Every Streamer Option Analyzed: 9/25 Games

Only five days remain of the regular season! Ratio categories will be tough to move significantly, so you may very well have little downside in streaming as many starters as you can to gain some cheap wins and strikeout points. Here are all your options that are likely widely available in fantasy leagues.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (NYM) @ Greg Reynolds (CIN)

After predictably opening his Mets career by allowing 15 runs over his first 3 starts, Dice-K has turned things around, giving up just 4 runs in his second trio of starts. But this is still the same pitcher who only once has posted a sub-4.00 ERA. With an extreme fly ball tendency pitching in a home run friendly ball park and poor control, stay far away. Don’t Stream

Greg Reynolds (CIN) vs Daisuke Matsuzaka (NYM)

Matsuzaka’s opponent appears to be the better option simply because he gets the home start and faces a weak offense. Unfortunately, Reynolds is the owner of some of the worst peripherals I have encountered by a starting pitcher. Just 9 strikeouts over 24.1 innings supported by a 5% SwStk% simply won’t cut it, no matter the opponent. I wouldn’t even touch him in a Reds only league that only drafts players named Greg. Don’t Stream

Jake Arrieta (CHC) vs Francisco Liriano (PIT)

Sure, Arrieta is pitching at home, but he has been awfully inconsistent over his short Cubs career. You can just as easily get a dominant seven inning, one run, five strikeout performance like he posted in his last outing against the Brewers as you can get just a five inning, four run start against that same Brew Crew three games ago. He’ll be opposing an excellent starter in Liriano and a Pirates team that still cares about winning. Don’t Stream

Dan Straily (OAK) @ Jered Weaver (LAA)

Straily’s 11% SwStk% suggests a much higher strikeout percentage than 19.4% and he has shown better control in the minors. For those reasons, I think he might be better than his 4.34 SIERA. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a great matchup, so it’s that conundrum again as to whether to stream a pretty solid pitcher against a decent offense or a worse pitcher against a worse offense. The Athletics still have something to play for while the Angels may very well start a bunch of bench guys to get them some playing time. I’d roll the dice here and hope Straily’s biggest wart — his extreme fly ball tendency — doesn’t lead to a couple of homers. Stream

Esmil Rogers (TOR) @ Bud Norris (BAL)

Even without Manny Machado, the Orioles have a pretty good offense. Rogers actually has stream-worthy peripherals at the moment, but he’ll be pitching away in another hitter’s park and is backed by an injury ravaged offense. Don’t Stream

Bud Norris (BAL) vs Esmil Rogers (TOR)

Norris is the very definition of a streamable starter, possessing some solid skills and the ability to have a strong outing. As mentioned just above, the Blue Jays offense has been killed by injuries and now look nothing like their fully healthy versions. Stream

Brad Hand (MIA) vs Cole Hamels (PHI)

One of two Hands currently in the Majors, this Hand will be making his second start of the season. He has a good matchup against a Phillies offense that ranks 23rd in baseball in wOBA versus southpaws. Unfortunately, he’ll be facing one of the better pitchers in baseball, making a win difficult to achieve. He also sports an unimpressive resume, highlighted by poor control and an extreme fly ball tendency back in 2011 when the sample size was a bit larger. Don’t Stream

Paul Maholm (ATL) vs Kyle Lohse (MIL)

Although Maholm will be pitching at home, the Brewers rank eighth in baseball in wOBA against left-handers. He doesn’t possess the strikeout upside of a good stream option and with a 4.16 SIERA, it means you could pass. Don’t Stream

Kyle Lohse (MIL) vs Paul Maholm (ATL)

Oddly, Lohse was dropped in several of my leagues in recent weeks and may be available in your league. I have doubted his ability to outperform his ERA estimators and he just keeps proving us stat-heads wrong. The Braves own the second highest strikeout percentage versus right-handers this year, which improves Lohse’s attractiveness despite my never ending expectation that a string of implosions is right around the corner. Stream

Dallas Keuchel (HOU) @ Martin Perez (TEX)

Would you believe that Keuchel actually owns a 3.71 SIERA? I was surprised myself. He has suffered in all three of the luck metrics, but as an extreme ground ball pitcher who induces fewer pop-ups than the league average, it’s likely that his .343 BABIP isn’t all bad luck. Will he finally look more like the sub-4.00 ERA pitcher SIERA thinks he is? A start in Texas makes it highly improbable. Don’t Stream

Randall Delgado (ARI) @ Ian Kennedy (SD)

After entering August with a 2.85 ERA, Delgado’s luck finally ran out, as his ERA now stands at nearly 4.00. His xFIP marks have also risen every single month, as his strikeout rate has tumbled. That’s not a good sign, but his fastball velocity has held steady. He still owns a respectable skills package that makes him streamable and he’ll be facing a mediocre offense in a pitcher’s park. Since we’re just talking streamers here for the desperate, I say take the chance Delgado’s changeup baffles Padres hitters. Stream