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Welcome back to Streaming Wars, your one-stop shop for streaming the waiver wire all season long. This article, now in its second year, runs seven days a week. It may only be April, but it's never too early to start streaming.
For those who are newcomers to this feature - use this column on a daily basis to improve upon your neediest categories, and target players who may be available on your waiver wire.
Below are your pitcher and hitter streaming targets for Monday, April 23. Let's get to it.
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Agenda
- Can Anybody Use This?
- Today's Weather and Updates
- Tomorrow's Picks
1. Can Anybody Use This?
The idea of streaming is a simple one--maximize your roster spots so that your team numbers surpass all of the other teams. However, most of my teams currently have more injured guys than available DL slots, forcing me to burn bench slots on hurt players instead of streaming. With DL usage up throughout the league, I'm sure I'm not the only one in this predicament. Okay, rant over. Sorry about that.
2. Today's Weather and Updates
Sunday looks like a great day to go to a game. Outside of fairly significant rain chances in Atlanta and St. Louis, precipitation shouldn't be an issue. Nearly the entire slate should be comfortable temperature-wise too, with a lot of thermometers hovering around 60 degrees. The only exceptions are colder temperatures in Milwaukee and legitimately hot days in Anaheim and Los Angeles.
3. Streamer Picks - Sunday, April 23
Pitchers to Use
Trevor Cahill figures to make his second start of the season. He was great in his first appearance against the White Sox, tossing seven shutout innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. His first half in 2017 was fantastic (3.38 ERA, 29.7% K%) before battling a right shoulder injury after the All-Star break. If he's healthy, he should have little difficulty with a listless Texas lineup.
The Dodgers have the coveted matchup with the Triple-A Marlins, so anybody they start has a reasonable shot at a W. That would be the reason to use Brock Stewart if he draws the spot start, but top prospect Walker Buehler is also under consideration. Buehler has a 2.08 ERA and 29.% K% at Triple-A this year (13 IP) and has struck out the world at every level, including a brief MLB trial last year (27.3% K%). The Dodgers had not announced their decision at press time, but Buehler has the upside to be more than a streamer if called upon.
Other Targets: Brandon McCarthy
Pitchers to Exploit
Bryan Mitchell has no business being on a big league mound considering his -10.8% K/BB ratio, but the Padres are trotting him out to Coors Field anyway. The only problem is that most of the Rockies lineup is too heavily owned to stream.
I also have a funny feeling that the Giants might beat up on Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez is one of the least predictable arms in the league, alternating gems and disasterpieces seemingly at random. The Giants stink and their home park is very pitcher-friendly, so it seems like a random dud is forthcoming.
Other Targets: Jarlin Garcia, Matt Moore, Miguel Gonzalez
Homers on the Wire
Miami's Jarlin Garcia has good-looking surface numbers (0.86 ERA), but his underlying peripherals (4.85 xFIP, 2.6% K/BB ratio) suggest that he's not yet a big league talent. The Dodgers have plenty of available power bats to take advantage, including Matt Kemp and Austin Barnes.
Other Targets: Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie, Mark Canha, Ryan McMahon, Dan Vogelbach
Steals on the Wire
An Oakland A should go here considering that Matt Moore is terrible and catcher Robinson Chirinos has allowed 14 of 15 SB attempts to succeed this year. However, their roster doesn't really have a true SB threat besides Marcus Semien. Delino DeShields Jr. is about to come off of the DL if you want a potential longer term option.
Other Targets: Lewis Brinson, Michael A. Taylor, Franchy Cordero
Skill Positions
Kurt Suzuki has continued his 2017 breakout, slashing .311/.400/.578 with three homers after posting a .283/.351/.536 line with 19 long balls over 309 PAs last year. Catchers are a barren wasteland this year, so Suzuki will continue to appear in this space until he's owned in more leagues (currently 19%).
