Fantasy Baseball SP Rankings: Streamers, Two-Starts & Risky Plays

Welcome to the FantasyPros Week 7 starting pitcher fantasy baseball rankings. Every Friday, we’ll take a closer look at the upcoming week and rank every starting pitcher based on their overall skills, recent production, head-to-head matchup and park factor. These rankings are for Monday, May 5th through Sunday, May 11th.

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Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitchers Guide: Week 7

Be sure to take a look at expert consensus rankings (ECR) as a helpful tool when setting your lineups. You can also take advantage of our Pitcher Planner’s resource for probable pitchers as well as our streaming pitcher rankings.

Top 50 Starting Pitchers (May 5th to May 11th)

Smash Spots

Bailey Ober (SP – MIN) vs. SF

Bailey Ober has righted the ship since his disastrous season debut, putting up a 2.10 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with an 18% strikeout rate and a 3.3% walk rate in 30 innings. This includes only one earned run allowed in four out of five starts.

Up next is a home game against an underrated Giants lineup, but given what we’ve seen from Ober lately, this looks like another quality start for him.

Luis Castillo (SP – SEA) vs. TOR

Luis Castillo is coming off his best outing of the season, hurling six shutout innings against the Marlins. The veteran righty has not allowed a run in each of his last two home starts.

We could see another productive performance versus the Blue Jays, who have put up an 81 wRC+ against righties, which ranks 28th in the league.

Kevin Gausman (SP – TOR) @ LAA

Kevin Gausman has been inconsistent this season, but he’s shown a high ceiling — including 10 strikeouts in eight innings against the Red Sox.

That’s why I’m so high on Gausman in an exploitable matchup versus the Angels, who have registered a 26.3% strikeout rate against righties, which is the second-worst in the league.

Risky Starts

Nick Lodolo (SP – CIN) @ ATL

Nick Lodolo has been terrific this year, posting a 2.25 ERA and 0.86 WHIP with a career-high 3.5% walk rate. The problem is that he’s overperformed a bit, as highlighted by a 3.79 SIERA.

This is a tough spot against a Braves lineup finally waking up. This team has a 116 wRC+ in the last 14 days, which ranks ninth during that stretch.

Nick Pivetta (SP – SD) @ COL

Nick Pivetta has been huge for the Padres, registering a 1.78 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with a 29.3% strikeout rate and 6% walk rate in 35.1 innings.

While the Rockies are atrocious, I’m still wary of firing up a starter in Coors Field, which makes Pivetta look like a risky play this week.

Robbie Ray (SP – SF) @ CHC

Robbie Ray had a breakout start against the Rangers last week, tossing seven innings of two-run ball with one walk and eight strikeouts. It will be interesting to see if Ray can sustain this improved command.

It’s unlikely that will happen against a tough Cubs lineup that has a 122 wRC+ (fourth) and 10% walk rate (seventh) this year. Hopefully, the wind will be blowing in at Wrigley to help out Ray in this one.

Two-Start Pitchers

Nathan Eovaldi (SP – TEX) @ BOS, @ DET

Nathan Eovaldi is having a big year for the Rangers, posting a 2.11 ERA and 0.77 WHIP with three walks and 46 strikeouts in 42.2 innings.

Up next are two road matchups against the Red Sox and Tigers. Eovaldi has allowed two runs or fewer in six of his seven starts, so you can fire him up with confidence.

Carlos Rodon (SP – NYY) vs. SD, @ ATH

Carlos Rodon is on quite a roll for the Yankees, posting a 0.95 ERA and 0.79 WHIP with seven walks and 24 strikeouts in 19 innings in his last three starts.

While taking on the Padres at Yankee Stadium and the A’s in Sacramento isn’t ideal, you have to be excited for a two-start week for Rodon while he’s performing at such a high level.

Seth Lugo (SP – KC) vs. CWS, vs. BOS

Seth Lugo gets a home start vs the White Sox, which gives him a great chance to secure the win, especially with how deep he goes into games.

The game versus the Red Sox is tougher, but at least it’s at home in a more pitcher-friendly environment. Make sure Lugo is in your lineup this week.

Top Streamers

Ben Casparius (SP – LAD) @ MIA, @ ARI

Ben Casparius is moving into the rotation for the Dodgers, which is intriguing because he has a 27.1% strikeout rate and a 3.5% walk rate while pitching out of the bullpen.

We’ve got an exploitable matchup on the road versus the Marlins, followed by a much tougher one in Arizona. Pick up Casparius and see where this goes, since there’s a lot of upside here.

Tony Gonsolin (SP – LAD) @ MIA

Tony Gonsolin looked terrific in his return, going six innings with three runs allowed, zero walks and nine strikeouts. With the Dodgers’ rotation decimated with injuries, Gonsolin is here to stay for the next month or two.

We’ve got a rematch in Miami up next, so we’re likely to see another quality outing with a chance at a bundle of strikeouts as well.

Michael Wacha (SP – KC) vs. CWS

Michael Wacha has allowed two runs or fewer in three of his last four outings and is set for a smash spot at home versus the White Sox.

The Royals have turned their season around, so there’s a good chance Wacha could rack up a win in this terrific matchup.

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