RADIO
Adam Meyer analyzes under-the-radar starting pitchers (SP) making two starts in Week 8 as possible streamers and waiver wire adds or targets for fantasy baseball.
For Week 8 of the two-start pitcher streamers, we have some familiar faces and some players trying to redeem themselves from poor performances. Per usual, I’ll break down the pros and cons for selecting each arm for this week.
From Week 7, we provided you with Andrew Heaney (15 K and 3 ER in two starts) and Mike Foltynewicz (14 K and 0 ER) as two-start gems. Pivetta only pitched in one game last week, but he was profitable: 7 IP, 1 ER, and 11 K (more on him later).
Which brings me to my next point. Rain can ruin our two-start streamer plans. If you’re torn between two options in the streamer department, I’d choose the one playing on a Monday (if the other is starting on Tuesday), just to increase the chances that my pitcher plays in two games for the week. Also, all ownership numbers are provided by Yahoo fantasy baseball leagues.
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Week 8 Streamers Under 50% Owned
Jeremy Hellickson, WSH (42% owned)
Probable opponents: vs. SD, @ MIA
Hellickson is no stranger to the two-start streamer posts. In Week 6, we suggest Hellickson for his two appearances and he thrived (1-0, 1 ER, and 13 K in 11.2 innings of work). Hellickson returns to the two-start write-up with the Padres and Marlins on the horizon. San Diego (.294) and Miami (.281) are 26th and 29th, respectively, in team wOBA. The Padres are 26th in runs scored (168 runs in 45 games) and second in team strikeouts (443), while the Marlins are 30th in runs scored (148 runs in 43 games). Hellickson has also allowed only one earned run in the past three starts combined.
Jake Faria, TB (38% owned)
Probable opponents: vs. BOS, vs. BAL
You want the good news or the bad news first when it come to Faria? I’ll start with the negatives. Faria has already faced the Red Sox and Orioles this season. Those matchups did not end well. Faria has a 14.29 ERA in two outings against Boston and a 9.58 ERA in two starts against Baltimore. The good news? Faria is a much better pitcher at home this season He has a 1.74 ERA (20.2 IP) in four home starts as opposed to an 8.14 ERA (24.1 IP) in five road appearances. Faria faced the Red Sox at home on April 1st: 4 IP, 1 ER, and 2 K.
Nick Pivetta, PHI (36% owned)
Probable opponents: vs. ATL, vs. TOR
Pivetta was nearly perfect in his last outing: 7 IP, 1 ER, and 11 K (@ BAL). Two of his next starts are at home, where he’s 2-1 with a 2.48 ERA (five games) and 36 strikeouts in 29 innings. Atlanta is next on the docket. Pivetta has produced a 5.14 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 14 innings (three starts) against Atlanta this season. The good news is that Pivetta has allowed only one run in his last two games combined (12 innings). Also, Toronto is seventh in the league with 399 team strikeouts this year. Pivetta has punched out 18 batters in the past two games.
Under 25% Owned
Trevor Cahill, OAK (19% owned)
Probable opponents: vs. SEA, vs. ARI
Cahill returned to action on Wednesday and was promptly greeted by Boston. While the outing wasn’t stellar, Cahill still kept the damage to a minimum. He hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any outing this year. Cahill has also compiled at least five strikeouts in four of his last five games. Among his two home starts this week, one of those matchups is against Arizona. The Diamondbacks are 30th in team wOBA (.275) against right-handed pitchers.
Matt Koch, ARI (15% owned)
Probable opponents: @ MIL, @ OAK
Koch was clobbered in his last outing. The Brewers tagged him for eight earned runs (four homers) in 4.1 innings of work. Unfortunately, Koch gets Milwaukee in his first start of Week 8. On the bright side, that was Koch’s worst outing of 2018 and he’s allowed no more than three earned runs in any previous appearance. Hopefully, that was just one bad start and he can rebound/redeem himself. Also, the Brewers and Athletics are both in the top 10 in terms of team strikeouts this season.
German Marquez, COL (5% owned)
Probable opponents: @ LAD, vs. CIN
Remember, adding pitchers who are below 25 percent owned comes with a high risk of ruining your fantasy team’s ERA and/or WHIP for the week. I only stream pitchers with that low of ownership when I need to add strikeouts and/or potentially get the win/QS for my weekly lineups. Saying that Marquez has struggled at Coors Field would be an understatement. He’s produced a 10.34 ERA at home in four starts (15.2 innings) and he’ll face the Reds in Colorado for his second start of the week. As for his first outing of Week 8, Marquez travels to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers. He is 2-2 with a 2.25 ERA (28 IP) on the road this season. Out of Marquez’s five road starts in 2018, he’s allowed no more than two earned runs in any outing and has struck out at least five batters in four of those appearances.
