We got off to a bad start with our streamers last week when Leiter landed on the IL, and Ritchie was blown up early in the week, but everything went well outside of that. Gage Jump looks like a must-roster player at this point, and we got some stellar weeks from guys like Anthony Kay, Paul Goldschmidt, Taj Bradley and Willi Castro. It’s funny how a week’s worth of games always seems to even things out, but that’s just the nature of statistics and fantasy baseball. With that in mind, let’s look at the favorable matchups for this week and then dive into the streamers!
Favorable Team Matchups
7 Games
Chicago White Sox (at BAL, at CLE)
Cleveland Guardians (vs. TEX, vs. CWS)
Colorado Rockies (vs. MIA, vs. SF)***
Los Angeles Dodgers (at ATH, vs. SD)
Miami Marlins (at COL, at ATH)***
6 Games
Athletics (vs. LAD, vs. MIA)
Atlanta Braves (vs. STL, vs. NYM)
Boston Red Sox (vs. WAS, at LAA)
Philadelphia Phillies (vs. PIT, at KC)
San Francisco Giants (at ARI, at COL)
Tampa Bay Rays (at KC, at HOU)
Pitching Streamers
Anthony Kay, CWS (at CLE)
Kay was one of our favorite streamers last week in a two-start schedule, and he rewarded us with the best start of his career. All the same rules apply this week because Kay is only being overlooked due to a bad schedule. Despite facing the Yankees, Dodgers and Phillies in a three-start stretch, Kay has compiled a 3.33 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across his last 10 starts. He’s also allowed two runs or fewer in 10 of 14 starts this year while throwing six scoreless innings in his most recent start. That was actually against Cleveland, with Kay recording eight strikeouts in that gem while surrendering just three hits. That’s no surprise, since the Guardians are missing two of their best bats and are ranked 27th in runs scored and 28th in xwOBA.
Streamonator Valuation: $-6.2
Griffin Jax, TB (at KC)
The Rays are one of the most innovative franchises in baseball, and it’s no surprise they turned a full-time reliever into one of their best starters. Jax had a 2.03 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in his final full season with the Twins and has finally gotten the hang of starting. While he hasn’t cleared five innings in four straight starts, he’s allowed just two runs across all of those. That gives him a 0.90 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 9.4 K/9 rate in that span. You might be worried about the limitation, but Jax actually threw 88 pitches in his most recent five-inning shutout. That means longer starts could be right around the corner, and we love that against KC. That most recent five-inning gem was against them, with the Royals ranked 19th in runs scored and 20th in wOBA.
Streamonator Valuation: $-6.6
Javier Assad, CHC (vs. SD)
Assad has always been an underrated arm for the Cubbies. It’s hard to believe he’s been in and out of their rotation in recent years, given his 3.51 career ERA and 1.29 WHIP. What’s even more amazing about that is that his 4.04 ERA this year is the worst of his career despite posting a career-best 1.04 WHIP. A nine-run shelling against Philly and a six-run dud against the Dodgers are the only blemishes on his radar this year, with Assad amassing a 1.49 ERA and 0.69 WHIP over his other 10 appearances. He also has a 1.35 ERA and 0.50 WHIP at home, while facing a subpar San Diego lineup this week. The Padres rank 29th or 30th in runs scored, OBP and wOBA.
Streamonator Valuation: $-28.1
Peter Lambert, HOU (vs. MIN)
Lambert looked like one of the worst pitchers in baseball in his time with the Rockies, but an organizational change is all this guy needed. He’s completely broken out with the Astros this season, tallying a 3.28 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. His averages have been even more amazing over recent weeks, allowing two runs or fewer in five straight starts while sporting a 2.54 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in that span. His 1.09 WHIP at home also indicates that he’s comfortable in Houston, and we don’t mind this home matchup with Minnesota. The Twins rank 20th in xwOBA and 25th in xwOBCON, with Lambert likely entering this game as a -150 favorite.
Streamonator Valuation: $2.6
Joey Cantillo, CLE (vs. TEX)
This Cleveland staff always seems to develop diamonds in the rough, and they’ve found something special with Cantillo. This lefty had a 3.21 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in a breakout campaign last year and has been performing like that recently. This lefty has allowed just one run in three straight starts, providing a 1.42 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 10.4 K/9 rate in that span. That might be the best stretch of this guy’s career, and we love the home tussle with Texas this week. Cantillo has compiled a 3.40 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 9.8 K/9 rate in Cleveland this year, while the Rangers rank 19th in xwOBA and 25th in runs scored.
Streamonator Valuation: $-5.3
Hitting Streamers
Colorado Rockies Bats (vs. MIA, vs. SF)
(TJ Rumfield, Willi Castro, Jake McCarthy, Mickey Moniak and Troy Johnston)
It’s strange that many of these Rockies bats are available in so many leagues, but that shows the state of this franchise. Colorado bats have been must-roster players in the past due to Coors Field, but that’s not the case with how poor this roster construction has been. That’s a story for another day from a “Rockies fan,” but all of these are sexy streamers in this sensational schedule. We’ve been waiting for the Rockies to have a full week of home games, and we finally have it here! We have seven games in Coors Field this week! It’s not scary pitching staffs either, with San Fran sitting 21st in ERA and 22nd in wOBA while Miami has an average pitching staff. Most importantly, the Rockies will be projected to score 5-6 runs in all of these games in the most hitter-friendly park in baseball!
Now that we have the circumstances out of the way, let’s talk about these hitting streamers! Rumfield is the best of the bunch because he’s been hitting third for the Rockies every day. He has a .360 OBP and .842 OPS in a breakout campaign while posting a 1.180 OPS over the last two weeks. Castro has position eligibility across the board, while providing a .417 OBP and .934 OPS across his last 23 games. McCarthy is one of the league leaders in steals over the last three years while maintaining a .310 AVG and .836 OPS since May 3. Moniak was a must-roster player before his IL placement, while Johnston has generated a .378 OBP and .820 OPS throughout his sophomore season.
Sam Antonacci, CWS (at BAL, at CLE)
I really wanted to include a Marlins bat for one of our hitting streamers, with how tasty their schedule looks, but they simply don’t have any good options outside of their must-roster players. We’ll settle for Antonacci as our second hitting streamer because he feels like a fantasy darling in the making. This guy has been hitting leadoff for a sneaky ChiSox lineup for a month now, accruing a .386 OBP and .799 OPS. That’s the form we saw in the minors, with Antonacci accumulating a .444 OBP and .861 OPS. All of that doesn’t even take into consideration his best asset, because he has 71 steals in barely over 200 career games. He also has seven games this week against two poor pitching staffs. Baltimore ranks 22nd in ERA and WHIP, while Cleveland doesn’t concern us.
SAGNOF (Saves/Steals Ain’t Got No Face)
Steals Specialists
Nasim Nunez (WAS)
Nunez is the league leader with 31 steals while recording nine of them over his last 15 fixtures.
Jake Mangum (PIT)
Mangum has been playing nearly every day, picking up eight steals over his last 21 outings.
Luisangel Acuna (CWS)
Acuna is finally playing nearly every day, swiping six steals over the last two weeks.
Saves Specialists
Alex Lange (KC)
The Royals’ bullpen has been a nightmare, but Lange has six saves over his last 10 appearances.
Yoednrys Gomez (MIN)
Gomez has taken over the Twins’ closer’s gig, recording five saves over the last month.
Feel free to comment here or reach me on Twitter @Bartilottajoel if you have any questions! Also, feel free to check out my Waiver Wire article from yesterday!
There goes your Anthony Kay down the drain v KC.
Colson Montgomery, the new Joey Gallo?
Going with Joe Mack over Gabe Moreno.
Also I think Ian Seymour deserves a shout as a pitching streamer.