Starting Pitcher Streamers For Week 10 (Part 1)

June 2, 2014

RotoBaller Sam Nedimyer analyzes some MLB starting pitcher (SP) streamer options for thursday to sunday of week 10. These fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups are sleepers for head to head leagues.

Below are some of my Week 10 picks for starting pitchers to consider streaming off the waiver wire. Some of the pitchers may be two-start pitchers, and all of these SP options can be considered sleepers for your team depending on the league format and depth including NL-Only, AL-Only and head-to-head formats. 

Monday's SP Streamers

Bartolo Colon (NYM at PHI)

Ownership: 24% Yahoo!, 26% ESPN.  Don’t kid yourself, there’s risk involved in streaming Bartolo Colon but he has a favorable matchup against Philadelphia.  The Phillies are in the bottom third in most offensive categories against right handed starters including their ridiculously low 7.8% HR/FB and .116 ISO (isolated power- a formula used to determine raw power).  However, Colon is a fly ball pitcher.

MATCHUP RATING: Risky Stream

Charlie Morton (PIT at SD)

Ownership: 6% Yahoo!, 2% ESPN.  Charlie Morton’s numbers suggest he’ll have a quality start in San Diego.  He owns a 54.2% GB rate and the Padres are the only team averaging over half of their batted balls onto the ground.  The Padres are last in BA, OBP, R and RBI.  Morton won’t get you strikeouts, but he’ll help you in the ERA and WHIP categories and may even get your a win.

MATCHUP RATING: Solid Stream

Tuesday's SP Streamers

Gavin Floyd (ATL vs. SEA)

Ownership: 8% Yahoo, 7% ESPN.  In his last two starts, Gavin Floyd has shown signs of inconsistency and a lack of control so owners should be wary of him.  Tuesday’s game against Seattle may be an indicator of where he’s headed the rest of the season.  His 1.35 WHIP is high for a guy with a 2.37 ERA.  Still, he’s making hitters swing outside the zone at an absurd rate and enough to give him field cred for the start.

MATCHUP RATING: Risky Stream

Jaime Garcia (STL vs. KC)

After Tuesday’s game there’ll be a lot of owners trying to board the Jaime Garcia express but luckily you’ll have the inside track on his ownership.  He’s owned in 31% of Yahoo! and 22% of ESPN leagues and you can expect those numbers to explode before his next start.

His 26% K rate, 0.81 WHIP, .222 BAA - and, oh yeah, ZERO walks - suggest his high ERA 1) is not all his fault and 2) will go down.  He’s also forcing a lot of guys to swing and miss and what better team to face than Kansas City with their offensive woes?  Expect help in IP, ERA, WHIP and K's and then contemplate dropping another pitcher to keep Garcia.  He will be that good.

MATCHUP RATING: Must Stream

Collin McHugh (HOU vs. LAA)

Collin McHugh has been so good this season that his strikeout-to-walk ratio numbers look like a blowout score in a football game: 28.1% K to 6.7% BB rates.  With ownership numbers at 26% in Yahoo! and 16% in ESPN leagues, McHugh is another guy that you will need to stream and then think about keeping on your team in lieu of another pitcher.  Like Garcia, McHugh is imposing his will and making batters swing and miss at a high rate.  However, batters aren’t making contact in the strike zone against him as the young Astro stud is mixing up velocities extremely well.  Think about keeping McHugh after you stream him on Tuesday.

MATCHUP RATING: Must Stream

Wednesday's SP Streamers

Brandon Workman (BOS at CLE)

Ownership: 1% Yahoo!, 0% ESPN.  Brandon Workman makes this list simply by being in the right place at the right time.  The Red Sox are rolling and Workman is adequate enough - 3.24 ERA and 1.20 WHIP - to keep the Red Sox in the game, improving your chances of getting a plus one in the W column.  Beware though.  Workman isn’t as good at home, is walking a lot of batters and has a rather high number of line drives hit against him.

MATCHUP RATING: Risky Stream

Matt Shoemaker (LAA at HOU)

There’s nothing to suggest that Matt Shoemaker can’t continue to deliver.  He’s 3-1 with a 3.54 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP.  More importantly, he owns a solid 3.71 K/BB ratio, a .213 BAA and a 12.5 % IFFB (infield fly ball) rate.  He may not be the best pitcher on this list but he certainly has the best matchup in the early part of the week.  Houston has been terrible against right handers with a .224 AVG, .301 OBP and .677 OPS- all in the bottom five.  Shoemaker can give you a boost in WHIP and ERA  and a shot at a W.

MATCHUP RATING: Solid Stream