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Two-Start Pitcher Streamers: Week 15

Starting pitchers to add and stream in Week 15 of the 2021 fantasy baseball season. Michael Grennell analyzes the top SP streamers to pick up off waivers.

The All-Star Game starting lineups have officially been announced! I know the guy I'm most excited to see get the starting nod is Adam Frazier. Who are you all excited to see named as a starter? Who are your biggest snubs?

With the All-Star Game coming up, that means we won't be back to discussing two-start streaming options again until July 16. But before that happens, we've still got one week to look forward to and two weeks to look back on. Closing out Week 13's column, Ross Stripling gets the slight edge as the top option from that column after going 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 11 innings of work. However you would be pretty pleased if you had gone with Tarik Skubal as well. Skubal didn't factor into the decision in either start, but posted a 2.31 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings of work. As for Week 14, it's another close call between two guys, as Caleb Smith allowed two runs in five innings with eight strikeouts but earned the loss, while Carlos Martinez allowed one run in six innings with six strikeouts to earn his first win since May 8.

Alright, time for one last look before the All-Star break. Here are the guys you should be looking at, and we'll be back in action after the All-Star Game. Go American League!

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

 

Week 15 Streamers — Under 50% Rostered

Steven Matz, TOR - 47% rostered

Probable Opponents: @ BAL, @ TBR

Matz has had quite the up-and-down season this year. When he's pitching well, he's pitching really well. And when he's struggling, it makes fantasy managers want to curl up in bed and cry. For example, in his latest start he surrendered four runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings of work against the Seattle "Dead-Last In The Majors In Batting Average" Mariners. But in the start before that, he limited the Boston "Third-Highest Team Average" Red Sox to one run on four hits while striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings of work. All that being said, he's 7-3 with a 4.60 ERA and 24.8 percent strikeout rate this season, and with a 3.83 xERA it suggests that he's been slightly unlucky at times this year. So he's a bit of a gamble in a vacuum, but let's take a look at those matchups and see what value he can have.

He'll be on the road for both starts this week, which actually looks to be a good thing for his value as he has pitched far better this season on the road (6-1, 3.43 ERA, 1.030 WHIP) than at home (1-2, 6.51 ERA, 1.916 WHIP). First up on his slate are the Orioles, who are slashing .236/.305/.357 and averaging 4.2 runs per game over their last 10 games. And no offense Baltimore fans, but surprisingly the Orioles could be a tough matchup for Matz, as not only are they hitting better at home (.248/.316/.424) they are also hitting better against left-handed pitching (.277/.329/.445) than against right-handers (.221/.291/.374).

So of course after what looks to be a tougher matchup against the fifth-place Orioles, it only makes sense that it looks like he'll have what looks like a good matchup against the second-place Rays. While the Rays are slashing .230/.315/.407 and averaging 5.1 runs per game over their last 10 games, they are also hitting worse at home this season (.225/.320/.372) and are hitting worse against left-handed pitching (.228/.307/.377) than against right-handed pitching (.231/.321/.402). Matz has also had success against the Rays already this season, as he allowed three runs over five innings while striking out seven to earn the win back in April.

You've got an inconsistent pitcher entering Week 15 with a difficult matchup against a fifth-place team and a nicer matchup against a second-place team. Needless to say, he's somewhat of a wildcard and a bit of a risky play. But for managers who have no problem with risking their ERA, Matz should be a great pickup for his strikeout potential this week, as the Orioles are 13th in the majors with a 23.9 percent strikeout rate, while the Rays are tied for second in the majors with a 26.7 percent rate.

 

Mike Minor, KCR - 34% rostered

Probable Opponents: vs CIN, @ CLE

Let's try this again. Minor was featured in the Week 13 column, but thanks to a shift in schedule, he only made one of his scheduled starts that week. He's back in position for a two-start week now, but it's coming on the heels of a rough stretch of outings. Over his last two outings, Minor has been pummeled for 14 runs on 18 hits over 10 innings of work against the Rangers and Red Sox. He's now 6-6 on the year with a 5.33 ERA, but he's also posted a 23.2 percent strikeout rate and a 4.23 xERA that, while not necessarily great, suggests he's been somewhat unlucky this year.

He'll be pitching at home against Cincinnati to open up the week, and he'll be facing a team that's been hitting well over their last 10 games, where they are slashing .270/.358/.445 and averaging 5.2 runs per game in that span. But while they are hitting well right now, Minor should benefit from their batting splits in this matchup. The Reds are hitting significantly worse against left-handers (.225/.308/.370) than against right-handers (.259/.338/.438) this season, and they are also hitting significantly worse on the road (.236/.312/.373) than at home (.266/.350/.473).

The second outing of the week should be a nice one for Minor, as he faces off against a struggling Indians offense. Over their last 10 games, they are averaging 4.0 runs per game and slashing .218/.271/.399 with a 24.5 percent strikeout rate in that span. Along with that, Cleveland is hitting worse this year against left-handed pitching (.222/.299/.381, 23.1 K%) than against right-handers (.231/.295/.401, 22.8 K%).

So he's coming off a pair of bad starts, but I like his chances of a bounce-back performance in Week 15. Especially with a couple of solid matchups based on the splits. I anticipate the Cleveland outing will be his best, and if he can get through Cincinnati without much issue, he should be a solid option for most managers.

 

Week 15 Streamers — Under 25% Rostered

Jon Gray, COL - 21% rostered

Probable Opponents: @ ARI, @ SDP

Gray has been inconsistent from year-to-year through his career, but 2021 is looking like one of the good seasons for him, as he is now 5-6 with a 3.89 ERA and 20.6 percent strikeout rate. He's coming off back-to-back solid outings, where he's combined to post a 1.64 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 11 innings against the Brewers and Pirates. Now you might think pitching on the road for both starts would help Gray's value this week, however he's done worse on the road this year (0-4, 5.32 ERA, 1.690 WHIP) than at home (5-2, 3.22 ERA, 1.033 WHIP). But that shouldn't matter too much when you open the week against the Diamondbacks, who are slashing .238/.328/.367 while averaging 8.8 strikeouts and 3.8 runs per game over their last 10 games. Plus, they're hitting worse against right-handers (.227/.300/.358) than against lefties (.243/.322/.413). That second outing will likely be a rough one for Gray, as he's only put up so-so performances in two starts against San Diego this year (3.97 ERA, 7 K, 11 1/3 IP), and the Padres are now slashing .277/.366/.516 while averaging 5.0 runs per game over their last 10 games.

This is a "one good start, one bad start" dilemma for managers this week. The start against Arizona should be a good one for him, however that San Diego outing could end up a disaster. I think Gray can put up good enough numbers in Arizona this week that if he can put up even an average performance against San Diego he should be worth scooping off the waiver-wire.

Vladimir Gutierrez, CIN - 20% rostered

Probable Opponents: @ STL, vs SFG

Gutierrez got off to a nice start to his career, going 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 23 innings of work. But over his last three starts he's struggled against San Diego and Atlanta — combining to go 0-2 with an 8.22 ERA and 1.892 WHIP over 15 1/3 innings. He should be able to bounce back from the recent poor performances when he faces a slumping Cardinals team that is slashing .220/.298/.362 and averaging 3.4 runs per game over their last 10 games. He should also benefit from their platoon splits, as the Cardinals are hitting worse against right-handers (.223/.293/.371) than against lefties (.241/.323/.399). He'll have a tougher matchup to close out the week though, as he faces off against the Giants, who are averaging 4.7 runs per game and slashing .248/.319/.437 over their last 10 games. He's on the wrong side of their platoon splits, as the Giants are hitting better against right-handers this season (.241/.321/.435), however he could benefit from the fact that San Francisco is hitting worse on the road (.230/.306/.419) than at home (.252/.344/.441).

Just like with Gray, you got one good start and one bad start for Gutierrez this week. But just like with Gray, I think that Gutierrez should provide good enough value in his first start that if he can put up an average outing against San Francisco, managers will still be happy with his overall performance. I'd recommend managers target Gray first before Gutierrez, but if Gray is gone, Gutierrez should still be a solid play.

Wily Peralta, DET - 0% rostered

Probable Opponents: @ TEX, @ MIN

For the first time this year we have a guy who is available in every league. And it's for good reason as he was shaky over his first two starts of the season, where he combined to post a 5.87 ERA and 1.434 WHIP over 7 2/3 innings against the Angels and Astros. But he's coming off a nice outing in his last start, where he limited Cleveland to one unearned run with five strikeouts in five innings of work. His first start of the week will come against a Texas squad that has been heating up lately, slashing .283/.351/.493 and averaging 5.5 runs per game over their last 10 games. That looks like a potentially rough matchup, however he could benefit from their platoon splits as they are hitting slightly worse against right-handers (.230/.304/.385) than against left-handers. Plus there could be some good strikeout potential here, as the Rangers have the 11th-highest strikeout rate in the majors at 24.3 percent. He'll have another tough matchup against the Twins, as they come into the week averaging 5.2 runs per game and slashing .253/.328/.451 over their last 10 games. Peralta could benefit from their splits here though, as not only are they hitting worse against right-handers this season (.240/.318/.426), they are also hitting worse at home (.241/.313/.430) than on the road (.250/.320/.436).

I'm not going to sugarcoat things — Peralta is the riskiest play by far out of this week's column. But he's also available in virtually every league, meaning if you wanted to load up on pitching performances this week you can stack him up with one or even two of the other guys on this list. If you're trying to load up on strikeouts this week and don't care about ERA, grab Peralta off the waiver-wire and pair him up with other options on this list for the best potential value.



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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Willy Adames

Out With Side Soreness on Tuesday
A.J. Brown

on Track to Play in Week 1
Jacob deGrom

Being Skipped in Rotation Due to Shoulder Fatigue
Adley Rutschman

Scratched on Tuesday With Abdominal Discomfort
CBJ

Brendan Smith Joins Blue Jackets on Tryout Deal
STL

Milan Lucic Joins Blues for Tryout
DET

Red Wings Pick Up Travis Hamonic
Austin Riley

Doesn't Appear Ready to Return Any Time Soon
Aaron Judge

Unikely to Throw Normally Again This Year
Jalen McMillan

Could be Out Through Week 9 Bye
Indiana Pacers

Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Agrees to a Multiyear Contract Extension on Tuesday
Washington Wizards

John Wall Retires After 11 NBA Seasons
Daniel Jones

Named as Colts Starting Quarterback
Jalen McMillan

Will Not Be Ready for Season Opener
Collin Sexton

Hornets Have High Hopes for Collin Sexton
Rui Hachimura

Likely to Start Season Without Contract Extension
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Hopes to Bounce Back in 2025-26
Stephen Curry

Ready to Go for New Season
Orlando Magic

Lester Quinones Agrees to Deal With Magic
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Cleared to Play on Tuesday Night
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Pulled With Hamstring Tightness
MLB

Game 2 of Brewers-Cubs on Monday Postponed
Bryce Miller

to be Activated on Tuesday
Kyle Tucker

to Get Multiple Days Off
Shane Bieber

to Make Season Debut on Friday
Joe Mixon

Could Start Season on NFI List
Zack Wheeler

has Surgery to Remove Blood Clot
De'Von Achane

Unlikely to Practice This Week
Justin Jefferson

Returning to Practice
Chris Godwin

Bucs Chris Godwin Likely to Start Season on PUP List
Joe Flacco

Browns Name Joe Flacco as Their Week 1 Starter
Jalen McDaniels

Inks Deal With New Orleans
N'Faly Dante

Signs Deal With Hawks
Matthew Stafford

Practicing on Monday
Dru Smith

Agrees to Deal With Heat
Austin Dillon

Scores an Upset Victory at Richmond
William Byron

Clinches the Regular Season Championship Title at Richmond
Denny Hamlin

Pit-Road Struggles Impede Denny Hamlin's Chances of a Top Finish at Richmond
Joey Logano

Earns A Fourth-Place Finish at Richmond
Kyle Larson

Rallies to A Top-10 Finish at Richmond
Malik Nabers

Dealing With Back Injury
Khamzat Chimaev

Is The New UFC Middleweight Champion
Dricus Du Plessis

Gets Dominated At UFC 319
Aaron Pico

Suffers Knockout Loss In His UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Scores Stunning First-Round Knockout
Leodalis De Vries

Earns Promotion to Double-A
Nathaniel Lowe

Finalizing Deal with Boston
Geoff Neal

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Ketel Marte

Arizona Could Trade Ketel Marte in the Offseason
Carlos Prates

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Page

Dominates At UFC 319
Jared Cannonier

Gets Outclassed
Tim Elliott

Gets Submission Win
Kai Asakura

Still Winless In The UFC
Austin Cindric

has Arguably his Best Run of the Season at Richmond
Ryan Blaney

Contends for First Richmond Win but Comes Up Short
Alex Bowman

Finishes Second but Loses Ground in Playoffs
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Sets Personal Laps-Led Record at Richmond
Chris Buescher

Falls Out of Playoffs After Miserable Richmond Run
Coby White

Bulls Not Interested in Trading Coby White
Dereck Lively II

Expected to be Ready for Camp
Brian Robinson Jr.

Commanders "Shopping" Brian Robinson Jr.
John Metchie III

Texans Trade John Metchie III to Eagles
Victor Scott II

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Listening to Trade Offers for Trey Hendrickson
Marcelo Mayer

to Have Season-Ending Wrist Surgery
Samuel Basallo

Called Up From Triple-A Norfolk
J.K. Dobbins

Expected to Win Starting RB Job?
Quentin Johnston

Suffers Concussion in Preseason Loss
Jaxson Dart

Plays Well on Saturday Night
Marcus Semien

Avoids Serious Injury
Kyle Stowers

Heads to Injured List With Left-Side Strain
Zack Wheeler

Placed on Injured List With Blood Clot in Shoulder
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Optimistic Terry McLaurin Deal Can Get Done Soon
De'Von Achane

De’Von Achane Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Likely Avoids Serious Injury
Josh Hader

Unlikely to Return During Regular Season
Denny Hamlin

the Heavy Favorite to Win at Richmond
Christopher Bell

Has Been Great at Richmond
Tyrese Haliburton

No Longer Using a Scooter, Crutches
Ryan Blaney

Can Ryan Blaney Finally Break Through at Richmond?
Joey Logano

Will Start Last at Richmond After Practice Trouble
Chase Elliott

Lack of Top-Line Speed Hurts his DFS Potential
Kyle Larson

Recent String of Crashes Make Him a Big Risk at Richmond
William Byron

Probably Slightly Too Inconsistent at Richmond to Start for DFS
Ryan Preece

on Pole at Richmond as Playoff Deadline Looms Closer
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best RFK Racing DFS Option at Richmond
Chase Briscoe

Still Figuring Out Richmond
Chris Buescher

a Solid Choice for DFS Play, but Teammates Look Faster
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Activate Terry McLaurin From PUP List
Rashee Rice

NFL Could Reach Settlement Before Hearing
Haywood Highsmith

Dealt to Brooklyn on Friday
Amir Coffey

Signs One-Year Deal With Bucks
Khamzat Chimaev

A Favorite At UFC 319
Dricus Du Plessis

Set For His Third Title Defense
Aaron Pico

Set For UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Geoff Neal

Looks For His Second Win In A Row
Michael Page

Set For His Second Middleweight Bout
Jared Cannonier

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kai Asakura

Looks For His First UFC Win
Tim Elliott

Set To Open Up UFC 309 Main Card
CBJ

Mikael Pyyhtia Re-Signs With Blue Jackets for One Year
UTA

Caleb Desnoyers Expected to Miss 12 Weeks After Wrist Procedure
Tyson Foerster

on Track to Be Healthy for Season Opener
NHL

Olivier Rodrigue Signs KHL Deal
NHL

Emil Bemstrom to Join Swiss Team
Payton Pritchard

Reportedly Moving Into Starting Lineup
Kevin Durant

Rockets Not Interested in Keeping Kevin Durant with Max Extension
NBA

Isaiah Mobley Joins Turkish Team
NBA

Cole Swider Links Up with EuroLeague Powerhouse

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