Last week’s results were satisfactory, but we’re not aiming for that. It was one of my worst weeks of the year, but that won’t happen this week. This is one of the best weeks of streamers I’ve seen all season, and I can’t wait to dive into the options. With that in mind, let’s start by looking at the schedule and then get into those streamers!
Favorable Team Matchups
7 Games
Cincinnati Reds (vs. COL, vs. MIA)
New York Mets (vs. WAS, vs. COL)
St. Louis Cardinals (vs. KC, vs. CHC)
6 Games
Boston Red Sox (vs. OAK, vs. KC)
Houston Astros, HOU (vs. MIA, vs. TEX)
Milwaukee Brewers (vs. PIT, vs. WAS)
Minnesota Twins (at CWS, at SF)
Seattle Mariners (at SD, at LAA)
Pitching Streamers
Christian Scott, NYM (at PIT, vs. COL)
This will probably be the final time we can use Scott as one of our streamers because fantasy managers won’t be dropping him after this week. The youngster was a surprise demotion earlier in the season, but his 2.59 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 32 percent K rate between Double-A and Triple-A tells NY he has nothing more to prove at those levels. It’s not like he’s struggled with the Mets, maintaining a 3.91 FIP and 1.14 WHIP. That’s huge since he faces two teams that own minor league lineups, with Pittsburgh ranked 25th in runs scored, 27th in K rate, and 28th in wOBA, while Colorado sits 28th in K rate and xwOBA. The Rockies have been even worse on the road, and we’ll dive into that later!
Streamonator Valuation: $61.9
Colin Rea, MIL (vs. PIT, vs. WAS)
Rea is not someone I expected to see in this article, but he’s quietly having a magical season in Milwaukee. The righty threw seven shutout innings in Coors Field in his most recent start and now has a 3.34 ERA and 1.20 WHIP to go along with an 8-2 record. Those are usually the numbers you see from an All-Star, but Rea is relegated to one of our streamers because no one wants to roster him in fantasy.
That potential skyrockets when you look at this schedule because he has two home starts against two of the worst offenses in baseball. We already discussed how putrid Pittsburgh has been, but Washington is right there with them, ranked 19th in runs scored, 22nd in OBP, and 24th in wOBA. It’s also two home starts for one of the hottest teams, and he’s one of the only streamers who could land two wins this week!
Streamonator Valuation: $14.7
Sean Manaea, NYM (vs. COL)
We foreshadowed how bad the Rockies have been on the road over recent years, so let’s start there. Something happens to this Colorado team when they leave Coors Field, ranked last on the road in runs scored, OPS and wOBA in four of the last five years. It’s no surprise when looking at this lackluster lineup, and a veteran like Manaea should be able to mow them down. The Flyin’ Hawaiian has a 1.99 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across his last four starts and began the year with a 3.16 ERA and 1.29 WHIP through his first 10 starts. Those exceptional averages are surrounded by two duds, but those look like the outliers, especially since he has the best possible matchup here!
Streamonator Valuation: $51.8
Jose Soriano, LAA (vs. SEA)
The Angels don’t have much to get excited about, but this young pitcher looks promising. The converted reliever hasn’t allowed more than four runs in any of his 13 starts, posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. That even includes one dud as a reliever, but it’s hard to overlook a pitcher who won’t get blown up. It’s even less likely against a struggling team like Seattle, sitting 25th in OBP, 27th in runs scored, 26th in wOBA, and last in K rate. Their 28 percent team K rate is lapping the rest of the league, and Soriano should thrive since he has a 2.60 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across his last three home starts!
Streamonator Valuation: $12.9
Aaron Civale, MIL (vs. PIT)
It’s always strange to see Tampa Bay trade a player they just acquired, and it’s even more so since Civale was starting to find it. We will trust Rays initial evaluation because Civale has compiled a 3.82 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 8.2 K/9 rate across his last six starts. Those numbers are still below what we’ve seen over recent years, collecting a 4.10 ERA and 1.20 WHIP throughout his career. Milwaukee has done a wonderful job of developing starters, and I was hopeful they could fix whatever’s ailing Civale. A home matchup with Pittsburgh is an even better way to get him back on track, showcasing the ugly offensive statistics mentioned in the Scott write-up.
Streamonator Valuation: $21.2
Hitting Streamers
Jake Fraley, CIN (vs. COL, vs. MIA)
Fraley was sidelined this weekend due to a personal matter, but he’s one of our favorite streamers if he’s back for this superb schedule. Let’s start there because this Reds seven-game week is one of the highest-projected weeks of the season. Having seven games at Great American Smallpark is already a huge boost, but they also face two of the worst pitching staffs in baseball. The Rockies rank last in ERA, WHIP, and xwOBA, while the Marlins sit 27th in ERA, 29th in WHIP, and 26th in wOBA.
You couldn’t ask for a better schedule and we love it when examining Fraley’s resume. The outfielder had 15 homers and 21 steals across just 111 games last year and has a .263 AVG and .767 OPS over the last three years. He’s also got a .796 OPS at home in that span, and should get plenty of chances with TJ Friedl still sidelined.
Masyn Winn, STL (vs. KC, vs. CHC)
If Winn added a bit of speed or power to his game, he’d be a must-roster player in every format. He’s already close to that, hitting leadoff for one of the hottest teams in baseball. He’s also got a .291 AVG and .756 OPS this year, generating a .306 AVG and .795 OPS across his last 44 fixtures. That’s all you can hope for from a leadoff hitter, and he shouldn’t have any issues against KC and Chicago. He’s slated to face guys like Michael Wacha, Alex Marsh, Kyle Hendricks, Hayden Wesneski, Mitchell Parker, and a Triple-A arm for the Cubs this week. Getting seven games is the icing on the cake.
SAGNOF (Saves/Steals Ain’t Got No Face)
Steals Specialists
Stuart Fairchild (CIN)
The Reds have been running like crazy since the start of last season, and we’re finally seeing Fairchild play every day with Friedl on the IL. That’s led to Fairchild recording a steal in four of his last eight starts.
David Hamilton (BOS)
Hamilton has been dropped in some leagues because he’s only starting about 50 percent of the games, but this man runs when he’s out there. He’s up to 23 steals, swiping 14 of those over his last 20 games.
Saves Specialists
Chad Green/Yimi Garcia (TOR)
Garcia has the last three saves for Toronto and appears to be the closer with Jordan Romano and Garcia on the IL. With that said, Yimi is expected back sometime soon and was getting the chance before getting injured. With Romano out for the next two months, one of these guys will run away with this gig.
Feel free to comment here or reach me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel if you have any questions!
