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For those looking for a jump on the Week 4 starting pitcher streaming process, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we breakdown the list of two-start pitchers into two groups, based on Yahoo fantasy baseball ownership levels.
In the past, I try to provide you with three streamers who are under 50 percent owned and three streamers who are under 25 percent owned. However, that was a difficult task for Week 4. So, to satisfy the quota, I found two streamers under 50 percent and five two-start pitchers under 25 percent.
One common theme you’ll notice in this week’s write-up is the fact that multiple pitchers are already facing teams for a third time. In some cases, that’s a good thing (easy opponents, already did well in previous matchups). However, in other instances, it’s a warning (already defeated in prior meetings).
Week 4 Streamers Under 50% Owned
Jake Faria, TB (41% owned)
Probable opponents: @ BAL, @ BOS
The Red Sox flustered Faria on April 7th. He allowed eight earned runs in 1.2 innings. However, Faria bounced-back and pitched well against Boston in the following outing: 4 IP, 1 ER, 2 K. He’ll get them for a third time later this week. Boston has an MLB-best .377 team wOBA against right-handed pitchers. However, the Orioles are only 24th in the same category (.289). Baltimore also leads all of baseball with 216 team strikeouts this season.
Chad Bettis, COL (30% owned)
Probable opponents: vs. SD, @ MIA
Bettis is that starting pitcher you see available in your fantasy league and rush to add for now and potentially future starts. Thus far, he’s 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA. Sure, three of his four starts have been away from Coors Field, but Bettis allowed only one earned run in that lone outing at home. The Padres and Marlins are both in the lower-third of team wOBA against right-handed pitchers this season. San Diego has the second-most strikeouts this season (211). Miami is 25th in runs scored (62 runs in 19 games). Both are great matchups for Bettis this week.
Under 25% Owned
Vince Velasquez, PHI (18% owned)
Probable opponents: vs. ARI, vs. ATL
It was a rough outing for Velasquez in his last start. The Braves tagged him for seven runs (four earned) in 2.2 innings. In their first meeting of the year (April 18th), Velazquez allowed only three earned runs and struck out seven batters. Let’s hope for a repeat of that performance in Week 4. Both of Velasquez’s starts this week are at home. He has a career 3.93 ERA and has tallied 134 strikeouts in 110 innings at Citizens Bank Park.
Chris Stratton, SF (15% owned)
Probable opponents: vs. WSH, vs. LAD
Stratton and the Dodgers will be very familiar with each other by the end of the season. Stratton has already faced the N.L. West foe twice and will get them for a third time later in the week. In both combined outings, Stratton has allowed five earned runs and struck out seven batters in 10.1 innings of work. Both starts for Stratton this week will be at AT&T Park. Over the last three seasons, San Francisco has hosted the fourth-best Park Factor for pitchers.
Brandon McCarthy, ATL (13% owned)
Probable opponents: @ CIN, @ PHI
Guess who’s 3-0 with a 2.91 ERA this season? Yes, the answer is McCarthy! Even with a start at Coors Field, he’s allowed no more than three earned runs in all four performances this season. His first opponent this week, the Reds, are 29th in team wOBA against right-handed pitchers this season (.270). Cincinnati has also scored an MLB-worst 56 runs in 19 games thus far in 2018. As for Philadelphia, they are seventh in team strikeouts this year (189).
Jaime Garcia, TOR (11% owned)
Probable opponents: @ NYY, vs. TEX
When targeting a streaming option, you look for a few things: 1) Easy opponent; 2) Low ERA; 3) Consistent strikeout totals. When the player pool is scarce, you settle for two out of those three scenarios. The opponents won’t be easy for Garcia, but he has a sub-four ERA (solid for a streamer) and has tallied at least five strikeouts in every appearance this season. Unfortunately, the Yankees crush left-handed pitching. They have a .374 team wOBA, which is second-best in baseball. On the bright side, the Rangers are tied for the second-lowest team wOBA against southpaws (.278).
Trevor Cahill, OAK (3% owned)
Probable opponents: @ TEX, @ HOU
Cahill is back with the A’s after a tour of the N.L. and a brief stint with Kansas City. In his first start of 2018, Cahill dominated the White Sox. He struck out eight batters and allowed zero earned runs in seven innings of work. Cahill will get a chance to increase his K/9 against the Rangers and Astros. Both clubs are in the top five in team strikeouts this season. Globe Life Park will be a difficult place to pitch (second-worst Park Factor for pitchers over the past three years), but, shockingly, Minute Maid Park has the best Park Factor for pitchers during that span.
