This is a tough week to stream starters for fantasy baseball. There are just a couple pitchers on this list who I would be excited to start, with a few others who qualify as desperation plays in 12-team leagues.
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Unfortunately, the list of one-start streamers isn’t any better. Things are a little more appealing on the hitting side, as the Reds and Red Sox can both provide multiple options.
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Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)
Nick Martinez, Reds, 28% (vs. MIA, vs. COL)
Although Martinez has been inconsistent, he has a 3.97 ERA and 1.09 WHIP since the beginning of May. He will start off the week against a Marlins team that has been average against righties, before wrapping things up with an appealing home start against a Rockies offense that ranks 29th in runs scored on the road. Having RP eligibility makes Martinez even more appealing in head-to-head leagues.
Eury Pérez, Marlins, 38% (@CIN, @BAL)
After failing to throw five innings in each of his initial four starts, Pérez enjoyed his most dominant outing since returning from Tommy John surgery when he struck out seven Twins across six shutout innings of one-hit ball on July 3. He will likely be inconsistent this summer, but Pérez is averaging 98.1 mph on his fastball and has a higher ceiling than any other starter who is available in most Yahoo leagues. His matchups aren’t easy this week, but they also aren’t scary enough to keep him on waivers.
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José Soriano, Angels, 42% (vs. TEX, vs. ARI)
Soriano leads all qualified pitchers in ground ball rate, and has recently had some dominant starts when he has combined all of those grounders with plenty of strikeouts. But Soriano continues to walk too many batters, which makes him susceptible to awful starts when plenty of ground balls slip through the infield. Soriano has one favorable matchup (Rangers) and a difficult one (D-backs), and is more appealing in points leagues, where he can’t do damage in the WHIP category.
Noah Cameron, Royals, 44% (vs. PIT, vs. NYM)
After allowing just three earned runs in his initial five starts, Cameron has been less consistent en route to logging a 4.74 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over his past five outings. Still, the rookie produced a solid 24:9 K:BB ratio in those five starts, and his two worst appearances came against offenses that lead their respective leagues in runs scored (Yankees, Dodgers). Cameron doesn’t go deep enough into games to have a high ceiling, but should be serviceable against an average lineup (Mets, 13th in runs scored) and a bad one (Royals, 30th in runs scored).
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Jansen Junk, Marlins, 6% (@ CIN, @BAL)
The ERA estimators are all over the map on Junk, who has an eye-popping 33:2 K:BB ratio and has allowed just one homer in 37.1 innings. It’s easy to look at his .339 BABIP and 66.5% strand rate and assume that he has been unlucky, but a deeper dive shows that living in the strike zone has allowed hitters to tee off on the right-hander (92.5 mph average exit velocity, 25.4% line drive rate). We are dealing with small sample sizes when assessing Junk, and he has two opponents who are above average in runs scored since June 1. He’s a boom-or-bust option.
Andre Pallante, Cardinals, 11% (vs. WSH, vs. ATL)
Pallante has allowed just two runs over 18 innings in his past three starts. Still, that success has come with an unimpressive 9:5 K:BB ratio, and the 26-year-old’s continued inability to punch out batters (6.0 K/9 rate) gives him one of the lowest ceilings of any starter. His greatest appeal is to Roto managers who are hoping to chase wins without destroying their ratios.
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Andrew Heaney, Pirates, 21% (@ KC, @ MIN)
Heaney has struggled on the road (5.79 ERA), which is part of the equation for both of his starts this week. Fortunately, the Royals rank last in runs scored, and the Twins are an average matchup. Heaney’s ERA has risen every month this year, which makes him a risky option this week.
Simeon Woods Richardson, Twins, 7% (vs. CHC, vs. PIT)
After nearly a month in the Minors, Woods Richardson rejoined the rotation on June 10. Although his initial start went poorly, over his past four outings the righty has produced a 1.71 ERA and 0.76 WHIP. Still, his 16:7 K:BB ratio in those four starts is an unimpressive mark, and he has benefited tremendously from a .143 BABIP. Woods Richardson has polarizing matchups this week, as the Cubs rank 2nd in runs scored and the Pirates place 29th. I would leave him on waivers in 12-team leagues.
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Brady Singer, Reds, 49% (vs. MIA, vs. COL)
Thanks to his inability to control the strike zone (80:38 K:BB ratio), Singer regularly struggles to keep the bases clean (1.34 WHIP) and limit scoring (4.36 ERA). Like his teammate Martinez, Singer is more appealing than usual this week thanks to a two-start schedule that includes favorable matchups. But there is a good chance that the right-hander is not even up to such a manageable task.
Jeffrey Springs, Athletics, 30% (vs. ATL, vs. TOR)
Although still homer prone, Springs deserves credit for posting a 2.97 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 30:8 K:BB ratio since the beginning of June. The lefty is one of many Athletics pitchers who have struggled at home this year (4.73 ERA), which is where both of his starts will occur this week. The Braves have had one of the worst offenses in the past month, while the Blue Jays have had one of the best and are also the toughest team in baseball to strike out. I can’t recommend Springs at this venue.
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One-Start Streamers
In order, here are the best streamers for the week, with their start date and Yahoo roster rate in brackets.
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Chase Burns vs. COL (Friday, 51%)
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Ryne Nelson @ LAA (Friday, 43%)
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Eric Lauer @ CWS (Wednesday, 29%)
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Charlie Morton vs. NYM (Thursday, 22%)
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Dean Kremer vs. MIA (Friday, 25%)
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Cade Horton @ MIN (Wednesday, 15%)
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Gavin Williams @ CWS (Friday, 44%)
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Trevor Rogers vs. MIA (Saturday, 31%)
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Patrick Corbin @ LAA (Thursday, 10%)
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Cam Schlittler vs. SEA (Wednesday, 7%)
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Michael Lorenzen vs. NYM (Saturday, 12%)
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Bailey Falter @ KC (Wednesday, 13%)
Favorable Monday-Thursday hitting matchups
Reds vs. Marlins
Although Miami has made some pitching improvements of late, their staff should still give up some runs when they spend four days at Great American Ball Park. Cleanup hitter Austin Hays (16%) is the top player to add, while Noelvi Marte (23%) recently returned from the injured list and has upside.
Red Sox vs. Rockies, Rays
Facing the Rockies pitching staff is usually a recipe for success, and the Red Sox will open their series against the Rays by taking on Taj Bradley (4.79 ERA). With two lefties and a pair of right-handers on the docket, finding Boston hitters who remain in the lineup for all matchups is important. Roman Anthony (49%) is the top option to add, while Carlos Narvaez (21%) is a good catching streamer this week.
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