Streaming starting pitchers is a common strategy that often leads to success in fantasy baseball. For those unfamiliar with the concept, the idea is simply to pick up a “lesser” pitcher for an inviting matchup or two that is soon to come.
The strategy certainly comes with risk, as there is usually a good reason, or several, that a particular hurler is rostered at a lower rate in most leagues. Still, the gamble can pay off nicely if a fantasy manager gets it right and their waiver add delivers.
The goal of this weekly article is to help fantasy managers pinpoint some two-start streamers with favorable matchups for the following week of the 2024 MLB season. These suggestions should be able to help out in a variety of season-long formats, but they can be especially useful to gain an edge in weekly head-to-head leagues.
* Each SP below was rostered in less than 70% of Yahoo leagues at time of writing
Next Week’s Best Two-Start SP Streamers
Cristopher Sanchez (PHI) – at NYM, vs. WSH – 60%
Sanchez rebounded from a pair of lackluster efforts this past Tuesday, limiting the Blue Jays to only one run on six hits and two walks while striking out five across seven frames. It was the lefty’s longest outing of the campaign to date and the third in which he’s gone at six innings with one earned run or fewer given up.
Though his results have been up and down through seven starts, Sanchez has been quite solid overall this year. Across 36.1 innings, he has turned in a 3.22 ERA and 21.4 K% (34 K) along with the league’s third-highest groundball rate (61.8%) among pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched.
Supported by the Phillies’ powerful offense, Sanchez definitely has two-win potential with strikeout and ratio upside. He’ll battle a couple of mid-tier offenses next week.
Gavin Stone (LAD) – at SF, vs. CIN – 42%
The Dodgers have some injured pitchers on the mend, but Stone should still have a spot in the rotation for a while longer. With the way he’s been performing on the mound of late, the rookie right-hander deserves many more starts. He is on tap to get two more next week in fairly favorable matchups.
Stone has logged 20 combined innings over his last three starts, allowing a mere three earned runs (1.35 ERA) on 13 hits and three walks (0.80 WHIP). He’s only struck out 11 batters during this run, but his effective pitch mix, especially his fastball and changeup, has limited the opposition to a 30.0 HardHit% and 86.3 mph EV. Stone has also induced groundballs at a promising 45.0-percent clip in this span.
Like Sanchez, Stone also benefits from the support of one of the best batting orders in baseball. Roll with him for a start at arguably the best pitcher’s park in the league followed by a faceoff with the struggling Reds.
Chris Paddack (MIN) – vs. NYY, at CLE – 14%
Want more strikeout upside than Stone offers? Paddack might be worth a roll of the dice, particularly in deeper formats. He’s got a couple of potentially tough matchups on the docket for next week, but Paddack has looked very strong on the mound recently.
Paddack endured a nine-run meltdown at Baltimore back on April 16. However, he has come out of that start actually showing flashes of the once uber-hyped prospect he was several years ago in San Diego.
Over his last four starts, Paddack has fashioned a stellar 1.93 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 28-to-3 K/BB across 23.1 innings. His elite 13.1 SwStr% has led to two separate 10-strikeout games in that stretch. When not getting whiffs, he’s keeping the ball on the ground at a 52.3-percent clip. Paddack appears to finally be fully healthy, and that makes him a hurler to monitor closely going forward.
Other Options to Consider
- Sean Manaea (NYM) – vs. PHI, at MIA – 27%
- Jose Butto (NYM) – vs. PHI, at MIA – 25%
- JP Sears (OAK) – at HOU, at KC – 13%
- Chris Flexen (CWS) – vs. WSH, at NYY – 1%
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