Daily Starters – Saturday, September 15th

by
September 15, 2018

Compared to yesterday’s streaming options, today’s group could win the Cy Young. While there are still some clunkers a few usable options exist. For the pitcher examined, I’m using pitcher owned in 20% or fewer FanTrax leagues.

Erasmo Ramirez at Angels (18%)

I’d have no issues starting him for this game. His year-long results look uninviting (5.31 ERA and 2.3 HR/9) but he’s pitched decently since coming off the DL (shoulder). Since returning, he’s posted a 7.1 K/9, 0.9 HR/9, and 3.68 ERA.

He’ll face a beatable Angels team starting Andrew Heaney. He’s a fine streaming option.

Sean Reid-Foley at Yankees (15%)

I didn’t like what I saw from Reid-Foley when he debuted and nothing has changed (6.86 ERA, 9.4 K/9, 1.62 WHIP). Now, if an owner is only needing strikeouts and doesn’t mind how much the rest of his stats get abused, Reid-Foley is the day’s best strikeout option.

Yonny Chirinos vs A’s (14%)

I’m a little surprised Chirinos’s ownership is only 14%. He’s a perfectly fine streaming option (7.4 K/9, 3.81 ERA) and faces a shaky Trevor Cahill.

Jaime Garcia vs Nationals (13%)

I’m just staying away. His velocity is down over 1 mph from last season, his Zone% is down 1%, and walks are through the roof (4.9 BB/9). No need to gamble here.

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Cody Reed at Cubs (7%)

Reed has the potential to be a streaming option but not against a Jon Lester led Cubs team. While Reed gets a decent number of strikeouts (7.6 K/9), he prone to walks (3.5 BB/9) and bombs (1.6 HR/9). The combination has derailed his potential and I don’t see it turning around with this start.

Jefry Rodriguez at Braves (4%)

Don’t do it. He has no control (6.1 BB/9 in 44 IP) placing his ERA and estimators are all over 5.50. Hard pass.

Ariel Jurado at Padres (4%)

They keep getting worse. The humanity. He has a negative K%-BB% with the Rangers using him for 40 innings.

Corey Oswalt at Red Sox (4%)

I’m only starting a few arms at Fenway Park and Oswalt (5.8 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, 6.62 ERA) sure isn’t one of them.

Yefry Ramirez at White Sox (3%)

Owners could do worse. The 24-year-old righty gives his owners the chance for strikeouts (8.6 K/9) and a Win (vs. White Sox). Like many of these pitchers, he lacks control (5.2 BB/9) which has led to a 5.94 ERA.

Chase De Jong at Royals (3%)

This 24-year-old righty has me intrigued. He’s had one other major league start, also against the Royals, where he went four innings, striking out five, and allowing no runs. He’s a heavy flyball pitcher (good at spacious Kaufman Stadium) who has been around 7 K/9 at two minor league levels in 2019. It’s tough to get too excited about a starter with a 90-mph fastball but he’s one of the day’s best options.

Brett Kennedy vs Rangers (3%)

I’m about 95% sure Kennedy isn’t starting (injury) but a replacement hasn’t been named. I’ll update once the sub is known.

Elieser Hernandez at Phillies (1%)

There is a reason he’s only 1% owned. Nothing positive here.

Final Rankings

  1. Yonny Chirinos
  2. Erasmo Ramirez
  3. Chase De Jong
  4. Yefry Ramirez
  5. Sean Reid-Foley (K’s only)
  6. Any decent middle reliever
  7. Cody Reed
  8. Jaime Garcia
  9. Corey Oswalt
  10. Elieser Hernandez
  11. Ariel Jurado
  12. Jefry Rodriguez
  13. Brett Kennedy – UNK





 

Jeff, one of the authors of the fantasy baseball guide,The Process, writes for RotoGraphs, The Hardball Times, Rotowire, Baseball America, and BaseballHQ. He has been nominated for two SABR Analytics Research Award for Contemporary Analysis and won it in 2013 in tandem with Bill Petti. He has won four FSWA Awards including on for his Mining the News series. He's won Tout Wars three times, LABR twice, and got his first NFBC Main Event win in 2021. Follow him on Twitter @jeffwzimmerman.

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Ryan DCMember since 2016
7 years ago

Who ya got between D. Rodriguez, Fiers, Minor, Bieber, and Junis?

(Pivetta, Roark, Chacin, Williams, Barria, and Gibson are also available but they seem like lesser options)

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