Our streamers were solid last week. That’s what we needed after a disappointing Week 18, and it’s wild to think we only have a handful of weeks remaining. It’s always frightening how fast the end of the season comes because it just means the years are flying by. It’s even harder to believe this is my sixth season writing these streamers articles. Time flies by when you’re having fun, and discovering streamers every week is a challenge that I truly love. That’s why I want to finish the season strong, so let’s dive into this week’s schedule before seeing how the final month plays out!
Favorable Team Matchups
8 Games
Chicago Cubs (vs. MIL, at LAA) ***
Milwaukee Brewers (at CHC, vs. SF) ***
7 Games
Colorado Rockies (vs. LAD, at PIT)
Los Angeles Dodgers (at COL, at SD)
Texas Rangers (at KC, vs. CLE)
6 Games
Atlanta Braves (vs. CWS, vs. NYM)
Cincinnati Reds (at LAA, at ARI)
Minnesota Twins (vs. ATH, at CWS)
New York Mets (at WAS, at ATL)
Toronto Blue Jays (at PIT, at MIA)
Pitching Streamers
Jacob Lopez, ATH (at MIN)
It’s hard to believe that Lopez is still so widely available because he’s looking like one of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball. That’s specifically been the case recently, with Lopez going four straight starts without allowing a run. He’s also got a 0.83 WHIP and 10.5 K/9 rate in that span, which is more in line with the 3.56 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 10.5 K/9 rate through his first 10 outings. Our favorite part about this is that he gets a road matchup with Minnesota. Not only does that help Lopez avoid Sacramento, but it’s also a Twins team that traded away most of their bats at the deadline. That’s why they rank 21st in wOBA and 23rd in runs scored.
Streamonator Valuation: $-5.1
Zebby Matthews, MIN (at CWS)
Matthews’ baseline numbers are nothing special, but this guy has some nasty stuff. That’s really evident in his K rate, posting an 11.7 K/9 rate through his first nine starts. All of the duds have been in expected circumstances, too, getting blown up against Milwaukee, Boston and in Colorado. He actually has a 3.79 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 11.9 K/9 rate if you remove just two stinkers from those, and he’s done that damage against some outstanding offenses. That’s a massive variable here because Matthews matches up with one of the worst lineups in baseball. The White Sox were bottom three in every statistic last season and sit 29th or 30th in OBP, wOBA and OPS this year.
Streamonator Valuation: $8.2
Sean Manaea, NYM (at WAS)
Why is Manaea still available in so many leagues? This lefty has been another reclamation project by the Mets, maintaining a 3.58 ERA and 1.09 WHIP since signing with them last year. That’s nearly 40 starts of pristine pitching, and it’s not like the 4.01 career ERA and 1.20 WHIP should stray away fantasy managers either. The only real concern is his recent form, but that’s less concerning since he allowed just one run in each of his first four starts. Manaea should be able to recapture that form against a woeful Washington offense, with the Nationals ranked 20th in runs scored and 23rd in wOBA while posting even worse averages in the second half.
Streamonator Valuation: $16.6
Jack Leiter, TEX (at KC, vs. CLE)
We always try to include one two-start guy among all of these streamers. Leiter looks like the best option this week because he’s slowly figuring it out and gets two of the best possible matchups. Let’s start with that opposition because Kansas City sits 23rd in wOBA, 25th in OBP and 28th in runs scored, while Cleveland ranks 26th in runs scored, 27th in OBP and dead-last in xwOBA. That’s a ton of bad hitters Leiter is going to see across 10-12 innings, especially since he’s starting to find something. The former top pick has allowed three runs or fewer in nine straight starts, compiling a 3.30 ERA and 9.7 K/9 rate in that span. The WHIP isn’t pretty, but that shouldn’t be an issue when examining these lackluster lineups.
Streamonator Valuation: $-33.4
Eric Lauer, TOR (at MIA)
Lauer has been one of our streamers multiple times this season, and he’s yet to let us down. The lefty is having a career year in Toronto, totaling a 2.82 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. That alone makes it hard to believe he’s still so widely available, but everyone is expecting some negative regression. While that’s a possibility, a 3.47 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 49 starts between 2021 and 2022 show that it’s no fluke. That’s a ton of talent from a scorching-hot pitcher, and we definitely can’t fade him against Miami. The Marlins have been better this season, but they’re still bottom 10 in every offensive category since last season. It’s also a pitcher-friendly park, with Lauer striking out nine batters and throwing five scoreless innings in his last matchup with Miami.
Streamonator Valuation: $8.2
Hitting Streamers
Matt Shaw, CHC (vs. MIL, at LAA)
Whenever one of our streamers has an opportunity to play eight games, we can’t overlook that possibility. It’s simply a cheat code from a fantasy perspective to get that many games, with Milwaukee and Chicago doing it this week. Shaw looks like the best option in this Cubs lineup, establishing himself as an everyday player in the second half. He’s earned that role with a recent surge, sporting a .417 OBP, 1.048 SLG and 1.465 OPS across his last seven outings. That’s why he was one of the top prospects in this organization, and it looks even better since he’s eligible at 2B, 3B and SS on some sites. The Brewers can be a scary matchup, but the Angels rank 26th in wOBA and ERA.
Andrew Vaughn, MIL (at CHC, vs. SF)
We could pick a few players from Milwaukee with the way they’re rolling, but we’re going to ride Vaughn as one of our favorite streamers. He’s been in this article multiple times over the last month, and it makes no sense why he’s not rostered in every league. Not only are the Brewers winning nearly every game he plays, but they’ve stuck him in their cleanup spot as one of their most valuable bats. Vaughn earned that promotion by providing a .340 AVG, .404 OBP, .630 SLG and 1.034 OPS across his last 28 games. That directly correlates with the Aaron Civale trade, and they simply can’t pull him out of their lineup with the way he’s raking. Facing Chicago for five games is slightly concerning, but they’ve been struggling while San Fran sits 21st in ERA over the last month.
SAGNOF (Saves/Steals Ain’t Got No Face)
Steals Specialists
Tyler Tolbert (KC)
Tolbert is the new Billy Hamilton in KC. While he’s only made one start over the last two weeks, he has eight steals across his last 11 games. That’s a laughable number across 15 plate appearances, but it’s a sneaky source for speed in deeper formats.
Tyler Freeman (COL)
Freeman has become the Rockies’ everyday leadoff hitter, and he should be in for a big week when seeing their favorable schedule. He’s also got four steals across his last 10 outings!
Saves Specialists
Jose Ferrer (WAS)
With Washington trading away Kyle Finnegan, Ferrer has become their highest-leverage reliever. He has two wins and two saves over his last five appearances, pitching the ninth inning in most of those.
Phil Maton (TEX)
The Rangers have struggled to find a closer all season, and they might’ve acquired their guy at the deadline. Maton has a save and a win over his last three appearances, while blowing a save in the other. That means he’s the high-leverage guy, making him a sneaky source for saves. (Maybe?)
Feel free to comment here or reach me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel if you have any questions!
