A strategy that I have used with success in deeper leagues is streaming starting pitchers. That is, if you miss out on one or more of your high-end targets, you can piece together a fairly solid pitching staff by picking up guys each day and starting them in advantageous matchups to give you solid results.
We’re going to set a 30 percent threshold for ownership and we’ll use ESPN to get us there. Feel free to guide us in the comments section if you think there’s a better way.
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Monday, Sept. 18
Steven Brault (PIT) – v. Milwaukee Brewers (0.6 percent ESPN)
The Monday slate is excruciatingly short — seven games — so we have to really dig in here. Brault was really good last time out — six one-hit, shutout innings with six strikeouts and a walk — but that came against the Brewers as well. So we have the age-old debate about a pitcher seeing the same offense twice in a row, and a non-elite pitcher at that. You could also give Jharel Cotton a spin here. He hasn’t been particularly good, but he’s facing a gutted Tigers club. Luis Perdomo against the Diamondbacks could be a dart throw, too.
Tuesday, Sept. 19
Seth Lugo (NYM) – @ Miami Marlins (4.4 percent ESPN)
This is another tough day — they all are at this point in the season with a lot of teams in flux — to peg, especially after Lugo got pasted by the Cubs last time out: eight runs (seven earned) in three innings. But the Marlins are by no means the Cubs, and have packed it in with just one win in their last 10 games and just five in the last 20.
Wednesday, Sept. 20
Jake Junis (KCR) – @ Toronto Blue Jays (21.7 percent ESPN)
The Blue Jays are in a tailspin that has really been most of the season, but in the meantime, Junis has been pretty terrific of late as well. Since Aug. 1 — eight games, seven starts so not an insignificant sample size — the righty has a 3.05 ERA, .665 OPS against and 38-4 K/BB ratio in 44.1 innings. He also is coming off a no-decision in his effort to end the winning streak of Cleveland last time out, as he allowed just one earned run in 5.2 innings. He might be onto something here.
Thursday, Sept. 21
Tyler Chatwood (COL) – @ San Diego Padres (8.7 percent ESPN)
The season numbers aren’t good, but road Chatwood is a pretty good Chatwood. Away from Coors Field, he has a 3.41 ERA this season, and we should be even more amped up by the fact that he’s facing the Padres, baseball’s second-worst offense this season (84 wRC+). Adalberto Mejia against the Tigers is not a bad gamble, either.
Friday, Sept. 22
Reynaldo Lopez (CWS) – v. Kansas City Royals (11.9 percent ESPN)
The Royals offense (90 wRC+) isn’t very good. Other than that, this is kind of a sticky day to find a good matchup. Lopez is obviously immensely talented — he was one of the cornerstones of the Adam Eaton trade — and he’s allowed just seven earned runs over his last three starts, spanning 18 innings. But he also isn’t striking out a ton of hitters and this’ll be his second start in a row against the Royals. It’s a risky proposition.
Saturday, Sept. 23
Eduardo Rodriguez (BOS) – @ Cincinnati Reds (40.2 percent ESPN)
I literally do not like anyone under 30 percent this week. If you have the luxury of reaching into waivers for Rodriguez — three earned runs in 12 September innings with 17-5 K/BB ratio — go do it. If not, sit this one out.
Sunday, Sept. 24
Luis Perdomo (SDP) – v. Colorado Rockies (5.4 percent ESPN)
This is another dart throw as we head down the home stretch. Perdomo doesn’t have some sort of sneaky split where he’s a lot better at home or in the second half, but we’ll attempt to exploit the Rockies on the road here. Their offense away from Coors Field is atrocious (82 wRC+).
Brandon Warne is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Brandon, check out his archive and follow him @brandon_warne.
