OTW 244 - Chasing Wins (and K's); Drafting Wins and Strikeouts

On The Wire - Adam Howe and Kevin Hasting continue their 2026 fantasy baseball draft preview series by shifting focus to pitching volume categories — Wins and Strikeouts.

The discussion centers on why fantasy managers must actively chase volume, how innings pitched drive both categories, and which late-round starters and speculative arms can help managers compete without paying early-round pitching prices. The hosts also explore streaming strategy, team context, bullpen support, and how draft construction impacts in-season flexibility.

Below is a breakdown of the episode with estimated timestamps and players discussed.

00:00 – 09:00 | Intro + Draft Season Philosophy

Topics

Draft season approach and league activity

Why Wins remain a category you must intentionally target

Relationship between innings pitched, team quality, and fantasy success

Players Mentioned

Tarik Skubal

Paul Skenes

Garrett Crochet

09:00 – 22:00 | Why Volume Matters for Wins & Strikeouts

Topics

Correlation between workload and strikeouts

Importance of pitching deep into games

Team offense and bullpen effects on wins

Drafting SP tiers vs elite aces

Players Mentioned

Yusei Kikuchi

José Soriano

Reid Detmers

Luis Severino

Mitch Keller

Brandon Pfaadt

22:00 – 38:00 | Mid-Round Targets for Strikeout Volume

Topics

Targeting pitchers projected for stable rotation roles

Using projections vs role certainty

Drafting innings over pure ratios in this build

Players Mentioned

David Peterson

Clay Holmes

Will Warren

38:00 – 52:00 | Late-Round Wins & Strikeout Targets

Topics

Endgame starters who stick in rotations

Opportunity-driven pitching value

Accepting ratio risk when chasing volume

Players Mentioned

Will Warren

David Peterson

Cade Cavalli

52:00 – 1:05:00 | Streaming Strategy & Roster Management

Topics

Streaming pitchers to capture breakout arms early

Building ratio cushions to allow aggressive streaming

Managing roster churn early in season

Players Mentioned

Justin Verlander

Seth Lugo

Michael Wacha

1:05:00 – 1:11:29 | Final Targets + Draft Takeaways

Topics

Early-season matchup plays

Why reserve-round pitchers matter

Maximizing roster flexibility for volume accumulation

Players Mentioned

Cade Cavalli

Justin Verlander

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