If you're still combing your waiver wire for viable pitching help at a time of the year when baseball is taking a backseat to a certain other rather popular fantasy game, then chances are you're either in the midst of your head-to-head fantasy playoffs or scraping every point you can muster to fortify your position in the rotisserie standing.

Whatever the case, fantasy baseball is now, for you, a day-to-day game. There is no more merit to exercising patience, to taking the long view on a prospective difference maker. You need results, and you need them now -- the fate of your season may very well depend on it.

Most of the five available pitchers recommended here come with their fair share of long-term warts, but that shouldn't matter: they're set up to succeed in Week 21, and for the fantasy owner sweating through the dog days of summer pennant races, that's all that matters.