RADIO
As a new week is upon us, it's time to get rid of that bench bat or middle reliever you have hanging around. Instead, maximize your roster slots with some pitchers who have two starts this week and are probably still available in your league.
Here are the top two-start pitchers to stream for Week 9 of the fantasy baseball season. This can be especially helpful for head-to-head (H2H) leagues, where every start can be that much more valuable. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @TroyKlauder.
As always, I will be selecting starting pitchers who are owned in 50% or less of ESPN leagues.
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Under the Radar Two-Start SP Streamers - Week 9
Vince Velasquez, Philadelphia Phillies – owned in 26.8% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: @MIA, vs. SF
Coming off of an outstanding start against the Rockies, Phillies starter Vince Velasquez is Week 9's top two-start streamer. In his last outing, Velasquez struck out seven over five innings and only allowed one earned run, while walking just one. This was a huge step in the right direction for the 24-year-old, who has massive potential but has struggled this season. Velasquez offers big strikeout numbers, with a 24.3% K rate, which is a result of his dominant fastball and nasty curveball. VV looks to keep his momentum as he faces the Marlins, a weak lineup that is just 24th in wOBA against right-handers at .305. He will be in Miami's great pitcher's park for that start, as well, so he shouldn't be giving up many long balls. His next start is against the anemic Giants offense, which is dead last in wOBA versus righties at .279. These are two incredibly easy matchups for a very talented pitcher in Velasquez, who should have himself a great week.
Trevor Bauer, Cleveland Indians – owned in 20.7% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: vs. OAK, @KC
Trevor Bauer has pretty much been the American League equivalent of Vince Velasquez this year, and like Velasquez, Bauer has a nice two-start week ahead of him as well. Bauer has an even more impressive 27.3% K rate, and his 3.42 xFIP suggests that he's been super unlucky, so his 6.30 ERA should be on its way down. His first matchup is against the Athletics, who are a middle-of-the-pack team with their .324 wOBA against righties. However, the A's strike out a ton against righties, at 23.3%, putting them at fourth-most in baseball. Bauer can put up some insane strikeout numbers against them, then gets the Royals, whose .294 wOBA against righties ranks them at 28th. A big strikeout game combined with an easy opponent makes Bauer a valuable pickup in Week 9.
Randall Delgado, Arizona Diamondbacks – owned in 0.7% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: @PIT, @MIA
Diamondbacks pitcher Randall Delgado made his first start of the year last week against the White Sox, throwing an impressive four-inning game that inspired enough confidence for the DBacks to keep him in the rotation for the time being. While mostly working out of the bullpen, Delgado has posted a solid 3.82 ERA that's supported by his 3.96 FIP and 3.65 xFIP. After his first start, he should be fully stretched out as a starter and ready to go six or seven innings, which he should be able to do with his cushy matchups this week. The Pirates have a .301 wOBA against right-handers while the Marlins are at .305. These teams are 25th and 24th, respectively, and most importantly, Delgado will be on the road for both of these starts, away from the dangerous hitter's park in Arizona. He's got two favorable matchups in two easy ballparks, and he's almost certainly available in your league, so grab Delgado.
Erasmo Ramirez, Tampa Bay Rays – owned in 5.3% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: @TEX, @SEA
Once again, we have a reliever-turned-starter making two-starts in Week 9, this time with Erasmo Ramirez. Ramirez has made two starts this season, allowing only four runs, and has a pristine 3.00 ERA in his 36 innings on the season. Erasmo won't blow anybody away with strikeouts, but he's able to limit baserunners with his minuscule 4.4% BB%, resulting in a fantastic 0.89 WHIP. He gets two average lineups in Week 9, with the Rangers and Mariners. They are 15th and 16th, respectively, in wOBA against righties, with nearly identical marks of .323 and .322. Ramirez is a great play for some strong innings to help out your ratios and add on to your counting stats, which could help lead you to a Week 9 victory.
Lisalverto Bonilla, Cincinnati Reds – owned in 0.3% of ESPN leagues
Projected starts: @TOR, vs. ATL
Reds starter Lisalverto Bonilla is not a viable option in the majority of leagues, but he does carry enough value to warrant a pickup in super deep formats and NL-only leagues in Week 9. Bonilla is a pretty mediocre pitcher, but he does get two matchups that make him worth checking out this week. He faces the Blue Jays, who have a .307 wOBA against righties, putting them at 22nd in the league. The Braves are a bit tougher, but still nothing scary, at .320, ranking them at 17th. If you're desperate for some innings in a deep league, you can do worse than Bonilla.
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