Finding the right pitching streamers is essential to winning your weekly matchups. To make it a little easier for you, check out the list of streamers below to help you win in week five.
Pitching Streamers Available in Most Leagues (30%-50% Rostered)
Frankie Montas (SP – CIN)
Next Start: Sunday 4/21 vs LAA
Frankie Montas had a rough start against the Mariners in his last outing but has a matchup against the Angels on Sunday that should help right the ship.
Montas is due for some positive regression as his strikeout-per-nine, walks-per-nine, home run-per-nine groundball, and home-run-to-flyball rates are worse than his career norms. Those uneven ratios and percentages are likely simply a result of five earned runs and five walks in two innings against the Mariners.
Montas’ fastball and sinker have been difficult for batters to hit, both having under a .220 batting average against. His splitter has a 38% whiff rate. Here is a look at his splitter in action:
Frankie Montas, Dirty 83mph Splitter. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/ZCJgNKmhJA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 4, 2024
Those pitches should lead to some strikeouts against the Angels, who have the fifth most strikeouts in baseball against righty pitchers.
Despite his woes against the Mariners, consider Montas as you look for pitching streamers this week.
Nestor Cortes (SP – NYY)
Next Start: Thursday 4/25 vs OAK
Nestor Cortes has had at least a 9 K/9 rate in every season since 2019 but has just a 7.7 K/9 rate through four starts this season. That should improve against Oakland, who has the fourth-worst average and the 10th-most strikeouts against lefty pitchers.
Also working in Cortes’ favor in this matchup is his ability to limit walks. His 2 BB/9 would be a career-best if the season ended today, and Oakland has the second-fewest walks against LHP.
Cortes’ groundball and LOB rates are both below his career norms, so this game is a chance for those to inch closer to his normal rates since the A’s have the fifth-highest groundball rate and the fourth-lowest run differential.
Cortes does not have “blow-you-away” velocity, but his deception and pitch mix work well. Three of his pitches have a .143 batting average against or below. Plus he does stuff like this:
NEW NESTOR CORTES MOVE UNLOCKED! pic.twitter.com/d90G8iQwAC
— MLB (@MLB) April 14, 2024
The A’s are a great target for pitching streamers and Cortes fantasy managers should add Cortes for this matchup and potentially beyond.
Seth Lugo (SP – KC)
Next Start: Friday 4/26 at DET
Seth Lugo has given up just three earned runs across 25.2 IP this season, picking up a quality start in each of his first four appearances. He should add another good performance to his season resume against Detroit.
Playing in pitcher-friendly Comerica Park in Detroit should help Lugo, especially considering his top-25 groundball rate among qualified starters.
Lugo’s K/9 rate is below five, but Detroit’s 24.9% K rate ranks seventh worst in baseball. They also have the fourth-lowest AVG and the eighth-most strikeouts against RHP. Lugo has yet to give up a home run, so there should be some regression coming, but Detroit has just eight homers against righties this season, the second-lowest total in the league.
Lugo has been very difficult to hit, relying on his curveball, slider, and changeup to miss bats. They possess 24%, 31%, and 22% whiff rates respectively. Imagine trying to hit this:
Seth Lugo, 3418 RPM Buzzsaw Curveball. 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/ded2M2XMYt
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 16, 2024
This may be Lugo’s last game as one of the top pitching streamers if he has another stellar performance. Add him now, before it is too late.
Widely Available Pitching Streamers (0%-30% Rostered)
Reynaldo Lopez (P – ATL)
Next Start: Monday 4/22 vs MIA
Reynaldo Lopez has had a great start to the season, giving up five walks to 11 strikeouts in 12 IP. He has looked good in early matchups with the White Sox and the Mets and lines up for another great matchup next week against the Marlins.
Lopez has an 8.2 K/9, and a 3.7 BB/9 rate, along with a 42% GB rate in his first two starts. While a low BABIP typically signals regression, Lopez has limited line drives and barrels, which actually legitimizes a lower BABIP and should limit his regression.
There are some clear signs of regression, though, including not giving up any home runs and a 91% LOB rate. While those should lead to more runs, his ability to get batters out should mitigate the regression that likely will come as he allows more homers and baserunners to score.
Lopez’s curveball has been absolutely filthy, with a 55% whiff rate. His slider has also been great – it has a one degree launch angle, which should play well against the Marlins, who have a league-high 51% team groundball rate.
Andrew Abbott (SP – CIN)
Next Start: Tuesday 4/23 vs PIT
Andrew Abbott has made three solid starts this season, with his latest being a seven-inning outing against the White Sox. He gave up one earned run and struck out three batters in that game.
On the season, he has a 5 K/9 rate, which is nearly half as many as last season, and much lower than the results from his minor league career. The strikeouts should come eventually, and we may see some in his start against the Phillies, who have the fourth most strikeouts against lefty pitchers.
Abbott has excelled is his ability to limit walks and home runs. This is something that he will have to do to perform well against the Phillies.
Abbott has just a 35% GB rate, but the Phillies ground out at the seventh-highest rate in baseball. That should lead to success in Cincinnati, a hitter-friendly park.
Abbott’s best pitch this season has been his changeup, and he will need to lean on it in this game. It has a 37% whiff and a 30% putaway rate. Take a look at it here:
Andrew Abbott, Nasty 85mph Changeup. 👌 pic.twitter.com/v2PmQU4EKa
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 1, 2024
The Phillies could be a tough matchup for most, but this should be an advantageous pitching streamer matchup for Abbott.
Dean Kremer (SP – BAL)
Next Start: Wednesday 4/24 at LAA
After a rough outing against Milwaukee, Dean Kremer should see a bounce back against the Angels in his next matchup.
Kremer has many things working in his favor this season. His 7.7 K/9 and 1.1 BB/9 are better than his K/9 and BB/9 rates for his career.
Kremer’s 55% LOB rate is far below his career norm of 73%. His HR/FB rate is a bit inflated at 15%. So as those even out, he should see some positive regression to his 4.96 ERA.
His BABIP is low, but Kremer has very low pull and LD rates, which legitimizes the low BABIP.
Kremer has a favorable matchup against the Angels is favorable, so you should consider him as one of your pitching streamers for the week ahead.
Backup Plan Streamers for Week 5
- NYM Jose Quintana at SF– Monday 4/22
- TB Ryan Pepiot vs DET – Tuesday 4/23
- CIN Nick Lodolo vs PHI – Wednesday 4/24
- MIA Edward Cabrera vs WAS– Friday 4/26
- PIT Martin Perez at SF – Friday 4/26