Hello all! Fantasy baseball can be hard, especially with all of the pitching injuries that occur in a year. With that in mind, streaming pitchers can be a viable strategy, even with the risk involved. That’s why I look at splits to minimize the risk and determine the best two starters in any given day that are owned in less than half of fantasy baseball leagues. Here are your streaming pitchers for Thursday, July 30!
Streaming Pitchers: 7/30/2015
Phil Hughes – MIN (vs. CWS)
Phil Hughes has had his struggles this season. But, one has to wonder if there are better days on the horizon. It’s easy to look at his early season struggles and shout, “Bad luck!” It’s especially easy to do when you look at his 12.7% HR/FB rate. But his 4.16 xFIP, while not terrible, is not screaming ace of the rotation (or number two or three, even). He’s still going to be useful at home, where the ball will have a good chance of staying in the park. If you can get home matchups against bad offenses, you’ve got to run him out there. The White Sox might be just the kind of offense you’re looking for. They have an 85 wRC+ on the road and a 93 wRC+ against righties. I’d give Hughes a shot here.
Jesse Chavez – OAK (vs. CLE)
Jesse Chavez has had some struggles himself lately. His ERA over his last six starts is an awful 5.81. Some might see him wearing out, while others might be screaming regression. I think he’s a good matchup pitcher who got stuck in some bad matchups lately, including the Royals, the Yankees and the Giants. He’s got a chance to get back on track with a solid matchup here against the Indians. They’re only hitting a 95 wRC+ on the road and a 97 wRC+ against righties. If you’re like me, two things catch your attention here. One, I didn’t realize that Chavez was a righty. I always assume he’s a lefty and I don’t know why. That’s just the way my brain works. Oh, and two, those numbers, while not super small, come while Chavez is pitching at O.co Coliseum. This should be a solid opportunity to get some good numbers here.
Good luck and happy streaming!
OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 19: Jesse Chavez #60 of the Oakland Athletics pitches during the game against the Minnesota Twins at O.co Coliseum on September 19, 2013 in Oakland, California. The Athletics defeated the Twins 8-6. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
