Hello all! Fantasy Baseball can be hard, especially with all of the pitching injuries that occur every 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 is the Streaming Pitchers report for August 12.
Streaming Pitchers: 8/12/15
Eduardo Rodriguez – BOS (@ MIA)
Eduardo Rodriguez started off the season on a magical run. If you’re a Red Sox fan like me and you saw one of his first few starts, you’re looking at the return on investment that you got for trading Andrew Miller at the end of 2014 and you’re thinking, “Hey, this is alright.” His electric fastball, killer changeup and solid curve, all coming from a lefty, made you think that this kid could not only stick in the majors, but thrive in them. Through his first eight starts, he went 4-2 with an ERA of 3.69. His 8.55 K/9 and 2.91 BB/9 led to an xFIP of 3.65, making one think that he wasn’t just being lucky. Alas, the last five starts have not been so kind to him. He’s gone 2-2, but his ERA is at 5.00, his FIP at 6.06, and his xFIP at 4.81. His pitches have picked up some speed in that time (nearly a full mph for each pitch!), so I don’t think he’s wearing out. It’s probably just teams adjusting to him, and I’m sure he’ll make any necessary adjustments in kind. However, due to all of this, his ownership is down throughout fantasy baseball, so he’ll probably be available to you for his next matchup against Miami. The Marlins’ offense has been woefully bad, with a lowly 82 wRC+ at home. I’d definitely give him a go here.
Raisel Iglesias – CIN (@ SD)
Don’t look at Raisel’s ERA if you’re thinking about using him. Just don’t. You did, didn’t you? Oh, well. If you must look at that awful number, also look at his FIP (3.51) and xFIP (3.79). Much better, right? He’s been something close to a league average pitcher in those departments. His strikeout-to-walk ratio has been stellar so far as well. It’s hard not to like what he’s done this year, as long as you don’t look at the ERA. Now look at his next opponent, the Padres. San Diego has been something close to terrible, especially at home (88 wRC+) and against righties (89 wRC+). If you feel like you need to take the risk, this matchup may be better than you think. Just don’t look at the ERA!
Good luck and happy streaming!
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