Straight Cheese Streaming Starting Pitchers Week 26

This is my weekly column where I suggest streaming low owned starting pitchers that have a matchup in their favor next week to help your fantasy baseball team. Most of these hurlers are to be used and tossed back to the waiver wire. Some of them will graduate from the wire and find a permanent space on someone’s roster. Hopefully, yours.

Streaming Starting Pitchers Week 26

My process is to look at wOBA, ISO and K% because they tend to identify weak lineups and conversely for pitchers I look at wOBA, ISO against and their K%.

All statistics, ownership and projected starting dates are as of Thursday, September 12.

LHP Alex Young, ARI
Owned Y34%|E12% · vs. Miami Marlins – Tuesday, September 17

Why Young is still available in roughly two-thirds of leagues is baffling. Would a 3.50 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 8.0 K/9 and a 21.8 K% over 12 starts look good on your roster? The answer is yes.

• Last 4 starts – 2.28 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 9.5 K/9 and a 27.2 K% in 23.2 innings
• Previous 8 starts – 4.20 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 7.1 K/9 and a 18.9 K% in 40.2 innings

Alex is money lately and gets a nice matchup next week against the road-weary Marlins. Here are their road numbers against left-handed pitchers:

• 0.283 wOBA (Worst in MLB), 0.133 ISO (also worst in MLB) and a 22.5 K% (12^th best)
• Opposing SP have put up a 2.92 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 8.8 K/9 in 17 starts

While their overall K% versus LHP is low, the Marlins are still allowing left-handed starting pitchers to nearly average a strikeout per inning. Young should excel in this matchup and we need to stream him with confidence.

RHP Adrian Houser, MIL
Owned Y31%|E11% · vs. San Diego Padres – Wednesday, September 18

Since July 30 when Houser became a “full-time” starter he has a 2.81 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 9.7 K/9 and has struck out 25.9% of batters faced in 8 starts. Um, that’s pretty good.

So, we have a your starting pitcher who’s on a roll. All we need now is a good matchup. Enter the Padres and this data when they face RHP on the road:

• 0.310 wOBA (11^th worst in MLB), 0.179 ISO (15^th worst) and a 26.6 K% (2^nd worst)
• Opposing SP have put up a 4.39 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 9.9 K/9 in 54 starts

I’m banking on Houser continuing this hot streak and handling San Diego who might be looking to just get this disappointing season over with.

RHP Anibal Sanchez, WAS
Owned Y36%|E21% · @ Miami Marlins – Friday, September 20

Him again? Yeah, this may seem like the 100th time I’m suggesting you stream him. I went back and checked. This will be the 5th time this season.

Sanchez has a 4.04 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 7.5 K/9 and has struck out 19.2% of batters faced in 27 starts this season. What puts a hop in my step and makes me comfortable telling you to stream him again, is this:

• Home – 4.86 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 7.7 K/9 and a 19.3 K% in 13 starts
• Road – 3.36 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 7.4 K/9 and a 19.2 K% in 14 starts

He’s more fantasy friendly when he makes those road starts… and he has one next week in Miami where the Marlins have these numbers when facing RHP at home:

• 0.290 wOBA (3^rd Worst in MLB), 0.120 ISO (Worst in MLB) and a 25.0 K% (6^th worst)
• Opposing SP have put up a 3.45 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 9.0 K/9 in 48 starts

What more do I need to say? This matchup favors Anibal and I’m saying to stream him again. For the record, he put up a 3.18 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 16 strikeouts and 2 wins in the other games I recommended streaming him. Just saying.

Extra Cheese

Here is where I recommend a two-start pitcher for you to stream. Please bear in mind that things can change after this article is posted. Injuries, rain delays, managerial moves, etc. can happen.

RHP Kyle Gibson, MIN
Owned Y39%|E47% – vs. White Sox (Tue Sep 17) & vs. Royals (Sun Sep 22)

As I write this, Gibson is scheduled to make his first start tonight coming off the IL (ulcerative colitis). On the season he has a 4.61 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 8.8 K/9 and he struck out 22.6% of the batters he faced in his 27 starts.

After posting a 3.62 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 8.2 K/9 and striking out 21.7% of batters last season, most are disappointed with his lackluster 2019 performance. What is promising is his 3.75 xFIP this season. His underlying metrics indicate he may be unlucky.

• White Sox numbers against RHP on the road
  • 0.302 wOBA (6^th worst in MLB), 0.144 ISO (2^nd worst) and a 25.7 K% (5^th worst)
  • Opposing SP have put up a 3.65 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 9.0 K/9 in 50 starts
• Royals numbers against RHP on the road
  • 0.302 wOBA (7^th worst in MLB), 0.177 (14^th worst) and a 24.2 K% (13^th worst)
    Opposing SP have put up a 3.61 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 9.1 K/9 in 53 games

Both of these matchups favor Gibson. Let’s roll him out there and hope for the best. He’s a good pitcher and should give us two solid starts next week.

Evaluating Streaming Starting Pitchers Suggested in Week 24

Let’s look back at my previous recommendations for starting pitchers to stream back in Week 24. Note we have to look back two weeks since last week’s Straight Cheese is for the current week. Got it? Good.

Finally had a week that I am not ashamed of! All three came through for us.

Here’s a look back at the two-start pitcher I recommended back in Week 24.

A 105-mph line drive off the bat of Garrett Cooper hit Keller in the wrist and forced him from his first start. Unfortunately, he was unable to make his next start.

Here’s a monthly breakdown of all the pitchers I recommended this season (both one start and two starts).

I’m having a September to remember but I still have some work to do to get that overall ERA down below the 4.52 MLB average ERA.