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Streaming Wars: Waiver Wire Targets for September 4

Brad Johnson's fantasy baseball daily streaming picks for September 4. Pitcher and hitter streamers for MLB DFS games, and head-to-head (H2H) waiver wire targets.

Welcome to Streaming Wars, your one-stop shop for streaming the waiver wire. Use this column to improve upon your neediest categories.

Below are your pitcher and hitter streaming targets for Monday, September 4.

Let's get to it.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:

 

Agenda

  1. The Final Month
  2. Today's Weather and Updates
  3. Tomorrow's Picks

 

1. The Final Month

With one month left on the fantasy baseball calendar, let's look back at some of the standout performances from last September. There's only so much ground you can make up in one-sixth of a season. You'll need to honestly assess which categories are and are not assailable.

Top Performances From September 2016 Top Performances From September 2016
Stat Player Count Stat Player Count
Runs Curtis Granderson 25 Wins Jon Lester 5
Byron Buxton 24 Max Scherzer 5
Ender Inciarte 24 Saves Mark Melancon 10
RBI Kendrys Morales 30 (six others) 8
Justin Upton 28 K Justin Verlander 56
HR Justin Upton 13 Chris Sale 48
(three others) 11 Max Scherzer 46
SB Trea Turner 15 ERA Jon Lester 1.48
Dee Gordon 15 Johnny Cueto 1.78
Jonathan Villar 12 Justin Verlander 1.82
AVG Joey Votto 0.389 WHIP Jharel Cotton 0.82
Yadier Molina 0.388 Jon Lester 0.82
Freddie Freeman 0.367 Ubaldo Jimenez 0.83

 

If you're trying to catch lightning in a barrel, you should expect no more than 20 runs, 25 RBI, 10 home runs, 10 steals, and a .350 average from any individual - and not all from the same guy. For steals, it certainly helps to already own one of the few rabbits. Power is probably the most difficult category to predictably outperform the crowd. Grab a leadoff for runs, a cleanup hitter for RBI, or a Votto for batting average.

On the pitching side, my advice is to already own a top five pitcher. If you need the luck of a leprechaun, hopefully you're chasing WHIP. That's the only category with weird results.

 

2. Today's Weather and Updates

Sunny San Diego may actually be rainy today. It's only a 30 percent chance for wet skies. Tomorrow features a bunch of sun for Labor Day. Every team will play. Enjoy.

 

3. Tomorrow's Picks - Monday, September 4

Pitchers to Use

Jake Junis is by far the most interesting arm available. He'll face a gutted Tigers offense. They're without Victor Martinez (injury), Miguel Cabrera (suspended), and Justin Upton (traded). Junis has fantasy average numbers including a 4.41 ERA, 8.10 K/9, and a 1.29 WHIP through 63.1 innings. He's 6-2 on the year. Junis is quite likely to earn a victory opposite an untouted rookie making his debut.

The Mets and Phillies feature two of the most exploitable offenses. Mark Leiter is starting for Philadelphia. His 3.88 ERA and major league blood lines have led to a jolt in ownership. Be careful. Most of his success can be traced back to what looks like a lucky soft contact rate. He still profiles as a long reliever. His opponent, Rafael Montero, is coming off the best outing of his career. He tossed 8.1 innings of shutout baseball against the Reds. Montero has a 2.77 ERA over his last 26 innings, although his command remains below average. Both Leiter and Montero are risky plays.

Other Targets: Chad Kuhl

 

Pitchers to Exploit

Scouts view Tigers right-hander Artie Lewicki as a swing-starter. He features a 92 to 94 mph fastball and an adequate slider. His curve and change are described as fringy. Lewicki posted strong numbers in five Triple-A starts (2.03 ERA, 9.58 K/9, 2.03 BB/9). He avoids walks and will probably discover that major league hitters feast on middling stuff in the strike zone.

Other Targets: Homer Bailey, James Shields, Matt Moore, Chad Bettis, Chris Smith, Marco Gonzales

 

Homers on the Wire

Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera is scheduled to return tomorrow. He's technically over 50 percent owned (56 percent to be precise), but I expect that rate to fall once he's forced off the disabled list. Herrera will likely insert into the top of the order in some combination with Nick Williams, Rhys Hoskins, and Cesar Hernandez. That's a productive-looking top four batters. Now all Philly needs is to get something out of Tommy Joseph and Maikel Franco. Freddy Galvis seems like the obvious fifth hitter.

Lonnie Chisenhall looked like one of the breakout stars of 2017 before missing a second chunk of the season to injury. He's back and hopefully ready to reprise his role as a slugger. A matchup against homer prone James Shields at Guaranteed HR-Rate Park is a plus.

Other Targets: Scott Schebler, Keon Broxton, Neil Walker, Brandon Moss, Wilmer Flores, Dominic Smith, Brandon Crawford, Jed Lowrie, Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Matt Joyce, Chad Pinder, Marcus Semien, Stephen Piscotty, J.D. Davis, Jayson Werth, Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, Enrique Hernandez

 

Steals on the Wire

The Angels suddenly have a crowded lineup. Brandon Phillips isn't a big base running threat these days, but he'll take advantage of lax defense (10 steals). Cameron Maybin and Ben Revere are better bets to steal a base, but they have to compete with each other, C.J. Cron, and Albert Pujols for playing time. Only two can be in the lineup at the same time unless one of Mike Trout, Justin Upton, or Kole Calhoun are getting an off day.

Other Targets: Denard Span, Kolten Wong

 

Skill Positions

Chris Iannetta is hitting .328/.414/.557 in a small sample against left-handed pitchers. Rich Hill isn't the typical southpaw, but it's still a decent spot to give Iannetta a whirl. Kurt Suzuki and Robinson Chirinos are alternatives. They're on opposite sides of the Andrew Cashner-R.A. Dickey brawl of mediocrity.

 

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

CFB

Isaiah Horton Landing with Texas A&M
Jet Greaves

Beats Mammoth With 25 Saves
Roman Josi

Ends Dry Spell With Three-Point Effort
Joonas Korpisalo

Shuts Door on Penguins
Jack Hughes

Has Two Helpers in Losing Effort
Tomas Hertl

Matches Vegas Record With Five Points
Justin Sourdif

Exits With Injury Versus Predators
Denton Mateychuk

Sustains Upper-Body Injury Sunday
George Kittle

Suffers Torn Achilles on Sunday
Aaron Holiday

is Moving into Starting Five
Aaron Gordon

is Available on Sunday
Christian Braun

is Downgraded to Out
Jamal Murray

is Unavailable on Sunday
Omarion Hampton

Active for Wild-Card Round Against Patriots
Kristaps Porzingis

Won't Play on Sunday
Kevin Porter Jr.

is Available to Play on Sunday
Christian Braun

Downgraded to Questionable on Sunday
Tyler Herro

to Suit Up on Sunday
Norman Powell

Ruled Out for Sunday's Game
Victor Wembanyama

Cleared for Sunday
George Kittle

Ruled Out After Non-Contact Achilles Injury
Cole Perfetti

Contributes Two Assists in Sunday's Win
Carl Grundstrom

Misses Sunday's Practice
Jrue Holiday

Cleared to Suit Up Versus New York
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Request Interview With Ejiro Evero
Josh Hart

Returning on Sunday Night
Travis Konecny

Hurt at Sunday's Practice
Thatcher Demko

Lands on Injured Reserve
Colin Miller

Injured Versus Devils
Bryan Rust

Remains Out Sunday
Morgan Geekie

Won't Play Sunday
Los Angeles Rams

Mike LaFleur to Interview With Raiders and Cardinals
Aaron Rodgers

Steelers Open to Re-Signing Aaron Rodgers?
Matthew Stafford

X-Rays Come Back Negative
Mark Stone

Extends Goal Streak With Empty-Netter
Nikita Kucherov

Has Four-Point Outing Saturday
David Pastrnak

Records Six Assists in Big Win
Stefan Noesen

to Have Knee Surgery
Carter Hart

Out Week-to-Week
Thatcher Demko

Exits With Injury Saturday
MacKenzie Gore

Yankees Pursuing Trade for MacKenzie Gore
Philip Broberg

Suffers Upper-Body Injury Saturday
Alex Bregman

Cubs Sign Alex Bregman to Five-Year, $175 Millon Contract
Chet Holmgren

Available Sunday
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Suspended for Three Games for Attempting to Strike Another Player
Kristaps Porzingis

May Return Sunday
Zaccharie Risacher

to Miss Second Consecutive Game Sunday
Kevin Porter Jr.

Considered Probable for Sunday
Aaron Gordon

Likely to Play Sunday
Christian Braun

Considered Probable for Sunday
Spencer Jones

May Miss Another Game Sunday
Jamal Murray

Iffy for Sunday's Action
Freddie Freeman

Withdraws from World Baseball Classic
Max Kepler

Receives 80-Game PED Suspension
CFB

Cam Coleman Visiting Alabama on Friday
Omarion Hampton

Expects to Play Sunday Night
CFB

Eric Singleton Jr. Enters Transfer Portal, Trending to Land at Florida
CFB

NCAA Denies Trinidad Chambliss a Sixth Year of Eligibility
Omarion Hampton

Questionable for Wild-Card Weekend
Kyle Tucker

Mets Remain in Mix for Kyle Tucker
Ketel Marte

Will Remain With Diamondbacks
Rashee Rice

to be Reviewed Under League's Conduct Policy
Daniel Jones

Colts Plan to Re-Sign Daniel Jones
Davante Adams

Off the Injury Report, Will Play Against Carolina
Bo Bichette

Phillies to Meet With Bo Bichette
Rome Odunze

Will Return for Wild-Card Game on Saturday
CFB

DJ Lagway Commits to Baylor
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Fire Head Coach Mike McDaniel
Sam LaPorta

Plans to be Back for Training Camp
Owen Caissie

Shipped to Miami as Centerpiece of Trade
Edward Cabrera

Cubs Officially Acquire Edward Cabrera From Marlins
Rome Odunze

Plans to Play on Saturday
Edward Cabrera

Cubs Finalizing Deal to Acquire Edward Cabrera From Marlins
New York Giants

Giants "All-In" on Hiring John Harbaugh
CFB

Jackson Arnold Signs with UNLV
CFB

Sam Leavitt Scheduled to Visit Tennessee
New York Giants

John Harbaugh Expected to be Favorite to Become New Giants Head Coach
Baltimore Ravens

John Harbaugh Won't Return as Ravens Head Coach
Bo Bichette

Unlikely to Return to Toronto?
Jordan Love

Ready to Start in Wild-Card Game Against Bears
CFB

Jadan Baugh Staying with Florida for Junior Season
Washington Commanders

Commanders "Mutually" Parting Ways With OC Kliff Kingsbury
CFB

Byrum Brown Officially Commits to Auburn
CFB

Austin Simmons Signing with Missouri

RANKINGS

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K
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