Stream, Stream, Stream: #2xSP (6.8-6.14)

Well we’ve made some headway in the ERA department, but the record is going to be a season-long battle and ideally we’d get the rates to about league average. At this moment, that’d be a 7.7 mark in K/9, 2.6 K/BB and a WHIP of 1.28. In short, there’s still a lot of work to do around here. This week’s recommendations each have a really tough start right out of the gate, so here’s to hoping that’ll bring out the best in their competitive spirits.

Here are the totals through half of week seven:

8-26 record
5.42 ERA
6.0 K/9
2.1 K/BB
1.44 WHIP

Here’s a look at this week’s recs, with team wOBA in parentheses. Y! ownership numbers pulled courtesy of twitter pal @PandaPete21, whom you should give a follow:

RHP Mike Foltynewicz – 16.2% ESPN/11% Y! – v. SDP (.296), @NYM (.298)

At 23 years, seven months and 29 days, Folty is somehow the oldest pitcher we’ll recommend this week. And while he opposes James Shields on Tuesday, he gets a couple pretty appealing matchups this week, as both the Padres and Mets are in the bottom five among team wOBA figures. As Josh Shepardson told us today, Folty has been pretty doggone good for the Braves as well, mixing a nasty heater (94.8 mph, 10% SwStr%) with a good curve and slider. The slider also carries a ridiculous 75% groundball rate, which seems a bit odd given his 33.9 percent rate overall, but just something to monitor in situations where he could use a wormburner. I like his chances of giving you two competitive starts this week.

RHP Lance McCullers – 34.7% ESPN/43% Y! – @CWS (.289), v. SEA (.301)

McCullers’ biggest challenge this week might be that he opposes Chris Sale on Monday, as he too gets a pair of bottom-tier offenses with which to try sustain the tear he’s begun his career with. Through four starts spanning 24 innings, McCullers has fanned 10.9 batters per nine, walked just 2.3 and has posted a 1.88 ERA that is backed by a 1.70 FIP and 2.80 xFIP. That’s not to say it’s sustainable — the worry all along was that he’s a reliever long term — but he hasn’t simply been lucky so far. He’s pumping legit heat (93.9 mph) with a plus curve (18% SwStr% so far). But that’s it; he’s basically a two-pitch guy right now. We’ll see how long it can last, but for now this is still a good week to try ride the wave.

RHP Taijuan Walker – 24.3% ESPN/35% Y! – @CLE (.321), @HOU (.314)

Walker most likely has the toughest week of the three, as he not only opposes red-hot Corey Kluber on Tuesday, but he gets a pair of above-average offenses — including the team that presently has the best record in the AL in the Houston Astros. A quick glance reveals an ugly start to Walker’s season (5.80 ERA, 2-6 record, 1.48 WHIP), but he’s been downright competent since an early-May blowup against these same Astros. In the six starts since, Walker has a 3.96 ERA, .660 OPS against and a 33-12 K/BB ratio in 36.1 innings (8.2 K/9). I think Walker is a sneaky play here, as I’m usually more interested in the pitcher on the mound than the matchups he faces.