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Welcome back to Streaming Wars, your one-stop shop for streaming the waiver wire. This article, which began last season, runs seven days a week. Even with only a week and a half of the season in the books, we are always ready to stream.
For those who are newcomers to this feature, use this column on a daily basis to improve upon your weakest categories and target players who may be available on your waiver wire.
Below are your pitcher and hitter streaming targets for Wednesday, April 18. Let's get to it.
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1. Pitching Streamers
Kyle Freeland (COL) at Pittsburgh Pirates - It's hard to hit in cold weather. For proof, just look to Tuesday's game in which the two teams combined for 10 hits. Chad Bettis and Trevor Williams put up a lot of zeros.
Freeland could have some success in an early start Wednesday, as he's improved in each of his three starts so far this year. The lefty has a 4.50 ERA and 15 K's in 16 innings and will face a Pittsburgh lineup without Josh Harrison and with a slumping Gregory Polanco potentially getting the day off against the southpaw.
Jake Faria (TB) vs. Texas Rangers - Faria's 8.18 ERA in the early going will likely scare many off, but other than his eight-run outing against Boston on April 7, he's allowed just two earned runs in 9 1/3 innings. He's also struck out nine in 11 innings and surrendered one homer.
The 24-year-old righty will be in a controlled environment in the dome and is facing a Rangers team missing a lot of firepower (Elvis Andrus, Rougned Odor, Jurickson Profar and Delino DeShields). None of the current players on roster for Texas have ever faced Faria, either.
Andrew Triggs (OAK) vs. Chicago White Sox - The rebuilding Pale Hose will be a popular streaming target for pitchers all year, and Triggs comes into this one hot; he's sporting a 2.87 ERA, a 17/6 K/BB ratio and just one home run allowed in 15 2/3 frames over three starts.
The right-hander has allowed no more than two runs while completing at least five innings in each of his three starts to begin the year, and O.Co Coliseum is one of the most pitcher-friendly environments in baseball.
Other targets: Vince Velasquez (PHI) at Atlanta Braves, Brandon McCarthy (ATL) vs. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Pitchers to Exploit
Zach Davies (MIL) vs. Cincinnati Reds - Davies enters his fourth start of the season with a 6.75 ERA and four homers allowed, but he's fanned 18 hitters in 16 innings and has walked only five.
He has a decent 3.72 ERA in nine career starts against the Reds, but he's also allowed at least one homer in each of his three starts this year and three current Reds (Adam Duvall, Jose Peraza and Joey Votto) have taken him deep in their careers.
In his career, Davies has been worse at hitter-friendly Miller Park (4.81 ERA, .277 average against, 31 homers) than on the road (3.04 ERA, .253 average against, 15 homers allowed).
Luis Perdomo (SD) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers - Perdomo returns from his five-game suspension for throwing at Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado last week. While he does have 13 strikeouts in his 11 innings so far, his declining ground-ball rate is concerning.
Aside from his two-inning start after being ejected against Colorado, Perdomo has walked at least three hitters in his other two starts. Even more concerning: several Dodgers have hit him very well in their careers - Yasmani Grandal (.273, two homers, five RBI), Yasiel Puig (.556, three RBI), Corey Seager (.389) and Chase Utley (.294, one homer, three RBI).
Others to exploit: Steven Matz (NYM) vs. Washington Nationals, Chris Stratton (SF) at Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Position Players on the Waiver Wire
Toronto Blue Jays 2B/3B/SS Yangervis Solarte (52% owned on Yahoo) - Solarte is great for fantasy flexibility and is hitting well to begin the year (.286, two homers, four RBI, seven runs) for the Blue Jays. He should continue to see everyday playing time for the foreseeable future with Josh Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki and Kendrys Morales all on the disabled list.
In the last two weeks, Solarte is hitting .346 with a homer, two RBI and six runs scored. He's also hitting in the heart of the Toronto order. He'll face Royals starter Ian Kennedy on Wednesday, against whom he's 1-for-3 with an RBI against in his career.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis (28% owned on Yahoo) - Markakis isn't the sexiest of fantasy options, but he's hitting .271 with a homer, four RBI and six runs scored in the last two weeks and is hitting .364 with two RBI in 11 at-bats against Philly's Wednesday starter Vince Velasquez.
Markakis has also been hitting smack dab in the middle of Atlanta's order this season.
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp (26% owned on Yahoo) - Somehow, despite the fact he's been one of the team's best hitters in the early going, Kemp is still criminally under-owned in fantasy leagues. He's slashing .333/.391/.548 with two long balls and seven RBI.
He also has a hit and two RBI in three career at-bats against Wednesday's starter for the Padres, Luis Perdomo. Kemp won't provide much with his legs anymore, but while he's healthy and swinging the bat well, he should be owned in most mixed leagues.
Other targets: Jose Peraza, Tucker Barnhart, Jesse Winker, Chase Utley, Joc Pederson, Kike Hernandez, Kyle Farmer
