Two Start Pitchers and SP Streamers: Week 9
Source: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images North America
With every team playing seven games this week, we have a full complement of 60 two-start pitchers, although we do not know who the Tuesday/Sunday starters for San Francisco and San Diego are just yet. Below I have broken this week’s two starters into four categories: must start in all leagues, must start in 14-team mixed leagues or deeper, options for deeper leagues if you’re desperate, and no effing way. After that I’ll discuss a few under-owned, one-start pitchers to stream.
Major hat tip to Tristan Cockcroft and his Fantasy Forecaster; he does all the leg work on this type of stuff each week in addition to everything else you need to know for the upcoming week.
Must Start in All Leagues
Adam Wainwright — Mon-@KC, Sat-SF
Chris Sale — Tue-CHC, Sun-@OAK
Cliff Lee — Tue-@BOS, Sun-MIL
Gio Gonzalez — Mon-BAL, Sat-@ATL
Hiroki Kuroda — Tue-@NYM, Sun-BOS
James Shields — Mon-STL, Sat-@TEX
Jeff Samardzija — Mon-@CWS, Sat-ARI
Jered Weaver — Tue-@LAD, Sun-HOU
Justin Verlander — Mon-PIT, Sat-@BAL
Madison Bumgarner — Mon-@OAK, Sat-@STL
Mat Latos — Tue-CLE, Sun-@PIT
Matt Harvey — Tue-NYY, Sun-@MIA
Yu Darvish — Mon-@ARI, Sat-KC
Must Start in 14-team Mixed Leagues or Deeper
C.J. Wilson — Mon-@LAD, Sat-HOU
Clay Buchholz — Mon-PHI, Sat-@NYY
Dan Straily — Mon-SF, Sat-CWS
Ervin Santana — Tue-STL, Sun-@TEX
Francisco Liriano — Mon-@DET, Sat-CIN
Hyun-Jin Ryu — Tue-LAA, Sun-@COL
Ian Kennedy — Mon-TEX, Sat-@CHC
Jarrod Parker — Tue-SF, Sun-CWS
Jeremy Hellickson — Tue-MIA, Sun-@CLE
Jorge De La Rosa — Tue-@HOU, Sun-LAD
Jose Fernandez — Mon-@TB, Sat-NYM
Jose Quintana — Mon-CHC, Sat-@OAK
Paul Maholm — Tue-@TOR, Sun-WSH
Ryan Dempster — Tue-PHI, Sun-@NYY
Tim Hudson — Mon-@TOR, Sat-WSH
Trevor Cahill — Mon-TEX, Sun-@CHC
Zack Greinke — Mon-LAA, Sat-@COL
Only If You’re Desperate
Brandon Morrow — Tue-ATL, Sun-@SD
Edwin Jackson — Tue-@CWS, Sun-ARI
Jason Hammel — Mon-@WSH, Sat-DET
Jonathon Niese — Mon-NYY, Sat-@MIA
Kevin Gausman — Tue-@WSH, Sun-DET
Kevin Slowey — Tue-@TB, Sun-NYM
Mike Leake — Mon-CLE, Sat-@PIT
Ross Detwiler — Tue-BAL, Sun-@ATL
Scott Diamond — Tue-@MIL, Sun-SEA
Ubaldo Jimenez — Mon-@CIN, Sat-TB
Zach McAllister — Tue-@CIN, Sun-TB
No Effing Way
Aaron Harang — Mon-SD, Sat-@MIN
Brandon Maurer — Tue-SD, Sun-@MIN
Bud Norris — Mon-COL, Sat-@LAA
Edinson Volquez — Mon-@SEA, Sat-TOR
Hiram Burgos — Mon-MIN, Sat-@PHI
Jake Odorizzi — Mon-MIA, Sat-@CLE
Jeanmar Gomez — Tue-@DET, Sun-CIN
Jhoulys Chacin — Mon-@HOU, Sat-LAD
Jordan Lyles — Tue-COL, Sun-@LAA
Mark Buehrle — Mon-ATL, Sat-@SD
Mike Pelfrey — Mon-@MIL, Sat-SEA
Phil Hughes — Mon-@NYM, Sat-BOS
Rick Porcello — Tue-PIT, Sun-@BAL
Ross Wolf — Mon-@ARI, Sun-KC
Tyler Cloyd — Mon-@BOS, Sat-MIL
Tyler Lyons — Tue-@KC, Sun-SF
Wily Peralta — Tue-MIN, Sun-@PHI
Top Streaming Option Owned in Less Than 30% of ESPN.com Leagues
Andrew Cashner | San Diego Padres | 28% owned | Thursday vs. Seattle
Julio Teheran | Atlanta Braves | 24.4% owned | Friday vs. Washington
John Lackey | Boston Red Sox | 14.6% owned | Wednesday @ Philadelphia
Of this trio, Lackey is the only one I’m recommending based more on performance than on matchup, although he may have the best matchup in the group. Lackey is sporting a 2.72 ERA that is backed up by a 3.12 SIERA and 3.03 xFIP. He also has a walk rate below seven percent, which is where it was before he started sucking in 2010. His current K% of 24.2% probably isn’t sustainable given that his 8.5% swinging strike rate is indicative of something more like a 17-18% K%. But as long as the control hangs around, he will be serviceable.
As for his matchup, it’s a damn good one. The Phillies are currently 28th against right-handed pitching according to wRC+. The Nationals are 23rd, and the Mariners are 20th. That’s why Cashner and Teheran are decent streaming options as well despite the fact that they have xFIPs around 4.25. Both have failed to generate swinging strikes and strikeouts at the levels they were expected to do so. Until they develop a little more and start missing more bats, they are only going to be options in decent matchups like these.
The Author
2 Comments
Looking for W’s (W = 10 pts). Need 7 SP’s thru Saturday, so must sit 4 of 11:
1) CJ Wilson @ LAD (Greinke )
2) Samardzija @ CWS (Quintana)
3) Chris Sale vs Chc (Jackson)
4) Harvey vs NYY (Kuroda)
5) Hellickson vs MIA (Slowey)
6) Zimmermann @ BAL (Tillman)
7) Matt Moore @MIA (Nolasco)
8) Minor vs TOR (Dickey)
9) Cobb @ CLE (Kluber)
10) CJ Wilson vs HOU (Norris)
11) Samardzija vs ARI (Corbin)
Thinking CJ Wilson @ LAD (Greinke ), Minor vs TOR (Dickey), Cobb @ CLE (Kluber), Samardzija vs ARI (Corbin), but looking for advise / open to suggestions… Thanks!
Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. I woulda sat CJ @ LAD, Cobb @ CLE, and Samardzija vs ARI for sure. The last one is tougher. I’d say Hellickson but the matchup is so good. I might actually sit zimmerman at the orioles.