mariano
What’s Next
Both columns will be updated throughout the week as injuries, weather, and lineup changes occur. Managers are encouraged to revisit the start/sit table and waiver-wire list frequently to capture late-breaking information.
